Aquatic and Land Interactions Program

Interior Northwest Landscape Analysis System

GTR-610 03-387 (2004) Methods for integrated modeling of landscape change: Interior Northwest Landscape Analysis System, by J.L. Hayes, A.A. Ager, and R.J. Barbour, tech. eds.

The Interior Northwest Landscape Analysis System (INLAS) links a number of resource, disturbance, and landscape simulations models to examine the interactions of vegetative succession, management, and disturbance with policy goals. The effects of natural disturbance like wildfire, herbivory, forest insects and diseases, as well as specific management actions are included. The outputs from simulations illustrate potential changes in aquatic conditions and terrestrial habitat, potential for wood utilization, and socioeconomic opportunities. The project explores ways to integrate the effects of natural disturbances and management into planning and policy analyses; illustrate potential conflicts among current policies, natural distrubances, and management activities; and explore the policy, economics, and ecological constraints associated with the application of effective fuel treatments on midscale landscapes in the interior Northwest.

Key Benefits

The product mix from the INLAS project will include methodologies, new scientific knowledge, and much information germane to current policy debates over sustainability and conservation of natural resources. Analyses will clarify many socioeconomic and ecological interactions for which we have a poor understanding. This will help scientists identify the most productive areas for future research.

The users of the products developed during this project include those involved in, or interested in the outcome of watershed assessments, forest planning, and policy analysis.

• Developing methods to perform analyses at the interface of policy, management, and science that rely on a consistent set of assumptions and common data.
• Providing information from landscape analyses to local and state political leaders, government and private resource managers, scientists, and policymakers.
• Demonstrating the breadth of management options to policymakers, resource managers, researchers, and the public.
• Identifying specific knowledge gaps in ecological research, management science, and resource planning analysis
  
  

USDA Forest Service - Pacific Northwest Research Station, Aquatic and Land Interactions Program
Last Modified: Friday, 09 June 2006 at 18:36:22 EDT