Fire, Wind, and Climate Change: Applying Science to the West’s Open Lands

Cloaked in pine, spruce, and aspen, the sharp profile of the San Francisco Peaks dominates Flagstaff’s skyline. The mountains consist almost entirely of public land, but in recent years severe fires, floods, and other problems have underscored their changing ecological circumstances. On this daylong field trip that examines how science is being applied to practical questions of land management, you’ll learn from the experts themselves—ecologists, engineers, land managers, ranchers. You’ll visit sites where recent, severe wildfires have altered large swaths of forest, and learn how such fires are linked to flooding, climate change, and the regional economy; hear how NAU engineers are working together with ranchers to make renewable energy part of the Southwest’s energy grid and a sustainable land-based economy; and end the day high among scenic stands of aspen and pine, where scientists from NAU’s Ecological Restoration Institute, the Forest Service, and The Nature Conservancy, among others, are using old and new science to chart a restoration trajectory for the region’s threatened forests.

$25; pre-registration required. Lunch included. The tour will depart the Drury Inn at 8 AM, and return at 6 PM. Be prepared to walk relatively short distances from the vans, possibly over uneven or muddy ground. Bring walking shoes, sunscreen, a hat, and layered clothing—it may be hot down below, and cool in the forest.