Fact Sheet / Brief
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In the western United States, wildfire activity has increased the exposure of communities to fires that can devastate lives and destroy homes and businesses. As fires encroach on urban areas, protecting communities from wildfire impacts is a top priority for fire managers. Scientists studying wildland fire in the wildland urban interface (WUI) are particularly interested in using historical data and analytic models to understand how to reduce risks to the WUI.
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Forest management offers a diverse toolkit for delivering carbon benefits, with biochar fitting in as a cornerstone in combination with other climate-smart practices. For example, selective thinning can help promote healthier stands that capture more carbon while reducing fire risk. In turn, this generates more merchantable timber, which when used
sustainably, can also serve as a long-term carbon store, further offsetting emissions. Additionally, forests can be strategically managed to promote reforestation and afforestation efforts, expanding overall carbon sequestration potential.
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Mechanical thinning of forests is one method used to prevent high intensity wildfire and create a more open overstory. This Science You Can Use outlines how this treatment benefits native understory plants like grasses and sedges. Forests that were treated had higher understory species diversity, and native understory plants were more abundant. This research helps to inform restoration and forest management practices.
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A team of forest ecologists from RMRS and other organizations recently published research that looked at the survival of seedlings planted in the aftermath of the Cold Springs Fire. They found numerous variables that increased survival and seedling health. These results will be helpful in guiding reforestation efforts after high intensity wildfire in the future.
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Rangelands worldwide are essential for carbon sequestration, water retention, and habitat to name a few critical benefits. Prescribed fire is used to benefit vegetation and soil and reduce fuels on rangeland sites. What hasn’t been clear is how burning on rangelands may affect microbes in the soil, which are responsible for breaking down woody material. Also missing was an understanding of how the insects that typically call rangelands home respond to these burns.
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Human-caused climate change alters ecosystem processes ranging from local to global scales. As a consequence of climate change we should expect increased rates and intensities of disturbance events. Though we are only beginning to understand what those impacts might be to aspen forests and their diverse plant and animal assemblages, recent science suggests there may be unavoidable effects. In the face of anticipated climate-ecosystem challenges, contemporary managers are searching for guidance on preserving aspen resilience. We suggest crafting strategic yet cautious approaches to minimize effects and facilitate broad resilience. For instance, monitoring conditions in and near aspen forests will help land managers remain nimble in response to potentially abrupt changes. Although in its infancy, here we synthesize current research that focuses on climate adaptation strategies to improve aspen resilience.
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Archaea, bacteria, fungi, and viruses are organisms that comprise the soil microbiome and play a crucial role in the health of the world’s forests. The soil microbiome is vital in cycling important nutrients needed by vegetation (e.g., nitrogen), stabilizing soil organic matter, and forming essential symbioses with plants, such as the ectomycorrhizal fungi (EMF) that are obligate symbiotic partners of the conifer tree species that dominate forests of western North America.
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Quaking aspen forests are widely known and prized for their numerous values—biodiversity, habitat, forage, recreation, aesthetics, and others—including as a deterrent to wildfire. This reputation for stopping or slowing flames is explored here, alongside measures that may be taken to facilitate thriving aspen communities near human developments. It is clear that science supporting the premise of aspen as an effective firebreak is far from complete. Yet, how can we benefit from what we do know on this topic to increase the probability of preventing structural fire damage, while also encouraging the valued characteristics of aspen ecosystems?
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In the United States, more than 1,400 native plant nurseries produce more than a billion seedlings for reforestation and restoration projects every year. Many years of monitoring and research have shown that seedling survival of native plants can be greater when the plants are grown in nurseries and outplanted compared to direct seeding or natural regeneration. Production of high-quality seedlings reduces costs and improves seedling survival and growth after outplanting.
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A recently published review, led by Kimberley Davis, Research Ecologist at the USDA Forest Service’s Rocky Mountain Research Station, and collaborators at the University of Montana and The Nature Conservancy, brings together results from 40 studies for a rigorous analysis of fuel treatment efficacy.