Uncategorized
Forest health and wildfire safety
Published
9 years agoon
By Brad Bauer Explore Big Sky Contributor
With the snow barely clinging to your yard or hiding in the shade, it’s hard to think about summer wildfires. But as with most things, a little forward thinking can go a long way. Whether you hang your hat in a cabin deep in the woods or a house in the open valley, keep wildfire in the back of your mind.
Providing a level of home safety from wildfire – whether a grass or forest – is a great excuse to evaluate the health of the trees you cherish for summer shade and winter shelter. Wherever you live, now is an ideal time to see how your trees fared during the winter. Did your evergreens suffer from broken tops or browning of needles? How about your deciduous trees? Without summer leaves, you can easily see if your deciduous trees have broken branches or need pruning.
While evaluating your trees’ health and developing a plan to remedy any problems, consider actions that can improve the forest’s health and your property’s resistance to wildfire. Around your house and other structures, you can do some simple tasks with basic tools such as a bow saw and hand pruners.
Pruning low branches around the house is a great place to start. Focus your efforts on evergreens and remove lower branches from either the first 12 feet or one-third the height of the tree, whichever is a lesser distance. This creates space below trees where a fire is less likely to climb into treetops.
While you have the bow saw and pruners out, think about removing the smaller conifer trees mixed in with your larger trees. This bit of thinning creates space and healthier trees by freeing more water and nutrients for the trees that you leave. If you thin enough, you could reduce the risk of a wildfire moving from tree to tree.
How about those deciduous trees in your yard – what can you do with them to help the forest health and improve wildfire safety?
No matter if the tree is a deciduous or evergreen, providing space between your home and trees will help improve your home’s wildfire safety. Dead trees leaning over a road may become barriers during an emergency, and by removing them you’re providing the remaining trees with more space to grow and be healthy.
Brad Bauer is an MSU Extension – Gallatin County Natural Resource Extension Agent who focuses on natural resources management, education, and outreach.
Every forest, yard and windbreak is different and MSU Extension – Gallatin County can help you evaluate and discuss your options. Financial assistance is also available. Call them at (406) 388-3213 or stop by their office at 201 West Madison Avenue, Suite 300 in Belgrade.
Megan Paulson is the Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Outlaw Partners.
Upcoming Events
april, 2024
Event Type :
All
All
Arts
Education
Music
Other
Sports
Event Details
Children turning 5 on or before 9/10/2024:
more
Event Details
Children turning 5 on or before
9/10/2024: Kindergarten
enrollment for the 2024-2025 school year can be completed by following the
registration process now.
Children
born on or after September 11, 2019: 4K enrollment is now open for
families that have a 4-year-old they would like to enroll in our program for
the 2023-2024 school year. Please complete the 4K Interest Form to
express your interest. Completing this form does not guarantee enrollment into
the 4K program. Enrollment is capped at twenty 4-year-olds currently
residing within Big Sky School District boundary full time and will be
determined by birth date in calendar order of those born on or after September
11, 2018. Interest form closes on May 30th.
Enrollment now is critical for fall preparations. Thank you!
Time
February 26 (Monday) - April 21 (Sunday)
Event Details
Saturday, March 23rd 6:00-8:00pm We will combine the heart-opening powers of cacao with the transcendental powers of breathwork and sound. Together, these practices will give us the opportunity for a deep
more
Event Details
Saturday, March 23rd 6:00-8:00pm
Time
March 23 (Saturday) 6:00 pm - April 23 (Tuesday) 8:00 pm
Location
Santosha Wellness Center
169 Snowy Mountain Circle
Event Details
We all are familiar with using a limited palette, but do you use one? Do you know how to use a
more
Event Details
We all are familiar with using a limited palette, but do you use one? Do you know how to use a limited palette to create different color combinations? Are you tired of carrying around 15-20 different tubes when you paint plein air? Have you ever wanted to create a certain “mood” in a painting but failed? Do you create a lot of mud? Do you struggle to achieve color harmony? All these problems are addressed in John’s workbook in clear and concise language!
Based on the bestselling “Limited Palatte, Unlimited Color” workbook written by John Pototschnik, the workshop is run by Maggie Shane and Annie McCoy, accomplished landscape (acrylic) and plein air (oil) artists,exhibitors at the Big Sky Artists’ Studio & Gallery and members of the Big Sky Artists Collective.
Each student will receive a copy of “Limited Palette, Unlimited Color” to keep and take home to continue your limited palette journey. We will show you how to use the color wheel and mix your own clean mixtures to successfully create a mood for your paintings.
Each day, we will create a different limited palette color chart and paint a version of a simple landscape using John’s directives. You will then be able to go home and paint more schemes using the book for guidance.
Workshop is open to painters (oil or acrylic) of any level although students must have some basic knowledge of the medium he or she uses. Students will be provided the book ($92 value), color wheel, value scale and canvas papers to complete the daily exercises.
Sundays, April 14, 21 and 28, 2024
Noon until 6PM.
$170.
Time
14 (Sunday) 12:00 pm - 28 (Sunday) 6:00 pm
Event Details
Come join us at Cowboy Coffee as we celebrate a fun night of drinks, games, and meeting others within the community. This event is from 6-8 and all are welcome
Event Details
Come join us at Cowboy Coffee as we celebrate a fun night of drinks, games, and meeting others within the community. This event is from 6-8 and all are welcome to come, if you don’t know who to bring come alone this is a great mixer event! This is an event hosted by Big Sky OUT as we work to provide queer safe spaces throughout the community.
Time
(Sunday) 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Location
Cowboy Coffee
25 Town Center Ave. Big Sky, MT 59716