Staff from the Ecological Restoration Institute and NAU School of Forestry will present recent research in social science related to forest and fire management:

• Full Cost Accounting for the Schultz Fire
• Household Experiences with the 2019 Museum Fire
• Community Acceptance of Smoke from Wildfire and Fire Used for Land Management

Presenters:
Melanie Colavito, PhD 
Director of Policy and Communications 
Ecological Restoration Institute 
melanie.colavito@nau.edu 

Niki (Nicolena) vonHedemann, PhD
Human Dimensions Specialist
Ecological Restoration Institute
niki.vonhedemann@nau.edu

Catrin Edgeley, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor | Graduate Coordinator
School of Forestry, Northern Arizona University
catrin.edgeley@nau.edu

Priority Based Budget Key Community Priorities and Objectives

• High Performing Governance: Implement innovative local government programs
• Safe and Healthy Community: Ensure built environment is safe through the use of consistent standards, rules and regulations, & land use practices
• Environmental Stewardship: Promote, protect & enhance a healthy, sustainable environment & its natural resources
• Environmental Stewardship: Strengthen Flagstaff's resilience to climate change impacts on built, natural, economic, health, & social systems

Carbon Neutrality Plan

• CR-1: Ensure all mitigation actions improve Flagstaff's ability to adapt to the future
• CR-2: Strengthen existing community systems to create resilience to both short-term shocks and long-term change.

Consolidating carbon stocks in fewer, larger trees reduces the risk of carbon loss from fire. The
pre-suppression forest structure provides the best target for maintaining sustainable carbon stocks and ecological function. Implementing prescribed fire after mechanical thinning treatments supports the maintenance of the restored natural tree structure and pattern.

Regional Plan

• Environmental Planning & Conservation – Vision for the Future: In 2013, the long-term health and viability of our natural resource environment is maintained through strategic planning for resource conservation and protection.
• Policy E&C.3.3 – Invest in forest health and watershed protection measures.
• Policy E&C.6.1 – Encourage public awareness that the region’s ponderosa pine forest is a fire-dependent ecosystem and strive to restore more natural and sustainable forest composition, structure, and processes.
• Policy E&C.6.3 – Promote protection, conservation, and ecological restoration of the region’s diverse ecosystem type and associated animals.
• Policy E&C.6.6 – Support collaborative efforts for forest health initiatives or practices, such as the Four Forest Restoration Initiative (4FRI), to support healthy forests and protect our water system.
• Policy E&C.10.2 – Protect, conserve, and when possible, enhance and restore wildlife habitat on public land.