From the Management Implications (p.62-63) ... 'Three factors are needed for a fire to occur: an ignition source, low humidity, and fuel. All of these factors are important and are interlinked. The frequency of potential ignition sources, mostly lightning, and the prevailing weather conditions determine the likelihood of fire starting. However, the intensity of fire is generally determined by the quantity of fuel available and the rate at which it combusts (Chaffey and Grant 2000). Only the fuel loads and vegetation structure can be directly manipulated by humans to influence the fire regime, and this is the rationale for many controlled fires (Chaffey and Grant 2000, Fernandes and Botelho 2003). Of course, fuel reduction alone is not going to end all catastrophic fires; the issue is more complicated than that. However, fuel accumulation should be a fundamental concern for wildland managers in developing a prescribed fire plan. Burning must be frequent enough to maintain fuel loads at levels below which they would support an uncontrollable fire. In an ecosystem with high productivity of dead material, frequent burning may be necessary in order to keep dead fuels at a low level. The data from this study indicates that after burning, the fuel loads contributed by Coccothrinax argentata, and more importantly by Thrinax morrisii, will usually return to pre-burn levels in 5-10 years. If palm fuel reduction is a goal then, consideration should be given to a fire management plan that that introduces a burn frequency within this range of 5-10 years to keep fuel levels below the maximum level or at that level for as short a period as possible. This will decrease the likelihood that a heavy palm fuel load will lead to a high-intensity fire and serious damage to wildlife and or property. However, Pyne (1989) examined the Yellowstone fires of 1988 and found that low-intensity fires with the intent of fuel reduction did not remove enough dead material, and that occasional higher intensity fires were necessary. Intentional higher intensity fires in the lower Keys would be difficult due to the intermix of pine forests with suburban and commercial structures. The cumulative mortality of larger palms at a 5-10 year fire frequency is also unknown and may warrant further study. The information provided by this study, combined with additional information from the FlU/USGS studies and the associated study of Liu (2003), should help wildland managers in the NKDR better understand the rate and manner at which burnable fuels accumulate and the role fire plays in the reduction of fuels and the effects of fire on endemic species. Other studies and criteria also need to be considered in development of a burn plan, such as the entire ecosystem health, the effect of fire on wildlife, and how rare and endemic plants react to prescribed fire frequency. Recreational and residential concerns of the urban interface area also need to be considered.' © 2004 Hillary Clare Cooley.