Aboveground biomass and occupied voxel data from 3D fuels clip plots, Winter Burn Plots, Osceola National Forest, FL USA, 2020

Osceola National Forest is 200,000 acres national forest that is located between Lake City, FL and Jacksonville, FL and is bisected by Interstate 10. The long-term winter burn plots were installed in the early 1960’s for both research and education. The winter plots are just east of Ocean Pond off Forest Service road 266. The winter plots are burned on 1, 2- and 4-year rotations. There are also unburned plots (check plots).

This data was collected as part of the SERDP Project Number RC19-C1-1119 (Characterizing multiscale feedbacks between forest structure, fire behavior and effects: Integrating measurements and mechanistic modeling for improved understanding of pattern and process; Lead Organization: Colorado State University). The SERDP Project Number RC19-C1-1064 was able to piggyback on this project since the same methods and types of data was being collected as their project.

Personal from Forest Service – Southern Research Station, Forest Service – Pacific Northwest Research Station, and Tall Timbers Research Station worked together as field crews to collect the 3D fuels clip plot data.

During February 2020, six units were prescribed burns – three 1- year units and three 2-year units. Before the prescribed burn, occupied voxel data was collected and biomass was destructively harvested from the 30 pre burn 3D fuels clip plots. Occupied voxel data was collected at 30 post burn 3D fuels clip plots before the prescribed burn.

Immediately following the prescribed burns, occupied voxel data was collected and biomass was destructively harvested from the 30 post burn 3D fuels clip plots.