Landscape Architecture Master's Projects

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Resilient Fuel Break Design: Translating Ecological and Social Resilience Theory into Fuel Break Design Within the Pacific Northwest
(2021-03-24) Barker, Kelli
The goal of this research is to assess the potential for fuel breaks, as a fire management tool, to positively influence the resiliency of ecological and social systems within the region of the Pacific Northwest. Landscapes of the Pacific Northwest have historically been managed by fire regimes, both naturally occurring and human initiated. The buildup of woody debris, as a result of human maintenance regimes, in combination with climate change have led to an increasing risk of wildfires, affecting ecosystems and the safety of people. Fuel breaks may have potential to act as a fire management tool to increase the resilience of both social and ecological systems affected by the absence and presence of wildfire. This research focusses on Portland, OR, utilizing Forest Park, its adjacent neighborhood Northwest Heights, and the respective area of private forest land in between as a case study. Fuel break design elements are distinguished through a literature review and then categorized under sub categories of ecological and social resilience to be applied to the case study. The results of this research are a table of fuel break design elements, translated from resilience theory, and an evaluation of the case study for the application of a fuel break design and the inclusion of the designated design elements.