Do high severity burns lead to conversion to new forest types or a shift from forests to shrublands or grasslands? How do wildlife respond to changing habitats? And, finally, what do these changes tell us about how these ecosystems will respond to climate change? We visited the sites of the 2000 Pumpkin Fire and 2003 Aspen Fire, and talked to researchers who have been studying how forests and wildlife respond to high severity burns. View the YouTube video here.
Bark Beetles and Restoration Treatments
Although bark beetles are a natural part of the ponderosa pine forest ecosystem, it has been the insect most often associated with widespread tree mortality. Therefore, land managers charged with forest restoration use prescribed fire and thinning treatments to promote healthy and resilient stands. Read more!
