Master of Environmental Science and Management: Master's Group Project
(2021)
Conservation of Southern California Yellow Pine Mixed Conifer Forests
Hannah Garcia-Wickstrum, Leana Goetze, Anne-Marie Parkinson, Jennifer Truong
US Forest Service
Deliverables:
Description
Yellow pine mixed conifer (YPMC) forests, which provide important ecological, economic, and social benefits, are the most abundant conifer forest habitat type in Southern California. 1 However, anthropogenic impacts like fire suppression, cessation of Native American burning, and climate change threaten the health and continued persistence of these forests and the benefits they provide by increasing fire severity, habitat loss, and bark beetle mortality. YPMC forests in Southern California are “sky islands” that are geographically isolated among many different mountain ranges. 2 This makes these forests sensitive to severe perturbations as there are no nearby seed sources to assist in regeneration following disturbance events, nor can the forests shift upward in latitude to escape from stressors. Therefore, it is essential to protect existing YPMC habitat by managing for resilience to disturbances. Understanding past, present, and likely future conditions of YPMC forests will allow managers to make informed decisions to better preserve these forests for future generations.
Acknowledgements
USFS: Gabrielle Bohlman, Associate Ecologist; Sarah Hennessy, Ecologist
Bren School: Frank Davis, Professor; Allison Horst, Lecturer; Ashley Larson, Assistant Professor
