Treesearch

Wildlife monitoring programs designed to inform forest management and conservation decisions in the face of climate change benefit from longterm datasets with consistent methodology. Nevertheless, many monitoring programs may seek to transition to alternative methods because emerging technologies can improve trend tracking and expand the number of target populations, increase spatial scale, and reduce long-term costs. Integrated models strengthen the capacity to adapt long-term monitoring programs to next generation methods. Here we present a case study of northern spotted owl (Strix...

Natural disturbances such as wildfires are increasing in severity and frequency. Although the ecological impacts of disturbance are well documented, we have limited understanding of how disturbances and associated management responses influence recreation use patterns. This reflects, in part, difficulty in quantifying recreation use across different land ownerships with inconsistent, or non-existent, recreation monitoring practices. In this study, we use visitation models based on social media to examine how recreation use changed after a wildfire and site closures in a large, mixed-ownersh...

Several recent longitudinal studies have found that exposure to the natural environment is associated with lower non-accidental mortality. However, most of these studies used the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) as an exposure metric; and because NDVI might not be sensitive enough to adequately capture changes in urban vegetation, these studies might lack true longitudinal variation in exposure. Therefore, we used a natural experiment to assess the impact of 30 years of tree planting by the nonprofit Friends of Trees on non-accidental, cardiovascular, lower-respiratory, and...

This is an invited editorial on a paper titled "Neighbourhood natural space and the narrowing of socioeconomic inequality in years of life lost (YLL): a cross-sectional ecological analysis of Scottish burden of disease." that was published in the journal Epidemiology and Community Health.

The USDA Forest Service uses many forms of technology to manage 193 million acres that comprise the National Forest System: handheld data-entry devices and satellites; modeling software and LiDAR (light detection and ranging) remote sensing; and desktop computers and servers. Collectively, these technologies power the models that create the maps land managers use to monitor and understand landscape changes. Adopting cloud-computing platforms, such as Google Earth Engine (GEE), offers potential to advance these monitoring efforts even further.Researchers with the USDA Forest Service’s...

This is the executive summary for the report Climate Change Vulnerability and Adaptation in Southwest Oregon, by Halofsky et al. (2022, PNW-GTR-995). The vulnerability and adaptation assessment was conducted by the Southwest Oregon Adaptation Partnership, a science-management partnership. The partnership assessed the vulnerability of natural resources to climate change and developed adaptation options that minimize its negative impacts and facilitate ecosystem transition to a warmer climate.

Health benefits of outdoor recreation have been broadly demonstrated and land managers recognize the equity implications of providing safe and inclusive outdoor spaces. Data on public lands visitation and outdoor participation show that Hispanic recreationists are less likely to engage in outdoor leisure than White persons. Early studies of outdoor preferences of Hispanic persons identified a desire for large-group settings and social activities. To update our understanding of outdoor recreation needs, preferences, and constraints, we collaborated with a Latinx organization in Portland,...

Commercial timber harvest sites in Alaska were studied between 2016 and 2019 to estimate growing-stock removals, characterize current tree utilization, characterize logging operations, and assist with estimating the amount of woody biomass left onsite after harvesting. Sample logging sites were selected within major geographic regions in proportion to 5-year timber harvest volumes. A two-stage sampling method (felled trees clustered within logging sites) was used to compute state-level utilization factors. Results indicated that for every 1,000 ft3 delivered to the mill, harvesting removed...

Large western redcedar (Thuja plicata) and yellow-cedar (Callitropsis nootkatensis) trees have been prominent in many Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian Alaska Native traditions for 5,000 years. Today, these southeast Alaska tribes harvest logs from their historical territories within the Tongass National Forest. Cedars that are more than 450 years old provide logs for totem poles and canoes as well as bark for traditional weaving. Forest Service researchers Adelaide Johnson and Lee Cerveny worked with research collaborators, indigenous community leaders, tribal members, prominent carvers, and...

The lower Pecos River located in the southwest USA, is a naturally saline river system that has been significantly altered in relatively recent years. Climate change, coupled with anthropogenic disturbances such as dam construction have led to portions of the river becoming more susceptible to increased salinization and declines in water quality. These alterations have been documented to be detrimental to multiple freshwater communities; however, there is a lack of knowledge on how these alterations influence long-lived species in the river, such as freshwater turtles, where the effects...