Wildfires and Insects Kill Trees with Mike Koontz
Dr. Koontz presented on: Understanding Where Wildfires and Insects Kill Trees Using Drones and Satellites.
Dr. Koontz presented on: Understanding Where Wildfires and Insects Kill Trees Using Drones and Satellites.
Michael Koontz is a postdoc with the Earth Lab and CIRES at the University of Colorado in Boulder working with Dr. Jennifer Balch. He is interested in how spatial patterns of vegetation structure and composition affect the resilience of forests to wildfire and bark beetle disturbance. The goal of his research is to reveal how system-wide feedbacks in disturbance-prone forests can be harnessed to guide effective management action.
These are some projects Michael is currently working on:
Dr. Koontz's work is featured in this 40-minute documentary, titled: Ponderosa Pine Mortality, The Western Pine Beetle and Drought.
A great companion video from the CLEAN Resource Collection can be used to reinforce that pine beetles and wildfires are a major problem in the Rocky Mountains and western United States.
K-12: The USDA Forest Service Southwestern Region Fire Ecology Curriculum is jam-packed with great fire ecology background and classroom activities. Recommended activities:
6-12: CIRES' HEART Force program has created an entire curriculum on natural hazard resilience, with wildfire as one of the foci. Recommended activities: