CNH: Fires in Western Amazonia: Understanding and Modeling the Roles of Climatic, Social, Demographic, and Land-Use Change

Lead PI: Mr. Miguel A. Pinedo-Vasquez

Unit Affiliation: The Earth Institute Center for Environmental Sustainability (EICES)

August 2009 - June 2014
Inactive
South America ; Amazonia
Project Type: Research

DESCRIPTION: To investigate processes of change in land use, migration, urbanization and climate and their links to the probability of changes in the incidence, size and severity of escaped fires using the tools of the natural, social and atmospheric sciences; Researchers are examining how social and economic factors, land use development, ecology, and climate shifts interact to influence fire patterns in Peruvian Amazon. The work will have implications for Amazonia as well as other tropical developing regions.

OUTCOMES: Models to link these multiple, complex and non-linear processes to change in the probability of uncontrolled fires. The work will have implications not only for much of Amazonia, but also for other tropical developing regions; This project is expected to yield models that will link the processes of change in land use, migration, urbanization, and climate to the probability of changes in the incidence, size, and severity of escaped fires. Organization of a conference in Peru to discuss further research and policies on development and conservation in Western Amazonia; and publications on factors affecting Amazonian forests.