Program Overview

Forestry Workforce Training and Development

The Ecological Restoration Institute (ERI) is working to provide continuing education for forestry professionals, including state-of-the-art knowledge on new bioeconomy opportunities and business practices, such as forest operations and logistics. The training program aims to provide much-needed forest operations workforce training, offering forest operations short courses to provide up-to-date information for forest practitioners.

Forest Operations Training Program Development Project

With funding from the U.S. Economic Development Administration, the ERI Forest Operations and Biomass Utilization program has been working to develop a Forest Operations Training Program (FOTP) in northern Arizona. The goal is to provide career development opportunities that will expand Coconino County's manufacturing base.

• A spreadsheet-based model called FOTP Analysis was developed to aid in the pre-feasibility and financial feasibility analysis of a forest operations training program (FOTP).
• The model is available for free, along with a guide on how to use it.

Research Areas

ERI's research focuses on various areas, including:

• Landscape Monitoring and Research
• Long-term Ecological Assessment and Restoration Network (LEARN)
• Wildfire Effects
  • Flagstaff Fire History Map
• Ponderosa Pine Ecosystem
• Mixed Conifer Ecosystem
• Pinyon-Juniper Ecosystem
• Social and Economic Research
• Best Available Scientific Information (BASI)

Recent Publications

Long-term ecological responses to landscape-scale restoration in a western United States dry forest

This study evaluated forest structure, regeneration, old-tree mortality, and tree growth over 21 years in a large Ponderosa pine-Gambel oak forest in northern Arizona.

Fact Sheet: Indigenous Biomass Use for Forest and Community Well-Being: A Case Study of Wood For Life

This study aims to address knowledge gaps about Indigenous biomass use, including partnership roles, sustainability barriers, and successful organizational structures.

Return on investments in restoration and fuel treatments in frequent-fire forests of the American west: A meta-analysis

This study conducted a meta-analysis of 120 observations from 16 studies to evaluate the benefits and costs of forest restoration and fuel treatments.

Tribal Forest Restoration Program

• Wood For Life

Science Outreach

ERI is committed to science outreach and education, providing information and resources to the public and forestry professionals.

Publications

ERI publishes various types of documents, including:

• Library
• Recent ERI Publications
• Recent Journal Publications
• Fact Sheets
• White Papers
• Working Papers
• General and Technical Reports