Report California’s Water: Protecting Headwaters By Ellen Hanak, Jeffrey Mount, Van Butsic, Joshua Viers ... Nov 12, 2018 Mountainous regions provide most of the state’s water supply. But major problems loom— from a growing risk of wildfires to a shrinking snowpack. This brief outlines ways California and the federal government—the largest landowner in headwater areas—could address critical problems in these areas.
blog post California’s Changing Headwaters By Lori Pottinger Nov 29, 2016 Much of the state’s water supply originates in forested headwaters. An expert interview on how a warming climate and extreme wildfires are changing these ecosystems.
Report Improving the Health of California’s Headwater Forests By Van Butsic, Henry McCann, Jodi Axelson, Brian Gray ... Sep 18, 2017 This report looks at regulatory, legal, and management reforms that can help build resilience in the state’s headwater forests and prepare them for a challenging future.
blog post Video: The Path to Healthy Headwater Forests By Lori Pottinger Feb 16, 2021 The worst wildfire year in California history prompted new efforts to manage Sierra forests to improve their resilience to fire and drought. A panel of experts discussed ways to increase the pace and scale of management to restore forest health.
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.
blog post Testimony: Managing California’s Headwater Forests By Lori Pottinger Aug 24, 2017 California’s headwater forests are at risk. PPIC testified at a Little Hoover Commission hearing on improving the state’s forest management.
blog post How Water Agencies Could Catalyze Headwater Forest Management By Henry McCann, Van Butsic Aug 2, 2021 Forest managers, community and environmental stakeholders, and policymakers alike have called for an increase in the pace and scale of proactive forest management to prevent extreme wildfires. Could water agencies lead the effort?
event The Path to Healthy Headwater Forests Feb 11, 2021 California’s headwater forests are increasingly vulnerable to major wildfires and droughts that threaten the benefits they provide. Proactive forest management must be greatly increased to reduce these risks—but this will require a heavy lift from private and public entities.
blog post Video: Improving the Health of California’s Headwater Forests By Lori Pottinger Sep 26, 2017 California’s forests have become overly dense and more prone to catastrophic wildfire. A panel of experts discussed how to improve forest health to make them more resilient.
