Initiated in 1998, the Teakettle Ecosystem Experiment was designed to study the short- and long-term ecological effects of prescribed fire and forest thinning treatments. Research has focused on a wide range of variables, including forest structure, understory vegetation, regeneration, microclimate, decomposition and respiration, invertebrates, soil nutrients and moisture, epiphytes, and small mammals. In 2001, a combination of thinning and prescribed fire treatments was implemented across 18 experimental plots totaling approximately 119 acres. To extend this research and address landscape-scale forest health, the Sierra National Forest, High Sierra Ranger District proposes a new prescribed burn encompassing approximately 3,240 acres of old-growth, mixed-conifer forest.
Beyond reducing wildfire risk and improving forest resilience, the proposed project will provide critical data on carbon dynamics in response to larger-scale burns. It will also assess the effectiveness of prescribed fire in reducing high-severity wildfire potential, restoring ecological function, and stabilizing forest carbon stocks.
The project is a collaboration between the Forest Service and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
JNA Consulting served as the lead biologist and GIS lead, preparing draft technical documentation and spatial analyses that was used by the Forest Service to complete necessary U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service consultation and prepare a National Environmental Policy Act Decision Memo. Key deliverables included:
- Biological Assessments for federally listed species under the ESA
- Biological Evaluations for Forest Service Sensitive Species
- Riparian Conservation Objectives Evaluation
- Management Indicator Species Report
- Invasive Species Risk Assessment
- Migratory Landbird Impact Assessment
JNA Consulting is currently working with The Climate and Wildfire Institute and Krempl Consulting to complete botanical resource surveys required for project implementation in 2026.