Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment, Author at YubaNet

A catch basin adjacent to a road with limited capacity for runoff along Forest Route 33 on the Tahoe NF in the Mosquito burned area on the way to the Grouse Falls area. The culvert will likely not be able to handle increased flow, and the catch basin may overtop and lead to road washout and erosion. Because of the fire, there is no vegetation to slow the flow of water or hold the sediment in place.

Stanford-led study reveals a fifth of California’s Sierra Nevada conifer forests are stranded in habitats that have grown too warm for them

by Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment February 22, 2023February 22, 2023

The researchers created maps showing where warmer weather has left trees in conditions that don’t suit them, making them more prone to being replaced by other species. The findings could help inform long-term wildfire and ecosystem management in these “zombie forests.” Like an old man suddenly aware the world has moved on without him, the […]

Newly planted rye cover crops in a farm field.

Enviro

There’s room for improvement in a popular climate-smart agricultural practice, Stanford-led study shows

by Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment November 9, 2022November 9, 2022

The promise for American agriculture is tantalizing: healthier soil, more carbon kept in the ground, less fertilizer runoff, and less need for chemicals. The reality of planting cover crops during the off-season – a much-touted and subsidized approach to climate change mitigation – is more complicated, according to new Stanford University-led research. The study, published Nov. 8 […]

California

Stanford experts discuss California’s 30×30 initiative – one of the most ambitious conservation efforts ever

by Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment April 25, 2022April 25, 2022

April 25, 2022 – One of the most ambitious conservation efforts ever, California’s 30×30 initiative(link is external) aims to protect plant and animal life across 30 percent of the state’s most critical land and water by 2030. Gov. Gavin Newsom has described the plan as an important step toward ensuring community well-being, equity, and economic sustainability while […]

California

Wildfire Q&A with Stanford experts: A blueprint for protecting communities and restoring a lower intensity fire regime

by Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment August 4, 2021August 4, 2021

Wildfire-weary Californians may be wondering whether their state – the world’s fifth largest economy – is destined for an ever-intensifying cycle of destruction. Can ambitious interventions slow the pace of conflagration fed by extreme heat and drought? If so, what would they look like, how much would they cost and where would the money come […]

California

Using Floodwaters to Weather Droughts

by Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment April 21, 2021April 21, 2021

Floodwaters are not what most people consider a blessing. But they could help remedy California’s increasingly parched groundwater systems, according to a new Stanford-led study. The research, published in Science Advances, develops a framework to calculate future floodwater volumes under a changing climate and identifies areas where investments in California’s aging water infrastructure could amplify groundwater recharge. […]

Sci/Tech

Stanford Researchers Develop DNA Approach to Forecast Ecosystem Changes

by Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment November 11, 2020November 11, 2020

November 11, 2020 – When wolves returned to Yellowstone in 1995, no one imagined the predators would literally change the course of rivers in the national park through cascading effects on other animals and plants. Now, a Stanford University-developed approach holds the promise of forecasting such ecosystem changes as certain species become more prevalent or […]

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