Webinar
Wildfire Risk to Communities is a national tool with interactive maps, charts, and resources to help every community in the U.S. understand, explore, and reduce wildfire risk. In the fall of 2020, the website was updated with new data and features, including new map views and GIS data available for download. During this webinar, see a demonstration of the Wildfire Risk to Communities and learn about data updates. Wildfire Risk to Communities was created by the USDA Forest Service under the direction of Congress and builds on nationwide LANDFIRE data.
Webinar recording.
In this webinar, RMRS research physical scientist Shawn Urbanski and fire ecologist Duncan Lutes will discuss the current state of the science on wildland fire smoke emissions, including pollutants present in smoke, methods for quantifying emission flux, existing datasets, tools, and models, and deficiencies in current scientific understanding.
Webinar recording.
In this webinar, RMRS research ecologist Sean Healey will discuss improved techniques for mapping forest disturbance and recovery across the United States with remotely sensed data.
Presenters:
Cathelijne Stoof, Wageningen University, Netherlands
Val Chalton, Landworks, South Africa
Tomás Withington, Administración de Parques Nacionales de Argentina, Argentina
Cristiano Foderi, University of Firenze, Italy
Erin Belval, Colorado State University, USA
Description: It is crucial for wildland fire professionals today to be technically competent in their jobs. What is less obvious and less understood is the cognitive competency needed for our professional job performance. Better understand your own thought processes and how we make decisions on emotional feelings, social inputs, and how developing a high level of Emotional Intelligence can affect risk decision job performance as well as our daily performance.
Presenter: Kelly Martin is a lifelong advocate for the wise use of fire on the landscape, former firefighter on engines, hotshot, helitack, and prescribed burn boss.
Lowell Ballard, Director of Geospatial Solutions with Timmons Group will be presenting the latest developments in the Shared Wildfire Risk Mitigation (SWRM) Dashboard Tool that uses GIS data to provide mapped communities at risk, a consistent approach across 13 states (so far), completed in collaboration with local governments, and consistent scoring based on fire adaptation. Please join us to hear and provide feedback on how this tool can be used to identify and assist in the collaborative, cross-boundary decision-making process.
Over the past decade, Mark Briggs and co-editor, W.R. Osterkamp (retired, USGS), along with 55 stream restoration experts have collaborated on a stream restoration guidebook entitled Renewing Our Rivers: Stream Corridor Restoration in Dryland Regions. The guidebook highlights the main steps in developing a restoration response for damaged stream ecosystems that will have the most likelihood to be successful and viable in the long-term. As part of this webinar, Mark will introduce us to the guidebook, authors, case studies and lessons gained from stream restoration experiences in Australia, Mexico, and U.S. The flow of the presentation will follow the guidebook’s chapters, which reflect the arc of developing a thoughtful and long-term viable stream restoration response and include such themes as:
- Developing realistic and thoughtful restoration goals and objectives
- Assessing the hydrologic and physical conditions of a drainage basin
- Adapting your stream restoration project to climate change
- Quantifying and securing environmental flow
- Implementing your restoration project
- Monitoring and evaluation
- Going long: considerations to ensure your stream corridor restoration effort continues to grow
The Great Basin Native Plant Project, Great Basin Fire Science Exchange, BLM Plant Conservation Program, the US Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station, and the Society for Ecological Restoration Great Basin Chapter co-hosted this webinar series on seeding and restoration in 2015 and 2016. The series provides an opportunity to highlight and discuss current research, case-studies, and tools that help inform applied restoration opportunities throughout the Great Basin.
Seed Zones –
Seed zones: Development and use, procurement and deployment, and provisional zones for native plants, presented by Brad St. Clair, Research Geneticist, USFS Pacific Northwest Research Station, Vicky Erikson, Geneticist, USFS Pacific Northwest Region, and Andy Bower, Geneticist, USFS Olympic National Forest
Seed Collection, Seed Increase, and Purchasing Tools –
Wildland seed collection and extraction, presented by Kayla Herriman and Sarah Garvin, USFS Region 6 Bend Seed Extractory, OR
Procurement and application of native plant material in the BLM, presented by Paul Krabacher, BLM
Restoration Equipment and Seeding Strategies –
Post-fire seeding methods for establishing diverse native communities in the Great Basin, presented by Jeff Ott, Research Geneticist and Steve Monsen, Botanist with the USFS- RMRS
Vegetation restoration in response to pinyon and juniper control treatments, presented by Bruce Roundy, Plant Ecologist at Brigham Young University
Assisted succession – Context and tools, presented by Jerry Benson, President, BFI Native Seeds
Restoration of biological soil crusts in the Great Basin, presented by Jayne Belnap, Research Ecologist, USGS
Evaluating strategies for increasing native plant diversity in crested wheatgrass seedings, presented by Kent McAdoo, Rangeland Resources Specialist, University of Nevada Cooperative Extension
Increasing Diversity in Seed Mixes –
Increasing integration of pollinator-friendly forbs in wildland restoration, presented by Byron Love, Ph.D. candidate at Utah State University and technician with the USDA ARS Pollinating Insects Research Unit
The NRCS’s role in developing native plant material for federal land, presented by Derek Tilley, Agronomist and Manager, USDA NRCS Aberdeen Plant Materials Center, ID
Using field studies to find the most promising seed sources for restoration, presented by Beth Leger, Associate Professor of Plant Ecology, University of Nevada, Reno
Weather Variability and Proactive Planning for Restoration –
Weather variability and forecasting tools for short and long term restoration planning, presented by Stuart Hardegree, Plant Physiologist, USDA ARS Northwest Watershed Research Center, Boise, ID
Climate, weather, and sagebrush seed sources: Experimental insights on challenges and opportunities, presented by Matt Germino, Research Ecologist, USGS Snake River Field Station
Seed zones and climate change, presented by Francis Kilkenny, Research Biologist, USFS-RMRS
Sagebrush Seedlings and Plantings –
Sagebrush seed processing and production for restoration in the Great Basin, presented by Clark Fleege, Nursery Manager, USFS Lucky Peak Nursery
An introduction to the Target Plant Concept, presented by Anthony Davis, Director, Center for Forest Nursery and Seedling Research, University of Idaho and Jeremy Pinto, Research Plant Physiologist, USFS RMRS
Southwest Idaho native seed collection, use, and plant material development, presented by Ben Dyer, Fire Ecologist, Upper Snake Field Office BLM, and Danelle Nance, Natural Resource Specialist, Shoshone Field Office BLM
Selecting and Maintaining Genetic Diversity –
Selection of genetically appropriate plant materials for increase, presented by Holly Prendeville, Research Geneticist, USFS PNW
Producing native plant materials for restoration: 10 rules to collect and maintain genetic diversity, presented by Andrea Kramer, Conservation Scientist, Chicago Botanic Garden
Verification of sagebrush subspecies from seed samples and finding the right place for successful restoration, presented by Bryce Richardson, Research Geneticist, USFS RMRS
The incredible diversity of sagebrush chemistry and its potential value in restoration, presented by Justin Runyon, Research Entomologist, USFS RMRS
Pollinators and Insect Predators –
Pollinator-friendly forbs to seed for the sagebrush-steppe, presented by Jim Cane, USDA-ARS Pollinating Insect Research Unit, Utah State University
Restoring shrub-steppe after wildfire: Shrub planting as a viable tool in rehabilitation, presented by Heidi Newsome, Wildlife Biologist, USFWS, Hanford Reach National Monument
Seed Production, Purchase, and Contracting –
Insects affecting native seed production, presented by Bob Hammon, Entomology/Agronomy Extension Agent, Tri River Extension Area
Wildland seed collection: Responding to a changing market, presented by Ed Kleiner, Comstock Seed, Gardnerville, NV
Using native plants in fuel breaks, presented by Mark Williams, BLM, Salt Lake City, UT
Sagebrush Habitat Types and Restoration/Resistance & Resilience –
Sage-grouse forb preference by 12 plant categories, presented by Roger Rosentreter, BLM Idaho Retired State Botanist
Engaging communities in sagebrush restoration: Idaho Fish and Game Southwest Region Volunteer Program, presented by Michael Young, Idaho Fish and Game’s Southwest Region Volunteer Program
Sage-grouse habitat conservation through prisons, presented by Stacy Moore, Ecological Education Program, Institute for Applied Ecology
Description: The first webinar in a series of virtual learning opportunities that address the cultural shifts and adaptations that are being embraced at all levels to evolve and advance progress toward the vision and goals of the Cohesive Wildland Fire Strategy.
Presenter: Alan Ager, Research Forester, USFS Rocky Mountain Research Station
Description: During this session, USDA Forest Service and collaborative members will explore lessons learned in the first 10 years of CFLRP monitoring – what worked well and what challenges we continue to encounter in the multi-party monitoring of ecological, social, and economic effects. Given those lessons, we will then discuss where we go from here.
Presenters: Tom DeMeo, Regional Ecologist, Pacific Northwest Region, USDA Forest Service; Jessica Robertson, Integrated Restoration Coordinator, USDA Forest Service; CFLRP project practitioners