Tag: Socioeconomics

New synthesis of wildland fire smoke science

by Jennifer Moore Myers, SRS Science Communications  • 
A comprehensive, open access book on smoke from wildland fires across the U.S. is now available. Wildland Fire Smoke in the United States: A Scientific Assessment synthesizes the physical, chemical, biological, social, and policy issues critical to mitigating the impacts of smoke from wildland fires. Seventy researchers, land managers, and other experts co-authored the book.…  More 

Climate Change, Streamflow, and Social Vulnerability: Locating Increased Risks

by Jennifer Moore Myers, SRS Science Communications  • 
What happens when climate change or urbanization increases the frequency or severity of floods? How well can different downstream communities prepare for and respond to those catastrophic events? USDA Forest Service scientists and approached these questions in a new way. They developed a risk matrix that pairs the likelihood of high streamflow events – which…  More 

American Ginseng, in the Forest and in the Marketplace

by Sarah Farmer, SRS Science Communications  • 
American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) is a plant of great value. Tens of thousands of pounds are harvested from the wild each year. But the average harvest amount has dwindled, while price has skyrocketed. “It’s pretty unusual that the more effort put towards producing something, the less is produced,” says USDA Forest Service researcher Greg Frey.…  More 

Linking Water, Forests, & Communities in Atlanta: Part 3

by Josh McDaniel; Annie Hermansen- Báez, Interface South  • 
Proctor Creek snakes through downtown Atlanta and eventually works its way north to the Chattahoochee River. In 2013, Proctor Creek was named one of 11 new projects of the Urban Waters Federal Partnership, an innovative union of 13 federal agencies that focus on both natural resources and economic development. As a part of the partnership,…  More 

WNC Receives Mixed Report Card on Forest Sustainability

by Zoe Hoyle, SRS Science Communications  • 
A report card recently published by SRS and the University of North Carolina at Asheville gives Western North Carolina (WNC) mixed grades on forest sustainability. The Western North Carolina Report Card provides an assessment of current economic, ecological and social conditions in the region relative to the sustainability of the areas forests, focusing on 18…  More