The wildland-urban interface of the United States under changing conditions
The wildland-urban interface (WUI) is an ecological and social landscape where Americans live with, recreate in, and depend on forests most directly. Such WUI areas have rapidly expanded in the U.S. over the past several decades and currently encompass 10% of the conterminous U.S. land area, 14% of total forestland, and hold 33% of all houses. This presentation summarizes a forthcoming U.S. national assessment of forest research needs related to an increasing WUI in a changing climate. Designed to provide closer linkages between forest science and national policy, the comprehensive assessment addresses the full range of forest research needs including both threats and opportunities related to wildfire, biodiversity, human health, social dimensions, water quality, invasive species, mapping and monitoring. The assessment is cast in a social-ecological framework to consider the complex interactions and cascading consequences of forest, demographic, and climate changes that shape WUI environments and forest dynamics therein. As settings where people live in close proximity to natural vegetation, the WUI provides a unique opportunity to take proactive steps to improve ecosystem health and community wellbeing. Keywords: Research, Monitoring and data collection, Climate change, Biodiversity conservation, Social protection ID: 3602561
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| Format: | Article biblioteca |
| Language: | English |
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FAO ;
2022
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| Online Access: | https://openknowledge.fao.org/handle/20.500.14283/cc1740en http://www.fao.org/3/cc1740en/cc1740en.pdf |
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