Rapid Assessment workshop in South Central U.S. © Jeannie Patton

The primary role of The Nature Conservancy in the LANDFIRE project is to complete quantitative succession models using the Vegetation Dynamics Development Tool (VDDT) for all biophysical settings across the conterminous U.S. for the Rapid Assessment, and including Alaska and Hawaii for the national implementation of LANDFIRE.

When completed, the LANDFIRE team will have generated consistent, comprehensive, landscape-scale maps and data describing vegetation, fire, and fuel characteristics across the United States. Integration of regional expertise improves the accuracy of LANDFIRE products and is critical to the success of the project; therefore, workshops are held across the country under the leadership of The Nature Conservancy's national team, to gather the best knowledge available. Models are accomplished by groups of experts in a structured, facilitated, collaborative workshop environment.

After models and model descriptions have been developed, they will be used at a national level for mapping, AND we anticipate that they will be extremely useful for forest and fire management planners, land managers, researchers and conservationists who need to:

• establish desired future conditions in terms of vegetation composition and structure distribution across a specified geographic area;

• understand/test potential effects of various management treatments on vegetation;

• set management/conservation priorities;

• meet forest certification objectives (FSC and SFI); and

• develop testable hypotheses. 

UPDATE ON MODELING WORKSHOPS - SUMMER 2008

In May 2008 the LANDIFRE team completed its vegetation modeling effort for the lower 48 states of the U.S. for the National implementation phase of the LANDFIRE project. The National models built on the work of the Rapid Assessment by refining and expanding the suite of models that are available. Both Rapid Assessment and National models are publicly available from www.landfire.gov. Currently, the Nature Conservancy’s LANDFIRE team is working on completing models for the states of Alaska and Hawaii. These models will be completed and available for download by September 2009. Information: Kori Blankenship.

Rapid Assessment (complete)

Twelve, week-long Rapid Assessment workshops and three LANDFIRE modeling workshops were implemented across the U.S. through May 2005. During that time, more than 280 land managers and scientists from federal, state, and private organizations were taught basic modeling methods and how to quantify scientific information and knowledge in ecological models. More than 250 Rapid Assessment models were completed. The Rapid Assessment Rollout Conference in February 2006 drew participants to review and discuss the process and to initiate momentum for the LANDFIRE modeling ahead.

Landfire national (under way)

In addition to expert modeling workshops, advanced modeling trainings have been implemented to-date for 33 LANDFIRE partners interested in the application of LANDFIRE reference models for local land management applications. The Nature Conservancy in some cases has awarded scholarships to enable selected partners to attend advanced modeling training sessions. Between September 2006 and September 2007, aproximately 230 individuals have been involved in the process, representing federal agencies, academia, independent practitioners and NGOs.

Expected benefits of the modeling activities include:

• reduced barriers to fuel treatment implementation through improved scientific foundations and greater consensus on reference ecosystem conditions;
  
• accelerated integration of LANDFIRE data and models into land and fire management planning through proactive dissemination of lessons learned,  technical training;
  
• improved interagency/multi-resource collaboration; and
  
• increased scientific robustness and practical applicability of LANDFIRE data and models through the engagement and integration of local experts, researchers and land-based practitioners.

For workshop dates and locations, please click on the LANDFIRE workshop page. It is continually updated with information. Also, a quick list is available on our Events web page.  Click here to connect with a TNC-LANDFIRE staff member in your region for more information or to become involved.

For information about modeling software training, please see the LANDFIRE

Training & Technology Transfer page.

This page last updated 11 June 2008.