post-fire reforestration trial
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Prinicipal investigator
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sarah bisbingSarah Bisbing is a forest ecologist working at the intersection of theoretical ecology and forest management to understand how species’ adaptations and forest ecosystem response to disturbance shape community structure, ecosystem function, and long-term stand dynamics. Research in the Bisbing Forest Ecology & Silviculture Lab aims to 1) identify species’ thresholds of tolerance to past, current, and future conditions, and 2) assess impacts of climate change and altered disturbance regimes on conifer regeneration and community composition. Dr. Bisbing collaborates widely across disciplines to generate community-, ecosystem-, and landscape-level findings that go beyond field-specific application and produce integrated, cross-disciplinary management and conservation strategies for forest ecosystems of western North America. Dr. Bisbing holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in forestry from the University of Montana and a doctorate in ecology from Colorado State University. She is currently an Assistant Professor of Forest Ecosystem Science in the Department of Natural Resources & Environmental Science at the University of Nevada–Reno.
Website: sarahbisbing.com Email: sbisbing@unr.edu |
CO-Principal Investigators
Robert yorkDr. Robert York joined UCCE on January 1, 2019 as Silviculture and Applied Forest Ecology Assistant Specialist in Cooperative Extension and Adjunct Associate Professor of Forestry in the Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management at UC Berkeley. He directs research and management activity on the Berkeley Forests, a network of five research forests covering the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mixed conifer forest from Shasta to Tulare counties. He is a Registered Professional Forester in California. From UC Berkeley, Dr. York earned a Ph.D. in Forest Ecology and Silviculture, a MS in Forest Community Ecology and a BS in Forest Management.
Email: ryork@berkeley.edu |
Ricky satomiRicky Satomi is a Forestry and Natural Resources Advisor with UC Cooperative Extension in Shasta-Trinity and Siskiyou Counties. He collaborates with forest landowners and natural resource professionals to provide applied research, technical consultation, and skills training. Program efforts aim to increase utilization of forest residuals, improve disturbance resilience in forest ecosystems, and increase adoption of remote sensing tools in forest management. He earned a Master of Forestry and a BS in Forestry & Natural Resources from UC Berkeley.
Email: rpsatomi@ucanr.edu |
lead foresters & research ecologists
jim kralJim Kral is a Registered Professional Forester and the Forest Manager at CAL FIRE's Mountain Home Demonstration State Forest (MHDSF) in Tulare County, California. Kral received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Forest Management from Humboldt State University in 1994 and became an RPF in 1997. Kral began working in the field in 1989 as a forest technician and upon graduation, was hired as a Forester for Sierra Pacific Industries in Camino. In 1997, Kral started a small consulting firm in Pollock Pines, assisting landowners in reaching their land and forest management objectives. Kral was hired by CAL FIRE in 2008 as the Forest Manager at MHDSF. While in State service at CAL FIRE's Mountain Home DSF, Kral authorized and implemented the removal of over 15 MMBF of salvage timber; assisted Sacramento in the development of the Option A plan; prepared the first THPs on the forest since 1999; revised the General Forest Management Plan; prepared the first approved THP at Soquel DSF in 10 years; put forth legislation to collect camping fees (AB 2351); implemented weekend patrols;negotiated with local, state and federal government to install winter closure gates; forged a good working relationship with the Sequoia National Forest to conduct management burns across jurisdictions; treated over 1,500 acres for fuel reduction via mastication and prescribed fire; and continues to mentor seasonal Forestry Aides and Forestry Challenge students that desire becoming RPFs. He is a member of the Giant Sequoia Working Group and has been a member of the California Licensed Foresters Association since 1990. The above referenced items are what Kral considers “highlights” while performing his job.
Email: jim.kral@fire.ca.gov 
Ariel ThomsonAriel is the Research Forests Manager for UC Berkeley's Berkeley Forests. She is responsible for oversight of the Berkeley Forests network of five research properties which span the western slope of the Sierra Nevada. She is a Registered Professional Forester and received her degree in Forestry and Natural Resources from UC Berkeley.
Email: athomson@berkeley.edu |
jason poburkoJason Poburko is a Registered Professional (No. 2769), responsible for the State Demonstration State Forest lands in Shasta and Trinity Counties. Jason’s specialty is working in Timber Harvest Plan development and his interests are working at the intersection of policy development, regulatory reform and forest management to strive to improve efficiency and professional reliance.
Jason started working in the forests of coastal British Columbia and spent a summer with the Association of BC professional Foresters, during his college years. He studied forestry at the University of British Columbia and obtained a Bachelor’s of Science in Forestry, specializing in Natural Resources Management. After graduation Jason relocated to Northern California, where he worked in private consulting and industrial timber for 17 years before coming into state service in 2016. Since coming to California he served on the Board of Directors of the California Licensed Foresters association for 5 year, including a year as president in 2010-2011. In 2016 Jason was appointed to the Professional Foresters Examining committee of the Board of Forestry. Email: jason.poburko@fire.ca.gov 
eric knappEric Knapp is a research ecologist with the U.S. Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station, and based in Redding, CA. Dr. Knapp’s research is focused on forest ecology in relation to disturbance, particularly fire. His research includes studies of long-term forest and fuel changes resulting from deviations to the historical fire regime, and ecological outcomes of different forest and fuel management treatments. Other interests include understanding factors contributing to severity of wildfires, and effects of prescribed fire in different seasons and varying forest types. He leads a ‘Variable Density Thinning’ study on the Stanislaus-Tuolumne Experimental Forest, which was designed to evaluate alternative thinning approaches inspired by the density and spatial arrangement of trees in forests shaped by frequent fire. Dr. Knapp received his doctorate at U.C. Davis (in Genetics!), after completing an M.S. in Agronomy at U.C. Davis, and a B.A. in Biology at U.C. Santa Barbara. He has been with the U.S. Forest Service for the past 15 years.
Website: https://www.fs.fed.us/psw/programs/ff/staff/eknapp/ |
technical & research staff
Bryant NagelsonBryant studies ecosystem- and tree-level responses to disturbance. He completed an MS in the Bisbing Lab in 2021 and now provides research and technical support for AMEX and other studies. For his master’s work, Bryant analyzed long-term trends in natural tree regeneration in response to climatic patterns and repeated fuels treatments with Dr. Bisbing and Dr. Rob York. On the side, Bryant assists with fire effects monitoring and weather forecasting for prescribed fire organizations in the northern Sierra Nevada.
Email: bnagelson@unr.edu |
conor phelanConor is a geospatial specialist, and has a background in conservation and natural resource GIS. He received his master's in resource conservation from the University of Montana. In the past, Conor has provided GIS and data analytics support for a wide variety of stakeholders and agencies including the Human Dimensions Lab at the University of Montana's W.A. Franke College of Forestry & Conservation, Wildlife Conservation Society, Gallatin Valley Land Trust, Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, Wilderness Watch, and others.
Email: cphelan@unr.edu |
HAnnah CardwellHannah received her Bachelors degree in Forest Ecology & Management from the University of Nevada, Reno. She was a student of Sarah's and transitioned right into the planting crew after graduating, and ended up in her current position following the field season. Hannah decided to pursue forestry after realizing that proper land management is vital to outdoor recreation. In her downtime, she enjoys yoga, snowboarding, long walks, speculative fiction, and making really specific playlists for her friends.
Email: hcardwell@unr.edu |
Chuck lewisChuck is a M.S. student in the Bisbing lab and holds a B.S. in Forest Ecology and Management from the University of Nevada–Reno. His thesis focuses on the establishment of provenance trails in the AMEX transition treatment areas to assess intraspecific functional trait variation and survival among provenances. Chuck is interested in the influence of historic climatic conditions on these functional trait variations and how that may inform the development of climate change-adapted seed zones for reforestation in the Sierra Nevada. He is also interested in how genetic diversity and genomic variation is shaped by local adaptations to historic climatic conditions. He is an International Society of Arboriculture Certified Arborist and has worked as a climbing arborist in the residential tree care industry since 2015. When not climbing for research or tree work, Chuck enjoys improving his amateur lichenology skills in the canopy.
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Kevin Charpentier
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Kevin graduated from University of Nevada Reno with a B.S. in Forest Ecology and Management. A local Nevadan, Kevin began his career in the mining and construction industry, before finding his passions lay elsewhere. At UNR, Kevin balanced a busy academic schedule with work as a field technician in multiple ecological research labs before moving to his current position with the AMEX project. As an outdoor enthusiast and nature lover Kevin enjoys working and spending his time off out in the elements.
Email: kcharpentier@unr.edu |
additional collaborators & graduate students
jodi axelsonDr. Jodi Axelson is a Assistant Cooperative Extension Specialist and Adjunct Assistant Professor in Forest Health in the Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management at UC Berkeley. She directs research on drought and bark beetle induced tree mortality in mixed conifer forests across the Sierra Nevada from Plumas National Forest to Mountain Home State Demonstration Forest, and is the Director of the Berkeley Forest Health Lab. Jodi is working with AMEX project staff to conduct forest health assessments across project sites and treatment units.
Email: jodi.axelson@berkeley.edu |
Ryan stewartRyan is the supervisor of Southern California Edison’s Forestry Department in Shaver Lake and the Vice President of the Highway 168 Fire Safe Council. He has a BS in Forestry and Watershed Management from Humboldt State University, and is a California Registered Professional Forester. He lives in Auberry with his wife and fellow forester Juli and two daughters Juniper and Rowan.
Email: ryan.stewart@sce.com |
CALFIRE Fire & Resource assessment program (Frap)
Tadashi moody |
Chris Keithley |
Dave Sapsis |