Ecological Restoration Institute
@eri-nau.bsky.social
Ecological Restoration Institute at Northern Arizona University //
Understanding and restoring western forests.
Understanding and restoring western forests.
New research maps local capacity and wildfire risk in Colorado: communities with high risk may have low capacity. Well-resourced areas often access more funding than others. Effective policy means meeting communities where they are. Storymap: tinyurl.com/3cfb9h8p
#Wildfire
#Wildfire
Mapping Community Capacity
To reduce vulnerability to wildfire in Colorado, USA
tinyurl.com
November 13, 2025 at 4:25 PM
New research maps local capacity and wildfire risk in Colorado: communities with high risk may have low capacity. Well-resourced areas often access more funding than others. Effective policy means meeting communities where they are. Storymap: tinyurl.com/3cfb9h8p
#Wildfire
#Wildfire
Fuel treatments impact burn severity, even in extreme conditions. They moderate wildfire severity & boost forest resilience. But success depends on forest type, weather & history. #WildfireScience
Read the study here: cdnsciencepub.com/doi/10.1139/...
Read the study here: cdnsciencepub.com/doi/10.1139/...
October 28, 2025 at 5:35 PM
Fuel treatments impact burn severity, even in extreme conditions. They moderate wildfire severity & boost forest resilience. But success depends on forest type, weather & history. #WildfireScience
Read the study here: cdnsciencepub.com/doi/10.1139/...
Read the study here: cdnsciencepub.com/doi/10.1139/...
The Logging and Forest Roads Institute (LARI) continues a 40-year U.S. Forest Service tradition of providing hands-on training in sustainable timber harvesting and forest road design. www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOTV...
Logging and Forest Roads Institute 2025
YouTube video by Ecological Restoration Institute
www.youtube.com
October 23, 2025 at 6:00 PM
The Logging and Forest Roads Institute (LARI) continues a 40-year U.S. Forest Service tradition of providing hands-on training in sustainable timber harvesting and forest road design. www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOTV...
Researchers at the Ecological Restoration Institute are exploring how biochar can boost land management, from restoring soils to capturing carbon. tinyurl.com/5y2555hk
tinyurl.com
October 14, 2025 at 6:42 PM
Researchers at the Ecological Restoration Institute are exploring how biochar can boost land management, from restoring soils to capturing carbon. tinyurl.com/5y2555hk
Yesterday at the Flagstaff Festival of Science, we explored how LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) lets us see forests in 3D detail...from tree spacing and canopy layers to surface fuels.
September 24, 2025 at 10:50 PM
Yesterday at the Flagstaff Festival of Science, we explored how LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) lets us see forests in 3D detail...from tree spacing and canopy layers to surface fuels.
Strong partnerships build strong forests. 🌲 Since 2021, the Ecological Restoration Institute and USDA Forest Service have teamed up on the Logging & Forest Roads Institute: training pros in logging systems, road engineering & sustainable forest management. #ForestRestoration #WorkingForests
September 16, 2025 at 11:45 PM
Strong partnerships build strong forests. 🌲 Since 2021, the Ecological Restoration Institute and USDA Forest Service have teamed up on the Logging & Forest Roads Institute: training pros in logging systems, road engineering & sustainable forest management. #ForestRestoration #WorkingForests
New in Scientific Data: TWIG, a nationwide open-access database linking fuel treatments with wildfire records. By making big data accessible, TWIG helps us ask bigger questions, and find smarter solutions, for forests and communities.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
tinyurl.com/2rkce67y
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
tinyurl.com/2rkce67y
September 16, 2025 at 3:50 PM
New in Scientific Data: TWIG, a nationwide open-access database linking fuel treatments with wildfire records. By making big data accessible, TWIG helps us ask bigger questions, and find smarter solutions, for forests and communities.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
tinyurl.com/2rkce67y
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
tinyurl.com/2rkce67y
For 20+ years, we’ve tracked forest health on the San Francisco Peaks 🌲 This summer, students Lexi, Dan, and Caiden helped measure trees, compare decades of data, and gain hands-on experience—all supporting science-based forest management.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=y99p...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=y99p...
Kachina Peaks Wilderness long-term monitoring summer 2025
YouTube video by Ecological Restoration Institute
www.youtube.com
September 15, 2025 at 6:20 PM
For 20+ years, we’ve tracked forest health on the San Francisco Peaks 🌲 This summer, students Lexi, Dan, and Caiden helped measure trees, compare decades of data, and gain hands-on experience—all supporting science-based forest management.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=y99p...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=y99p...
Heading to the 17th Biennial Conference of Science & Management at NAU? Don’t miss ERI sessions on forest restoration, collaboration, biochar & more! 🌲 Science + partnerships shaping resilient Southwest forests. #ColoradoPlateau #ForestRestoration
September 5, 2025 at 11:03 PM
Heading to the 17th Biennial Conference of Science & Management at NAU? Don’t miss ERI sessions on forest restoration, collaboration, biochar & more! 🌲 Science + partnerships shaping resilient Southwest forests. #ColoradoPlateau #ForestRestoration
Catch the Ecological Restoration Institute at the #FlagstaffFestivalofScience! Learn more: scifest.org/schedule-2025/
August 29, 2025 at 6:51 PM
Catch the Ecological Restoration Institute at the #FlagstaffFestivalofScience! Learn more: scifest.org/schedule-2025/
Listen to the Association for Fire Ecology podcast featuring ERI's Scott Franz. www.youtube.com/watch?v=eg8N...
Episode 64: Bucking the suppression status quo: incentives to shift the wildfire management parad...
YouTube video by Association for Fire Ecology
www.youtube.com
August 15, 2025 at 3:29 AM
Listen to the Association for Fire Ecology podcast featuring ERI's Scott Franz. www.youtube.com/watch?v=eg8N...
Ever seen lidar in action? Our folks this summer are using it to better guide fuel reduction, support community wildfire resilience, and provide better data for local land managers in pinyon-juniper woodlands.
youtu.be/ov2PEBrxUwo?...
youtu.be/ov2PEBrxUwo?...
Pinyon-Juniper LIDAR Research 2025
YouTube video by Ecological Restoration Institute
youtu.be
August 6, 2025 at 4:28 PM
Ever seen lidar in action? Our folks this summer are using it to better guide fuel reduction, support community wildfire resilience, and provide better data for local land managers in pinyon-juniper woodlands.
youtu.be/ov2PEBrxUwo?...
youtu.be/ov2PEBrxUwo?...
Since 1995, researchers at the Ecological Restoration Institute (ERI) have been studying long-term forest restoration at Mt. Trumbull to understand how thinning and prescribed fire influence ponderosa pine ecosystems over time.
July 28, 2025 at 10:10 PM
Since 1995, researchers at the Ecological Restoration Institute (ERI) have been studying long-term forest restoration at Mt. Trumbull to understand how thinning and prescribed fire influence ponderosa pine ecosystems over time.
Big penstemon fan? Do you know about the endemic species we've been studying for decades? Learn more with our student researcher, Jillian, as she describes what her fieldwork is like. youtu.be/dFin5mJtZH0
Penstemon clutei field work with Jillian Bennett 2025
YouTube video by Ecological Restoration Institute
youtu.be
July 21, 2025 at 8:22 PM
Big penstemon fan? Do you know about the endemic species we've been studying for decades? Learn more with our student researcher, Jillian, as she describes what her fieldwork is like. youtu.be/dFin5mJtZH0
How do we measure wildfire treatment effectiveness and support better decisions on the ground?
Join us for a webinar on July 23rd at 1pm MT!
📊 Geospatial tools
🧠 Social science
🔥 Effectiveness research
💵 ROI studies
Register: tnc.zoom.us/meeting/regi...
#WildfireScience #FireEcology
Join us for a webinar on July 23rd at 1pm MT!
📊 Geospatial tools
🧠 Social science
🔥 Effectiveness research
💵 ROI studies
Register: tnc.zoom.us/meeting/regi...
#WildfireScience #FireEcology
July 1, 2025 at 3:56 PM
How do we measure wildfire treatment effectiveness and support better decisions on the ground?
Join us for a webinar on July 23rd at 1pm MT!
📊 Geospatial tools
🧠 Social science
🔥 Effectiveness research
💵 ROI studies
Register: tnc.zoom.us/meeting/regi...
#WildfireScience #FireEcology
Join us for a webinar on July 23rd at 1pm MT!
📊 Geospatial tools
🧠 Social science
🔥 Effectiveness research
💵 ROI studies
Register: tnc.zoom.us/meeting/regi...
#WildfireScience #FireEcology
What’s a day in the life of our researchers during the summer? One of our crews is currently in the Kachina Peaks Wilderness area within Flagstaff’s San Francisco Peaks, collecting data to better understand our forests.
June 13, 2025 at 4:05 PM
What’s a day in the life of our researchers during the summer? One of our crews is currently in the Kachina Peaks Wilderness area within Flagstaff’s San Francisco Peaks, collecting data to better understand our forests.
The Ecological Restoration Institute recently completed a needs assessment for the Wood For Life (WFL) partnership in Northern Arizona. WFL is a collaborative network supporting active forest management and restoration...
June 4, 2025 at 4:36 PM
The Ecological Restoration Institute recently completed a needs assessment for the Wood For Life (WFL) partnership in Northern Arizona. WFL is a collaborative network supporting active forest management and restoration...
“Don has been the quiet force behind so much of ERI’s success over the past two decades,” said ERI’s Executive Director Andrew Sanchez-Meador. “His unwavering dedication, care for our students, and steadfast belief in our mission have shaped the culture of this place."
A Legacy of Mentorship: Don Normandin Retires from NAU's Ecological Restoration Institute - Ecological Restoration Institute
Don Normandin, the research lab manager for the Ecological Restoration Institute at Northern Arizona University, is retiring after 24 years of service to forest health research and ERI’s student resea...
eri.nau.edu
May 27, 2025 at 7:03 PM
“Don has been the quiet force behind so much of ERI’s success over the past two decades,” said ERI’s Executive Director Andrew Sanchez-Meador. “His unwavering dedication, care for our students, and steadfast belief in our mission have shaped the culture of this place."
🌱In fire-adapted ecosystems, fire supports soil health by releasing and cycling nutrients and stimulating plant growth. Low-intensity burns clear debris and aid plant growth. In contrast, high-severity fires damage soil structure, kill beneficial organisms, and cause erosion and nutrient loss.
May 14, 2025 at 7:02 PM
🌱In fire-adapted ecosystems, fire supports soil health by releasing and cycling nutrients and stimulating plant growth. Low-intensity burns clear debris and aid plant growth. In contrast, high-severity fires damage soil structure, kill beneficial organisms, and cause erosion and nutrient loss.
This #WildfireAwarenessMonth, access trusted resources to protect what matters most. Creating defensible space and reducing wildfire risk around your home can start with a rake and a few bags. Check out the guides and tools linked to this post.
#WildfirePreparedness #FireSafeCommunities
#WildfirePreparedness #FireSafeCommunities
May 12, 2025 at 9:04 PM
This #WildfireAwarenessMonth, access trusted resources to protect what matters most. Creating defensible space and reducing wildfire risk around your home can start with a rake and a few bags. Check out the guides and tools linked to this post.
#WildfirePreparedness #FireSafeCommunities
#WildfirePreparedness #FireSafeCommunities
When wildfires break out, firefighters need to make fast, strategic decisions—often with limited crews and equipment. That’s where PODs (Potential Operational Delineations) come in. These pre-mapped zones use features like roads, rivers, and ridgelines to outline the best places to contain fire. 🔥
April 30, 2025 at 7:33 PM
When wildfires break out, firefighters need to make fast, strategic decisions—often with limited crews and equipment. That’s where PODs (Potential Operational Delineations) come in. These pre-mapped zones use features like roads, rivers, and ridgelines to outline the best places to contain fire. 🔥
We’re getting a lot of questions about the upcoming #wildfire season.
Check out the TWIG tool — it maps fuel treatments (completed + planned), current & past fires, and daily fire progressions since July 2024.
🌐 Explore: reshapewildfire.org/twig/layers
#ReSHAPE #TWIG #WildfirePreparedness
Check out the TWIG tool — it maps fuel treatments (completed + planned), current & past fires, and daily fire progressions since July 2024.
🌐 Explore: reshapewildfire.org/twig/layers
#ReSHAPE #TWIG #WildfirePreparedness
April 29, 2025 at 4:16 PM
We’re getting a lot of questions about the upcoming #wildfire season.
Check out the TWIG tool — it maps fuel treatments (completed + planned), current & past fires, and daily fire progressions since July 2024.
🌐 Explore: reshapewildfire.org/twig/layers
#ReSHAPE #TWIG #WildfirePreparedness
Check out the TWIG tool — it maps fuel treatments (completed + planned), current & past fires, and daily fire progressions since July 2024.
🌐 Explore: reshapewildfire.org/twig/layers
#ReSHAPE #TWIG #WildfirePreparedness
A recent study by the Wildfire Research (WiRē1) team, supported by USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station engaged mobile home park residents who face higher wildfire risk due to dense housing, nearby combustibles, and limited resources. The study revealed several key barriers.
April 24, 2025 at 6:03 PM
A recent study by the Wildfire Research (WiRē1) team, supported by USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station engaged mobile home park residents who face higher wildfire risk due to dense housing, nearby combustibles, and limited resources. The study revealed several key barriers.
Listen to cutting-edge tech in action on @nauforestry.bsky.social's new podcast episode "Forestry Meets the Future," featuring our own Andrew Sánchez Meador, quantitative ecologist, biometrician, and ERI's executive director.
In Forestry Meets the Future, we dive into how cutting-edge tech is transforming the way we understand and protect our forests.
Listen now on the School of Forestry website under Resources or check us out on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@nauschoolof...!
Listen now on the School of Forestry website under Resources or check us out on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@nauschoolof...!
April 23, 2025 at 10:06 PM
Listen to cutting-edge tech in action on @nauforestry.bsky.social's new podcast episode "Forestry Meets the Future," featuring our own Andrew Sánchez Meador, quantitative ecologist, biometrician, and ERI's executive director.
🔥 How do we measure wildfire treatment effectiveness and support better decisions on the ground?
Join us for a webinar on May 15 at 1pm MT!
📊 Geospatial tools
🧠 Social science
🔥 Effectiveness research
💵 ROI studies
Register: us02web.zoom.us/meeting/regi...
#Wildfire #FireEcology
Join us for a webinar on May 15 at 1pm MT!
📊 Geospatial tools
🧠 Social science
🔥 Effectiveness research
💵 ROI studies
Register: us02web.zoom.us/meeting/regi...
#Wildfire #FireEcology
April 23, 2025 at 6:17 PM
🔥 How do we measure wildfire treatment effectiveness and support better decisions on the ground?
Join us for a webinar on May 15 at 1pm MT!
📊 Geospatial tools
🧠 Social science
🔥 Effectiveness research
💵 ROI studies
Register: us02web.zoom.us/meeting/regi...
#Wildfire #FireEcology
Join us for a webinar on May 15 at 1pm MT!
📊 Geospatial tools
🧠 Social science
🔥 Effectiveness research
💵 ROI studies
Register: us02web.zoom.us/meeting/regi...
#Wildfire #FireEcology