Returning fire to the land: Celebrating traditional knowledge and fire
2017-12-04 10:00 - 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
View webinar recording.
In this webinar, Frank Lake, Research Ecologist with the Pacific Southwest Research Station will present findings from workshops held in 2012 and 2014 to investigate how traditional and western knowledge can be used to enhance wildland fire and fuels management and research. The workshops engaged tribal members, managers, and researchers to identify challenges and formulate solutions regarding cross-jurisdictional work, fuel reduction strategies, and wildland fire management and research involving lands important to tribes. A key conclusion from the workshops is that successful management of wildland fire and fuels requires collaborative partnerships that share traditional and western fire knowledge through culturally sensitive consultation, coordination, and communication for building trust. Dr. Lake will present a framework for developing these partnerships based on workshop discussions.

Federal fire managers' perceptions of the importance, scarcity, and substitutability of suppression resources
2017-12-06 11:00 - 12:00
View webinar recording.
In the United States, multi-jurisdictional fire suppression demand is met by a national-scale pool of suppression resources that come from a variety of jurisdictions and provide a wide range of skills, experience, and associated mobility limitations and logistical needs. We designed and implemented an online survey of U.S. Forest Service employees who hold direct or indirect responsibility for ordering suppression resources; our main research objective was to identify the field’s perceptions of resource importance, scarcity, and substitutability. Importantly, we asked questions to help distinguish between resources that are high value, scarce, and without substitutes versus ones that are low value, readily available, and highly substitutable. We hypothesized that resource ordering patterns change with elevated resource scarcity and that, because of this, true resource demand and frequent resource associations and substitutions are not reflected in dispatch summary reports. In this webinar, we will present an overview of our survey results, including future research and analysis plans. Additionally, we will relate the discussion back to firefighter risk, exposure, and risk transfer themes.
Crystal Stonesifer, USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Human Dimensions, presents.

Using narrative stories to understand Traditional Ecological Knowledge in the Great Basin
2017-12-06 13:00 - 14:00
View webinar recording.
This pilot project used a method of naïve interviewing with tribal youths to gather narrative “micro stories” from elders and key tribal members and then answering a series of carefully constructed questions that allow participants to apply context and meaning to their stories. These questions were then analyzed quantitatively using correlational statistics to identify key themes and patterns across the narrative dataset. Webinar speaker is Tamara Wall, Desert Research Institute

Informing recovery through mitigation planning
2017-12-08 10:00 - 11:00
View webinar recording.
A key goal of both hazard mitigation and recovery is increasing resilience. Although these two activities differ in many respects, this shared objective of increased resilience allows mitigation and recovery planning to reinforce one another and leverage greater benefits within the development of plans, and programs or projects. Because both mitigation and recovery planning can be carried out pre-disaster, there is generally ample time to coordinate activities and promote more widespread attention to resilience.
Join the FEMA Region 10 Mitigation and Recovery Planning Team, and guest speakers as they review opportunities for integration, review examples, and identify resources.

Climate, megafires, and conservation financing
2017-12-11 10:00 - 11:30
Access webinar recording.
Join Climate Science for a discussion on how climatic changes can influence wildland fire activity across the globe and how these critical fire weather variables have changed over the last 40 years.
These changes in key weather variables have combined to both lengthen the fire season and increase the fire weather severity within the fire season. With more area burned each year, the Forest Service is exploring innovate ways to finance conservation and restoration work. The Blue Forest Conservation’s Forest Resilience Bond invests in restoration projects that protect forest health, mitigating both wildfire and drought risk. Contracting with both public and private beneficiaries to monetize the multifaceted benefits of forest restoration, the Forest Resilience Bond creates value for a diverse set of stakeholders (including the US Forest Service, water and electric utilities, private water-dependent companies, state governments, and insurance companies).

Climate change assessment of vegetation, fire, and ecosystem services for tribal lands in the PNW
2017-12-20
View recorded webinar.
Researchers from the USFS PNW Research Station and Case Research synthesized model projections of changes in vegetation and fire across tribal lands in the PNW. They will demonstrate how these changes will impact economically and culturally important ecosystem services and how this information can be used for adaptation planning.

Lessons in creating and maintaining prescribed burn associations
2018-01-01 12:00 - 13:30
View webinar recording.
A Southern Fire Exchange webinar with John Weir of Oklahoma State University and the Oklahoma Prescribed Burn Association. Are you involved in creating, developing, guiding, or supporting a prescribed burn association (PBA)? Are you interested learning how prescribed burn associations work or how they’re successfully sustained? Led by national PBA expert John Weir and supported by other PBA leaders, this webinar discussed a range of common questions faced by PBA organizers and organizations. The webinar started with a short overview of prescribed burn associations, their existing locations, structure and organization. After that introduction, the webinar opened up into an extended question and answer period to address some of the most common issues that come up in PBA development and maintenance.

Examining the role of human dimensions thinking in landscape conservation planning
2018-01-24 11:00 - 12:00
View webinar recording.
One of the greatest challenges facing landscape conservation is how to ensure ecosystem-wide conservation goals, such as those articulated in Landscape Conservation Designs, can effectively inform local management plans and actions. Developing feasible conservation goals and useful landscape planning products requires participation by local stakeholders. However, opportunities for these stakeholders to engage in planning processes are often limited. This webinar will examine the role of local stakeholders and human dimensions thinking in transboundary resource conservation. Catherine Doyle-Capitman, Doctoral Candidate at Cornell University, will highlight the role of local stakeholders in bridging the gap between conservation planning and management implementation. She will then present best practice guidance for engaging local stakeholders and integrating social data into landscape conservation decision processes.

Fire management of American Indian basket weaving plants in the Pacific Northwest
2018-01-25 10:00 - 11:00
View webinar recording.
Bear grass (Xerophyllum tenax) and California Hazelnut (Corylus cornuta var. californica) are two Nontimber Forest Products (NTFPs) harvested by American Indians for basket weaving in the Pacific Northwest. Good quality leaves and stems for basket weaving are reliant on the periodic burning of these plant species. In this webinar we will discuss how fire and other ecological variables affect the growth and quality of these species, the collaborative management of these plants by American Indians and public agencies, and what implications our findings have for the future management of these resources.

Society for Range Management (SRM) - 2018 Annual Meeting
2018-01-28 - 2018-02-02 | Nugget Hotel and Casino, Sparks, United States
Access recorded symposia:

Restoring & managing “Emerald Isles”
Strategic, multi-scale approach for managing threats to sagebrush ecosystems based on resilience and resistance concepts

The Society for Range Management’s 71st Annual Meeting, Technical Training and Trade Show was at the Nugget Hotel in Sparks, Nevada. The theme for the 2018 conference was Empowerment through Applied Science.

World of Wildland Fire - A collection of educational videos
2018-02-14
Access videos.
The World of Wildland Fire vision is to provide and connect fire science educators, trainers, and the public with scientifically solid and peer-reviewed teaching tools and techniques, using state-of-the-art materials, which will be free and accessible to all. This is done to significantly enhance the learning experience.

The role of insects and diseases in aspen biology
2018-02-20 11:00 - 12:00
Access webinar recording.
In part due to its vegetative strategy, western aspen is host to a large number of insects and diseases. However, only a few are agents of significant impact that can cause or warn of substantial changes in the condition of aspen clones. Environmental conditions, particularly drought stress, also play an integral role in the life cycle of the important insects and diseases of aspen, and regional droughts were the triggering factor in the initiation of the most notable instances of substantial aspen dieback and decline.

Collaborative spatial planning using the Great Basin LCC's Conservation Planning Atlas
2018-02-22 10:00 - 11:00
Access webinar recording.
The GBLCC Conservation Planning Atlas (CPA) is an important aspect of our effort to engage a landscape focus and best available science toward improving collaboration and maximizing conservation efforts in the Great Basin. Incorporating over 1000 spatial data layers related to conservation of the Great Basin region’s many natural and cultural resources, the CPA provides managers, researchers and planners from state, federal, local, NGO and private partners a valuable suite of tools for collaborative spatial planning. In short, the portal represents a single website to access regional spatial layers, decision support tools, and Great Basin LCC project information and products.
GBLCC’s Geospatial Data Specialist, Eric Jensen will be joined by Conservation Biology Institute’s Kai Henifin to share about the CPA. Together we will dive into navigation of the portal, data, tools and publications available, and the Data Basin suite of collaborative features—such as Groups, sharing and comment threads. Finally, we’ll explore current use cases and share information about how you or your group can leverage the CPA for your own projects and planning.

2018 Webinar Series: Managing cheatgrass by putting what we know into practice
2018-03-08
View flyer.
Conversion of native rangelands to cheatgrass, and subsequent impacts on wildfire regimes, are one of the most challenging threats to sagebrush ecosystems today. The widespread and complex nature of the problem and lack of clarity on effective management actions are often barriers to implementing meaningful treatments and practices to reduce risks. Although there is no silver bullet, combining cheatgrass reduction treatments with promotion or restoration of perennial vegetation in an integrated, adaptive management framework can move the needle toward maintenance and recovery of functioning ecosystems. This webinar series will provide information on integrated management approaches using specific strategies and proven tools.
The series covered the following topics and featured the following presenters, follow the links to the webinar recordings:
3/8 – Cheatgrass control methods and their impacts on perennial grasses: A systematic review spanning 64 years (Tom Monaco, ARS)
Cheatgrass control_Webinar
Cheatgrass control_Summary
4/4 – Herbicides for cheatgrass: What works? (Richard Lee, BLM)
Herbicides_Webinar
Herbicides_ Summary
4/11 – Grazing to maintain perennial grasses and reduce nonnative annuals (Kirk Davies, ARS)
GrazingWeeds_Webinar
GrazingWeeds_Summary
4/25 – Capitalizing on strategic opportunities: Examples from the field (Brian Mealor, UW and Mike Pellant, BLM-retired)
Strategies_Webinar
Strategies_Summary
5/9 – Ecologically Based Invasive Plant Management (EBIPM): Lessons from the area-wide demonstration project (Roger Sheley, ARS)
EBIPM_Webinar
EBIPM_Summary
Brought to you by the Great Basin Fire Science Exchange, in partnership with the USDA/NRCS, Sage Grouse Initiative, BLM, ARS, and FS.

Cheatgrass control methods and their impacts on perennial grasses: A systematic review of 64 years
2018-03-08 11:30 - 12:30
View recording.
Read webinar brief.
Reducing cheatgrass has been a primary research topic and goal of ecological restoration for over 50 years. Our work examined published studies between 1946 and 2012 to identify how a broad range of control methods influence cheatgrass and perennial grass abundance. Based on this assessment, we identify obstacles encountered in achieving desired restoration and clarify what research is needed to develop improved mechanistic control strategies. Jeremy Maestas, Ecologist, USDA-NRCS, and Tom Monaco, Ecologist at USDA-ARS and USU, present.
This webinar is the first in our 2018 Webinar Series: Moving the Needle on Cheatgrass: Putting What We Know into Practice.

US National Fire Danger Rating System: Past, present, and future
2018-03-09 12:00 - 13:00
View webinar recording.
This seminar was presented by W. Matt Jolly and recorded by the USFS, RMRS, Missoula Fire Sciences Laboratory.

Best management practices for pollinators (talk 1) and Calculated floral resource withdrawal by managed honey bees (talk 2)
2018-03-21 08:00 - 17:00
View recordings.
Talk 1: Scott Hoffman Black, Executive Director, Xerces Society: Best Management Practices for Pollinators: Creating Practices that are Meaningful and Implementable for Rangelands
Talk 2: Jim Cane, Research Entomologist, USDA-ARS Pollinating Insect Research Unit: Calculated Floral Resource Withdrawal by Managed Honey Bees in Light of Native Bee Reproduction

Native bees and large mammals (talk 1) and Prairie restoration to support diverse pollinating insects (talk 2)
2018-03-21 09:00 - 10:00
View recording.
Talk 1: Mary Rowland, Research Wildlife Biologist, U.S. Forest Service; and Sandy DeBano, Associate Professor – Invertebrate Ecology, Oregon State University: Native Bees and Large Mammals: Vertebrate – Invertebrate Interactions in Riparian Natural Areas
Talk 2: Thomas Kaye, Executive Director and Senior Ecologist at the Institute for Applied Ecology: Partnering with Pollinators: Prairie Restoration to Support Diverse Pollinating Insects

Fuel treatment effectiveness in the southern Blue Mountains of Oregon
2018-03-21 10:00 - 11:00
View webinar recording.
While fuel treatments in the dry conifer forests of the inland western U.S. are effective at reducing wildfire spread and severity at the stand-level, how effective are they at changing wildfire activity at the landscape scale? And will current management practices be sufficient as forests and climate change over the next century? Brooke Cassell presents the results of her recently-defended dissertation on the effects of fuel treatments in the southern Malheur National Forest and surrounding landscape. This study used a dynamic forest landscape model to compare alternative management strategies’ effects on wildfire activity under contemporary and extreme weather scenarios.

Quantifying post-fire recovery of rangeland productivity
2018-03-22 10:00 - 11:00
View webinar recording.
This seminar was presented by Matt Reeves at the Missoula, MT, Rocky Mountain Research Station Fire Lab.

IFTDSS webinars recordings
2018-03-23 09:00 - 10:00
Access recordings.
Developing Treatment Alternatives
Treatment comparison is one of the more complex parts of the IFTDSS app. There’s no doubt that comparing landscapes is tricky business. If you find yourself scratching your head or staring at the screen a lot, join us to help take some of the mystery out of landscape comparisons! Recorded 13 April 2018.
Modeling and Reports
The beauty of IFTDSS is that nearly everything is exportable as a report or summary. With a fairly large number of items on each report it’s easy to get lost. Join us to take some of the mystery out of IFTDSS reports and reporting. Recorded 30 March 2018.
Landscapes and Editing
Trying to figure out how to edit landscapes in IFTDSS or just interested in picking up some tips and tricks to do it better? This webinar is for those trying to learn how to edit landscapes in IFTDSS to better represent their area! Recorded 23 March 2018.
IFTDSS Map Studio Demonstration
In this webinar we demonstrate using Map Studio for finding an area of interest, adding landscapes and model runs, and working with shapes and shapefiles. Recorded 16 March 2018.
Navigating IFTDSS
This demonstration highlights the overall layout of IFTDSS. It includes the Planning Cycle, file storage in My Workspace, Map Studio interface, and Modeling Playground. Recorded 9 March 2018.
IFTDSS Demonstration and Discussion
This demonstration of IFTDSS, and the following discussion, was a presentation to the Fire Science Exchange Network on September 21, 2017.

Smoke tools and information for prescribed fire and wildfire
2018-03-27 10:00 - 11:00
View webinar recording.
The science of wildland fire smoke modeling and the tools and information available are dramatically different from what they were 10 years ago. Satellite systems, computing power, social media, and investments in basic research and research delivery such as made by the Joint Fire Sciences Program (JFSP) and NASA are some of the components driving this, as well as the need for information and guidance when widespread smoke impacts occur to large populations such as experienced this past Summer across much of the western US. This webinar provides 1) an overview of the various web-based smoke forecasting systems available in both the US and Canada, and a background of the science and information that goes into these systems, 2) directions to a one-stop-shop of particulate matter air quality monitoring data from both permanent monitoring networks, and monitors deployed during wildfires, 3) an overview of satellite information and products tailored to smoke, 4) directions on where to go to do your own smoke modeling, and finally 5) an overview of the Wildland Fire Air Quality Response Program and the Air Resource Advisors deployed as part of the program to Incident Management Teams.

Scaling up collaborative restoration: What can be learned from participatory landscape simulation modeling?
2018-04-03 10:00 - 11:00
View webinar recording.
It is widely recognized that forest restoration needs to be scaled up to landscapes. This webinar described the findings from the project “Go big or Go Home?” in the eastern Cascades of Oregon. The goals of the project were to analyze how forest collaboratives and Forest Service managers can plan and manage at landscape scales, and determine how scientific research, participatory simulation modeling, and innovations in collaborative participation can contribute to the process.

Management considerations of pollinating bats on energy farms (Talk 1) and Utility right-of-way management that supports pollinators (Talk 2)
2018-04-04 09:00 - 10:00
Access recordings.
Talk 1: Dave Waldien, Affiliated Scholar, Christopher Newport University: Management Considerations of Pollinating Bats on Wind and Solar Farms
Talk 2: Peter Beesley, Vegetation Program Manager, Expert – Pacific Gas and Electric Company: Utility Right-of-Way Management that Supports Pollinators and Safe Energy Transmission

Herbicides for cheatgrass: What works?
2018-04-04 11:30 - 12:30
View recording.
Read webinar brief.
This webinar covers existing products that are effective and how they are applied in different situations. It will also introduce new emerging herbicides. Richard D. Lee, Integrated Pest Management Specialist, BLM National Operations Center, presents.
This webinar was the second in our 2018 Webinar Series: Moving the Needle on Cheatgrass: Putting What We Know into Practice.

Grazing to maintain perennial grasses and reduce nonnative annuals
2018-04-11 11:30 - 12:30
View recording.
Read webinar brief.
This webinar discusses the benefits of altering timing of grazing to reduce annuals and maintain perennial bunchgrasses. It also discusses the detrimental impacts of repeated spring defoliation on perennials. Kirk Davies, Lead Rangeland Scientist with USDA ARS, presented.
This webinar was the third in our 2018 Webinar Series: Moving the Needle on Cheatgrass: Putting What We Know into Practice.

Fire, smoke, and air quality
2018-04-23 12:00 - 13:00
Access webinar recording.
This webinar discusses various agricultural and forestry fires and their impacts on air quality, including smoke and other air emissions. Basic Smoke Management Practices (BSMPs) will be discussed as means to minimize air quality impacts from prescribed fires.

Capitalizing on strategic opportunities: Examples from the field
2018-04-25 11:30 - 12:30
View recording.
Read webinar brief.
Brian Mealor, Associate Professor and Director of the Sheridan Research and Extension Center, UW, discusses strategic opportunities where land managers can intervene to move the needle on cheatgrass. It describes the level of invasion and management strategies applicable to each. Then, Mike Pellant, Ecologist, Retired BLM, discusses post-fire opportunities, cheatgrass die-off areas, and the myths and realities of dormant season targeted grazing.
This webinar was the fourth in our 2018 Webinar Series: Moving the Needle on Cheatgrass: Putting What We Know into Practice.

Making it work: How Michigan National Forests modified LANDFIRE data for local use
2018-05-01 09:30 - 10:30
View webinar recording.
This webinar gives a brief introduction to multiple LANDFIRE datasets and then explore how two National Forests are working to tweak LANDFIRE data to better meet their needs. We will conclude by sharing resources and ideas that may help you think through modifying LANDFIRE or other similar datasets for your use.

BehavePlus - Updates and changes
2018-05-09 11:00 - 12:00
View webinar recording.
Webinar presented by Faith Ann Heinsch, S&K Global Solutions, RMRS Missoula Fire Lab
The webinar described major changes from version 5 to version 6, showed sample Runs demonstrating these changes, provided suggestions for calculating surface fire behavior using BehavePlus v6, described how changes in BehavePlus affect NWCG courses that use this program (e.g., S-490; RX-301/341), and provided ways to get additional information.
