A U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service (USFS) call for
research proposals in 2001 addressed rebuilding USFS capability to
address problems in fire-adapted ecosystems and in the
wildland-urban interface. This effort supported the National Fire
Plan and the 10-year comprehensive fire strategy. The National Fire
Plan goals were to ensure sufficient firefighting resources for the
future, rehabilitate and restore fire-damaged ecosystems, reduce
fuels (combustible forest materials) in forests and rangelands at
risk, especially near communities, and work with local residents to
reduce fire risk and improve fire protection. Each proposal
included the proposed research, development, and implementation
activities that would be undertaken over a 5-year period, as well
as the expected outcomes from these activities. The major topic
headings for proposals were firefighting, rehabilitation and
recovery, hazardous fuel reduction, and community assistance.
Funding was distributed according to a formula developed by
national team leaders within the USFS with firefighting receiving
34 percent of the funds, rehabilitation and recovery 20 percent,
hazardous fuel reduction 35 percent, community assistance 10
percent, and Washington office administration 1 percent. This
allocation reflected the judgment of national team leaders about
the relative magnitude of needs and the alignment of the program
with the National Fire Plan goals and objectives. It took into
account the serious need for pivotal core fire science development
and the eligibility of the social sciences across all four topics.
The Wildland Recreation and Urban Cultures Research Work Unit of
the Pacific Southwest Research Station was funded through this
allocation within the community assistance topic area. In the
proposal, we noted that fire events often have a large impact on
recreation and tourism, yet these issues had not been addressed
from a social science perspective. These impacts are due to the
direct short- and long-term biophysical effects of fires, and
indirect or induced effects owing to firefighting operations, fuel
treatments, area closures, and other disruptions to social systems.
Local populations are affected, as are visiting populations, and
these effects are particularly acute in wildlands near urban areas.
Understanding and managing these impacts would be improved by
scientific study of the values, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors
of the affected populations in relation to fire events, fire
management, and fire effects. Unit work focused on three research
objectives: Examine values/attitudes and behaviors of recreation
residence owners and year-round residents in the wildland-urban
interface; Examine recreationists' perceptions about fire
suppression and postfire forest health issues; and Examine
perceptions and beliefs about recreation activities and impacts to
fire-prone ecosystems in the wildland-urban interface. In the first
year of funding, we developed research and cooperative
relationships with people in California, Colorado, Florida,
Michigan, and Washington. Our work over the years has increased
considerably, and the unit has conducted research studies in many
locations across the United States. We report 17 of these studies
grouped into four major topical headings: recreation use,
communication, program evaluation and interface residents, and
trust.
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