Forestry in the wildland urban interface (WUI) involves the management of natural resources on lands where human settlement abuts wildlands. About 10 percent of the forest land in the United States is classified as WUI. Because of the prominent presence of humans in a largely wild landscape, resource management issues within the WUI are often drawn in terms of human-environment conflicts. Unique management skills are required to reconcile these conflicts such that focus is placed on realizing managers' roles in reducing risks to forest and human communities, while sustaining the benefits accruing to both as parts of functioning human ecosystems. Issues include:

• Destruction of wildland vegetation and homes by wildfire
• Introduction of exotic species
• Human-wildlife interactions and conflict
• Social/psychological benefits of wildlands
• Aesthetics and visual quality

For help in coordinating your courses please contact:

Marty Lee
Telephone: 929-523-6644
Email: Marty.Lee@nau.edu

Denver Hospodarsky
Telephone: 928- 523-7425
Email: Denver.Hospodarsky@nau.edu

The introductory course (Forestry in the Wildland-Urban Interface; FOR 283) presents an overview of the social and biological complexities of managing forests in the WUI areas of the American West. The course provides basic concepts, methods, and case studies to improve forest resource management and planning for the WUI.

Because management of the WUI is as much a social enterprise as it is ecological, students may select from among a menu of elective courses, each with varying emphasis on the social and ecological aspects of WUI management.

For course requirement information, please refer to Forestry in the Wildland Urban Interface.

Last Updated ( Wednesday, 21 October 2009 )