Contents, Format, Directions, and Technical
Contacts
Note: This file is a modification
of the text file "read_me.txt" on the CD.
I. Contents
This Web site contains data on quantitative postfire changes of plant species and forest vegetation components for up to the first 25 years of secondary plant succession for 55 forest sites in northern Idaho and northwestern Montana.
___Priest River Experimental Forest .......................... Series 1-3
___Miller Creek Demonstration Forest ...................... Series 4-21
___Newman Ridge .................................................... Series 22-27
___Sundance Burn ..................................................... Series 28-45
___Plant Creek Burn .................................................. Series 46-55Each series contains a study area and disturbance description, data tables, graphs, and color plates for each site. The data tables represent forest succession for the study area in a set of six tables. The graphs accompanying each table illustrate important elements in the table and serve to aid in the visualization of its successional development. The color plates illustrate the visual change in forest succession on each site.
II. Format
The contents of this publication were originally organized with the intention of publishing the information as a traditional General Technical Report. Considering the amount of data contained in this publication and the rapid expansion of technology during the past few years, a decision was made to distribute this document and the supporting data in electronic format, both on a CD and on the Web at:
http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs/rmrs_gtr061.html.The electronic format used for the CD and Web site is intended to promote a user-friendly interface, ease distribution, and reduce the expense of publishing costs, resulting in a savings to the taxpayers. It is also designed to facilitate both electronic and hard copy use of the data. Some files are Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) files. To use the PDF format, Adobe Acrobat or Acrobat Reader must be installed on the user's computer. A free version of Acrobat Reader is available from the Adobe Web site at http://www.adobe.com or by clicking the following icon:
The main text (26 pages) required a strict layout and is available as a PDF file only. BEFORE USING THE DATA ON THE CD, PLEASE PRINT OUT THE MAIN TEXT AND USE IT AS A REFERENCE. It is available on the Main Page by clicking "Text: Data Base for Early Postfire Succession in Northern Rocky Mountain Forests" or by opening the "rmrs_gtr061.pdf" file. The supporting photos, figures, and tables are also available as PDF files to accommodate printing.
III. Directions
The data can be used by starting at the Main Page, where links will go to different parts of the publication and no other document will need to be opened manually. Microsoft Internet Explorer (http://www.microsoft.com) or Netscape Navigator (http://www.netscape.com) are the most commonly used Web browsers and current versions of each can be downloaded for free from the Web sites listed. Using the most current versions available is highly recommended since the latest versions include plug-ins for PDF files that will open links to PDF files in your Web browser, allowing viewing and printing of PDFs without having to manually open Adobe Acrobat or Acrobat Reader.
IV. Technical Contact
For more information on current fire research at Rocky Mountain Research Station, please
visit the Fire Lab's Web site at: http://www.firelab.org/For technical questions regarding the electronic format of this publication, please contact:
Suzy Stephens
USDA Forest Service
Rocky Mountain Research Station
324 25th Street
Ogden, UT 84401
E-mail: sstephens [at] fs.fed.us
Web site: http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/publications/
