Regional megafires have prompted intensive work to reduce forest fire risk, and recovery is ongoing. But what role do healthy forests play in groundwater recharge and heated debates about groundwater sustainability? How can fire fuel thinning and removing invasives help forests better survive fires, keeping trees alive and storing carbon? How can we make proactive forest management on private lands financially feasible, to reduce risk, protect carbon stores, and create a healthier watershed?

During this Salon Sarah Keiser, Chief Executive Officer of Wild Oat Hollow, will lead a conversation about the links between Forest Health, Water, Fire & Climate Change. Dr. Tosha Comendant, Conservation Science Director with the Pepperwood Preserve, will share their work and research on forest stewardship, restoration, and fire recovery and the results they’ve seen for the water cycle. Chris Ott, Environmental Director for the Dry Creek Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians, will share their innovative forest fire recovery project, which has dramatically reduced treatment time and costs, and initial results for soil moisture, stream recharge, and unexpected benefits like suppressing invasives. Patrick Spencer, Executive Director of the Cork Forest Conservation Alliance, will speak to how climate change is impacting cork forests, Amorim’s Forest Intervention Project, and the role of the cork forest ecosystem in watershed health.