With intense wildfires in the western U.S. and frequent, intense hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico, the nation is again affected by extreme weather-related events resulting from climate change. In response, cities, states and regions across the country are developing policies to reduce their emissions of greenhouse gases, chiefly carbon dioxide (CO2). Even though many state and local governments are committed to these goals, however, the emissions data they… Read more
wildfires
Ecological Restoration Institute at Northern Arizona University announces new executive director
After a national search, the Ecological Restoration Institute (ERI) at Northern Arizona University has named prominent quantitative forest ecologist and cutting-edge researcher Andrew Sánchez Meador as its new executive director. He replaces ERI founder and long-time executive director Wally Covington, who retired in January.
Sánchez Meador is a trusted expert among ecologists,… Read more
NAU forest engineer to lead collaborative industry team in creating jobs, developing markets and restoring health to southwestern forests
As climate change and drought cause increasingly severe wildfires and degrade forest health throughout the Southwest, researchers at Northern Arizona University’s Ecological Restoration Institute (ERI) are working on sustainable solutions that support forest restoration as well as the long-term economic health of the region.
NAU professor Han-Sup Han, ERI director of forest operations and biomass utilization, recently received a $260,000 award from the… Read more
Long-Term Efficacy of Managed Wildfires Focus of New NAU Study
Land managers are increasingly interested in using lightning-ignited wildfires as a tool to restore forests and reduce fuel loads. But, there is little known about the effectiveness of managing wildfires to meet restoration goals.
For the past several years, ecologists at the Ecological Restoration Institute at Northern Arizona University have been working to better understand ecological outcomes of wildfires managed to achieve resource objectives and conditions under which practitioners can expect… Read more
NAU scientist maps CO2 emissions for entire Los Angeles Megacity to help improve environmental policymaking
As the threat of global warming grows—and with it, the specter of more extreme conditions such as wildfires, droughts and tropical storms—cities across the U.S. are developing policies to reduce their emissions of greenhouse gases, chiefly carbon dioxide (CO2). Even though many local governments are committed to these goals, however, the emissions data they have to… Read more
Larger, more frequent fires in the boreal forest threaten previously protected carbon stores, NAU-led research team reports in Nature
Pools of old carbon in the soil of boreal forests historically safe from combustion are being released by more frequent and larger wildfires, a team led by researchers at Northern Arizona University announced in Nature this week. As the climate of these forests in the Northwest Territories of Canada becomes warmer and drier and prone to more frequent… Read more