Wildfires consume live and dead fuels, destabilize physical and ecological landscapes, and impact human social and economic systems.
Post fire seeding evolved from a desire to stabilize hillslope soils in hilly terrain after a wildfire and prevent downstream flooding and debris/mud flows.
Although recent studies confirm that the probability of flooding and debris/mud flows significantly increase following a wildfire[2] and that rainfall intensity, burn severity and ground cover reduction accounts for most hillside erosion,[3] post fire seeding is not the most effective treatment.
[4] Seeding was not found to be effective in increasing cover or reducing sediment yields on burned areas in the Colorado Front Range compared to controls, even for storms with return periods of less than one year.
Great Basin native big squirreltail (Elymus multisetus) appears to has evolved competitive advantage traits in the presence of cheatgrass.
[16] Successful growth of seeded grasses (i.e., enough to affect water erosion) have displaced native or naturalized species, including shrub and tree seedlings.
[20] The machinery used in landscape seeding operations (e.g., drill seeders and chains) impact surviving native plants and disturb microbial soil crusts.