Management of Forests and Wildlife at the Wildland–Urban Interface in the Eastern United States

The wildland–urban interface (WUI) refers to areas where forests with little human influence and other vegetation types intersect with human development. Ecosystem management in the WUI presents special challenges. Human dwellings and other infrastructure can constrain management options, such as timber harvesting, prescribed burning, and managing wildlife. Humans can also negatively affect ecosystem functioning through the introduction of invasive plant and animal species, wildfire ignition, habitat fragmentation, and attracting nuisance wildlife species. Although there are WUIs throughout the world, this review will focus mostly on the eastern United States, where a high population density and maturing forests highlight exceptional challenges to forest management. Land ownership in the WUI in this region is dominated by non-industrial private forestlands with diverse ownership objectives and is often distributed in relatively small parcels, creating difficulties for coordinated forest management. Landowners and loggers often plan timber harvests without input from forest managers. On the frontlines of WUI management are extension agents, state and local agencies, non-government organizations, and consulting foresters. Public education, cost-share agreements, and local government engagement are needed to conserve and manage forests in the WUI.