We see opportunities in these forest types to support, expand, and build partnerships for collaborative conservation.

Dry, frequent-fire forests are dominated by fire-tolerant tree species in dry settings. Historically, dry, frequent-fire forests primarily experienced low to moderate severity fire often. Ignitions were caused by lightning, and—before Euro-American colonization—fires were used as a management practice by Indigenous peoples. Drought, insects, and pathogens also played a role in structuring dry, frequent-fire forests. As a result of these disturbances, when low-severity fires were frequent, stand-replacing fires were limited.

As a result of fire suppression, prohibition of Indigenous burning, historical management, and climate change, forest structure and function have changed in dry, frequent-fire forests, ultimately increasing high severity fire and reducing drought and wildfire resilience. Restoring resilience to these forests requires active management and the return of appropriate fire to the landscape. Research shows that fuels treatments can reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires. Bird habitat can also benefit from fuels reduction and forest restoration treatments and is a priority for our work in this area.