Pine stand after prescribed burning in Solsona, Spain © Hernán Serrano-León
The use of fire as a site preparation method is a widely adopted practice to remove grass and shrub vegetation before regenerating tree species. Controlled burns are applied to reduce fuel loads, eliminate competing vegetation, and prepare the site for tree planting. By burning off grass and shrubs, fire clears the ground, reduces competition for water and nutrients, and can improve soil conditions by releasing nutrients stored in the vegetation. This technique not only facilitates the establishment and growth of new tree species but also enhances seedbed conditions by creating a mineral soil seedbed that is optimal for germination. Careful planning is essential to ensure that fire is applied under appropriate weather conditions to prevent unintended damage to the ecosystem.
I. Guidelines
Nº | Title | Author | Year | Focus Region | Language | Summary |
1 | Prescribed burning - Forest land | USDA | 2012 | US | English | Simple guide for prescribed burning |
2 | Fire as a forest management tool: Prescribed burning in the southern United States | Wade and Lundsford | 1990 | US | English | Introduction and recommendations for prescribed burning for different purposes, including site preparation |
3 | Planning a Prescribed Burn | Oregon State University Extension Service | 2022 | US | English | Guide for prescribed burning |
4 | Prescribed Burning | USDA | 2016 | US | English | Guide for prescribed burning |
5 | Best Practice Principles for Prescribed Burning | AFAC | 2017 | Australia and New Zealand | English | Principles and guidelines for prescribed burning |
6 | Prescribed Fire for Upland Oaks | White Oak Initiative | 2023 | US | English | Detailed guide for prescribed burning to promote oak regeneration |
7 | Recomendaciones téncicas para la gestión de quemas controladas y quemas prescritas | Comité de Lucha contra Incendios Forestales | 2021 | Spain | Spanish | Detailed guide for prescribed burning |
II. Books or book chapters
Nº | Title | Author | Chapter | Chapter author | Year | Focus region | Language | Summary |
1 | Forest regeneration manual | Duryea and Dougherty | Prescribed burning for regeneration; Chemical and mechanical site preparation; Fertilization of southern pines at establishment | 1991 | US | English | Basics on site preparation for tree planting | |
2 | The practice of silviculture: Applied forest ecology | Ashton and Kelty | Site treatments - Treatment of the forest floor and competing vegetation | 2017 | World | English | Prescribed burning as a method to reduce or eliminate undersirable vegetation | |
3 | Silviculture: Concepts and Applications | Nyland | Site preparation - Prescribed burning as a tool of silviculture | 2016 | US | English | Main cosniderations and methods for prescribed burning for site preparation |
III. Scientific articles
Nº | Title | Author | Year | Focus region | Language | Type | Summary |
1 | Compares the effects of seed predation, prescribed burning and vegetation brushing on Spanish black pine recruitment | Lucas-Borja et al. | 2016 | Spain | English | Experiment | Compares the effects of seed predation, prescribed burning and vegetation brushing on Spanish black pine recruitment |
2 | Examines long-term regeneration dynamics of prescribed burning and thinning on tree regeneration | Zald et al. | 2024 | US | English | Experiment | Examines long-term regeneration dynamics of prescribed burning and thinning on tree regeneration |
3 | Effects of mechanical thinning and prescribed burning on natural Pinus ponderosa regeneration in pine forests | Wassermann et al. | 2021 | US | English | Narrative review | Effects of mechanical thinning and prescribed burning on natural Pinus ponderosa regeneration in pine forests |
4 | Effects of low-intensity prescribed fires on composition and structure of the advanced regeneration under hardwood stands | Barnes and Van Lear | 1998 | US | English | Experiment | Effects of low-intensity prescribed fires on composition and structure of the advanced regeneration under hardwood stands |