Forest Restoration and Fuel Reduction Thinning Operations
There are a wide range of forest harvesting systems and equipment available for implementing forest restoration and fuel reduction thinning treatments. However, the selection of machines best fit for the job and custom-tailored harvest practices is key to minimize operational costs and maximize the use of woody biomass, while minimizing any potential environmental impacts. The ERI research teams are interested in evaluating steep-slope thinning operations using cable-assist cut-to-length, helicopter yarding, and biomass recovery operations for production of bioenergy and biobased products.
Working Paper: Opportunities for Application of Traditional Ecological Knowledge in Restoration of Pinyon-Juniper Ecosystems of the Colorado Plateau
Despite being substantially altered by climate change and human activities, the culturally and ecologically vital pinyon-juniper ecosystems of the Colorado Plateau can be successfully restored through management actions that both recover ecological function and actively engage local Indigenous and traditional communities.
FireBox and CharBoss: An Alternative to Open Burning of Woody Biomass
The traditional practice of openly burning woody biomass (a common byproduct of southwestern US forest restoration) degrades soil and compromises air quality, driving researchers to evaluate alternative air curtain burners like the FireBox and CharBoss® for their efficiency in cleanly disposing of biomass and producing soil-restoring biochar.
Positive drought feedbacks increase tree mortality risk in dry woodlands of the US Southwest
Recurrent droughts in the US Southwest have severely compromised the natural resilience of pinyon–juniper woodlands, triggering widespread mortality and crown dieback between 1998 and 2023 that ultimately heightened the future mortality risk of surviving trees by 28.2%.