Institute for Resilient Organizations, Communities, and Environments (IROCE)

Permanent URI for this community

https://hdl.handle.net/1794/13125

The Institute for Resilient Organizations, Communities, and Environments (IROCE) at the University of Oregon links, leverages, and aligns applied social science research and resources to help organizations and communities adapt and thrive in the face of adversity.

Note: The organization was formerly known as The Institute for a Sustainable Environment

For more information, visit the web site at: https://resilient.uoregon.edu

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Now showing 1 - 20 of 438

Open Access
Social and economic monitoring for Klamath-Lake Forest Health Partnership: 2024 survey results
(Ecosystem Workforce Program, University of Oregon, 2025-02) Loeb, Harper; Serio, Naomi; Schneider, Stephanie; Coughlan, Michael R.; Huber-Stearns, Heidi
The Klamath-Lake Forest Health Partnership (KLFHP) coordinates All-Lands restoration projects in south-central Oregon. KLFHP engages private landowners in voluntary forestland management initiatives by providing information, resources, and funding. In partnership with KLFHP, the Lakeview Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program (CFLRP) and the Ecosystem Workforce Program (EWP) developed a monitoring plan to evaluate the ecological, social, and economic effects of All-Lands projects. To assess the social and economic changes experienced by private landowners who engaged in KLFHP projects, EWP developed and distributed a survey to project participants. This fact sheet presents survey results on the social and economic changes experienced by private landowners participating in KLFHP All-Lands projects.
Open Access
Resources for working towards a whole community approach to being smoke ready
(Ecosystem Workforce Program, University of Oregon, 2024-12-20) University of Oregon. Center for Wildfire Smoke Research and Practice
A resource guide listing toolkits, websites, and upcoming and ongoing events.
Open Access
Equity & Environmental Justice in Wildland Fire Workshop Series, Day 2, Considering Public Health & Equity: Wildland Fire Air Quality
(2024-12)
Open Access
December 2024 FFR Program fact sheet: 2016-2024 activities and outcomes
(Ecosystem Workforce Program, University of Oregon, 2024-12) Sullivan-Astor, Kyle; Coughlan, Michael R.; Schneider, Stephanie; Johnson, Bart R.; Ellison, Autumn
The Oregon Department of Forestry’s Federal Forest Restoration (FFR) Program continues to make progress toward its statutory responsibility to promote shared stewardship, reduce wildfire risk, and expand critical activities such as forest thinning, prescribed burning, and habitat restoration. Guided by Oregon’s 20-Year Landscape Resilience Strategy, the FFR Program is concentrating efforts on 10-digit Hydrologic Unit Code (HUC 10) watersheds identified as having the greatest need for ecological restoration. These efforts aim to bring forest systems within their natural range of variability while ensuring resilience to climate-amplified disturbance events in the future. Oregon has treated more acres than any other western state, and this prioritization framework enhances the state’s ability to efficiently allocate resources to achieve the program’s statutory objectives and fulfill the strategy’s goals. This report fulfills the requirement of ORS 526.276 to report activities and outcomes of ODF’s work on federal forestlands in Oregon.
Open Access
West Bend Prescribed Fire Pilot after action review: executive summary
(Ecosystem Workforce Program, University of Oregon, 2024-12) Huber-Stearns, Heidi R.; Downey, Jess
The West Bend Prescribed Fire Pilot Project was an ambitious and unprecedented effort in pace and scale in the area, designed in response to wildfire and climate crises, and centering public health. Overall, the project aligned with most of the five guiding principles of the PNW Regional Joint Statement of Intent. The pilot demonstrated efficient implementation of larger prescribed burns through enhanced inter-agency collaboration, improved communication, expedited timelines, and a strong commitment to addressing wildfire risks, achieving significant acreage while advancing shared goals for future wildfire management. This report highlights shared learning opportunities in public outreach, communication, inter- and intra-organizational coordination, and cross-agency collaboration. Participants identified several key areas for improvement, including enhancing inter-agency coordination, providing year-round public health support to help communities and airsheds become smoke ready, developing more aligned public health metrics to assess the effectiveness of risk reduction efforts, and improving integration of smoke forecasting, modeling, and implementation in future strategies. Supplemental material includes: AAR survey questionnaire, Data collection and tracking document, and communications and outreach material.
Open Access
Long-term disaster recovery : recommendations for the public sector
(Institute for Policy Research & Engagement, School of Planning, Public Policy, and Management, University of Oregon, 2024-10) Adamczyk, Brendan; Bryant, Jennna; Burke, Suzannah; Gardner, Evan; University of Oregon. Institute for Policy Research and Engagement
This report highlights the challenges in wildfire recovery and offers policy recommendations for local, state, and federal agencies. The 2020 Labor Day Fires in Oregon had an unprecedented impact, burning over 1 million acres of forest and woodland and forcing more than 40,000 Oregonians to evacuate. The recovery process has been challenging, and this report is informed by insights from government staff directly involved in the recovery efforts. Our goal is to improve the recovery timeline for future disasters by addressing the barriers that hinder successful disaster recovery. . . . While these recommendations are based on the impacts of the 2020 Labor Day fires on private landowners in Lane and Marion counties, we believe they apply to jurisdictions throughout Oregon and can be adapted to recovery for other disasters, not just wildfires.
Open Access
Post-fire recovery in Western Oregon: State and local response and recovery support for non-industrial private forestland owners
(Ecosystem Workforce Program, University of Oregon, 2024-10) University of Oregon. Ecosystem Workforce Program
This document summarizes results of a case study of three 2020 Labor Day Fire footprints in Western Oregon. It explores the question “What organizations and networks filled response and recovery needs of communities following the historically unrepresented extreme wildfires of 2020?” This fact sheet is informed by document review, participation in recovery-related meetings, and interviews with over 56 individuals representing organizations operating in the 2020 wildfire footprints.
Open Access
Fire in the heart of the Oregon Cascades: exceptional variability in fire across the western Cascades
(Ecosystem Workforce Program, University of Oregon, 2024-08) Coughlan, Michael R.; Cummings, Tressa; Derr, Kelly M.; Johnson, Bart R.; Johnston, James D. (James Daniel); Lewis, David G. (David Gene), 1965-
Wildland fire is a fundamental forest ecosystem process. However, resilience to wildfires is declining in forests of the western US, in part because of the loss of complex and varied forest structures that can reduce wildfire spread and severity. In the past, Indigenous traditions served the ecological and spiritual needs of human communities and landscapes through land stewardship practices such as cultural burning and selective harvesting of natural resources. We hypothesize that these practices played a critical role in the maintenance of fire regimes and resilience of the forest to catastrophic wildfire and climate change broadly. Displacement and genocide of Indigenous peoples and prohibition of their cultural practices led to the diminishment of cultural burning. This, coupled with fire exclusion and suppression policies by federal and state agencies, has contributed to a decline in forest health and a shift toward less resilient landscapes.
Open Access
Federal Forest Restoration Program update: activities and outcomes
(Ecosystem Workforce Program, Institute for a Sustainable Environment, University of Oregon, 2024-07) Sullivan-Astor, Kyle; Coughlan, Michael R.; Serio, Naomi; Ellison, Autumn
The Oregon Department of Forestry’s (ODF) Federal Forest Restoration (FFR) Program is pleased to share updates at the mid-point of the 2023-25 biennium. This period has seen significant progress in our ongoing efforts to enhance the resilience of Oregon’s federal forests and support rural economies. The biennial investments in forest collaboratives and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) planning have been awarded, and the program’s activities under the Good Neighbor Authority (GNA) are entering a busy summer season. This report shares where the program’s collaboration and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) planning investments are targeted this biennium and shows the accomplished on-the-ground work over time and across the state.
Open Access
Social and economic monitoring for Klamath-Lake Forest Health Partnership : 2023 updates
(Ecosystem Workforce Program, University of Oregon, 2024-03) University of Oregon. Ecosystem Workforce Program
In 2021, Klamath-Lake Forest Health Partnership (KLFHP), together with the Ecosystem Workforce Program (EWP) at the University of Oregon and Lake County Resource Initiative (LCRI) drafted a new plan for the socioeconomic and ecological monitoring of all-lands projects led by the KLFHP. After nearly a decade of monitoring focused on the Lakeview Stewardship Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program (CFLRP), monitoring efforts under the new plan are shifting beyond the CFLRP footprint to include all-lands restoration projects. This factsheet provides an overview of KLFHP’s accomplishments during FY 2023 and an update on socioeconomic monitoring results.
Open Access
Federal Forest Restoration Program update : 2016-2024 activities and outcomes
(Ecosystem Workforce Program, University of Oregon, 2024-01) Sullivan-Astor, Kyle; Coughlan, Michael R.; Serio, Naomi; Ellison, Autumn
Oregon Department of Forestry’s (ODF) Federal Forest Restoration (FFR) Program looks forward to playing a role in implementing Oregon’s 20-year Landscape Resiliency Strategy, which has identified over five million acres of forestland as a top priority for treatment due to high wildfire risk, and other ecological and social factors. 57% of these priority geographies are under federal jurisdiction. The FFR Program’s federal partnership and work with forest collaboratives will play a key role in helping realize the strategy. The work of the FFR Program is also guided by the Oregon state law ORS 526.275 which created “…the policy of the state to pursue projects under the [Good Neighbor Authority] that increase timber harvest volume, contribute to job creation, reduce wildfire risks to all lands, improve wildlife habitat and watershed health, and stimulate local economies.” For this biennium, the FFR Program will be releasing four fact sheets roughly every six months containing program updates, activities and outcomes instead of one comprehensive monitoring report released prior to the end of the biennium. After June 30, 2025, the program will publish a comprehensive report that captures all activities within the 2023-25 biennium.
Open Access
Oakridge-Westfir Smoke and Air Quality: Community Survey
(Ecosystem Workforce Program, University of Oregon, 2024) Coughlan, Michael R.; Downey, Jess; Huber-Stearns, Heidi; Serio, Naomi; Smith, Hollie
This report summarizes the results of a 2024 Oakridge Air community survey on air quality and smoke from wildfire and woodstoves. This community survey was informed by interviews conducted with community leaders to identify key information needs and actions related to air quality and smoke locally. Oakridge, in Lane County, Oregon, has historically been ranked among the top 20 communities in the United States with the worst air quality due to high concentrations of particulate matter (PM2.5) from home wood heating (woodstove) and wildfire smoke. Supplemental materials that accompany this report include two appendices: Appendix I: Oakridge Smoke & Air Quality Survey is the survey instrument, Consent Form, Gift Card form, and Oakridge Air Survey Hand-Out. Appendix II: Detailed Survey Methods and Results reports all response categories for all survey questions, in the order the survey was designed. The full de-identified survey results are also included.
Open Access
Communication Audit: Oakridge Air
(Center for Science Communication Research, School of Journalism and Communication, University of Oregon, 2023-05) Smith, Hollie; Shafer, Autumn
Oakridge Air serves the communities of Oakridge and Westfir and promotes healthy air quality through individual and community resources. Oakridge Air, which is funded by the Environmental Protection Agency, has five program areas: home heating upgrades, community firewood, school education, cleaner indoor air, and code enforcement. Oakridge Air uses several communication strategies to engage community members in these programs. This audit provides an overview of Oakridge Air’s communication engagement and messaging strategy, focusing on messaging from 2021-2022, to provide strategic communication recommendations for future work. This audit focuses primarily on the Oakridge Air Communication Plan and messaging templates, community newsletters, text messaging service, Oakridge Air’s Facebook page, and Oakridge Air’s website. The newsletters and text messaging service have been essential and valued communication tools with substantial engagement growth spurred by major wildfire smoke events in 2022. The Facebook page and website are likely one of the first channels community members use to begin engaging with Oakridge Air. The communication plan and messaging templates provide internal guidance for message design and delivery. Given the increased engagement with Oakridge Air, there is an opportunity to leverage the positive experience and community-supported impact of these communication efforts to motivate more understanding of air quality and wildfire smoke effects along with short and long-term actions to mitigate risk and impacts.
Open Access
OAKRIDGE CEDAR CREEK FIRE 2022 INTERNAL AFTER ACTION REPORT
(Ecosystem Workforce Program, Institute for a Sustainable Environment, University of Oregon, 2023-01) Smith, Hollie; Huber-Stearns, Heidi; Serio, Naomi
An After Action Review workshop was facilitated on Monday, December 5, 2022 for City of Oakridge, Lane County staff, and Oakridge community members who participated in the emergency responses in Oakridge for wildfire evacuation and hazardous air quality related to the Cedar Creek Fire (see timeline for details). Oakridge had 37 days from August-October 2022 when air quality was unhealthy for sensitive groups (AQI of 101-150). In an effort to learn from this unprecedented and extended event, Southern Willamette Forest Collaboratives partnered with researchers at the University of Oregon to conduct this internal After Action Review. The review consisted of one workshop that lasted 2 hours and was broken up into two sessions: 1) evacuation and 2) smoke and air quality. For evacuation, participants noted that several components of the evacuation went well, primarily related to communication timing and modes, early planning, and the use of public resources (e.g., buses). Key areas for evacuation improvement include staffing capacity, establishing an Emergency Operation Center (EOC), and improving communication and emergency planning for multiple scenarios (with and without electricity or external funding and support). For smoke and air quality, participants noted the success of the air purifier distribution program, the installation of Purple Air sensors, a field trip for school children, and strong communication about cleaner air spaces. The key areas for improvement include communication and emergency planning for multiple scenarios, streamlining (and improving the accessibility of) the purifier screening criteria and resource availability, and providing additional support for schools. The remainder of this report is divided into: 1) summarized/overall recommendations from both events; 2) Evacuation Timeline; 3) Smoke Response Timeline; and 4) more information from the discussions from each session and the resulting recommendations.
Open Access
Oregon Department of Forestry's Landscape Resiliency Program : assessing implementation and outcomes for the 2021-2023 biennium
(Ecosystem Workforce Program, University of Oregon, 2023) Serio, Naomi; Coughlan, Michael R.; Huber-Stearns, Heidi; Santo, Anna; McEvoy, Andy, 1987-; White, Eric M.
The Oregon Department of Forestry’s (ODF) Landscape Resiliency Program (LRP) is a grant program to support cross-boundary restoration of landscape resiliency and fuels reduction within Oregon. In fall 2021, ODF requested the Ecosystem Workforce Program (EWP) at the University of Oregon (UO) to devise and carry out a plan for monitoring investments and outcomes of the LRP. The LRP monitoring plan focused on three stages: Project Selection, Implementation, and Outcomes. The purpose of this working paper is to report the results of the Implementation and Outcomes monitoring phases. This report presents 1) an overview of selected projects, 2) project participants' experiences with project implementation successes, challenges, and lessons learned, 3) on-the-ground accomplishments of LRP projects, and 4) an assessment of the economic aspects of LRP.
Open Access
Wildfire smoke and athletic events : understanding public concerns, experiences, and preparedness
(Ecosystem Workforce Program, University of Oregon, 2023) Coughlan, Michael R.; Serio, Naomi; Huber-Stearns, Heidi; Clark, Benjamin Y., 1977-; Smith, Hollie M., 1986-
The increasingly longer and more severe wildfire smoke events in the Pacific Northwest are likely to occur during outdoor athletic events. We investigated wildfire smoke concerns, air quality communication preferences, and protective action behaviors among sporting event attendees through a survey created by our interdisciplinary research team from the UO. This report presents survey results and implications for improving communication and protocol for air quality and smoke during future outdoor athletic events.
Open Access
Indigenous fire stewardship for fire management and ecological restoration in the Pacific Northwest
(Ecosystem Workforce Program, University of Oregon, 2023) Coughlan, Michael R.; Serio, Naomi; Loeb, Harper; Lewis, David G. (David Gene), 1965-; Thompson, Sally
Indigenous fire stewardship (IFS) plays a critical role in the maintenance of North American forest resilience. This synthesis reviews literature on IFS in the PNW as represented in scholarly peer reviewed publications. We also conducted a systematic search of the internet to identify informational resources, networks, and organizations engaged with IFS in the PNW. This paper synthesizes information on ecological, social, and policy aspects of IFS that are relevant to fire managers and restoration practitioners in the PNW. We identify current knowledge and knowledge gaps, as well as policy opportunities and barriers relevant to the application of IFS to fire management and ecological restoration. Supplemental information on spreadsheets: 1. Search_Citations.csv: This is a list of citations identified in the systematic review. It identifies the database and search terms associated with the article, information on citations, authorship, article type, and ranking used for annotation. 2. Columndescriptions.csv: Defines column headings for the Search_Citations spreadsheet. 3. SearchLog.csv: Provides details for each systematic search. 4. IFS_Websites.csv: List of websites related to Indigenous fire stewardship in the PNW.
Open Access
Monitoring investments in Oregon's Federal Forest Restoration Program, 2021-2023 biennium
(Ecosystem Workforce Program, University of Oregon, 2023) Coughlan, Michael R.; Serio, Naomi; Downey, Jess; Huber-Stearns, Heidi; Santo, Anna; White, Eric M.; Davis, Emily Jane
The Federal Forest Restoration (FFR) Program is a joint effort among the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF), federal forest managers, and public lands stakeholders to increase the pace, scale, and quality of federal forest restoration across Oregon. The program supports management for forest resilience on federal lands as well as economic opportunities for surrounding communities. This working paper provides an update on FFR Program investments and outcomes for the 2021-2023 biennium. Reports from the previous biennium (2019-2021) can be found elsewhere. Here we report: 1) FFR Program expenditures, 2) economic activity from timber sales and the FFR grant investments, 3) on-the-ground accomplishments of the FFR Program, and 4) stakeholders’ perspectives on the FFR Program’s successes and challenges.
Open Access
ODF Landscape Resilience Program monitoring plan
(Ecosystem Workforce Program, Institute for a Sustainable Environment, University of Oregon, 2022) Coughlan, Michael R.; Huber-Stearns, Heidi; Santo, Anna; McEvoy, Andy, 1987-; White, Eric M.
The Oregon Department of Forestry’s (ODF) Landscape Resiliency Program (LRP) is a grant program established by Senate Bill 762 (SB762), Section 18-20 (2021) to support crossboundary forest restoration and resiliency within Oregon. In early 2022, the grant program awarded funding in the amount of $20 million to nine landscape-scale projects to reduce wildfire risk on public and private forestlands and rangelands and around homes and critical infrastructure through the restoration of forest resiliency and hazardous fuels reduction for the 2021-2023 biennium. ODF requested the Ecosystem Workforce Program (EWP) at the University of Oregon (UO) to devise a plan for monitoring investments and outcomes of the LRP. This draft document outlines a monitoring plan that proposes questions, indicators, methods, deliverables, and timelines for the LRP monitoring.
Open Access
Oregon Department of Forestry's Landscape Resiliency Program : assessing the project selection process for the 2021-2023 biennium
(Ecosystem Workforce Program, University of Oregon, 2022) Serio, Naomi; Coughlan, Michael R.; Huber-Stearns, Heidi; Santo, Anna
The Oregon Department of Forestry’s (ODF) Landscape Resiliency Program (LRP) is a grant program to support cross-boundary restoration of landscape resiliency and fuels reduction within Oregon. In fall 2021, ODF requested the Ecosystem Workforce Program (EWP) at the University of Oregon (UO) devise and carry out a plan for monitoring investments and outcomes of the LRP. LRP monitoring focuses on three stages– Project Selection, Implementation, and Outcomes. The purpose of this working paper is to report the results of the Project Selection monitoring phase. This report presents 1) stakeholders’ experiences with the LRP program development, application process, and project selection, 2) characterization of grantee organizations, and 3) characterization of project geographies.