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Uniting Fire Science and Natural Resource Management
by Staff
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by Staff
Large fires are becoming more frequent and severe across the western US. Since 1984, annual burned forest area has increased by about 1,100%. Lives, property, and livelihoods are routinely threatened and burned landscapes can be left ecologically transformed.
What is causing recent trends in fire activity? What will forests of the future look like? How can modeling wildfires and forest response guide adaptation strategies? These are among the questions to be explored. Panelists will also discuss the importance of tailoring fire and forest management to the local context, considering regionally specific factors like forest type, environmental conditions, and the presence of people.
Panelists will include: forest ecologist Winslow Hansen (Cary Institute), fire ecologist Phil Higuera (University of Montana), and natural resource sociologist Catrin Edgeley (Northern Arizona University).
This event will include time for audience Q&A. Free and open to all.
Continue Readingby David Godwin
Upcoming Partner Webinar: Wildfire in the Western US: Causes, Consequences, and Adaptation
On Thursday, September 16th from 7:00 to 8:00 PM ET, The Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies will be hosting a webinar featuring a panel of speakers who will discuss the social and ecological impacts of the 1,000% increase in annual burned area in the Western US since 1984. More information about the webinar:
What is causing recent trends in fire activity? What will forests of the future look like? How can modeling wildfires and forest response guide adaptation strategies? These are among the questions to be explored. Panelists will also discuss the importance of tailoring fire and forest management to the local context, considering regionally specific factors like forest type, environmental conditions, and the presence of people.
Panelists will include: forest ecologist Winslow Hansen (Cary Institute), fire ecologist Phil Higuera (University of Montana), and natural resource sociologist Catrin Edgeley (Northern Arizona University).
by Staff
Air pollution and wildfire smoke can have immediate and lasting health effects. Individuals who are regularly exposed to poor air quality may report different health behaviors and conditions than those who are less exposed. EPA researchers set out to determine whether self-reported protective behaviors or health conditions differed by air quality.
To conduct this research EPA scientists developed Smoke Sense, a citizen science project which provides real-time information on wildfire smoke and air quality and allows users to engage in citizen science by reporting their experiences with smoke, heath symptoms, and exposure-reducing behaviors.
Through the participation of citizen scientists, EPA seeks to understand the relationship between health risk communication strategies and individuals’ adoption of health protective behaviors. The study explores the role of risk perceptions and personal motivations for engagement and changing behavior.
Smoke Sense also demonstrates effective use of technology for health research and risk communication. Using a mobile app, Smoke Sense advances methodology for rigorously collecting data during emergent and dynamic conditions while simultaneously encouraging adoption of exposure-reducing behaviors.
Continue Readingby David Godwin
The recording from our SFE webinar on August 12th is now live on the Southern Fire Exchange YouTube Channel.
Continue Readingby David Godwin
SFE Webinar: Moving to Hybrid Events – A Discussion with Natural Resource Professionals
September 23, 2021 1:00 – 2:30 PM ET
Hosted by NC State University Forestry Extension and the Southern Fire Exchange
We’ll hear from presenters from around the country who will share their personal experiences and lessons learned in moving their natural resource programs to a hybrid platform. They will cover various types of hybrid events, including meetings, trainings, workshops and large-scale conferences, and how to ensure accessibility. This event is open to everyone, but is targeted for natural resources professionals who are considering organizing hybrid events in the future.
Presenters
by Staff
The webinar recording of the CAFMS webinar Passenger Pigeons A Force for Forest Disturbance is now available. Originally held on July 29, 2021, the webinar covered how this extinct species impacted forests in the U.S. Presentations by Dr. Ian Thompson (Tribal Historic Preservation Officer, Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma) and Ben Novak (Lead Scientists, Revive & Restore) introduce the cultural and ecological significance of passenger pigeons and consider what their disappearance means in terms of ecological disturbance processes and the implications for forest and fire management today.
Continue Readingby David Godwin
On Thursday, August 12, 2021 2:30 PM – 4:00 PM ET, The University of Neveda “Living With Fire” Virtual Workshop Series will host a question and answer (Q&A) workshop with Dr. Steve Quarles, University of California Cooperative Extension Advisor Emeritus and the retired Chief Scientist for Wildfire and Durability, Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety Research Center. The Q&A session will be focused on home hardening, or building or retrofitting homes to withstand wildfire. For more information and to register.
Continue Readingby Staff
Presented by
Ellen Bledsoe, PhD (she/her), Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Regina
Ellen will introduce some general terminology about inclusivity, privilege, allies, and allyship; explore the importance of coupling diversity initiatives with allyship; and guide you through identifying your own points of privilege and instances in which you can act as allies. She will provide concrete examples of how to be allies—both pre-emptively and in response to specific incidents.
Ellen Bledsoe is a community ecologist and data scientist with a passion for making STEM fields and society more just and inclusive. She is currently a Postdoctoral Teaching and Research Fellow with the Canadian Institute for Ecology and Evolution’s Living Data Project and is based in the Dept. of Biology at the University of Regina in Regina, Saskatchewan, in Canada. She earned her PhD from the University of Florida in 2020, where she was deeply engaged with multiple diversity, equity, and inclusivity efforts in the sciences, including serving on the Dept. of Wildlife Ecology’s DEI committee and as president of NRDI (“nerdy”; the Natural Resources Diversity Initiative). She was trained in leading Ally Skills Workshops in 2019 and subsequently co-founded the Ally Skills Network, which runs Ally Skills Workshops at UF and beyond.
Continue Readingby David Godwin
The recording of the SFE webinar from the end of June is now live on the SFE YouTube Webinar Archive. While the title mentions pine barrens, this webinar is all about landowner perspectives on restoration practices and efforts related to the native longleaf pine ecosystem.
Continue Reading