Forest Resiliency, San Bernardino National Forest

The San Bernardino National Forest supports various human and ecological activities traversing the headwaters to downstream communities. Although rich in natural resources, mountain ecosystems have been adversely impacted by long term drought conditions and highly variable year-round tourism activities, coupled with inadequate finances to manage diverse environmental and cultural resources. These issues are contributing significantly to compromised forest health, which further increases the likelihood of large-scale, catastrophic fire events, associated loss of resource function, and risk to life and property on a regional scale. However, these risks can be addressed in a meaningful way through a proactive approach to understanding and managing forest resources for increased fire resiliency. This project seeks to apply field-, geospatial-, and community engagement-based research methods, including surveys, outreach and education strategies, and geospatial analysis to develop a framework supporting forest resiliency-focused management. The project deliverables, including datasets, information dashboards, community engagement strategies, and publicly available mapping tools, will inform and focus the work of resource managers and stakeholders on best management practices to support forest resiliency and to limit the size, intensity, and frequency of future fire events.