Treesearch

The well-documented and forced migration of Indigenous Peoples from ancestral lands has fragmented connections to, and understandings of place. Yet Indigenous Peoples are reconceptualizing and revitalizing these connections including by leading forest landscape restoration efforts. Indigenous and Local Knowledge (ILK) supports the design and practice of ecological restoration across rural to urban gradients – including both ancestral lands and contemporary places, with thought leaders advocating for biocultural approaches to address biodiversity loss, land occupation, and the colonial...

Riparian-management zones protect aquatic species and their habitats in managed forests, yet the effects of riparian-management alternatives warrant further study. We examined effects of alternative riparian-buffer widths on fish and amphibians in small headwater streams with upland forest thinning in western Oregon, USA. Previously, we reported apparent lag-time effects developing 10 years after thinning of upland second-growth forest, and additional effects 1–2 years after a second-thinning harvest. Here, we analyze effects on fish and amphibian abundances, body-size metrics, and...

Quantifying the demography of wildlife populations is imperative to evaluating population trends. Understanding patterns of influential demographic parameters often requires investigation of mechanisms influencing demography, which can be difficult to determine for cryptic species. We radio-tracked Pacific martens (Martes caurina), a small-bodied and elusive mesocarnivore, to estimate survival, determine causes of mortality, and assess co-occurring pathological conditions. We tracked 18 female and 33 male martens for an average (±SD, range) of 16.35 months (±8.7, 1–41) from 2009–2013 and...

Invasive species alter hydrologic processes at watershed scales, with impacts to biodiversity and the supporting ecosystem services. This effect is aggravated by climate change. Here, we integrated modelled hydrologic data, remote sensing products, climate data, and linear mixed integer optimization (MIP) to identify stewardship actions across space and time that can reduce the impact of invasive species. The study area is the windward coast of Hawai'i Island (USA) across which non-native strawberry guava occurrence varies from extremely dense stands in lower watershed reaches, to low...

The protection and expansion of forest carbon sinks are critical to achieving climate-change mitigation targets. Yet, the increasing frequency and severity of forest disturbances challenge the sustainable provision of forest services. We investigated patterns of forest disturbances’ impacts on carbon sinks by combining spatial datasets of forest carbon sequestration from biomass growth and emissions from fire and bark beetle damage in the western United States (U.S.) and valued the social costs of forest carbon losses. We also examined potential future trends of forest carbon sinks under...

Metrosideros polymorphaGaud. (‘ōhi‘a) is the most abundant native forest tree in Hawai‘i and a keystone species of cultural, ecological, and economic importance. ‘Ōhi‘a forests, particularly on Hawaiʻi Island, are being severely impacted by Rapid ‘Ōhi‘a Death (ROD), which is caused by the fungal pathogens Ceratocystis lukuohiaand C. huliohia. ROD is characterized by branch dieback, crown wilting, and mortality. Initial disease resistance screening of four varieties of M. polymorphawith C. lukuohiademonstrated that varieties may differ in susceptibility. Several survivors of field or...

The management of urban forests is a key element of resilience planning in cities across the globe. Urban forests provide ecosystem services as well as other nature-based solutions to 4.2 billion people living in cities. However, to continue to do so effectively, urban forests need to be able to thrive in an increasingly changing climate. Trees in cities are vulnerable to extreme heat and drought events, which are predicted to increase in frequency and severity under climate change. Knowledge of species' vulnerability to climate change, therefore, is crucial to ensure provision of desired...

Habitat loss and non-native species are 2 of the most important factors that influence native species persistence and behaviors globally. The insectivorous Hawaiian hoary bat (Lasiurus semotus) is the only extant terrestrial mammal native to the Hawaiian Islands. Non-native invasive insectivore species, which are potential competitors of bats for prey, may influence hoary bat behavior. The goal of this study was to determine how small-scale suppression of invasive insectivores (rodents, ants, and yellowjacket wasps [Vespula pensylvanica]) influenced bat activity in grasslands and woodlands....

Recovery of ecosystem properties following removal of invasive plants likely varies with characteristics of the plant and the relative soil quality at a given site. These factors may influence the occurrence of soil legacies and secondary invasions, hindering the effectiveness of restoration strategies. We assessed the potential for ecosystem recovery following removal of N-fixing Scotch broom for 4 years at two sites that contrasted strongly in soil quality in western Washington and Oregon, USA. Comparisons were made among plots, where Scotch broom was never present (uninvaded), retained,...

National forest roads allow access to public lands providing connections to natural and cultural heritage. Planning processes that address potential road closures or conversions can be highly contentious. Public participatory GIS (PPGIS) has been used as a tool to gather information for environmental planning and decision-making. Our PPGIS approach in a national forest in Washington (USA) incorporated workshops and online engagement with 1,810 participants to gather public input for sustainable roads planning. We identified the most important forest destinations and developed an analytical...