Webinar
Webinar recording.
This is the second of six webinars in our Fuel Breaks in Sagebrush Country: A Multidisciplinary Webinar Series and Discussion.
To learn about other webinars in the series, see the webinar series webpage.
This webinar features the following topics and speakers:
Overview of fuel break ecological considerations – Eva Strand, University of Idaho
Control of cheatgrass and other weeds in fuel breaks – Tim Prather, University of Idaho
How to use the “Science Framework” for fuel break planning – Michele Crist, BLM
This is the first of six webinars in our Fuel Breaks in Sagebrush Country: A Multidisciplinary Webinar Series and Discussion.
To learn about other webinars in the series, see the webinar series webpage.
This webinar features the following topics and speakers:
Purpose of fuel breaks – Jeff Rose, BLM
BLM agency/policy perspective – Jolie Pollet, BLM
USFS agency/policy perspective and how it relates to Shared Stewardship – Daren Turner, USFS
Webinar recording.
Warmer, drier and longer fire seasons in the Northwest have led to larger and more frequent wildfires. These changes in fire activity, combined with warmer and drier post-fire conditions, have in turn led to growing concern that in some areas of the Northwest, particularly in forests and shrublands east of the Cascade Range, existing plant communities may face difficulty regrowing and persisting following fire.
Webinar recording.
As residential development continues into flammable landscapes, wildfires increasingly threaten homes, lives, and livelihoods in the wildland–urban interface (WUI). Although this problem seems distinctly modern, Native American communities have lived in WUI contexts for centuries. When carefully considered, the past offers valuable lessons for coexisting with wildfire, climate change, and related challenges. This webinar will show that ancestors of Native Americans from Jemez Pueblo used ecologically savvy intensive burning and wood collection to make their ancient WUI resistant to climate variability and extreme fire behavior. Learning from the past offers modern WUI communities more options for addressing contemporary fire challenges. Public/private–tribal partnerships for wood and fire management can offer paths forward to restore fire-resilient WUI communities.
Webinar recording.
The following topics and presenters are included:
Cheatgrass Impacts and Management Options in Western U.S. Ecosystems, presented by Ali Urza and Brice Hanberry
Impacts of Invasive Cogongrass on Private and Public land: Prevention and Control Strategies, presented by Rima Lucardi
Ventenata Invasion in the Western U.S.: Using Remote Sensing & Model Output to Understand Invasion Risk, presented by Becky K. Kerns
Webinar recording.
Description: Rangelands produce ecosystem services that not only support biodiversity and wildlife, but also sustain livestock operations and rural economies. Woody encroachment is a threat to rangeland productivity, but its impact is often overlooked due to its slow pace and the positive public perception of trees. The Rangeland Analysis Platform (RAP) is an innovative online tool that combines current and historical satellite imagery with thousands of on-the-ground vegetation measurements to facilitate an exploration of trends in western vegetation over time. Using RAP’s recently developed remotely sensed products of rangeland production, we quantify the amount of forage lost to woody encroachment across western rangelands over the past three decades. Translating these losses into dollars, we demonstrate how this knowledge can be integrated into area-wide planning to stop further economic loss and prevent wholescale ecosystem transitions.
Presenters: Brady Allred (University of Montana) and Dirac Twidwell (University of Nebraska-Lincoln).
Webinar recording.
Description: Native plant diversity is the hallmark of a healthy ecosystem. In Nevada, our native plant communities are threatened by the accelerated invasion of non-native species, altered fire regimes, grazing, drought, and climate change. Slowing and reversing this largescale conversion requires coordinated efforts between researchers and land managers, working collaboratively to identify the most promising seed sources for restoring disturbed and invaded sites. The Nevada Native Seed Partnership is a group of state, federal, university, and nonprofit partners working together to increase the availability and use of native seed for rehabilitation, reclamation, and restoration activities in Nevada. This presentation will highlight some of the science and restoration efforts this partnership has accomplished to date to restore and preserve our most impacted native plant communities.
Presenter: Sarah Kulpa is the Restoration Ecologist/Botanist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Reno, Nevada. Her work focuses on Great Basin sagebrush ecosystem restoration and threatened and endangered plant species. Sarah leads the native seed collection, increase, and restoration activities of the Reno FWS including mentoring the first FWS Seeds of Success team and helping establish the Nevada Native Seed Partnership. She received her M.S. in Natural Resources and Environmental Science from the University of Nevada, Reno and her B.S. in Biology from St. Michael’s College.
Description: Climate change is a risk management challenge for society because of the uncertain consequences for natural and human systems across decades to centuries. Climate-related science activities within the USGS emphasize research on adaptation to climate change. This research helps inform adaptive management processes and planning activities within other DOI bureaus and by DOI stakeholders.
Global climate models are sophisticated numerical representations of the Earth’s climate system. Research groups from around the world regularly participate in a coordinated effort to produce a suite of climate models. This global effort provides a test bed to assess model performance and analyze projections of future change under various prescribed climate scenarios. These climate scenarios describe a plausible future outcome associated with a specific set of societal actions. Examining a range of projected climate outcomes based on multiple scenarios is a recommended best practice because it allows decision makers to better consider both short- and long-term risks and opportunities.
Presenter: Adam Terando, Research Ecologist, Southeast Climate Adaptation Science Center
Webinar recording.
This webinar brings together a panel of postfire response experts to reflect on their experiences in addressing community needs during recent large fires. The discussion will highlight important differences in fire and postfire response on federal and non-federal lands, and a consideration of existing tools and policies and how they can be strengthened. Both the Western Forestry Leadership Coalition (WFLC) and Western Governors’ Association are developing policies to address the gaps. Mike Zupko, WFLC Coordinator will share progress to date then the panel will tackle topics including treatment effectiveness, liability, and cross jurisdictional impacts. Fire practitioners and line officers are encouraged to attend to help us bridge the knowledge gap between fire and postfire response.
Panelist and presenters:
• Anne Bradley, The Nature Conservancy in New Mexico
• Cara Farr, US Forest Service, National BAER Team Leader
• Micah Kiesow, US Forest Service, Santa Fe National Forest
• Katherine Rowden, National Weather Service/NOAA
• Rich Schwab, National Park Service, National BAER Team
• Mary Stuever, New Mexico State Forestry, Chama District Forester
• Mike Zupko, National Wildland Fire Leadership Council