Thoughtful Forest Management, Now And For The Future
We approach forest management planning through the lens of landscape ecology, considering how each forest patch fits together within a watershed and how each watershed fits within the broader region. We couple this with interdisciplinary analysis of ecosystem processes so that every natural resource is accounted for. This holistic, multi-scale perspective is the key to ensuring continued achievement of management goals over the long term.
As scientists, we are always striving to improve the effectiveness of our management by learning from our work. We practice adaptive management, monitoring the operational and ecological outcomes of our work and continually synthesizing what we’ve learned to inform future management actions. We use every tool available to monitor forests, including field- and drone-based surveys, satellite imagery, photo interpretation, and other geospatial data.
From vast landscapes to individual forest stands, we use every tool available to write sound plans, recognize change, and continually turn learning into smarter management.
One of our special focuses is producing landscape evaluations and landscape prescriptions. We bring together a wide range of datasets describing forest structure, fire risk, wildlife habitat, climate change, and operational feasibility to answer fundamental questions about landscapes: What proportion of the landscape needs treatment? What kind of treatment should be done? Where are the highest priority locations to treat? What ecological work has wildfire effected, and what are the post-fire management needs?
We are experienced with formalizing management planning and landscape evaluation in the context of state and federal land management procedures. We create management proposals to address identified purpose and need, complete SEPA and NEPA analysis, and review proposed actions for consistency with forest plans, BMPs, and other regulatory requirements. For us, analyzing the environmental effects of proposed management is an exciting intersection of ecology, policy, and resource management.
Our Recent Planning and Adaptive Management Projects
Through what lens do you typically see a forest?
Applying landscape ecology to forest restoration
Within Resilient Forestry, we like to think of ourselves as a bridge between forest science and forest management. This project was a perfect example. Moving from a landscape analysis, to a landscape prescription, to a preliminary proposal, to the eventual implementation, represents an iterative process of scientific evaluation, filtering through management objectives, and balancing disparate social pressures.
There’s no time to waste when it comes to wildfire protection in the dry, inland Northwest
A Forest Stewardship Plan is a comprehensive strategic document that outlines the management objectives, strategies, and actions for a specific forested area. It is basically a thoughtful road map of how to manage your forest for the foreseeable future that promotes forest, water, and human health.
To get ready for fire, I just need to thin the forest and reduce brush, right?