March 2023 - 37

to create consistent ground fuels to effectively
carry a fire through the site in order to stimulate
aspen stands and produce a resprouting
response.
Cut and pile treatments involve cutting
trees with chainsaws or heavy equipment and
then gathering tree material into large piles.
Piles are left for several years and burned when
they are dry and adjacent to areas not prone
to burn. This method can be advantageous in
areas where access through the site by humans
and large herbivores is desired, or where fuel
loads are too high to naturally decompose in
a timely manner and specific boundaries need
to be secured from the threat of fires, such as
areas near infrastructure. This method is more
costly than other chainsaw techniques and
requires follow-up management for burning
the piles and addressing weeds in areas where
piles are burned. The increased cost associated
with piling vegetation material is often not
justified for habitat quality reasons alone and
is often done for social reasons, human needs
or the ability to have heightened control in
adjacent prescribed burn areas.
Jackstraw treatments involve cutting down
trees and leaving them to lay where they fall
without reducing the material. A variation of
jackstrawing, called hinging, is when a felled
tree is left partially connected to the stump.
This treatment has similar implications for
fire hazard as lop and scatter treatments, but
the risk reduces over time. This treatment is
cost-effective, which allows for a larger number
of acres to be treated and is particularly
useful in areas where herbivory is a concern,
as it limits access to the site by herbivores
for some time in order to allow for young,
desirable vegetation to become established.
Eventually, the trees break down and animals
can access the site. This method is a
more cost-effective way to protect sites than
fencing due to the high cost and maintenance
requirements of fencing. Jackstrawing/hinging
is most frequently used in forested systems to
protect species like aspen, which tend to be
over-browsed by elk and livestock.
Decisions about conifer treatments can be
complex, and require consideration of biological,
technical, site-specific and social factors.
The exact protocol may vary, but Game and
Fish always has the same goal when conducting
these treatments; to improve and maintain
wildlife habitat. While some of these areas,
such as open sagebrush/grassland habitats that
have recently had a juniper lop and scatter
treatment conducted, or an aspen stand that
This area of the southern Bighorns had limber pine encroachment, seen here. (Photo by Willow Bish/WGFD)
Habitat managers worked to reduce limber pine encroachment in this area of the southern Bighorns, as seen in this photo
post- treatment. (Photo by Willow Bish/WGFD)
has had a variety of conifer species hinged/
jackstrawed, may appear to be dramatically
altered or result in a more difficult hike or
hunt while trekking through the treatment,
we hope readers now have a better understanding
of the rationale behind these treatments
and why Game and Fish does them.
- Willow Bish is a terrestrial habitat biologist for the
Wyoming Game and Fish Department in the Casper
Region. Terrestrial Habitat Program Manager Ian Tator,
Game and Fish Migration Coordinator Jill Randall,
Terrestrial Habitat Biologist Amy Anderson and Terrestrial
Habitat Biologist Todd Caltrider contributed
to this story.
Wyoming Wildlife | 37

March 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of March 2023