It will take more than a century for the Jasper forest, recently devastated by a fire, to return to its former glory, an expert says.
According to Jen Beverly, an associate professor at the University of Alberta, regeneration will depend on a variety of factors, such as the depth of the soil affected by the fire. The number of pine cones that have burst like popcorn from the heat, releasing seeds, will also play a role.
The researcher, who has been studying forest fires for 25 years, adds that this will also depend on the still unknown repercussions of climate change.
“It’s not a disaster from an ecological point of view, but we know that the future has many uncertainties,” she emphasizes. “Ecosystems evolve, but the transformation of an open space into a forest can take centuries. A disturbance? And here we are again in the open area. We can’t keep them in the same state as if they were immutable postcards.”
More than three weeks ago, the roughly 5,000 residents of Jasper, Alberta, were forced to flee the town due to wildfires. About 20,000 visitors were also evacuated.
Two days later, the fire had reached the town, destroying a third of the buildings.
The return of the population began on Friday, and was greeted by tree stumps covered in soot.
Mme Beverly believes she has some clues about Jasper’s regeneration. They are already present in the national park.
In a hilly area near Syncline Ridge, about a 30-minute drive north of Jasper, an old-growth pine and spruce forest was completely cleared in 2003 right next to a road, the professor recalls as an example.
The landscape looked like it had recently burned. Both forests had also burned in the early 1900s. But they had been spared for nearly a century, so much so that they were nicknamed “the unburned forests.”
“Today, Syncline is classified as a prairie. And already 20 years have passed since the fire,” says Mr.me Beverly. That may change as the forest reclaims its rights. The old growth forest has reached its maturity stage after decades. So park visitors will have to look at open spaces for decades to come.”
She argues that when a fire burns through a forest, it leaves behind a healthy environment for regeneration.
“It’s a really beautiful process. The fire kills the trees that were used for fuel, it splits the pine cones, and it sets up this beautiful seedbed. It’s a natural event. These ecosystems evolve through fire.”
Climate change may also be a factor.
“We know that climate can impact how an ecosystem will respond in the coming years. For example: continued drought,” she notes.
Conservation strategies can also change the future of a forest.
“We have to accept the measures put in place by the authorities. Planning burning operations and removing trees that can become combustible in order to reduce risks can change the appearance of these areas,” explains Mr.me Bervely: This will be an interesting thing to watch over the next few years. What will the industry look like in 10, 20, 50 years?