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NW CASC Study Synthesizes What Climate Change Means for Northwest Wildfires
Recent years have brought unusually large and damaging wildfires to the Pacific Northwest, leaving many people wondering what this means for our region’s future. A University of Washington study, funded by the NW CASC and US Forest Service, takes a big-picture look at what climate change could mean for wildfires in the Northwest.
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New NW CASC-funded Synthesis Explores the Effects of Changing Climate Conditions on Wildfires and Forests of the Northwest
Forests are an iconic feature of Northwest landscapes. From dense forests of towering conifers in the west to ponderosa pine forests in the east, these ecosystems provide water, wildlife habitat, timber, recreation and other benefits.
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NW CASC Research Provides New Synthesis on Ecological Drought in the Northwest
As the climate changes in the Northwest, increasing temperatures and changing precipitation patterns are expected to significantly alter our annual snowpack, stream flows and water availability. Along with these changes comes an increased risk of ecological drought, or periods of water stress that significantly impact species, habitats, ecosystems and the services they provide.
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New Report on Makah Traditional Knowledge and Cultural Resource Assessment
Current Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center (NW CASC) Fellow Laura Nelson is an author on a new report about “Makah Traditional Knowledge and Cultural Resource Assessment: A preliminary framework to utilize traditional knowledge into climate change planning.” Many Indigenous communities are planning for the protection of their natural resources and cultures in the face of climate change.
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NW CASC-Funded Research Explores Remote Sensing of Nitrogen in Dryland Ecosystems
Former Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center (NW CASC) Fellow Hamid Dashti is the lead author of a new paper that evaluates methods for measuring nitrogen in dryland ecosystems. As the climate warms, dryland ecosystems in the western United States are already experiencing change and becoming more susceptible to fire-prone, invasive species such as cheatgrass.
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NW CASC-funded Research Describes the Importance of Fire Refugia in a Changing Climate
As our climate changes, increasing wildfire activity continues to impact our forested ecosystems and the species that inhabit them. A new paper on NW CASC-funded research examines fire refugia in the context of global change.
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NW CASC-Funded Research Explores Streamflow Permanence in Northwest Rivers and Streams
As the climate changes, resource managers are increasingly challenged by limited knowledge of where and when streams and rivers will maintain streamflow. A new paper on NW CASC-funded research details the USGS PRObability of Streamflow PERmanence (PROSPER) model, a regional model that provides information about where streams supported year round flow on a year-to-year basis for 2004-2016.
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NW CASC-funded Research on Refugia from Droughts and Insect Outbreaks in Northwest Forests
As our climate changes, Northwest forests are under increasing stress from disturbances such as droughts and insect outbreaks. Refugia—areas where the impacts from disturbance are less severe than in the surrounding landscape—may promote ecosystem resilience over time and can be important for conservation and monitoring.
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NW CASC Fellow’s New Paper Evaluates Sagebrush-steppe Monitoring After Fire
Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center (NW CASC) Fellow Cara Applestein is the lead author on a new paper that evaluates methods of monitoring sagebrush-steppe ecosystems after disturbance events such as wildfire.
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Former NW CASC Fellow Ben Dittbrenner’s New Paper Explores the Role of Beavers in Urban Landscapes
Ben Dittbrenner, former NW CASC Fellow, PhD candidate in UW’s School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, and Executive Director of Beavers Northwest, is a coauthor on a new paper reintegrating the North American beaver in urban landscapes.
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