Learning how to apply adaptive management in Sierra Nevada forests: An integrated assessment

The Sierra Nevada Adaptive Management Project (SNAMP) was a joint forest management assessment by the University of California, the University of Minnesota, the University of Wisconsin, state and federal agencies, and the public. SNAMP was created in response to uncertainty about forest fuels management in the Sierra Nevada and the controversy resulting from the United States Forest Service’s 2004 Sierra Nevada Framework that established the current legal boundaries for management prescriptions in the Sierra Nevada national forests. Broadly, SNAMP was formed to learn how to apply adaptive management as required in the 2004 Framework, with an emphasis on engaging the public in a meaningful way.  More specifically, SNAMP was designed to assess the efficacy of forest fuels management on potential fire behavior and the impacts of that management on three essential natural resources: forest ecosystem health, wildlife, and water, while incorporating participation by all interested stakeholders, including the public.