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Project ID:

24-3-01-10

Year:

2024

Date Started:

10/01/2024

Date Completed:

Title:

Lake States Fire Science Consortium

Project Proposal Abstract:

Problem Statement: Effective wildland fire policy and practice require use of the best available science, but several barriers impede this goal. This issue is particularly acute in the Lake States region, where despite a diverse array of fire-dependent ecosystems and strong legacy of fire research, current wildland fire management programs and associated support networks are in relatively early stages of development. To address challenges to implementing the best available fire science across the Lake States region, the Lake States Fire Science Consortium (LSFSC) will i) build a network of managers and researchers, ii) evaluate availability and use of wildland fire science information, iii) identify knowledge gaps, and iv) develop programming to meet end-user community needs. We will build on our past successes to address current needs in the region, thereby helping develop the next generation of wildland fire professionals.

Objectives: The LSFSC will address the following objectives during this grant period:
1. Support ecosystem restoration and sustainable management. Our work emphasizes specific challenges managers face as they seek to restore fire-dependent ecosystems in the Lake States region. Areas of emphasis include evaluating fire effects on species of special concern and mitigating potential negative impacts; potential tradeoffs with other management objectives; lack of knowledge about interactive effects between invasive species and fire; and insufficient data available on seasonality of fire, including fire effects on natural communities and barriers to expanding the burn window.
2. Inform risk management associated with wildland fires. Wildland fire management involves consideration of multiple risks that require weighing tradeoffs when evaluating management options. In addition to protecting human lives and property, key risks of interest within the region include air quality and smoke management, water quality, and impacts on wildlife.
3. Increase social acceptance of wildland fire management. Long-term success of wildland fire management programs depends on social acceptance both within agencies and among the end-user community. We will share information on acceptance of fire management and best practices to engage this community to build trust and develop understanding of wildland fire management practices.
4. Contribute to developing future generation of wildland fire managers and scientists. The LSFSC will continue our efforts to develop future wildland fire professionals through support and delivery of fire related curricula. LSFSC has led NWCG courses, fire trainings, and co-developed a wildland fire certificate program at a local university. We will also continue to support internship opportunities for university students to work at the science/management interface.

Benefits: Building on our momentum, we will continue efforts to support wildland fire management by serving as a clearinghouse of science to improve decision-making, strengthening relationships between researchers and managers, and supporting professional development of wildland fire professionals. We will lead activities that have proven successful and target these to address information needs identified by our end-user community. We will contribute to building capacity through in-person and virtual meetings with local and regional organizations (e.g., state prescribed fire councils, NGOs, nature centers, universities) as they grow and expand their wildland fire programs. We will also continue implementation of wildland fire curricula and offer our unique science-management internship program to build a foundation for future professionals to work more effectively across research/management boundaries.

Principal Investigator:

Eric L. Toman

Agency/Organization:

Ohio State University

Branch or Dept:

School of Environment & Natural Resources-Columbus

Other Project Collaborators

Type	Name	Agency/Organization	Branch or Dept
Agreements Contact	Stephanie Harrier	Ohio State University	Office of Sponsored Programs
Budget Contact	Stephanie Harrier	Ohio State University	Office of Sponsored Programs
Co-Principal Investigator	Brian R. Sturtevant	Forest Service	NRS-Northern Research Station
Co-Principal Investigator	Daniel M. Kashian	Wayne State University	Department of Biological Sciences
Co-Principal Investigator	Gwilym M. Davies	Ohio State University	College of Food, Agriculture & Environmental Science
Co-Principal Investigator	Jessica R. Miesel	University of Idaho	Department of Forest, Rangeland and Fire Sciences
Co-Principal Investigator	John D. McGowan-Stinski	Ohio State University	School of Environment & Natural Resources-Wooster
Co-Principal Investigator	Randall K. Kolka	Forest Service	NRS-Northern Research Station