Ecosystems & Wildfire

Given the ecosystem (terrestrial and aquatic) and wildfire sector's vulnerabilities, we have developed the following goals and strategies. Goals are presented in bold with their corresponding action items below it.
For more context on what's being threatened by climate change, refer to our Climate Primer on pages 28 - 30.

Build understanding of forest, terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and appropriate, site/landscape-specific management options that account for climate change.

Analyze current, historical, and projected conditions to identify and prioritize where to resist, accept, or facilitate site or ecosystem change, considering cultural values.
Create and implement watershed management plans based on climate projections that prioritize habitats to protect (include restoration strategies, human access considerations, and agricultural best management practices).
Maintain and enhance connected habitat corridors.

Ensure ecological integrity during and after fire and/or fire suppression activities.

Create a watershed reinvestment fund to support restoration after wildfire.

Reduce high severity wildfires and their impact in high risk areas/landscapes.

Increase prescribed fire and/or thinning, when and where appropriate.
Implement best practices such as prescribed fire, streamside buffers, and support of beavers to increase watershed resilience to fire.

Why are beavers important, you ask?

Build a shared understanding of the realities of wildfire and our expectations of wildfire response.

Grow educational and outreach efforts within and between agencies, community partners, and public to build support for forest management options (including allowing natural fires to burn), considering divergent values (for example, Wildfire Adapted Missoula).

Do you prefer to think about strategies in terms of which climate impacts they respond to?

You can sort all ecosystems and wildfire strategies by related climate impact below, as well as whether they have a mitigation benefit or strengthen resiliency in a different sector as well as ecosystems and wildfire.

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full list of vulnerabilities addressed