In the six regions we analyzed in Odion et al., the beginning of firefighting, about a century ago, coincides with a dramatic reduction in the initiation of trees that constitute the dominant size classes of the surstorium. Thus, the elimination of fire has had a profound impact on the recruitment process over vast territories. Post-fire recruitment, as assumed by Stevens et al., could not explain the pattern of abundant establishment of dominant tree pruning classes prior to firefighting. If a high-severity fire had been a small process of creating a new age, the establishment of the dominant trees of the upper wood would not have decreased so dramatically with firefighting. Participants were asked to sort by consensus and disagreement a total of 48 opinions spread over eight themes. Below: Odion DC, Hanson CT, Baker WL, DellaSala DA, Williams MA (2016) Areas of Agreement and Disagrement Regarding Ponderosa Pine and Mixed Conifer Forest Fire Regimes: A Dialogue with Stevens et al. PLoS ONE 11(5): e0154579. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0154579 spatial structure of coherence and disagreement is essential to understanding whether differences of opinion can be linked to certain problems. In addition, five areas have been negotiated with DCLG on the development of an MAA:[3] We first briefly summarize the points of convergence between Stevens et al. [1] and then discuss detailed areas in which we disagree, including the analysis and interpretation of FIA age data. The authorship of this answer consists of those who have the FIA part of Odion et al. (2014) [2], as well as authors of Odion et al., whose contributions and context were necessary to respond to the FIA criticisms of Stevens et al. [1] this went beyond the scope of the FIA`s analysis in Odion et al.

(2014) [2]. A Multi-Area Agreement (MAA) was an English policy framework to promote cross-border partnerships at regional and sub-regional levels. [1] They have been defined by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) as voluntary agreements between two or more high-level organisations (Metropolitan District Councils) or unitary local authorities, their partners and the government to work together to improve local economic well-being. [2] In a recent PLOS ONE article, we conducted an evidence-based analysis of current and historical incendiary regimes and concluded that the traditionally defined baseline conditions for low-severity incendiary regimes for Ponderosa pines (Pinus ponderosa) and coniferous mixed forests were incomplete and that forest structure and incendiary regimes were highly variable. Stevens et al. (this issue) agree that high-severity fires were part of these forests, but disagree that one of the various sources of evidence from a large number of forest inventories and analyses (AMFs) in the western United States supports our findings that severe fires in these forests played more than a minor ecological role. . . .