Howard E. Woodin Environmental Studies Colloquium Series - The aftermath of wildfire in western North America landscapes

The aftermath of wildfire in western North America landscapes: forest recovery or transformation

A Howard E. Woodin Environmental Studies Colloquium Series talk by Caitlin Littlefield ’07.5, Research Assistant Professor at the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Vermont.

Concern is mounting that forests may not be able to recover from intensifying wildfires under climate change. Using field data, large-scale forest inventories, and climatic trends across western North America, Caitlin has examined where and when we may expect—and therefore support—forest recovery and where and when we may simply have to accept fire-catalyzed transformations.

Caitlin is a landscape ecologist focusing on conservation and adaptation under climate change. In particular, she studies how forest plants and animals respond to changing conditions and novel disturbances at broad spatial scales. She works closely with forest managers and conservation practitioners to determine on-the-ground strategies that may support these responses – for example, enhancing landscape connectivity and promoting recovery from disturbance. Caitlin graduated from Middlebury in 2007.5, completed an MS at the University of Vermont and a PhD at the University of Washington, and has since been working with both the Northwest and Northeast Climate Adaptation Science Centers as a research assistant professor at UVM. Caitlin also serves as a third-party verifier for forest carbon projects across the country, from Alaska to Alabama. She considers herself tremendously lucky to spend her days either in, teaching about, or analyzing data from the forest.

Please visit go/woodincolloquiumseries for Zoom details.