When Active Management of high conservation value forests may erode biodiversity and damage ecosystems

Biological Conservation, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 305, P. 111071 - 111071

Published: March 6, 2025

Language: Английский

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Active management: a definition and considerations for implementation in forests of temperate Australia

Australian Forestry, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 87(3), P. 125 - 147

Published: July 2, 2024

Active management is often mentioned but rarely defined in current policies and strategies for native forests of temperate Australia. Lack clarity about active could mean that to support forest health human involvement with are not fit purpose. In this paper, we summarise the policy context Victoria (as a case study Australia) review representations broader temperate-forest literature, including its place relation associated concepts like adaptive management. Based on review, provide definition focuses activities – deliberate practices diverse purposes goals situated within operational approaches (e.g. frameworks) enact overarching philosophy paradigm(s) Our acknowledges multiple potential framings encompass philosophies sociocultural relationships require governance structures foster inclusive understandings. Additional considerations implementing Australia's include refreshed visions management, clearly stated criteria choosing among under uncertainty, revised guidelines practices, commitment building evidence base through iterative learning targeted experiments an or analogous framework.

Language: Английский

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An Ecoregional Conservation Assessment for the Southern Rocky Mountains Ecoregion, and Santa Fe Subregion, Wyoming to New Mexico, USA

Published: July 25, 2024

We conducted a multi-scaled Ecoregional Conservation Assessment for the Southern Rockies (~14.5M ha) and its trailing edge, Santa Fe Subregion (~2.2M ha), Wyoming to New Mexico, USA. included representation analysis of Existing Vegetation Types (EVT), mature-old-growth forests (MOG), four focal species—Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis), North American wolverine (Gulo gulo luscus), Mexican spotted owl (Strix occidentalis lucida), northern goshawk (Accipiter gentilis)—in relation 30 x 50 conservation targets. To integrate targets with wildfire risk reduction built environment climate change planning, we overlaid location wildfires forest treatments in Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) downscaled projections lower (RCP4.5) higher (RCP8.5) emissions scenario. Protected areas were highly skewed toward upper elevation EVTs (most >50% protected), underrepresented types (<30% especially MOG (<22% protected) riparian (~14% poorly represented habitat (<30%) at least 3 species, subregion where nearly all underperformed compared ecoregion. Most (>73%) thinning over past decade >1-km from delineated WUI areas, well beyond distance which vegetation management can effectively reduce structure ignition (< 50-m structures). Extreme heat, drought, snowpack reductions, altered timing peak stream flows, increasing wildfires, potential shifts niche woodlands conifer may impact dependent while declining that den elevations. Strategically targeting fuel would improve allow expansion protected held up controversy. Stepped-up protections roadless adoption wilderness proposals, greater are critical meeting

Language: Английский

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Contemporary Wildfires Not More Severe Than Historically: More Fire of All Severities Needed to Sustain and Adapt Western US Dry Forests as Climate Changes

Sustainability, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 16(8), P. 3270 - 3270

Published: April 14, 2024

Fire-adapted dry forests and nearby communities both need to be sustained as climate changes. Wildfires have increased in the ~25.5 million ha of western US, but are wildfires already more severe than historical (preindustrial) wildfires, warranting suppression, or is fire needed? Recent research suggests that a higher percentage severe, this from high-severity (≥70% mortality) simply less lower-severity fire? To resolve question, I compared government fire-severity data 2000–2020 with corresponding Landfire data, representing last few centuries. The rotation (expected time burn across an area interest) for was 477 years recently versus 255 historically, deficit, not surplus. High-severity would increase 1.9 times equal rates. Thus, reducing through fuel reductions which has significant well-known adverse ecological impacts. These include (1) natural patches, snags, non-forest openings, favor diverse fire-adapted species, (2) landscape heterogeneity can limit future disturbances enhance processes. Even larger deficits were moderate (4.4 times) low (5.8 severities. However, if only these lower severities restored, correspondingly reduced levels. All needed provide variety post-fire settings broad suite selection pressures adaptations emerging climate. This paper shows sustain adapt change, billions spent on reduce redirected protecting built environment, fostering safe sustainable human communities.

Language: Английский

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Fires in the face of climate change: Indicators of fire disturbance in heath areas – Inference from military training lands

Journal of Environmental Management, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 363, P. 121373 - 121373

Published: June 9, 2024

Language: Английский

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Using Bird Ecology to Learn About the Benefits of Severe Fire

Elsevier eBooks, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. 63 - 97

Published: Jan. 1, 2024

Language: Английский

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What’s Driving the Recent Increases in Wildfires?

Elsevier eBooks, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. 257 - 291

Published: Jan. 1, 2024

Language: Английский

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Misinformation About Historical and Contemporary Forests Leads to Policy Failures: A Critical Assessment of the “Overgrown Forests” Narrative

Elsevier eBooks, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. 363 - 378

Published: Jan. 1, 2024

Language: Английский

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Unraveling Urbanization's Impact: A Case Study on Water Retention in Colombo Wetland Complex, Sri Lanka

Published: Jan. 1, 2024

Language: Английский

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An Ecoregional Conservation Assessment for the Southern Rocky Mountains Ecoregion and Santa Fe Subregion, Wyoming to New Mexico, USA

Land, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 13(9), P. 1432 - 1432

Published: Sept. 4, 2024

We conducted a multi-scaled Ecoregional Conservation Assessment for the Southern Rockies (~14.5 M ha) and its trailing edge, Santa Fe Subregion (~2.2 ha), from Wyoming to New Mexico, USA. included representation analysis of Existing Vegetation Types (EVTs), mature old-growth forests (MOG), four focal species—Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis), North American wolverine (Gulo gulo luscus), Mexican spotted owl (Strix occidentalis lucida), northern goshawk (Accipiter gentilis)—in relation 30 × 50 conservation targets. To integrate targets with wildfire risk reduction built environment climate change planning, we overlaid location wildfires forest treatments in Wildland–Urban Interface (WUI) downscaled projections lower (RCP4.5) higher (RCP8.5) emission scenario. Protected areas were highly skewed toward upper-elevation EVTs (most >50% protected), underrepresented types (<30% especially MOG (<22% protected) riparian (~14% poorly represented habitats (<30%) at least three species, subregion where nearly all underperformed compared ecoregion. Most (>73%) forest-thinning over past decade >1 km delineated WUI areas, well beyond distance which vegetation management can effectively reduce structure ignition (<50 m structures). Extreme heat, drought, snowpack reductions, altered timing peak stream flows, increasing wildfires, potential shifts climate, favoring woodlands conifer forests, may impact forest-dependent while declining wolverines that den upper elevations. Strategically targeting fuel would improve allow expansion protected held up controversy. Stepped-up protection roadless adoption wilderness proposals, greater are critical meeting

Language: Английский

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