A Collective Conceptual Model of Wildfire Risk in the West as a Social-Ecological System

Keywords: Social-ecological systems; wildfire risk
Session Type: Virtual Paper Abstract
Day: Monday
Session Start / End Time: 2/28/2022 05:20 PM (Eastern Time (US & Canada)) - 2/28/2022 06:40 PM (Eastern Time (US & Canada))
Room: Virtual 45

Abstract

Scholars and practitioners are becoming increasingly aware that understanding complex environmental problems requires analysis of social and ecological forces in an integrated way. “Social-ecological systems” (SES) frameworks have gained recognition as a tool for understanding how these forces interact with outcomes that are desired (or not desired) by society. We used qualitative interviews with representatives of key stakeholder groups to develop a collective conceptual SES model of wildfire risk in the American West. In this region, fire has historically played an important ecological role and provided many societal benefits. In recent decades, however, fire has also become an increasingly devastating natural hazard. Our model reveals that while stakeholder groups—rural residents, private landowners, natural resource managers, fire protection agencies, climate and ecosystems scientists, community economic development organizations, and the wood product sector—share a common view that wildfire is a complex challenge in urgent need of attention, they have disparate views on the causes of the problem and how it ought to be solved. Conflicts resulting from these differences could hinder efforts to manage the social and ecological forces that create wildfire risk in an integrated way.