Oral Abstract Details

Author(s):
L. Annie Hermansen-Baez

Affiliation:
USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station

Presentation Type:
Oral

Topic Area:
Science delivery and exchange of information for natural resource professionals, policymakers, and private citizens

Abstract Text:
The South is one of the fastest growing regions in the United States, with an estimated population increase of 1.5 million people each year and 65 of the top 100 fastest growing counties in the nation. The southern U.S. also consistently has the highest number of wildfires per year of any region in the United States. Some of those fires are quite large, as in the case of the 1998 Florida wildfires. These wildfires brought the challenges of working and living in the wildland-urban interface to the forefront for the U.S. Forest Service (FS) and other natural resource agencies across the southern U.S. Shortly after these fires, the FS Chief conducted a review of the South and identified the WUI as an area on which to focus research and information efforts. In response, the Forest Service conducted an assessment of the research, technology, and education issues that confront the wildland-urban interface in the South. This assessment, titled Human Influences on Forest Ecosystems: the Southern Wildland-Urban Interface Assessment, served as the foundation for the establishment of InterfaceSouth (formally know as the Southern Center for WUI Research and Information) in 2002 in Gainesville, Florida. InterfaceSouth joined Urban Forestry South in 2006 to become part of the Centers for Urban and Interface Forestry, the technology transfer centers of the Southern Research Station work unit SRS-4952 Integrating Human and Natural Systems in Urban and Urbanizing Environments. This integration combines expertise in urban forestry and wildland-urban interface (WUI) research and technology transfer for the southern region and nationwide. InterfaceSouth has focused much of its efforts on WUI fire issues, though it also focuses on a range of issues related to the urbanization of southern forests. Through a partnership with the University of Florida and the USDC National Institute of Standards and Technology, InterfaceSouth has focused on minimizing fire risk to property owners by evaluating the flammability characteristics of commonly planted shrubs and commonly used mulches, two items that can contribute to wildfire house damage. This information is also being used in the development of physics-based models to assess and predict fire spread through communities. From this research and other research projects, information is developed in a variety of formats to reach diverse audiences, including homeowners, policymakers, and natural resource professionals. One such format is publications and on-line decision support tools. The Fire in the Interface fact sheet series explains WUI fire concepts related to understanding fire and how to select appropriate plants for landscaping in interface areas. The Quick Guide to Firewise Shrubs ranks the 34 shrubs that were tested in the flammability study in to high, moderate, or low flammability categories. These fact sheets and guides provide information to help homeowners and communities take personal responsibility for the protection of their homes in the event of a wildland fire. Additionally, at the request of the Southern Group of State Foresters, InterfaceSouth developed Fire in the South II: the Southern Wildfire Risk Assessment. This publication brings attention to the critical fire situation in the South, presents the key findings of this region-wide assessment, and demonstrates through case studies some of its practical applications. The book titled Forests at the Wildland-Urban Interface: Conservation and Management provides information, strategies, and tools to enhance natural resource management, planning, and policymaking at the wildland-urban interface. The on-line flammability key includes a step-by-step ranking method based on easy-to-identify characteristics such as type of plant (tree, palm, shrub, or vine), distance between the ground and branches, denseness of the plant, and other factors. After completing all of the steps, the homeowner can identify plants as “not firewise,” “at-risk firewise,” “moderately firewise,” or “firewise.” This method allows fire professionals and extension personnel to make Firewise lists that can help residents make informed decisions about landscaping in fire-prone areas. Another important resource is the InterfaceSouth Web site (www.interfacesouth.org), which provides resources such as a literature database, a photo gallery, and a listing of WUI news and events. Individuals also can sign up for the SWUINET listserve, through which listserve members receive the Interface South Update, a monthly electronic bulletin focusing on critical WUI issues; the InterfaceSouth Post, which is sent out weekly and offers timely information about upcoming conferences and topical news items; and Leaves of Change, a quarterly bulletin about the activities of InterfaceSouth, its sister center Urban Forestry South, and partners. InterfaceSouth has also begun to use social media to deliver information about the unit’s research projects and products and interact with our clientele, using technology such as Twitter and blogs. The Web site is now also available in Spanish, as are many of the fire publications. In addition the Web site offers training program materials, such as the Changing Roles: WUI Professional Development Program and the Wood to Energy Outreach Program. The Changing Roles materials teach new skills necessary for managing fragmented forests and communicating effectively with interface residents and enable participants to apply these skills through interactive exercises. The Wood to Energy Outreach Program aims to increase community understanding and discussion about the possibility of using wood for energy in the South. Demonstration sites are another valuable format that InterfaceSouth has participated in to help raise awareness about Firewise issues. InterfaceSouth participated in a Firewise Retrofit project demonstration site in Alachua County, FL with a coalition of federal, state and local partners. The project, which is documented in a Flash presentation on the Web site, involved retrofitting a Florida home and its surrounding landscape to reduce its vulnerability to wildfires, as well as other hazards. InterfaceSouth’s advisory council, the Southern Wildland-Urban Interface Council (SWUIC), provides feedback regarding research and technology transfer needs and exemplifies the diversity of InterfaceSouth’s partners and program areas. SWUIC is a chartered council of the Southern Group of State Foresters and consists of members from state forestry agencies, the U.S. Forest Service (Research, State and Private, National Forests), universities, cooperative extension, and non-government organizations. InterfaceSouth has brought together natural resource professionals from fire, urban forestry, forest health, community planning, and a range of other disciplines to work together towards approaching and solving interface issues. These partnerships and the resources provided by InterfaceSouth are vital to the southern U.S. as the wildland-urban interface continues to expand.