Historical fire frequency for Arizona and New Mexico.
The Southwest Forest Assessment Project is a collaborative effort with the U.S. Forest Service to develop the scientific foundation to:
restore forests, woodlands, grasslands, streams, and watersheds throughout Arizona and New Mexico's National Forests
support preparation of Forest Plan revisions
assist the public in evaluating restoration and management strategies
Tools to understand southwest forest resources
To help develop a contemporary understanding of the biological resources on National Forest lands, we developed several new data sets and a series of forest-specific reports with information on the status of biological resources on National Forest lands.
Region 3 Species Database
We have compiled an up-to-date database of the species that occur on Region 3 Forests. The data set was developed by combining and updating data sets maintained across Region 3 Forests. It is comprehensive for aquatic and terrestrial vertebrates, and also includes many plants and invertebrates that may be of special management concern; however, it is not comprehensive for these taxonomic groups. All data were updated with current conservation and distribution information from NatureServe.
Ecosystem Diversity Reports
We synthesized regional assessment data on the status, distribution, and condition of the species and ecological systems managed by USFS into a report for each of the 11 National Forests in Region 3. The ecosystem diversity reports include an assessment of:
species’ distributions
vegetation patterns
grassland condition
aquatic habitat
areas of regional biological significance
Fire-return Interval Dataset and Report
The GIS data set and report synthesizes the fire-history literature and maps data on the historical fire return intervals associated with the major vegetation systems across Arizona and New Mexico. The map and data set underscore the spatial extent of fire-adapted ecosystems in the Southwest.
Tools to Understand Change in a Dynamic Landscape
The science of landscape dynamics and landscape change has advanced considerably since the first Forest Plans were developed in the 1980s and early 1990s. As part of the Southwest Forest Assessment Project, we reviewed the scientific literature to develop tools that characterize change and enable USFS and stakeholders to evaluate potential management scenarios.
Historical Range of Variation of Forests & Grasslands
Understanding the drivers of vegetation change over time enables land managers to better plan and manage our resources. We synthesized the scientific literature characterizing variation in the structure, composition, and ecological condition of alpine, forest, woodland, and grassland systems, as well as the influence of climatic fluctuations and disturbance regimes such as wildfire and flooding.
Data derived from the literature reviews were integrated into the Vegetation Dynamic Development Tool (VDDT), a simulation modeling platform that enables users to evaluate vegetation dynamics at the landscape level. The tool is well-suited for collaborative learning about desired conditions and potential management scenarios.
Peer Review Process
All of the reports and data sets developed for this project were subjected to external peer review to ensure conformance with the Forest Service’s Science Consistency Review Standards.
Downloads
What is the Southwest Forest Assessment Project? (June 2006)
Brief overview describing a collaborative effort between The Nature Conservancy and U.S. Forest Service Region 3 in Arizona and New Mexico, a project designed to develop scientific information for forest plan revisions and to help in the restoration of ecosystems.
Download file (< 1 MB)
U.S. Forest Service Region 3 Species Database (May 2006)
Provides an up-to-date, searchable excel database on the species that occur on Region 3 Forests in Arizona and New Mexico.
Download file (<1 MB)
Historical Fire Return Intervals for Arizona and New Mexico (May 2006)
Synthesizes the scientific literature on historical fire return intervals associated with the major vegetation systems across Arizona and New Mexico. Included is a crosswalk table for use with the Southwest Regional Gap Analysis Project's land cover dataset and three ArcGIS layer (.lyr) files that enable the user to mimic the report graphics.
Download file (<1 MB)
Historical Range of Variation for Potential Natural Vegetation Types of the Southwest (June 2007)
Descriptions of the Historical Range of Variation or Variability (HRV) characterize the change over time and space in the condition of the Southwest’s major vegetation types and the ecological processes that shape those types. HRVs enable land managers and the public to understand the drivers of change in our region’s major vegetation types.
Ecosystem Diversity Reports for National Forests in New Mexico and New Mexico (August 2006)
Ecosystem diversity reports were developed to support the Forest Service’s need for information on the species and ecosystems that occur on National Forests in Region 3. The reports contain data summaries and analyses of a variety of regional datasets. Each report is packaged with an introduction and chapters describing methods and data sources.
Southwest Forest Assessment Project Peer Review Process (October 2006)
All of the reports and data sets developed for the Southwest Forest Assessment Project were subjected to external peer review to ensure conformance with the Forest Service’s Science Consistency Review Standards. This report includes a complete list of the resource professionals who reviewed the various components of this project.
Download file (<1 MB)