Yukon Flats Refuge Fire Management & Permafrost Workshop
In collaboration with the Alaska Fire Science Consortium (AFSC) and Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge, we hosted a three-day workshop in early April to develop a suite of achievable refuge fire management goals, objectives and strategies. Since refuge establishment, wildfires on the majority of lands on the Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge have largely been monitored rather than suppressed to allow fire to fulfill its ecological role in a fire-adapted ecosystem. There is growing concern that climate change will reduce the resiliency of the boreal forest in response to disturbance and other stressors. However, what, if anything, can or should we do about this change confounds refuge managers. Should managers resist, continue to accept, or direct these changes? Throughout these three days we heard from eighteen experts and facilitated discussion on these questions. We are now working on a report with synthesis of information and possible strategies from the workshop, to be published later this year. We hope that with this product, the Yukon Flats staff will be well-equipped to take the next steps to engage in diagnosing the situation and co-developing ways to move forward together.
Background materials and recordings of the presentations are available on the workshop website, hosted by AFSC.
Background materials and recordings of the presentations are available on the workshop website, hosted by AFSC.
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Our Role
Project Co-Lead Project Leaders Northwest Boreal Partnership, Alaska Fire Science Consortium, Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge Contact Leanna Heffner: lheffner@alaskaconservation.org |
