Burnt Trees Research Articles

Vandalism on city trees: a case study from KNUST campus, Ghana

ABSTRACT Tree vandalism has harmful consequences that impact the performance of trees, affecting the flow of their benefits to society. However, questions about the common forms of tree vandalism and factors contributing to a tree’s vulnerability to vandalism have not been well researched. Using the campus of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology as a case study, the current research identified the common forms of tree vandalism and determined the relationship between these forms and tree species, size, and location. The study area was stratified into three based on land use: Faculty area, Students’ residence, and Lecturers’ residence. Using the Quantum Geographic Information System (QGIS), 100 × 100 m grids were laid on the study area map, and 10% of the grids were randomly selected from each stratum. All trees within the selected grids were identified and assessed. A total of 185 incidents of tree damage were recorded from the 131 trees assessed across the three strata. The highest incidence of damage recorded was broken branches (90), while burnt trees had the lowest frequency of occurrence (6). A total of 61 trees from 19 species were recorded as vandalised according to our classification. Tree size and proximity to the road network did not influence the type of tree vandalism recorded. However, our study suggests that tree vandalism may be location-specific, with trees in highly visible and crowded areas more likely to be vandalised with acts that seek people’s attention, while those in isolated areas are less likely to be vandalised through attention-seeking acts. This study is among the few which has attempted to empirically document a common phenomenon that has received less attention and has been overlooked in several societies.

Retrospective determination of exposure temperature of standing trees during wildfires with solid-state NMR

Timber plantations across the world are suffering from the effects of increasingly frequent wildfires, which potentially degrade the wood of affected trees, depending on the exposure temperature and time. However, it is rather complicated to determine the exact temperature of the fire, or the temperature to which the wood was exposed. This study aimed to determine the exposure temperature of wood retrospectively through solid-state NMR analysis. Models were developed from softwood and hardwood samples exposed to defined temperatures, which successfully linked the NMR signal to the exposure temperature. Various fit equations were developed to link the half-width or peak area of the NMR signal to the exposure temperatures. Hard- and softwoods displayed noticeable differences: a linear function best described the half-width in the higher temperature region for Pine and Eucalyptus, whereas a parabolic function for the peak area of Eucalyptus yielded the best correlation to the entire temperature range. This non-destructive and direct method offers a valuable evaluation method to determine, if wood in burnt trees is degraded and can be processed. An informed choice can be made on the decision to use, or discard burnt wood.

Burning forests: the wood pellet industry’s framing of sustainability and its shadow places

Woody biomass energy has exponentially grown in the last decade as a renewable energy alternative to fossil fuels. The growing trend of burning trees amid global climate crisis suggests that the wood pellet industry has been grossly successful in positioning itself as a sustainability leader. What communicative frames and strategies has the industry harnessed to communicate sustainability? What do the frames and strategies leave out? To explore those questions, this paper examines the woody biomass industry’s construction of sustainability by focusing on the case of the world’s largest wood pellet company, Enviva. Following ecolinguistics and framing theory, the first part of the paper examines the company’s website and social media presence to unpack the frames that Enviva engages to communicate its sustainability. Then, the paper turns to the spheres of life that the company omits from its framing but are crucial to the conceptualization of sustainability from an ecojustice perspective. The paper concludes with a call for ecojustice as the framework for evaluating sustainability of life on land.

Seed banks and post‐fire recovery of invasive alien Metrosideros excelsa in South Africa: Implications for control

AbstractThe New Zealand bottlebrush, Metrosideros excelsa (Myrtaceae), was introduced into South Africa in the 1940s as an ornamental plant and subsequently naturalized in coastal parts of the Cape Floristic Region. Knowledge of M. excelsa's propagule pressure and response to fire in South Africa can inform evaluation of the species' invasion potential and management. We assessed M. excelsa's canopy and soil seed banks in burnt and unburnt stands; and post‐fire regeneration via reseeding and resprouting in relation to fire severity and tree size. Soil seed banks were assessed using an emergence technique, but no seedlings emerged from soil collected under burnt or unburnt plants suggesting that the species does not maintain a viable soil‐stored seed bank or germination triggers were not met (though unlikely). The annual seed crop in the canopies of unburnt trees was approximately 0.5–23 million seeds per tree. Viability, assessed through tetrazolium stain testing, of canopy‐borne seeds on unburnt trees was 18%, whereas a canopy fire, ranging in severity from low to extreme, killed all canopy‐borne seeds. Fifteen months post‐fire, the seedling to pre‐fire (live) tree ratio was 0.01, whereas 43% of burnt trees survived via basal resprouting. Fire severity had a non‐linear effect on tree survival (survival was highest after medium and high fire severity and lowest after low and extreme fire severity), while larger trees were more likely to survive fire. These results suggest that even low‐severity (safe) burning may be a useful control measure as it kills canopy‐borne seeds and causes substantial mortality, particularly of smaller trees. An opportunistic evaluation of an uncontrolled (no comparison with untreated individuals) foliar herbicide application to post‐fire resprouting individuals also showed considerable (91%) mortality. However, rigorous herbicide trials (also with herbicide in conjunction with burning) are required to inform the management of M. excelsa.

Wood Material Properties of Forest Fire-Damaged Norway Spruce and Scots Pine for Mechanical Wood Processing in Finland

Due to climate change, the risk of forest fires has increased in Europe, resulting in challenges in the allocation of salvaged wood. We studied the raw material potential for wood products of Norway spruce and Scots pine sawn log trees that remained standing after a large forest fire in Kalajoki, Finland, in July 2021. Eight burned trees, with four reference trees per species, were sampled as standard specimens, and measurements were analyzed with linear mixed models. The effects of fire on the modulus of elasticity and rupture, Brinell hardness, moisture gradient, and color were measured on clear wood specimens of sapwood and heartwood. The wood density, level of fire damage, and height location of a tree were used as additional predictors. The results show some changes in the sapwood material. Spruce wood underwent stronger changes after the fire than pine wood, probably due to spruce wood having a thinner bark and a longer crown. The moisture content decreased in spruce, and the color darkened in both spruce and pine. Changes in the mechanical properties were mostly negligible, but a small increase in the Brinell hardness in spruce and a small decrease in the modulus of rupture in pine were observed. Fresh salvaged wood can be a suitable material for middle-quality and lower-quality wood products. The spread of char and soot into wood and wood processing machinery still limits its usage, especially for spruce.

Recovery of fire-damaged “cerrado” area treated with homeopathic preparations in slow dispersion devices – a descriptive study.

Given the seasonal climatic characteristics, forest fires in “cerrado” areas in Central Brazil are common and challenging to prevent. Despite fire being a plant stimulation factor, such as breaking seed dormancy, when it covers large areas or occurs very frequently, it can cause irreparable damage to nature. Prevention is difficult and costly, and there are no corrective action options other than waiting for natural regeneration, which is usually slow and, not infrequently, with permanent damage. Due to its physicochemical qualities acting in biological regulation processes, water has been considered the primary vehicle for propagating signals from homeopathic ingredients, as suggested by previous studies carried out with solvatochromic dyes. Therefore, such inputs could, in theory, be inserted into watercourses to stimulate the regeneration of the biome destroyed by fire. This hypothesis motivated this case study. A slow dispersion device was developed aiming at promoting continuous environmental regeneration, containing hydrocolloid and calcium carbonate as a solid base soaked in a homeopathic complex specifically designed for this purpose, composed of Arsenicum album, Arnica montana, Staphysagria, Ignatia amara, and Phosphorus, all at 30cH. The case occurred in Nascentes do Rio Taquari Park, between Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul state, Brazil. It is a “cerrado” area, with multiple springs that feed the Paraguay River, occupying an area of 26,849 hectares over the Guarani and Bauru aquifers. After the fire in early September 2020, the devices were fixed at 9 strategic points in the park (P1 to P9) over 10 days, between September 29, and October 11, 2020, in water courses close to the main springs. To assess the restoration signs of the post-fire environment, the technicians responsible for monitoring the park made observations of flora and fauna recomposition in different locations close to four device-insertion points (P3, P5, P7, P8). Signs of recovery were observed 40 days after the fire was over. A rapid pioneer plant restructuring was noted, with a significant regrowth of grass, herbaceous and shrub species, such as Mutamba (Guazuma ulmifolia), Murici (Byrsonima spp.), Inga (Inga sp.), Brachiaria (Brachiaria sp.), Jaraguá grass (Hyparrhenia rufa), Colonião grass (Panicum maximum), Gabiroba (Campomanesia sp.), and Pixirica (Miconia sp.). Some species, such as Mimosa (Mimosa sp.), Colonião grass (Panicum maximum), and Jaraguá grass (Hyparrhenia rufa), were not detected in the area before the fire, probably by the seed bank stimulation caused by the heat. There was rapid forest regeneration (4 months after the fire) and restoration of most of the burned trees, both for resisting the fire and for being free of invasive species highly aggressive to native plants, which were controlled by the action of fire. Concerning the fauna, a vast animal population was detected, especially birds, highlighting the “Tuiuiú” (Jabiru mycteria) and “Socó” (Tigrisoma lineatum) close to a water body with a waterfall area (P3). Both species belong to the “Pantanal” biome close to the park. Such species began to frequent the park's lakes, being observed until February 2023 (the last survey date). The park's inventory of lichens and fungi showed an unusual tolerance to fire in species that adhered to burned trees and remained active. In this way, it is suggested that installing slow dispersion devices in watercourses can contribute to the regeneration of other “cerrado” biome areas subjected to fire, protecting the local biodiversity. More studies of this nature are needed to know the real impact of this method on the recovery of different biomes.

Nonstructural carbohydrates explain post-fire tree mortality and recovery patterns.

Trees use nonstructural carbohydrates (NSCs) to support many functions, including recovery from disturbances. However, NSC's importance for recovery following fire and whether NSC depletion contributes to post-fire delayed mortality are largely unknown. We investigated how fire affects NSCs based on fire-caused injury from a prescribed fire in a young Pinus ponderosa (Lawson & C. Lawson) stand. We assessed crown injury (needle scorch and bud kill) and measured NSCs of needles and inner bark (i.e., secondary phloem) of branches and main stems of trees subject to fire and at an adjacent unburned site. We measured NSCs pre-fire and at six timesteps post-fire (4days-16months). While all trees initially survived the fire, NSC concentrations declined quickly in burned trees relative to unburned controls over the same post-fire period. This decline was strongest for trees that eventually died, but those that survived recovered to unburned levels within 14months post-fire. Two months post-fire, the relationship between crown scorch and NSCs of the main stem inner bark was strongly negative (Adj-R2=0.83). Our results support the importance of NSCs for tree survival and recovery post-fire and suggest that post-fire NSC depletion is in part related to reduced photosynthetic leaf area that subsequently limits carbohydrate availability for maintaining tree function. Crown scorch is a commonly measured metric of tree-level fire severity and is often linked to post-fire tree outcome (i.e., recovery or mortality). Thus, our finding that NSC depletion may be the mechanistic link between the fire-caused injury and tree outcome will help improve models of post-fire tree mortality and forest recovery.

Making Ink from Fire

Two artists from opposite sides of the globe tackle the same issue of wildfires. Mara Cozzolino from Italy and Jacqueline Gribbin from Australia started working on projects about dealing and living with wildfires and bushfires in 2021. Without prior knowledge of each other’s projects, they started experimenting with making ink from the charcoal of burnt trees in their living areas. Both full-time printmakers discovered each other’s projects through a mutual friend. They began exchanging ideas about the experiments, their gained knowledge, and expertise in making their ink. By meeting online, they shared their progress, inspiring and influencing each other.
 Making ink from fire brings attention to the dramatic climate changes that continue to endanger life on the planet and highlights the importance of respect for a diminishing and affected environment. This project produced a series of black-and-white prints and short films. Mara Cozzolino focused on portraying 20 single trees burnt down in the devastating wildfires in 2017, making ink from the charred bark of the same trees she was portraying. Jacqueline Gribbin explored her local area with First Nations artist Dennis McCarthy (Murrwurruwurr) and collected charcoal for making ink from the bush, slowly depleted by an ever-increasing number of fires. Her prints portray the post-fire landscape.
 Both artists use the medium of Mokuhanga, a low-toxic, environmentally friendly printmaking technique that uses wood, water, handmade paper and pigment and is particularly suited to depicting nature, which is the source of their expression and which they are strenuously trying to defend.

Identification of alkaline amendment sources (slash and burn versus marling) for cereal crops grown in the North of France: A multiple isotope approach (87Sr/86Sr, δ44/40Ca, δ88/86Sr)

Early farmers used at least two types of agrarian amendments that could raise pH and base saturation levels to allow the cultivation of cereals: marling and plant ash. Ash can be input in many different ways: felling and burning in place, transferring plant material from wastelands and spreading the ash, charring sod or peat blocks, burning stubble after harvest. Marling includes all the practices of amending limestone, from marl to chalky limestone composed of 99% CaCO3. In order to understand the evolution of these agricultural practices, it is important to identify which of the two techniques was used to amend cereal crops in the past. In order to test the potential of δ44/40Ca-δ88/86Sr-87Sr/86Sr multiple isotope approach for archaeological samples, we first applied the technique to currently grown crops, amended either with marl or with ash from freshly-cut and burned trees. We found that this approach makes it possible to discriminate cereal grains amended either by marling (less radiogenic Sr) or with tree ash (more radiogenic Sr). We also identified a positive correlation between stable Ca and Sr isotope values, suggesting that the Ca and Sr came from similar sources and had undergone similar mass-dependent isotopic fractionation mechanisms. Consequently, we later on mainly focused on stable and radiogenic Sr isotopes. Stable Sr isotope fractionation was also observed between different locations, different organs of a given cereal species and between different cereal types, but also within the same cereal species or the number of grains studied for a given locality, pointing to biological fractionation combined with source variation.

The Recovery of Mediterranean Soils After Post-Fire Management: The Role of Biocrusts and Soil Microbial Communities

Although Mediterranean ecosystems are adapted to fire disturbances, soils are prone to degradation. Therefore, post-fire forest management is a critical step for ecosystem recovery: it can either reduce soil degradation or add a new disturbance. Post-fire management in Mediterranean burnt forests includes interventions with contrasting approaches, including the management of burnt trees, soil protection, or practices devoted to ecosystem restoration via the improvement of components or processes in the affected ecosystem. The consequences of forest management on soils are complex, thereby, in the context of the intensification of fire events and climate change, understanding the response of key soil components in managed ecosystems is critical for prioritizing soil conservation. One interesting component in the early post-fire stages is moss biocrust. The rapid colonization of biocrust-forming mosses in early successional stages post-disturbance stabilizes soils in their most vulnerable period. However, it is completely unknown further implications as active agents in the recovery and resilience of soils, in the transient stage before vascular vegetation regrowth. In combination with the biocrust, the response of soil microbial communities to forest management is crucial for evaluating the soil recovery progress, given their active role in fundamental ecosystem functions. The additive consequences of fires and forest management on biocrust emergence or microbial composition and functionality are usually neglected in the investigation of post-fire systems, although of major relevance to support strategies to preserve soils against functionality loss.

Size and energy distribution of firebrands produced from burning trees

Firebrands generated from wildfires can contribute to wildfire spread and are a threat to structures in the wildland-urban interface (WUI). Understanding the characteristics such as the firebrand size, mass and heat flux to the recipient fuel are key for evaluating wildfire spread by firebrands. The goal of the current study was to evaluate the characteristics of firebrands produced from different species of trees and to assess the threat due to firebrands to several WUI related fuel sources. To this end, a total of 71 trees/shrubs of Douglas-fir, ponderosa pine and sagebrush tees were burned, and firebrands collected. “Hot” firebrands with temperatures greater than 300 °C were captured using fire-resistant fabrics. These “hot’ firebrands left char marks on the fabric and the char marks are imaged. A novel methodology to estimate the heat flux deposited by firebrands based on the sizes of the char marks is presented. The average heat flux of firebrands from Douglas-fir and sagebrush species (short needles) were an order of magnitude higher when compared to the heat flux of firebrands from ponderosa pine species (long needles). A further analysis on the ignition potential of firebrands indicated that the Douglas-fir firebrands are more likely to cause longer range spot fires whereas the firebrands from sagebrush species are more likely to contribute to wildfire spread in the immediate vicinity. Further, it was established that increasing the Critical Heat Flux of the potential fuels in the WUI can lead to exponential reduction in the risk of ignition due to firebrands.

Postfire resprouting and recruitment of Quercus humboldtii in the Iguaque Mountains (Colombia)

Anthropogenic disturbances, including wildfires, threaten the diversity of tropical Andean ecosystems. However, the response of tropical Andean plant communities to wildfires in human-modified landscapes has to be discovered. Quercus humboldtii is the southernmost species of this genus in the Neotropics and is almost exclusively distributed in Colombia. While the extent of Q. humboldtii forests has decreased recently, to what time these results from the species' inability to thrive under the current climate and disturbance regimes are still being determined. In this study, we describe post-fire resprouting and acorn and seedling density in and around Q. humboldtii forest patches in the Iguaque mountains in Colombia. We discuss the implications for the conservation and restoration of these forests.Resprouting probability was high in burned trees two years after the fire (ca. 80%). Resprouting ability depended on fire severity and tree size. The proportion of trees resprouting from the stump was related to the severity of fire damage and tree size. Acorn density was higher in burned than unburned areas and depended on the slope, distance to the forest edge, and distance to the nearest oak. Conversely, the density of healthy acorns was low across all sites, particularly in burned areas. Seedling density was relatively high in unburned areas, but seedlings could not withstand recurrent fires. The density of acorns and seedlings decreased in the periphery of forest patches. Despite the strong impact of fire on forest structures, Quercus humboldtii adults may withstand the current fire regime thanks to their strong capacity for vegetative and sexual regeneration. However, the ability of this species to establish in areas where oaks are no longer present is scarce. As Q. humboldtii forest cover and spatial continuity have decreased in response to the increasing frequency of wildfires, the current fire regime represents a threat to the recovery of this species. Our results have important implications for the management of Q. humboldtii and Andean forests as they emphasize the need to control the severity and frequency of wildfires and to use assisted regeneration to restore Q. humboldtii forests in degraded areas.

Fire affects wood formation dynamics and ecophysiology of Pinus pinaster Aiton growing in a dry Mediterranean area

The increase in frequency and intensity of wildfires is seriously affecting forest ecosystems, especially in drought-prone areas. Trees’ recovery after fire is related to direct tree damage and is influenced by climate conditions, such as warm temperature and water shortage. In this study, we evaluate the post-fire effects on a Pinus pinaster Aiton forest growing in a hot and dry area of the Mediterranean region by comparing burned trees with severe crown reduction against unburned and not-defoliated trees. Inter-annual analyses of dendrochronology and stable isotopes in tree rings were combined with xylogenesis monitoring to investigate the effects of fire on tree growth, ecophysiological processes and wood formation. Tree-ring and isotope data showed a growth reduction and a decrease in photosynthetic activity in the burned trees, compared to control individuals, in the three years after fire. Further, the monitoring of cambial activity demonstrated a negative influence of warm and dry periods on wood formation, low xylem production, a delay in phenology and a reduction in xylem plasticity in burned trees. Our findings suggest that substantial photosynthetic limitations caused by crown defoliation and recurrent drought events could lead to severe growth decrease and reduction of trees ability to regain the pre-disturbance productivity rates.

MECHANICAL AND MICROSTRUCTURAL CHANGES IN POST-FIRE RAW WOOD

Introduction: Today, the need for the neutralization of the environmental, economic, social, and other consequences of natural emergencies is becoming more and more urgent. One of such devastating disasters is forest fires, which are currently very widespread in the world. In most cases, after a fire, we are left with a forest that was partially exposed to fire. A burnt tree loses its immunity. As a result, an outbreak of various subcortical insect species, which infect healthy trees as well, occurs in these territories. Such a forest is subjected to sanitary cutting. Purpose of the study: We aimed to determine the residual mechanical properties of raw wood to be used as a structural material. Methods: In the course of the study, we used destructive and non-destructive testing methods in respect of the mechanical properties of the material. Results: It was established that changes in the microstructure of wood correlate with its strength properties. The maximum decrease in the strength properties of wood was observed at the top end of the tree and amounted to 22.7% as compared to the reference wood. The minimum decrease in the strength properties of post-fire wood was observed in the butt end of the tree and amounted up to 15.0%. In the middle part, a decrease in the strength properties of wood was up to 24.0%.

Strategies for Scaleable Communication and Coordination in Multi-Agent (UAV) Systems

A system is considered in which agents (UAVs) must cooperatively discover interest-points (i.e., burning trees, geographical features) evolving over a grid. The objective is to locate as many interest-points as possible in the shortest possible time frame. There are two main problems: a control problem, where agents must collectively determine the optimal action, and a communication problem, where agents must share their local states and infer a common global state. Both problems become intractable when the number of agents is large. This survey/concept paper curates a broad selection of work in the literature pointing to a possible solution; a unified control/communication architecture within the framework of reinforcement learning. Two components of this architecture are locally interactive structure in the state-space, and hierarchical multi-level clustering for system-wide communication. The former mitigates the complexity of the control problem and the latter adapts to fundamental throughput constraints in wireless networks. The challenges of applying reinforcement learning to multi-agent systems are discussed. The role of clustering is explored in multi-agent communication. Research directions are suggested to unify these components.

Proposal of Standard Wildfire Curves for the Design Protection of Dwellings against Wildland Fire

This paper presents research that proposes a new standard fire curve to simulate exterior wildfire due to burning trees and bushes. An extensive inquiry was performed in the existing scientific literature, in the search of measured temperature versus time wildfire curves by other authors, in trees and bushes using in situ thermocouples. The gathered wildfire curves for both trees and bushes are plotted together, and envelope upper-bond wildfire design curves are proposed. The objective of these new proposed fire curves is for them to be used in the design of the protection of dwellings located in the urban wildland interface against the action of a natural wildfire. To access the efficiency of these proposed fire curves, a thermal numerical analysis is performed using the commercial finite-element software Abaqus, in which a wood specimen is subjected to real wildfire and compared with the proposed wildfire design temperature versus time curves.

Smoke deposition to water surfaces drives hydrochemical changes

AbstractThis study presents a unique data set from a laboratory experiment where we explored changes in the chemical composition of deionized water samples exposed to smoke. Inside a laboratory hood, water samples placed into a chamber were exposed to smoke for up to 60 min. The pattern of variations in hydrochemistry observed over time with increasing smoke exposure was similar in response to two different smoke treatments generated from burning tree litter. To estimate the smoke dosage and assess the consistency of replicate smoke treatments, we conducted additional experiments to evaluate changes in light transmission. Smoke inputs to the deionized water samples drove changes in hydrochemistry, with increases in acidity (with decreasing pH values), the content of organic matter (with increasing concentrations of dissolved organic carbon and dissolved organic nitrogen), and the content of inorganic N species (with increasing concentrations of ammonium, nitrate, and nitrite). The study was conducted on deionized water samples, and the results may not be directly transferrable to natural waters. Stream or lake waters that are low in ionic strength, poorly buffered, or low in acid‐neutralizing capacity might respond the most similar to the results of this study. In contrast, well‐buffered surface waters having higher acid‐neutralizing capacity would be more likely to neutralize acidic inputs from the smoke without significant effects on water quality. The publicly available dataset associated with this study will contribute to further consideration of the relative importance of short‐term changes in hydrochemistry driven by in‐stream inputs (e.g., changes in water chemistry from direct smoke deposition to the water surface) in contrast to terrestrial inputs (e.g., changes in water chemistry stemming from altered flow paths and source areas of the burned watershed landscape).

Anatomy of a Disaster Under the Internal Revenue Code

It might have been the howl of whipping winds; or the crackle, snap, pop of sizzling cinders; or the stench of smoke that woke them into the nightmare of 3:00 a.m. on October 26, 2003. They awoke on Wildcat Canyon Road surrounded by their woods and the Cleveland National Forest engulfed in a firestorm. Lonnie and Lori Bellante and their teenage daughters, Melanie and Lindi, raced from their third-generation homestead to the family Ford to escape threatening flames. The heat, registering hundreds of degrees, melted the truck’s tires and set it ablaze. The family surrounded by hundreds of burning trees somehow found a small clearing. Huddled together, they buried their sweaty faces and burned bodies in the dirt and waited. For four incessant hours, the wildfire that consumed everything but their lives, raged around them. Finally, the Bellante family stumbled to their feet, shocked and exhausted they began to grasp the horror that surrounded them. Even though they lost everything, the Bellantes are reminded daily by the absence of eight neighbors how lucky they are to have survived this disaster.

Materials from the burials of Sergushkin-3 ground cemetery in the Northern Angara region: on the issue of chronology and geneses of the Tsepan Culture

The Sergushkin-3 ground cemetery (Northern Angara region), studied in 1974-2011, included 24 burials of the Bronze Age, Early Iron Age and the Middle Ages. The cultural and chronological attribution of some com-plexes is polemical. The purpose of this article is to introduce into scientific discourse materials from burials 8 and 9, including the results of contextual and comparative study of funeral and commemorative practices of these assemblages, as well as paleo-anthropological data and radiocarbon dates. Burial 8 contains macerated, broken and partly burned bones of a 25–30 year old woman and represents an oval pit oriented along the river. Accord-ing to the grave contents, the remains of the dead woman were burnt in the burial pit. She was accompanied with two sickle type bronze blades, a stone arrowhead and two bone plates. The burnt tree samples provided the ra-diocarbon ages of 3165 ± 130 BP (SPb_147) and 2945 ± 130 BP (SPb_148). Burial 9 contains macerated, partly broken and burnt bones of a young 18–20 year old man and a young 16–20 year old woman in a ground pit ori-ented along the river. The partial cremation of the remains was performed outside. The deceased were accompa-nied with a piercing tool made of moose splint bone, one stone and four bone arrowheads, four horn arrowhead sockets and a hollow horn collar. The burnt tree samples were radiocarbon dated to 2790 ± 100 BP (SPb_381) and 2750 ± 100 BP (SPb_382). The grave goods of both burials are similar to those of the Tsepan Culture of the Early Iron Age (8th–2nd c. BC), while the calibrated calendar interval of their radiocarbon ages is within 15th-10th c. BC. It agrees with the dates of the same “early” Tsepan burial 4 on the Pashina settlement (late 2nd — early 1st mil. BC). The recorded details of funeral rites of these burials are typical for earlier assemblages in the Baikal-Angara re-gion. The sickle type bronze blades and horn sockets are unique for the Bronze Age materials in Angara and Baikal regions, but they impressively resemble the curved knives and bone sockets of the pre-Scythian period from Yakutia and Trans-Baikal region. Based on the above, a suggestion has been made regarding the initial stage of formation of the Tsepan Culture as having been the result of migration processes in the region in the second half of the 2nd mil. BC.

LOCAL SOCIAL ROLE IN FOREST PREVENTION AND FOREST PLANNING BY OPEN COUNTRIES

The majority of Indonesians make their living from farming, which requires a lot of area to grow crops. To produce fresh land for farmers, a small amount of forest must be cleared. The cost of land cannot be increased by cutting down and burning trees and forests, according to the legislation. However, there are several exceptions to local rules, such as burning up to 2 hectares of land per family head, growing local kinds, and encircling themselves with fire traps to prevent disease transmission, but not to the environment. The study's goal was to examine into the involvement of local sages in land clearance, forest burning, and land burning, as well as the establishment of land clearing operations against police officers who broke local laws. This research method combines a legal (sculpture) and a conceptual approach. The findings demonstrate the importance of local wisdom in large-scale forest fire prevention through constitutional acknowledgment of local wisdom.