Blower Clears Established Firelines in Hardwood Forests Without Disturbing Soil
Project Proposal
Allen Nicholas, forest supervisor of the Shawnee
National Forest in Harrisburg, IL, submitted the
following project proposal:
Maintenance and restoration of many of our oak/hickory
forest communities includes repeated treatments of prescribed
fire. Between establishment of the initial plow line
and subsequent treatments, leaf litter accumulates. Replowing
prepares the line to hold fire, but also displaces the upper
portions of the A-horizon of the soil with each additional
pass. This can reduce the productivity of the fireline
Our idea for a solution is an attachment for a low ground pressure implement that would sweep and blow the organic litter off the fireline with minimal disturbance to the surface horizons of soil. The attachment could consist of an angled, rotating brush that would cover the width of the plow line and automatically adjust to skim the surface of the ground. A blower could also help clear debris off the line.
This design would decrease the potential for soil compaction and reduce soil displacement, which would conserve the productivity of the firelines. It would also allow operators to quickly prepare old plow lines for implementation of prescribed fire treatments over time.
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