J. Morgan Varner III – Associate Professor of Wildland Fire Science
Personal and Research Interests:
My teaching and research interests focus on helping fire managers and foresters manage fuels and fire. My research areas are:
applied fire management issues
dynamics of fuels
post-fire tree damage
natural history of managed areas
I have research sites in northern California, southern Oregon, and maintain a presence at my graduate study sites in Alabama and northern Florida. The focus of my current research is evaluating the linkages among fuel properties, fire behavior, and subsequent fire effects. Undergraduate and graduate students work with me on small laboratory experiments, computer simulations, and on large landscapes in the region. I encourage students with an interest in fire, fuels, and how they influence forests and rangelands to contact me. Humboldt's Wildland Fire Management Program is among the best in the US- we have local expertise in fire ecology, regional planning, and fuels management. Our location and relationships with personnel from nearby National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, USDA Forest Service, California Park Service, Save-the-Redwoods League, and many large and small private timberland owners provide many opportunities for students at any level.
Education and Degrees:
Ph.D. (2005) University of Florida, Fire ecology
M.S. (2000) Auburn University, Forest
ecology
B.S. (1997) University of Idaho, Forest resources
Courses Taught:
FOR 116 The Forest Environment
FOR 321 Fire Ecology (Federal 401 Series)
FOR 323 Fire Behavior & Suppression
FOR 422 Wildland Fire Use
FOR 423 Wildland Fuels Management
FOR 424/685 Wildland Fire Seminar
FOR 430/530 Advanced Forest Ecology
FOR 479 Forestry Capstone
Selected Publications:
Varner, J.M., F.E. Putz, J.J. O'Brien, R.J. Mitchell, J.K. Hiers, and D.R. Gordon. 2009. Post-fire tree stress and growth following smoldering duff fires. Forest Ecology and Management. In press.
*Kane, J.M., J.M. Varner, E.E. Knapp, and R.F. Powers. 2009. Vegetation response to mechanical mastication in the northern Sierra. Applied Vegetation Science. In press.
*Kane, J.M., J.M. Varner, and E.E. Knapp. 2009. Fuel loading in mechanically masticated fuel beds in northern California and southwestern Oregon, USA. International Journal of Wildland Fire. In press.
Varner, J.M., and C.R. Keyes. 2009. Violations in the use of fire models for evaluating fuels treatment effectiveness. Fire Management Today. In press.
Kobziar, L.N., M.E. Rocca, C. Dicus, C. Hoffman, N. Sugihara, A. Thode, J.M. Varner, and P. Morgan. 2009. Challenges to educating the next generation of wildland fire professionals in the US. Journal of Forestry. In press.
Kane, J.M.*, J.M. Varner, and E.E. Knapp. 2009. Fuel loading in mechanically masticated fuel beds in northern California and southwestern Oregon, USA. International Journal of Wildland Fire. In Press.
Kane, J.M.*, J.M. Varner, and J.K. Hiers. 2008. The burning characteristics in southeastern oaks: discriminating fire facilitators from fire impeders. Forest Ecology and Management 256: 2039–2045.
Pederson, N., J.M. Varner, and B.J. Palik. 2008. Canopy disturbance and tree recruitment over two centuries in a managed longleaf pine landscape. Forest Ecology and Management 254: 85-95.
Varner, J.M., J.K. Hiers, R.D. Ottmar, D.R. Gordon, F. E. Putz, and D.D. Wade. 2007. Overstory tree mortality resulting from re-introducing fire to long-unburned longleaf pine forests: the importance of duff moisture. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 37 (8): 1349-1358.
Kreye. J.K.* and J.M. Varner. 2007. Moisture dynamics in masticated fuelbeds: A preliminary analysis. Pp 173-186 in: The Fire Environment- Innovations, Management, and Policy: Conference Proceedings. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Res. Sta. Proc. RMRS-P-46. Fort Collins, CO.
Keyes, C.R. and J.M. Varner. 2006. Pitfalls in the silvicultural treatment of canopy fuels. Fire Management Today 66(3):46-50.
Varner, J.M., J.S. Kush, and R.S. Meldahl. 2006. Characteristics of sap trees used by overwintering Sphyrapicus varius (Yellow-bellied sapsuckers) in an old-growth pine forest. Southeastern Naturalist 5: 127-134.
Varner, J.M., D.R. Gordon, F.E. Putz, and J.K. Hiers. 2005. Novel fire effects in southeastern pine forests: smoldering fire and overstory pine mortality. Restoration Ecology 13: 539-544.
Fonda, R. and J.M. Varner. 2005. Burning characteristics of cones from eight pine species. Northwest Science 78:322-333.
Varner, J.M. and J.S. Kush. 2004. Old-growth longleaf pine forests and savannas of the southeastern USA: Status and trends. Natural Areas Journal 24:141-149.
Varner, J.M. 2004. Fuels of southeastern wildlands. USDA Forest Service Encyclopedia of Southern Fire Science. http://www.forestryencyclopedia.net/Encyclopedia/Fire_Science
Varner, J.M. 2004. Fuel consumption in southeastern wildlands. USDA Forest Service Encyclopedia of Southern Fire Science. http://www.forestryencyclopedia.net/Encyclopedia/Fire_Science
*graduate student co-author
Contact Information:
Office: 220 Natural Resources Building
Email: jmvarner@humboldt.edu
Ph. 707.826.5622
Fax: 707.826.5634
Mailing Address:
Department of Forestry and Wildland Resources
1 Harpst Street
Arcata, CA 95521-8299