Northern Arizona University Addresses Critical Issues Related To Wildfires In New Series
Launches Year-Long Sustainability 360 Program on Wildfires, Drought and Water Issues, Climate Science and Native American Cultural Sustainability
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz., Aug. 26, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Every year, wildfire season is trending longer, larger and more extreme. As fires continue to blaze in the West, Northern Arizona University (NAU) is launching a multi-part series, designed to provide education on critical issues related to wildfires. The series features expert commentary, easy-to-digest visual representations of noteworthy research and contributed content from some of NAU's leading wildfire and forest ecology experts, including members of the School of Forestry, a national leader on natural resource and forest research, and of the Ecological Restoration Institute (ERI), an independent research branch of NAU.
The first installment of the series looks at "Wildfires that Don't Make Headlines," exploring how critical treatments and prevention methods helped contain fires in Arizona before reaching catastrophic levels. Specifically examining the Slide and San Juan Fires, which threatened popular tourist destinations and hundreds of homes in May and June, it will examine how carefully planned prevention and restoration tools, such as mechanical thinning and prescribed burning, may have helped Arizona dodge a bullet this wildfire season.
The remainder of the series will highlight the economic impact of wildfires and adaptations needed to help forests become more resilient in the face of disturbances such as climate change and fires.
"Over the past 20 years, we have been seeing more severe and larger wildfires occurring earlier in the season," said Wally Covington, Regents Professor at NAU and director of the Ecological Restoration Institute. "Through restoration and prevention activities, we can change the fuel matrix so that we limit the growth of these potentially dangerous fires."
This series is part of a larger Sustainability 360 program from NAU dedicated to communicating the university's commitment to and expertise in the area of sustainability. The program will explore four critical areas in 2014-2015, including wildfires, drought / water issues, climate science and Native American cultural sustainability.
About Northern Arizona University
Northern Arizona University is an institution of higher education and research located in Flagstaff, Arizona. Uniquely positioned on the Colorado Plateau, NAU researchers and students have access to one of the richest environmental landscapes in the United States. Nationally recognized for its academic programs in environmental sciences, business, engineering, healthcare and education, NAU is committed to research and public service aimed at real world problems such as environmental and Native American cultural sustainability. More information can be found at www.nau.edu.
CONTACT: Jessica Chen, 917-595-3055, [email protected]
SOURCE Northern Arizona University
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