This report examines public perspectives on disturbance-based management conducted in the central Cascade Range in Oregon as part of the Blue River Landscape Strategy.

In forest reserves of the U.S. Pacific Northwest, management objectives include protecting late-seral habitat structure by reducing the threat of large-scale disturbances like wildfire. We simulated how altering within and among-stand structure with silvicultural treatments of differing intensity affected late-seral forest (LSF) structure and fire threat (FT) reduction over 30 years in a 6070-ha reserve. We then evaluated how different financial requirements influenced the treatment mix selected for each decade, the associated effects on FT reduction and LSF structure in the reserve, and treatment costs. Requirements for treatments to earn money (NPV+), break even (NPVO), or to not meet any financial goal at the scale of the entire reserve (landscape) affected the predicted reduction of FT and the total area of LSF structure in different ways. With or without a requirement to break even, treatments accomplished about the same landscape level of FT reduction and LSF structure. Although treatment effects were similar, their associated net revenues ranged from negative $1 million to positive $3000 over 30 years. In contrast, a requirement for landscape treatments to earn money ($0.5 to $1.5 million NPV) over the same period had a negative effect on FT reduction and carried a cost in terms of both FT reduction and LSF structure. Results suggest that the spatial scale at which silvicultural treatments were evaluated was influential because the lowest cost to the reserve objectives was accomplished by a mix of treatments that earned or lost money at the stand level but that collectivel broke even at the landscape scale. Results also indicate that the timeframe over which treatments were evaluated was important because if breaking even was required within each decade instead of cumulatively over all three, the cost in terms of FT reduction and LSF structure was similar to requiring landscape treatments to earn $0.5 million NPV.

Millions of miles of highway crisscross the United States. Highways fragment the landscape, affecting the distribution of animal populations and limiting the ability of individuals to disperse between those populations. Moreover, animal-vehicle collisions are a serious hazard to wildlife, not to mention people.

Some federal forest managers working in late-successional reserves find themselves in a potential no-win situation. The Northwest Forest Plan requires that the reserves be protected from large-scale natural and human disturbances while simultaneously maintaining older forest habitat.

Conservation measures for aquatic species throughout the Pacific Northwest rely heavily on maintaining forested riparian zones. A key rationale for this strategy is that the presence of standing and downed trees next to streams will provide a continuous source of wood, which is an important structural component of aquatic habitat.

In recent years, interest has increased in restoring Oregon white oak (Quercus garryana Dougl. ex Hook.) and prairie landscapes in the Pacific Northwest, especially where elements of historical plant communities are intact. We evaluated the effect of alternative management scenarios on the extent and condition of Oregon white oak, the extent of prairie, and the harvest and standing volumes of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) within a 2934-ha portion of Fort Lewis, Washington (named the Tenalquot Planning Area for the purpose of the project). A landscape-level analysis of the scenarios was completed using a geographic information system, a forest growth model (ORGANON), and landscape visualization software (EnVision). The scenarios ranged from no active management to restoration of the historical extent of oak and prairies within the planning area. The results indicate that the window of opportunity for restoring oak and prairie landscapes in the Puget Sound lowlands and other regions is small, and aggressive management is needed to maintain or enhance these landscapes. The project demonstrates the value of landscape level analyses and the use of new technologies for conveying the results of alternative management scenarios.

Timber availability, aboveground tree biomass, and changes in aboveground carbon pools are important consequences of landscape management.

A gradient-analysis-based model and grid-based map are presented that use the potential vegetation zone as the object of the model. Several new variables are presented that describe the environmental gradients of the landscape at different scales. Boundary algorithms are conceptualized, and then defined, that describe the environmental boundaries between vegetation zones on the Olympic Peninsula, Washington, USA.

The Landscape Treatment Designer (LTD) is a multicriteria spatial prioritization and optimization system to help design and explore landscape fuel treatment scenarios. The program fills a gap between fire model programs such as FlamMap, and planning systems such as ArcFuels, in the fuel treatment planning process. The LTD uses inputs on spatial treatment objectives, activity constraints, and treatment thresholds, and then identifies optimal fuel treatment locations with respect to the input parameters.

Scientists have had little information about how prescribed fire and cattle grazing—common practices in many Western ponderosa pine forests—affect plant abundance and reproduction in the forest understory. Pacific Northwest Research Station scientists began to explore how these practices affect vegetation in a five-year study of postfire vegetation in eastern Oregon ponderosa pine forests where cattle have been routinely pastured from late June or early July through early to mid August. For this area of eastern Oregon, they found that excluding cattle grazing during peak growing season increased native plant cover and grass flowering capability in ungrazed areas compared to grazed areas. Because vegetation was measured prior to releasing cattle on the land, the study's results tend to reflect lasting grazing impacts rather than simple consumption.

The Integrated Landscape Assessment Project (ILAP) was a multiyear effort to produce information, maps, and models to help land managers, policymakers, and others conduct mid- to broad-scale (e.g., watersheds to states and larger areas) prioritization of land management actions, perform landscape assessments, and estimate cumulative effects of management actions for planning and other purposes.

The Forest Landscape Assessment Tool (FLAT) is a set of procedures and tools used to rapidly determine forest ecological conditions and potential threats.

Artwork may be mountains, hills, water bodies such as rivers, lakes, ponds and the sea, living elements of land cover including indigenous vegetation, human elements [...]

The post “Landscapes & Waterscapes” Photography Competition appeared first on Photocompete.

Drink Local Life under the COVID-19 pandemic is rough for everyone, individuals and businesses alike.…

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a system optimizes an information processing environment, and comprises at least one processor. The system collects information pertaining to operational behavior of the information processing environment and including a plurality of parameters. A neural network structure is established to associate the parameters to a desired operational performance characteristic for the information processing environment. The neural network structure is trained with the collected information from the information processing environment to produce a model for the information processing environment. The model is optimized to determine values for the parameters and the information processing environment is adjusted based on the determined parameter values to attain the desired operational performance of the information processing environment. Embodiments of the present invention further include a method and computer program product for optimizing an information processing environment in substantially the same manner described above.

The “Microcosm Terrestrial and Aquatic Landscape Habitat” is a Main Basin Pond 4 surrounded on three sides by artificial rock, “Miniature Mountains” 3 a, 3 b, 3 c or Natural Looking Imitation Rocks. The fourth, front side has no “Miniature Mountains” or Natural Looking Imitation Rocks to enclose the Main Basin Pond. Instead, here I adhere on a Pane of Glass 2 a to the imitation rock surface using Silicon Sealant 2 b or other sealants 2 c: A pond-aquarium hybrid! The “Miniature Mountains” are higher than the water level in the Main Basin Pond. On the top or sides of the “Miniature Mountains” is an Upper Pool 5. Water in the Main Basin Pond is circulated up to the Upper Pool using a Submersible; Electric, Aquatic, Pump 8. From the Upper Pool, the Water then flows down a Water Course to the Waterfalls and back to the Main Basin Pond to oxygenate the water.

The general field of the invention is that of the graphical representation of a synthetic three dimensional view of the exterior landscape in an onboard visualisation system for aircraft, said graphical representation being displayed on a visualisation screen comprising the piloting and navigation information of said aircraft superposed onto said three-dimensional synthetic representation of the exterior landscape, said synthetic representation being computed up to a first determined distance, characterised in that said three-dimensional synthetic representation is tilted at a tilt angle about an axiom positioned at the level of the terrain in a substantially horizontal plane, and substantially perpendicularly to an axis between the flight direction and the heading of the aircraft, said axis moving with the aircraft.

THE FIRST THING you notice about Bonnie Berk and Larry Kessler’s property in the Mount Baker neighborhood of Seattle is the formidable retaining wall. Accentuated with terra-cotta tiles and red brick, the wall provides double-sided access to the property via stairs, and was part of the original home design by Arthur Loveless. It’s a grand […]

The Serbian-American writer spoke with Eleanor Wachtel about how death, afterlife and American West mythology inspired her novel, Inland.

Enjoying the sunrise or sunset is a simple pleasure you can do from your home. Tasmanian landscape photographer Nick Monk shares his tips on how to catch the light.

Landscape, memory and Monet

With shorelines shifting around the globe, communities in low lying areas along the Mid West & Wheatbelt coastline are experiencing the brunt of coastal erosion.

He's been a popular artist on the local Gippsland scene for a number of years and has received a number of awards from regional art shows, but admirers might be surprised to know Jason Foster never officially trained as an artist. Jason taught himself how to depict Gippsland's rolling hills after falling in love with them and making South Gippsland his home five years ago.

Experts say bushfires coupled with decreasing habitat in an urbanised landscape is taking its toll on wildlife and improved land management is crucial.

Carbiene McDonald Tjangala takes his first ever flight to get from the NT to Tasmania to collect Australia's richest landscape prize for his painting representing his father's Dreamtime stories.

TRB released a straight-to-recording series in April that presents highlights and findings of the NCHRP Domestic Scan 16-02 on Landscape Design Practices for Roadside Water Management . This scan investigated how transportation agencies are applying principles and practices of green infrastructure (GI) for roadside water management to mitigate adverse impacts of flooding, drought, and temperature extremes affecting their infrastructure. The videos are available on-demand at no charge. Presenters: Garrett...

How do transportation agencies apply principles of green infrastructure (GI) to roadside water management? TRB is hosting a webinar on Monday, May 18, 2020 from 2:00 to 3:30 PM Eastern that aims to answer this question. Presenters will identify how GI may be used to mitigate impacts of flooding, drought, and temperature extremes that affect infrastructure. This webinar draws on research from the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Domestic Scan Program 16-02: Leading Landscape Design Pr...

The unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) industry is on the cutting edge of aviation innovation. Airports, including tenants and contractors, are discovering the benefits of UAS to their operations and bottom line. Yet, with the diversity of UAS applications at airports, there has been a lack of relevant industry data on this topic to inform the airport industry on current practices. The TRB Airport Cooperative Research Program's ACRP Synthesis 104: Current Landscape of Unmanned Aircraft Systems at Airports s...

IBM Security today released a global study examining consumer perspectives around digital identity and authentication, which found that people now prioritize security over convenience when logging into applications and devices. Generational differences also emerged showing that younger adults are putting less care into traditional password hygiene, yet are more likely to use biometrics, multifactor authentication and password managers to improve their personal security.

DIY home design is a life-long dream of many, and today's architects are making it easier than ever to build your own home without toiling for years. Genoa-based firm TEKE Architects has just unveiled the MU50, a modular off-grid home designed to be configurable to virtually any landscape. Using modules of prefabricated timber frames that can be connected in various layouts, the innovative design is meant to be incorporated into any landscape with minimal impact.[...]

Certain habitats can help dampen the spread of ash dieback, which threatens ash trees.

Labour laws haven’t changed in our province, but legal experts are already urging B.C. employers to be flexible and reasonable — while warning employees they may not be legally protected if they refuse work during the pandemic.

Invitation Only Research Event

Event participants

Megan Greene, Managing Director and Chief Economist, Manulife Asset Management 

Corporate Members Event Webinar

Event participants

Neil Walsh, Chief, Cybercrime and Anti-Money Laundering Department, UN Office of Drugs and Crime

Lisa Quest, Head, Public Sector, UK & Ireland, Oliver Wyman

Chair: Joyce Hakmeh, Senior Research Fellow, International Security Programme; Co-Editor, Journal of Cyber Policy, Chatham House

Further speakers to be announced.

Corporate Members Event Webinar

Event participants

Neil Walsh, Chief, Cybercrime and Anti-Money Laundering Department, UN Office of Drugs and Crime

Lisa Quest, Head, Public Sector, UK & Ireland, Oliver Wyman

Chair: Joyce Hakmeh, Senior Research Fellow, International Security Programme; Co-Editor, Journal of Cyber Policy, Chatham House

Further speakers to be announced.

Corporate Members Event Webinar

Event participants

Neil Walsh, Chief, Cybercrime and Anti-Money Laundering Department, UN Office of Drugs and Crime

Lisa Quest, Head, Public Sector, UK & Ireland, Oliver Wyman

Chair: Joyce Hakmeh, Senior Research Fellow, International Security Programme; Co-Editor, Journal of Cyber Policy, Chatham House

Further speakers to be announced.

11 December 2019

Agricultural subsidies shape production and consumption patterns, with potentially significant effects on poverty, nutrition and other sustainability concerns. This paper maps the different types of support provided by governments to the agricultural sector, and highlights some of the complex political economy dynamics that underpin the relevant policies.