The North Bay wildfires had a major impact on the Land Trust’s preserve network and land stewardship program, with four conservation properties totaling over 3,300 acres having burned entirely.
LTNC stewardship staff have been actively working with the Resource Conservation District, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Napa County, CALFIRE and others to address immediate post-fire concerns such as erosion risk and damaged infrastructure.
As we start to look toward long-term recovery, we have also begun monitoring the ecological response of the fire-adapted ecosystems that characterize these protected natural areas. Our three years of post-fire monitoring work on the Snell Peak Preserve (see here for more information), and new observations made in recently burned areas remind us of the resiliency of nature and the amazing ability of fire-adapted species to recover.
We hope that the following set of photos, taken in the few months following the North Bay fires, help to illustrate some of this natural resiliency and recovery.
The North Bay fires burned through all of these Land Trust preserves, along with two others.
Within just a few weeks, native shrub and tree species that are adapted to re-sprout following wildfire were observed recovering in burned areas.
The northernmost known population of the Brittle Leaf Manzanita (above) occurs on the Foote Preserve.
Napa and small portions of the surrounding counties are the only place on the planet where this rare Napa Lomatium (above) is found.
Numerous non-woody species were observed re-sprouting on the Foote and Sutro Preserves within just a few weeks of the fire as well.
Many native plants in our Mediterranean ecosystems are highly fire adapted.
In addition to re-sprouting, Madrones will readily reseed following fire. Fires help prepare a bare mineral soil seedbed and reduce canopy cover, allowing light to reach the forest floor.
