Southwest Vegetation Type Conversion: A workshop summary

by Rachel M. Gregg, EcoAdapt, and Laura A. Marshall, University of Arizona Increasingly common large and severe fires in the Southwest are now often followed by vegetation type conversions (VTC) where once-dominant vegetation fails to return to its pre-fire state. Case studies have documented abrupt transitions from forests to shrublands or from shrublands to grasslands. …

After the Fire: Learning from Burned Areas in the Southwest

In the spring of 2019, several partners teamed up with the Burned Area Learning Network to visit coordinate a series of three field trips across the Southwest. Scientists, researchers, and land managers came together to visit burned areas of the Boundary Fire (2017) and Pumpkin Fire (2000) in Arizona, the Las Conchas Fire (2011) in …

Oct 23, 2019: Large-scale forest restoration stabilizes carbon under climate change

Presenter: Lisa McCauley, The Nature Conservancy Date: October 23, 2019 11am AZ/12pm MDT Higher tree density, more fuels, and a warmer, drier climate have caused an increase in the frequency, size, and severity of wildfires in western U.S. forests. There is an urgent need to restore forests across the western United States. To address this need, …

Burning in the Black Range- Using prescribed fire on the Gila National Forest

A brief look at how the Black Range of the Gila National Forest goes about putting down thousands of acres of prescribed fire. See how the District works in a collaborative and productive manner while working within the multiple-use framework to include grazing, wildlife, recreation, and community outreach. Supported by science, the agency looks to keep fire on the landscape. View the YouTube video here.


A game changer: Prescribed fire and Mexican spotted owls

In the fall of 2018, the Coconino National Forest, in partnership with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, conducted prescribed fires in Mexican spotted owl protected activity centers (PACs). This video describes this project. View the YouTube video here


May 2, 2019: New reforestation practices for post-wildfire landscapes- building early resilience

Presenter: Jens Stevens, PhD, US Geological Survey Date: May 2, 2019 11am AZ/12pm MDT The increasing frequency and severity of fire and drought events have negatively impacted the capacity and success of reforestation efforts in many dry, western forests. Challenges to reforestation include the size, cost, and safety concerns of replanting large areas with standing …

March 6, 2019: Building loss to wildfires in the wildland urban interface in the U.S.

Presenter: Patricia Alexandre, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Date: March 6, 2019 12pm Mountain Time Wildfires are a natural element of many ecosystems and have a great impact on society by destroying property and sometimes by taking lives. In the United States alone, thousands of individual fires occur every year and the number of both …

November 28, 2018: Burning piles- effects of pile age, moisture, mass, and composition on fire effects, consumption, decomposition

Presenter: Zander Evans, Forest Stewards Guild Date: November 28, 2018 12pm Mountain Millions of acres of fuels reduction treatments are being implemented each year in the fire adapted forests of the US. Typical these fuel reduction treatments target small diameter trees for removal producing large amounts of unmerchantable woody material and elevating surface fuel loadings. …