Restoring heavily overstocked forests in the western U.S. to reduce wildfire severity has many co-benefits for water supply, hydropower, habitat, recreation, carbon storage, and more. Reversing the effects of fire suppression for 150 years and unsustainable timber harvesting on federal land will cost billions of dollars, with only a fraction available from government sources. Our research informs regional partnerships who are advancing the pace and scale of restoration through monetizing benefits. In this talk I will review challenges, strategies, and successes in bringing about more-sustainable management of California’s natural lands.

Roger is Distinguished Professor of Engineering at UC Merced, and Adjunct Professor at UC Berkeley. He has been active in water- and climate-related research for over 35 years, and he refers to the Sierra Nevada as his laboratory.

Currently, he is co-director of the UC Center for Ecosystem Climate Solutions. His work focuses on California’s efforts to build the knowledge base that adapt our water supplies, critical ecosystems and economy to the impacts of climate warming. He works through leaders and key decision makers on developing multi-benefit climate solutions.

He has led several multi-disciplinary water and climate research programs, and is a fellow in multiple professional societies. He has published over 200 articles in peer-reviewed journals and proceedings.

Roger received his PhD (Environmental Engineering Science) and MS (Social Sciences) from Caltech, an MS from Berkeley and his BS from Purdue. He and his spouse (Martha Conklin, also Caltech alum) joined UC Merced as founding faculty in 2003. Prior to that they were professors at the University of Arizona.

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