LANDFIRE Update and Biophysical Settings Review: The Southern Rockies and You

Presenter: Jim Smith, Ph.D., The Nature Conservancy LANDFIRE Program Lead

All ecosystems are dynamic and changing due to growth, succession and disturbances. Modeling large landscapes in the United States requires the collective knowledge of experienced and knowledgeable vegetation and fire experts. In collaboration with hundreds of colleagues,LANDFIRE produced more than 1,000 unique pre-European state-and-transitions models and descriptions between 2005-2009 — one for every major ecosystem (called Biophysical Settings or BpS) mapped by the Program. The result is a major contribution to basic and applied vegetation ecology across the country. These models and descriptions play a part in national vegetation mapping and assessment, and on-the-ground management across the country.

A new phase is underway as LANDFIRE deepens and broadens the science and applicability of those models and descriptions through the “BpS Review” review project. Input from ecologists, land managers, fire practitioners and others who are interested in how vegetation systems function is critical to improve this unique encyclopedia of ecological knowledge.

Jim Smith, LANDFIRE Program Manager, will give a brief primer on Bps, a review of the dedicated website, and will show how and why the descriptions and expert review are important in the Southern Rockies region. He will end by showing how you can become involved in this significant update. Visit the BpS review webpagefor more information about this effort.