Ponderosa pine and dry mixed-conifer forests in the Southwest United States are experiencing, or have become increasingly susceptible to large-scale severe wildfire, insect, and disease episodes resulting in altered plant and animal demographics, reduced productivity and biodiversity, and impaired ecosystem processes and functions. Enhancing the resiliency of frequent-fire forests can be assisted by restoring key compositional and structural elements of these forests. The science-basis and management recommendations for doing so are outlined in “Restoring composition and structure in Southwestern frequent-fire forests: A science-based framework for improving ecosystem resiliency” (RMRS-GTR-310).
http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs/rmrs_gtr310.html. Members of the authorship team—scientists and managers with the Forest Service and Northern Arizona University—worked with Science Application & Communication staff at the Rocky Mountain Research Station (RMRS) to produce this series of six short videos to compliment the restoration framework. Please enjoy the videos as they help you interpret and apply of the science findings and recommendations in RMRS-GTR-310.
Please direct comments or questions to the lead author of the framework, Dr. Richard Reynolds, RMRS wildlife biologist, or Megan Matonis , RMRS science delivery specialist.
Video series supported by the USDA Forest Service Southwestern Region and Rocky Mountain Research Station. Special thanks to the following individuals for making this series possible: Becca Robinson (graduate student, University of Michigan), Jan Engert (Assistant Station Director, RMRS), Sarah Hines (science delivery specialist, RMRS), Megan Matonis (science delivery specialist, RMRS), and Karl Malcom (Regional wildlife biologist, Southwestern Region).