Cataloging and assessing post-fire restoration projects in Colorado watersheds
Warner College of Natural Resources
Ecosystem Science and Sustainability
Larimer
County
(Statewide)
- Natural Resources
- On-campus
Primary Topic:
Natural Resources
Other Topics:
DEI
Internship Overview:
Wildfire in Colorado forests can lead to large post-fire hazards including flash floods, soil erosion, and debris flows. Where fires have burned watersheds that provide municipal water supplies, extensive mitigation efforts have been made to protect soils and water quality such as mulching to reduce soil erosion, stream channel modifications to help attenuate flash floods, reforestation, and structure protection. This study aims to evaluate where projects have been implemented statewide relative to metrics of social and water-related vulnerability to inform equitable planning of future post-fire projects and help ensure that funds are directed toward projects with greatest potential benefits.
The intern will participate in stakeholder outreach via phone and in-person meetings; attendance at relevant regional and community meetings; identifying, compiling, and harmonizing various data sources including spatial data; data analysis; and science communication.
The intern will participate in stakeholder outreach via phone and in-person meetings; attendance at relevant regional and community meetings; identifying, compiling, and harmonizing various data sources including spatial data; data analysis; and science communication.
Goals, Scope and Objectives:
The objective of the proposed research is to assess distributional equity of watershed-related post-fire restoration projects in the state of Colorado. The specific goals of the internship are to (1) develop a database of post-fire projects, (2) assess statewide distributional equity of post-fire restoration projects and (2) disseminate this information to policy-makers, agencies involved in project planning and implementation, project funders and communities.
For Colorado forest fires greater than 20,000 acres (between 2012-2022), we will compile information on any post-fire restoration projects relevant to watershed impacts that were conducted, such as mulching, erosion control, stream stabilization, revegetation, infrastructure upgrades. For each project we will also document project characteristics, such as the project’s main objectives, lead and participating agencies, cost, and funder(s).
Compilation of this data will require engaging with a variety of stakeholders involved in wildfire management such as land management agencies (US Forest Service), water providers, and consulting firms involved in implementing restoration projects, as well as secondary data collection. We will coordinate with partners such as the Colorado Forest Restoration Institute to find appropriate contacts who can provide this information.
We will explore existing metrics of social and water resource vulnerability to characterize communities’ vulnerability to water-related post-fire impacts and analyze how restoration projects are distributed in the state of Colorado since 2012 relative to social and water resource vulnerability. This information can be used to identify community restoration needs and to inform post-fire restoration policy and project planning to ensure that restoration needs among communities are equitably.
For Colorado forest fires greater than 20,000 acres (between 2012-2022), we will compile information on any post-fire restoration projects relevant to watershed impacts that were conducted, such as mulching, erosion control, stream stabilization, revegetation, infrastructure upgrades. For each project we will also document project characteristics, such as the project’s main objectives, lead and participating agencies, cost, and funder(s).
Compilation of this data will require engaging with a variety of stakeholders involved in wildfire management such as land management agencies (US Forest Service), water providers, and consulting firms involved in implementing restoration projects, as well as secondary data collection. We will coordinate with partners such as the Colorado Forest Restoration Institute to find appropriate contacts who can provide this information.
We will explore existing metrics of social and water resource vulnerability to characterize communities’ vulnerability to water-related post-fire impacts and analyze how restoration projects are distributed in the state of Colorado since 2012 relative to social and water resource vulnerability. This information can be used to identify community restoration needs and to inform post-fire restoration policy and project planning to ensure that restoration needs among communities are equitably.
With which stakeholder group(s) will the intern work?
Colorado Water Conservation Board, US Forest Service, Colorado Forest Restoration Institute, watershed groups and other stakeholders identified during the research.
What student learning outcomes do you anticipate and what are the opportunities for professional development?
Upon successful completion of this internship, the intern will be able to:
– Apply interdisciplinary analysis skills to questions of environmental justice;
– Harmonize disparate data; analyze and interpret meaningful results;
– Demonstrate an understanding of the social dimensions of ecological projects;
– Communicate project results to decision-makers, project planning agencies and communities;
– Collaborate with mentors from multiple disciplines.
The intern will have the opportunity to interface with local and state agencies involved in post-fire restoration policy, planning and project implementation throughout the state of Colorado. The intern will develop professional skills in communication, collaboration and data management. Through their involvement in this project, the intern will gain an understanding of the landscape actors involved in wildfire management, the role of different entities and how communities connect with available resources.
– Apply interdisciplinary analysis skills to questions of environmental justice;
– Harmonize disparate data; analyze and interpret meaningful results;
– Demonstrate an understanding of the social dimensions of ecological projects;
– Communicate project results to decision-makers, project planning agencies and communities;
– Collaborate with mentors from multiple disciplines.
The intern will have the opportunity to interface with local and state agencies involved in post-fire restoration policy, planning and project implementation throughout the state of Colorado. The intern will develop professional skills in communication, collaboration and data management. Through their involvement in this project, the intern will gain an understanding of the landscape actors involved in wildfire management, the role of different entities and how communities connect with available resources.
