blog post Turning the Page on a Disruptive Year in the Water World By Ellen Hanak Jan 11, 2021 Ellen Hanak, director of the PPIC Water Policy Center, describes some of 2020’s more pressing water-world challenges, and the center’s response to them.
blog post Paying for Forest Health Projects By Henry McCann Sep 29, 2020 State and federal leaders have agreed to vastly expand vegetation management in California’s forests to reduce wildfire risk. Is it enough to keep pace?
blog post Using Fire for Good on Tribal Land By Henry McCann Sep 1, 2020 Indigenous peoples have used fire to maintain the land for millennia. We talked to Margo Robbins, a member of the Yurok tribe and director of the Cultural Fire Management Council, about using fire on their lands.
blog post Grappling with the Statewide “Wildfire Siege” By Henry McCann Aug 20, 2020 California is in the midst of a statewide wildfire siege that is severely challenging fire suppression. How prepared are we?
blog post Commentary: Improving Forest Health Can Build Jobs, Economies in Rural California By Henry McCann, Van Butsic Jul 6, 2020 Putting Californians to work improving the health of the state’s headwater forests would boost economic recovery and reduce wildfire risk.
blog post California’s 21st Century Megadrought By Jeffrey Mount, Michael Dettinger Jun 23, 2020 California is in the midst of a decades-long drought, which mimics what climate change is expected to bring. Water management should adapt accordingly.
blog post Video: The Benefits of Headwater Forest Management By Lori Pottinger May 4, 2020 California’s headwater forests are increasingly vulnerable to major wildfires and droughts that threaten the many benefits they provide. An expert panel discussed how improved management can reduce risks of major wildfires and bring other benefits.
event The Benefits of Headwater Forest Management Apr 30, 2020 COVID-19 has upended many governmental functions and collective efforts, including hands-on forest management to reduce wildfire risks. California’s headwater forests have experienced their own health crisis in recent years, which has left them increasingly vulnerable to major wildfires and droughts that threaten the benefits they provide. Improved management can make these forests more resilient and avoid major wildfire-related disasters. But this will require a substantial lift from an array of private and public entities.
blog post How Is the Pandemic Affecting Wildfire Preparedness? By Henry McCann, Van Butsic Apr 27, 2020 Catastrophic wildfires in recent years set off a wave of efforts to reduce this risk across the state. The COVID-19 pandemic could complicate this work.
Report The Benefits of Headwater Forest Management By Henry McCann, Van Butsic, Yufang Jin, Scott Stephens ... Apr 24, 2020 California’s headwater forests have become more vulnerable to drought and wildfire—risks that are increasing with climate change. Increased forest management on a large scale can improve the region’s resilience to these risks, and bring widely shared benefits in air quality, water quality and supply, rural economies, and carbon sequestration. This report assesses the benefits and beneficiaries of improved forest management. This information is key to crafting the financial tools, policies, and other governance solutions needed for long-term stewardship of the state’s headwater forests.
