This abstract was prepared for the Poster Session: Conference on Fire, Fuel Treatments and Ecological Restoration: Proper Place, Appropriate Time, 15-18 April 2002, Fort Collins, Colorado. It can be found on page 448 in Omi, Phillip N.; Joyce, Linda A.; technical editors. 2003. Fire, fuel, and ecological restoration: Conference proceedings; 2002 16-18 April; Fort Collins, CO. Proceedings RMRS-P-29. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 475 p.

Aspen (Populus tremuloides) ecosystems are known for their high biodiversity and are believed to have been a dominant type in the Intermountain West since the early-Pleistocene. However, aspen ecosystems have dramatically declined since the 1870s.

Over the past eight years, Fishlake National Forest, Utah has been working to stem the tide of aspen decline by treating for aspen restoration. During the summer of 2001 (June – October), thirty-three sites were surveyed to monitor the success of aspen regeneration following a variety of treatments including wildland fire, clearcutting for aspen regeneration, and clearcutting followed by prescribed fire. All clearcut sites that were monitored had some type of fencing erected to serve as study controls.

Sites fenced to preclude all cattle and wildlife herbivory produced the highest number of aspen suckers compared to adjacent unfenced or cattle-excluded sites. Of the thirty-three sites surveyed, only one had no measurable aspen regeneration, which was due to high ungulate utilization.