Fire Ecology Portal

The interagency Joint Fire Science Program (JFSP) Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs) are now open through 5 pm MDT, October 14, 2021.

The Graduate Research Innovation (GRIN) announcement (FA-FOA0022-001) has one task statement. Proposals must address one or more of the following topic areas:

• Fuels management and fire behavior
• Changing fire environment
• Emissions and air quality
• Fire effects and post-fire recovery
• Relative impacts of prescribed fire versus wildfire
• Human dimensions of fire

The primary announcement (FA-FOA0022-002) has two task statements:

1. Social and ecological recovery of communities impacted by wildfire
2. Collaborative development of ecosystem mapping products for fire and fuels management

The Regional Fire Science Exchange announcement (FA-FOA0022-003) has one task statement focused on leading and executing a regional fire science exchange in the following six regions (see map and supporting information in the FOA):

1. Southern
2. Southern Rockies
3. Southwest
4. Appalachians
5. Great Plains
6. North Atlantic

The special issue titled “Effects of Wildfire on Biodiversity” in the journal Fire is open for submissions through October 31.

The goal of this special issue is to compile a set of scientific articles describing how wildfire has impacted diversity in the ecosystem where they occurred. The journal invites articles that present measured or modeled effects of wildfire on diversity across various scales and dimensions of fire regime metrics and biological taxa, including but not limited to:

• Effects of wildfire on diversity of any taxa in any ecosystem
• Relationships between fire effects and abiotic factors such as climate
• Predictions of changes in fire effects as a result of a changing climate
• Effects of scale in the interpretation of fire effects on biodiversity
• Consequences of larger burned area for the composition of communities and landscapes
• Consequences of wildfire on biogeochemistry, such as the global carbon cycle

Habitat Specialist will conduct boundary identification and posting boundary signs on easement properties in eastern South Dakota. This will be primary work assignment through spring, and summer, fall season. This project is contracted through USDA NRCS in South Dakota. Additional onsite work will include: survey work to identify boundary corners, equipment transport, site preparation, fencing operations, seed mixing and planting, mechanical weed control, and controlled burning.

This position is part of a partnership between Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) and Habitat Forever, LLC (HF). The incumbent will conduct habitat management work on public wildlife management areas. They are full-time, permanent employees of Habitat Forever and will receive daily leadership from KDWP Field Managers. Important knowledge, skills, and abilities include prescribed fire experience and formal fire training.

The Great Basin Institute, in cooperation with Sequoia National Forest, Hume Lake Ranger District (Dunlap, CA), is recruiting a Fuels Resource Assistant (RA) to perform a variety of Fuels related tasks and support various aspects of NEPA completed Fuels projects. RA duties and projects will be focused on completing burn plans, and strategically planning for the implementation of four (4) District Fuels projects that will use a combination GBI and other Fuels crews. Additional RA duties include providing analysis for projects that still need to have National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analysis completed, as well as identifying out-year fuels projects (maps, initial purpose and need/proposed action statements) to put on 5-year Program of Work (POW) & NEPA schedules. The RA will have the opportunity to collaborate with both personnel from the Hume Lake Ranger District Office and the Forest Supervisor’s office to coordinate these projects.

This position is supported through the Forest Service’s Resource Assistants Program (RAP). RAP participants who successful complete their appointment will receive a Direct Hire Authority (DHA) certificate. The DHA certificate allows the individual to be appointed into a permanent Forest Service position, ideally related to the focus of their RAP appointment and with the Forest that hosted the participant.

The Department of Environment and Society (ENVS) at Utah State University (USU) invites applications for the tenure-track position of Assistant or Associate Professor with expertise in Human Dimensions of Environmental Change. We particularly welcome applications from scholars whose research focuses on social, cultural, historical, or ecological issues impacting public and/or tribal lands in the Southwest United States. This tenure-track, full-time (nine-month) position is based at the USU campus in Moab, a thriving tourism-oriented community in southeast Utah and a federal agency hub adjacent to National Park, National Forest, BLM and Tribal lands. The relative emphasis for the position is 50% teaching, 40% research, and 10% service. The position starts August 01, 2022.

In partnership with the Oklahoma USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS); coordinate and implement wildlife-related conservation programs and provide technical assistance. Work in joint capacity with QF, NRCS, and the Farm Service Agency (FSA) to promote, coordinate and implement conservation provisions of the Federal Farm Bill and other related wildlife and range conservation programs. The programs of interest are promoting and implementing EQIP, CRP, CStP, ACEP and other state and federal conservation programs. Duties will include wildlife habitat planning, contract coordination, writing plans, site assessment and reporting.  Provide technical assistance for wildlife habitat enhancement techniques to private landowners and public organizations.  Meet with local chapters of Quail Forever to help coordinate and guide habitat management efforts and participate in county and statewide habitat meetings.  Meet regularly with partnership staff to coordinate technical assistance efforts.  Implement specific conservation programs to improve wildlife habitat.

Duties include developing prescribed burn plans.

The Forest Conservation Program Manager leads and envisions South Yuba River Citizens League's (SYRCL) forest conservation work throughout the Yuba River watershed. SYRCL's forest health work accelerated beginning in 2019 and continues to grow considerably. The program aims to 1) improve forest health and forest resiliency throughout the watershed 2) engage diverse stakeholders throughout the Yuba River watershed to promote and implement forest health projects, 3) partner with local educational institutions for workforce development opportunities and 4) raise funds to continue collaborative planning efforts and on-the-ground project implementation.

Responsibilities include engaging in project planning, including selection of treatment types (prescribed fire, mechanical thinning, hand thinning, non-commercial and pre-commercial thinning, etc.) and intensity.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. This position is open until filled.

The Senior Ecologist will lead the Sonoma Land Trust's (SLT) important work addressing the challenges of climate change in Sonoma Valley and throughout the county. They will lead SLT's work on nature-based solutions that bolster the resilience of our natural and human communities, focusing on wildfires, wildlife corridors and natural lands management.

The successful candidate will drive key conservation strategy decisions using the latest science, as well as identifying areas of future applied science research that SLT will need to advance biodiversity and climate resilience in Sonoma County. Over time, the position will be central to growing SLT's ecological science resources and staffing, and leading the development and implementation of science and nature-based solutions for the protection and enhancement of essential ecosystem functioning in Sonoma County.

The position will be located at the Hill Farm Research Station, Homer, Louisiana, and has approximately 300 acres of experimental forest, primarily of loblolly pine and upland hardwoods, to support the research program. The incumbent will have a partial appointment with the LSU School of Plant, Environmental, and Soil Sciences at LSU main campus in Baton Rouge. An opportunity to mentor graduate students and participate in graduate education (M.S. and Ph.D.) will be provided.

Position Description:

Research: Design and implement an innovative, comprehensive research program that addresses the effectiveness and sustainability forest resource stewardship practices, including but not limited to forest establishment, intermediate forest stand improvement, and harvesting practices.

Extension: Inform extension personnel of new discoveries in forest management and coordinate the dissemination of this information to forestry professionals of Louisiana and other states in the Western Gulf region. Disseminate research-based forest management innovations to university, federal, state, industry and private forestry professionals of the Western Gulf region through publications, workshops, conferences, presentations, field demonstrations, and Internet-based materials. Develop workshops and webinars that convey research-based forest management suggestions to forestry professionals of the Western Gulf region.

The successful candidate will have strong organization skills, planning document generation experience, entrepreneurial attitude and aptitude, and a desire to support ecological forestry and fire practices in Colorado. This position is not a primary fire position. Previous wildland fire operational experience is not required, but a desire to participate in prescribed fire is supported. They will:

• Manage, support, and/or lead planning document generation, including community wildfire protection plans, research products, other similar projects.
• Work with partners to identify new opportunities for engagement.
• Manage work assignments with minimal direction from supervisors.
• Provide project management and planning support for other Ember Alliance projects, including Ember Alliance Fire Operations activities.
• Coordinate with project partners to ensure planning and personnel needs are met.
• As needed and desired, may support Ember Alliance prescribed fire and wildfire operations.
• May represent the Ember Alliance at local and regional meetings.
• May work in variable weather conditions, in remote locations, and on difficult or hazardous terrain and / or in other physically demanding environments.

Native Resource Preservation LLC is looking to fill multiple positions for our Twin Cities location who will assist with ecological restoration projects throughout Minnesota.

Hired individual(s) will work alongside a crew conducting prairie and forest restoration tasks such as priority species selection, prescribed fire, brush removal, invasive species identification and removal, vegetation surveys, timber stand inventory etc.

Open Until Filled

The Natural Resource Technician 2 provides field support on the Scotch Creek Wildlife Area located in Okanogan County. Under the direction of the Wildlife Area Assistant Manager maintains the facility and structures, uses and maintains equipment, and implements projects to maintain or improve habitats, species, or recreation on the wildlife area. The primary management objectives on the Scotch Creek Wildlife Area are protection and enhancement of shrub-steppe, forest and riparian habitat, and management of recreational use. Other duties as assigned may include participation in fire suppression activities and structure protection on the wildlife area complex during a wildfire event and participation in prescribed fire projects on the wildlife area.

This position is located with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Superintendent, Fort Apache Agency in Whiteriver, Arizona. The incumbent will plan, develop, implement, coordinate, and evaluate an integrated wildland fire management program to achieve resource management objectives.

Responsibilities:

• Assist in coordinating and directing the application of standards, methods, and guidelines for all fire and aviation management program elements.
• Analyze current fire management plans and make recommendations to meet changing conditions within the limits of current or anticipated funding.
• Provide oversight, coordinate, and initiate all fire management activities based on firefighter and public safety, cost effectiveness, and values to be protected consistent with resource objectives.
• Brief internal and external managers on issues related to wildland fire, prescribed fire, and fire program activities; and develop and coordinate plans of action with interagency cooperators.
• Conduct field reconnaissance of proposed prescribed burn units.
• Prepare and implement prescribed burn plans to meet management objectives, and performs post-burn evaluation and completes documentation.