John Paul Roccaforte
Research Associate
Education
- M.S. Forestry, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, 2005
- B.S. Forestry, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, 1995
Professional Experience
- 2020 – present, Research Associate, Ecological Restoration Institute, Northern Arizona University
- 2013 – present, Research Specialist, Sr., Ecological Restoration Institute, Northern Arizona University
- 2005 – 2013, Research Specialist, Ecological Restoration Institute, Northern Arizona University
- 1995 – 2005, Research Technician, Ecological Restoration Institute, Northern Arizona University
- 1994, Research Lab Aid, Ecological Restoration Institute, Northern Arizona University
Research Interests
- Restoration ecology; fire ecology; fire behavior modeling; post-wildfire effects; landscape patterns
Selected Publications
- Rodman, K.C., K.T. Davis, S.A. Parks, T.B. Chapman, J.D. Coop, J.M. Iniguez, J.P. Roccaforte, A.J. Sánchez Meador, J.D. Springer, C.S. Stevens-Rumann, M.T. Stoddard, A.E.M. Waltz, and T.N. Wasserman. 2023. Refuge‐yeah or refuge‐nah? Predicting locations of forest resistance and recruitment in a fiery world. Global Change Biology 29(24):7029-7050
- Fulé, P.Z., M.P. Barrett, A.E. Cocke, J.E. Crouse, J.P. Roccaforte, D.P. Normandin, W.W. Covington, M.M. Moore, T.A. Heinlein, M.T. Stoddard, and K.C. Rodman. 2023. Fire regimes over a 1070-m elevational gradient, San Francisco Peaks/Dook’o’oosłííd, Arizona, USA. Fire Ecology 19:41
- Fulé, P.Z., A.J. Sánchez Meador, M.M. Moore, W.W. Covington, T.E. Kolb, D.W. Huffman, D.P. Normandin, and J.P. Roccaforte. 2022. Forest restoration treatments increased growth and did not change survival of ponderosa pines in severe drought, Arizona. Ecological Applications 32:e2717
- Wasserman, T.N., A.E.M. Waltz, J.P. Roccaforte, J.D. Springer, J.E. Crouse. 2021. Natural regeneration responses to thinning and burning treatments in ponderosa pine forests and implications for restoration. Journal of Forestry Research 10.1007/s11676-021-01404-x
- Stoddard, M.T., J.P. Roccaforte, A.J. Sánchez Meador, D.W. Huffman, P.Z. Fulé, A.E.M. Waltz, W.W. Covington. 2021. Ecological restoration guided by historical reference conditions can increase resilience to climate change of southwestern US Ponderosa pine forests. Forest Ecology and Management 493: 119256
- Huffman, D.W., J.P. Roccaforte, J.D. Springer, J.E. Crouse. 2020. Restoration applications of resource objective wildfires in western US forests: a status of knowledge review. Fire Ecology 16:18.
- Stoddard, M.T., P.Z. Fulé, D.W. Huffman, A.J. Sánchez Meador, J.P. Roccaforte. 2020. Ecosystem management applications of resource objective wildfires in forests of the Grand Canyon National Park, USA. International Journal of Wildland Fire 29(2):190-200.
- Roccaforte, J.P., A. Sánchez Meador, A.E.M. Waltz, M.L. Gaylord, M.T. Stoddard, D.W. Huffman. 2018. Delayed tree mortality, bark beetle activity, and regeneration dynamics five years following the Wallow Fire, Arizona, USA: Assessing trajectories towards resiliency. Forest Ecology and Management 428:20-26.
- Huffman, D.W., A. J. Sánchez Meador, M.T. Stoddard, J.E. Crouse, and J.P. Roccaforte. 2017. Efficacy of resource objective wildfires for restoration of ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) forests in northern Arizona. Forest Ecology and Management 389:395-403.
- Roccaforte, J.P., D.W. Huffman, P.Z. Fulé, W.W. Covington, W.W. Chancellor, M.T. Stoddard, and J.E. Crouse. 2015. Forest structure and fuels dynamics following ponderosa pine restoration treatments, White Mountains, Arizona, USA. Forest Ecology and Management 337:174-185.
- Roccaforte, J.P., P.Z. Fulé, W.W. Chancellor, and D.C. Laughlin. 2012. Woody debris and tree regeneration dynamics following severe wildfires in Arizona ponderosa pine forests. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 42:593-604.
- Fulé, P.Z., J.E. Crouse, J.P. Roccaforte, and E.L. Kalies. 2012. Do thinning and/or burning treatments in western USA ponderosa or Jeffrey pine-dominated forests help restore natural fire behavior? Forest Ecology and Management 269:68-81.
- Laughlin, D.C., J.P. Roccaforte, and P.Z. Fulé. 2011. Effects of a second-entry prescribed fire in a mixed conifer forest. Western North American Naturalist 71(4):557-562.
- Roccaforte, J.P., P.Z. Fulé, and W.W. Covington. 2010. Monitoring landscape-scale ponderosa pine restoration treatment implementation and effectiveness. Restoration Ecology 18(6):820-833
- Roccaforte, J.P., P.Z. Fulé, and W.W. Covington. 2009. Assessing changes in canopy fuels and potential fire behavior following ponderosa pine restoration. Fire Management Today 69(2):47-50.
- Roccaforte, J.P., P.Z. Fulé, and W.W. Covington. 2008. Landscape-scale changes in canopy fuels and potential fire behaviour following ponderosa pine restoration treatments. International Journal of Wildland Fire 17(2):293-303.
- Fulé, P.Z., J.P. Roccaforte, and W.W. Covington. 2007. Posttreatment tree mortality after forest ecological restoration, Arizona, United States. Environmental Management 40:623-634.
John Paul’s Google Scholar Page
Fact Sheets and Working Papers
- Roccaforte, J.P. 2020. Fact Sheet: Restoration Applications of Resource Objective Wildfires in Western US Forests. ERI Fact Sheets. Ecological Restoration Institute, Northern Arizona University. 2 p.
- Waltz, A.E.M., M.T. Stoddard, J.P. Roccaforte, J.D. Springer, D.W. Huffman. 2019. Restoration Prescriptions for Southwestern Frequent-Fire Adapted Forests. ERI Working Paper No. 41. Ecological Restoration Institute, Northern Arizona University. 9 pp.
- Roccaforte, J.P. 2019. Fact Sheet: Assessing trajectories toward resiliency five years following the Wallow Fire, Arizona. ERI Fact Sheets. Ecological Restoration Institute, Northern Arizona University. 2 p.
- Roccaforte, J.P. 2016. Fact Sheet: Evaluating treatment effectiveness following the 2014 San Juan Fire, White Mountains, Arizona. ERI Fact Sheets. Ecological Restoration Institute, Northern Arizona University. 3 p.
- Roccaforte, J.P. 2015. Fact Sheet: Forest Structure and Fuel Dynamics Following Ponderosa Pine Treatments, White Mountains, Arizona, USA. ERI Fact Sheets. Ecological Restoration Institute, Northern Arizona University. 2 p.
- Roccaforte, J.P. 2014. Fact Sheet: Planting to restore ponderosa pine sites burned by high-severity fire. Ecological Restoration Institute, Northern Arizona University, 4p.
- Roccaforte, J.P., D.C. Laughlin, and P.Z. Fulé. 2012. Fact Sheet: Assessing restoration objectives following a second-entry prescribed fire in an unharvested mixed conifer forest. Ecological Restoration Institute, Northern Arizona University, 2p.
- Crouse, J.E., E.L. Kalies, J.P. Roccaforte, and P.Z. Fulé. 2012. Fact Sheet: Meta-analysis of treatment effects on fire behavior. Ecological Restoration Institute, Northern Arizona University, 2p.
- Roccaforte, J.P., P.Z. Fulé, W.W. Chancellor, W.W., and D.C. Laughlin. 2011. Fact Sheet: Post-wildfire fuels and regeneration dynamics. Ecological Restoration Institute, Northern Arizona University, 2p.
Reports and Theses
- Roccaforte, J.P. 2013. The Wallow Fire and its effects on mixed-conifer forest: a comparison with reference conditions. Special Report to the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests, USDA Forest Service, Region 3. Ecological Restoration Institute Special Report, 17p.
- Roccaforte, J.P., M.T. Stoddard, and P.Z. Fulé. 2013. Preliminary results from the Mineral Ecosystem Management Area (EMA) experimental block study: one-year post-treatment. Special Report to the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests, USDA Forest Service, Region 3. Ecological Restoration Institute Special Report, 18p.
- Roccaforte, J.P. 2005. Monitoring landscape-scale forest structure and potential fire behavior following ponderosa pine restoration treatments. M.S. thesis, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ.
Presentations
- Roccaforte, J.P., Huffman, D.W., Crouse, J.E., Rodman, K.C., Pedersen, R.J., Normandin, D.P. Long-term forest structure and tree growth responses following landscape-scale ponderosa pine restoration treatments. 16th Biennial Conference of Science & Management for the Colorado Plateau & Southwest Region. September 12 – 15, 2022. Flagstaff, AZ.
- Roccaforte, J.P., Stoddard, M.T., Sánchez Meador, A.J., Fulé, P.Z., Huffman, D.W. Management applications of resource objective wildfires in forests of Grand Canyon National Park, USA. 8th International Fire Ecology and Management Congress: Cultivating Pyrodiversity. November 18 – 22, 2019. Tucson, AZ.
- Roccaforte, J.P., Sánchez Meador, A.J., Waltz, A.E.M., Gaylord, M.L., Stoddard, M.T., Huffman, D.W. Mortality and regeneration dynamics influence resiliency and recovery immediately following the Wallow Fire, Arizona, USA. 7th International Fire Ecology and Management Congress: Fire Vision 20/20: A 20-Year Reflection and Look into the Future. November 28 – December 2, 2017. Orlando, FL.
- Roccaforte, J.P. Ponderosa pine restoration treatments increase ecosystem resiliency to the San Juan Fire, White Mountains, Arizona, USA. 3rd Southwest Fire Ecology Conference: Beyond Hazardous Fuels: Managing Fire for Social, Economic, and Ecological Benefits. November 28 – December 2, 2016. Tucson, AZ.
- Roccaforte, J.P. Forest structure and fuels dynamics following ponderosa pine restoration treatments, White Mountains, Arizona, USA. 6th International Fire Ecology & Management Congress: Advancing Ecology in Fire Management. November 16-20, 2015, San Antonio, TX.
- Roccaforte, J.P., P.Z. Fulé, W.W. Chancellor, and D.C. Laughlin. Woody debris and tree regeneration dynamics following severe wildfires in Arizona ponderosa pine forests. Southwest Fire Ecology Conference: Fire Landscapes, Wildlife and People: Building Alliances for Restoring Ecosystem Resilience. February 29, 2012, Santa Fe, NM.
- Roccaforte, J.P. Ponderosa Pine Ecological Primer. Parashant Partnership Workshop, May 17, 2011, St. George, UT.
- Roccaforte, J.P., P.Z. Fulé, and W.W. Chancellor. Woody debris and tree regeneration dynamics following severe wildfires in Arizona. Fourth International Fire Ecology & Management Congress, December 4, 2009, Savannah, GA.
- Roccaforte, J.P., P.Z. Fulé, and W.W. Covington. Landscape-scale changes in canopy fuels and potential fire behavior following ponderosa pine restoration treatments. Poster presented at the 3rd International Fire Ecology & Management Congress, November 13-17, 2006, San Diego, CA.
- Roccaforte, J.P., P.Z. Fulé, and W.W. Covington. Monitoring treatment implementation and effectiveness of a landscape-scale ponderosa pine restoration project. Poster presented at the Conserving and Restoring Frequent Fire Landscapes of the West: Linking Science, Collaboration and Practice, 2006 National Conference, October 24-26, 2006, Flagstaff, AZ.
- Roccaforte, J.P., P.Z. Fulé, and W.W. Covington. Landscape-scale changes in canopy fuels and potential fire behavior following ponderosa pine forest restoration treatments at Mt. Trumbull, Arizona. Poster presented at the 33rd Annual Natural Areas Conference: Stewards of the Old and New West, September 20-23, 2006, Flagstaff, AZ.
- Roccaforte, J.P. and P. Z. Fulé. Landscape-scale changes in canopy fuels and potential fire behavior following ponderosa pine restoration treatments. 8th Biennial Conference of Research on the Colorado Plateau, November 8, 2005, Flagstaff, AZ.
- Roccaforte, J.P. and P. Z. Fulé. Landscape-scale changes in canopy fuels and fire behavior following ponderosa pine restoration treatments. Ecological Restoration of Southwest Ponderosa Pine and Pinyon-Juniper Ecosystems, Society of American Foresters, May 11-13, 2005, St. George, UT.
- Roccaforte, J.P. and M. C. Tuten. Ecological restoration in southwestern ponderosa pine forests. Presented at the Red Rock State Park, April 6, 2003, Sedona, AZ.
- Roccaforte, J.P., W. W. Covington, M. M. Moore, H. B. Smith, A. E.M. Waltz, and T. A. Heinlein. Applied restoration research and management in southwestern forest ecosystems. Poster presented at the 11th Annual International Conference of the Society for Ecological Restoration, September 23-25, 1999, San Francisco, CA.