Wildland-Urban Interface in the United States Managing Landscapes between Rural and Urban Areas

This book discusses how forests and other native habitats provide critical ecosystem services for humans.  These benefits are most directly felt were humans live near forests and other native habitats, ranging from urban areas with remnant patches of habitat to extensive forests and rangelands interspersed with lower-density housing. This continuum illustrates the wildland-urban interface (WUI) and may represent over 40 percent of the houses in a region.  The WUI, in conjunction with changing environmental conditions, have tremendous influence on socio-ecological patterns and processes.  Unfortunately, a dearth of information exists on the WUI and its effect on natural systems and their management.  This edited text brings together the most up to date ecological, social, economic and governance information on the WUI.  Further, it identities management needs and key research questions.