Robert York

I work at the intersection of forest science and management, exploring novel approaches to forest management treatments that are guided by ecosystems’ disturbance regimes. Through active work within a network of people and research forests operated by UC Berkeley in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, I apply research to management by extending information to a wide variety of stakeholders. I believe strongly in the concept of UC as a land-grant institution, and that the research and teaching led by UC should be designed to benefit all Californians. My extension focus is on applying scientific results and exploring management approaches within an experimental context, striving to apply the principle of Active Adaptive Management to forest management. I demonstrate traditional and new approaches to management for a wide variety of stakeholders, including policy makers, landowners, practitioners, and environmental organizations. Currently, I am working on approaches for building resilience with prescribed fire in young even-aged stands. I am also exploring novel forest harvesting regimes that can be used for forest restoration goals, and the use of alternatives to herbicides in forestry.

Education

High School, Turlock High, California

B.S. Forestry, UC Berkeley

M.S. Forest Ecology, UC Berkeley

PhD Forest Ecology, Dept. Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, UC Berkeley

Selected Publications

Since 2012

• York, R.A. 2024. Ecological silviculture for Sierra Nevada mixed conifer forests. In Ecological Silvicultural Systems: Exemplary Models for Sustainable Forest Management Edited by B.J. Palik and A.W. D'Amato. Wiley, Hoboken, NJ.
• Stephens, S.L., Foster, D.E., Battles, J.J., Bernal, A.A., Collins, B.M., Hedges, R., Moghaddas, J.J, Roughton, A.C., York, R.A. 2023. Forest restoration and fuels reduction work: Different pathways for achieving success in the Sierra Nevada. Ecological Applications 2023;e2932
• Bisbing, S.M., Urza, A.K., York, R.A., Hankin, L.E., Putz, T.R. 2023. Persistant, viable seed bank buffers serotinous bishop pine over a broad fire return interval. Fire Ecology 19:35
• York, R.A., Russell, K.W., Noble, H. 2022. Merging prescribed fires and timber harvests in the Sierra Nevada: Burn season and pruning influences in young mixed conifer stands. Trees, Forests, and People 9: 100309
• Cox, L., York, R., Battles, J. 2021. Informing silvicultural strategies for a climate-resilient species: Initial insights from an incense-cedar spacing trial. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 488: 119033
• Baijnath-Rodino, J.A., Li, S., , Martinez, A., Kumar, M., Quinn-Davidson, L.N., York, R.A., Banerjee, T. 2022. Historical Seasonal Changes in Prescribed Burn Windows in California. Science of the Total Environment. 836: 155723
• North, M.P., R.E. Tompkins, A.A. Bernal, B.M. Collins, S.L. Stephens, and R.A. York. 2022. Operational resilience in western US frequent-fire forests. Forest Ecology and Management 507: 120004
• Knight, C.A., R.E. Tompkins, J.A. Want, R.A. York, M.L. Goulden, and J.J. Battles. 2022. Accurate tracking of forest activity key to multi-jurisdictional management goals: A case study in California. Journal of Environmental Management 302: 114083
• Collins, B.M., A. Bernal, R.A. York, J. Stevens, A. Juska, and S.L. Stephens. 2021. Mixed-conifer forest reference conditions for privately owned timberland in the southern Cascade Range. Ecological Applications
• York, R.A., J. Levine, K. Russell, and J. Restaino. 2021. Opportunities for winter prescribed burning in mixed conifer plantations of the Sierra Nevada. Fire Ecology 17:33
• York, R.A., J. Levine, D. Foster, S. Stephens, and B. Collins. 2021. Silviculture can facilitate repeat prescribed burn programs with long-term strategies. California Agriculture 75(3.4): 104-111
• Tubbesing, C.L., D.J. Young, R.A. York, S.L. Stephens, J.J. Battles. 2021. Incorporating shrub neighborhood dynamics to predict forest succession trajectories in an altered fire regime. Ecosystems https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-021-00645-5
• North, M.P., R.A. York, B.M. Collins, M.D. Hurteau, G.M. Jones, E.E. Knapp, L. Kobziar, H. McCann, M.D. Meyer, S.L. Stephens, R.E. Tompkins, and C.L. Tubbesing. 2021. Pyrosilviculture needed for landscape resilience in western US frequent-fire forests. Journal of Forestry 2021: 1-25
• Murphy, J.S., R.A. York, H.R. Huerta, and S.L. Stephens. 2021. Characteristics and metrics of resilient forests in the Sierra de San Pedro Martir, Mexico. Forest Ecology and Management 482: 118864
• Dudney, J., R.A. York, C.L. Tubbesing, A.T. Roughton, D. Foster, S.L. Stephens, and J.J. Battles. 2021. Overstory removal and biological legacies influence long-term forest management outcomes on introduced species and native shrubs. Forest Ecology and Management 491: 119149
• Cox, L.E., R.A. York, and J.J. Battles. 2021. Growth and form of giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) in a plantation spacing trial after 28 years. Forest Ecology and Management 488: 119033
• York, R.A., A. Roughton, R. Tompkins, and S. Kocher. 2020. Burn permits need to facilitate – not prevent – “good fire” in California. OUTLOOK: California Agriculture 74(2): 62-66
• York, R.A., H. Noble, L.N. Quinn-Davidson, and J.J. Battles. 2020. Pyrosilviculture: Combining fire with gap-based silviculture in mixed-conifer forests of the Sierra Nevada. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 51: 1-11
• Foster, D.E., J.J. Battles, B.M. Collins, R.A. York, and S.L. Stephens. 2020. Potential wildfire and carbon stability in frequent-fire forests in the Sierra Nevada: trade-offs from a long-term study. Ecosphere 11(8):e03198. 10.1002/ ecs2.3198
• Tubbesing, C.L., R.A. York, S.L. Stephens, and J.J. Battles. 2020. Rethinking fire-adapted species in an altered fire regime. Ecosphere 00(00):e03091. 10.1002/ecs2.3091
• Thegane, S.K., K. Kung, R.A. York, S. Sokhansanj, C.J. Lim, and D.L. Sanchez. 2020. Technoeconomic and emissions evaluation of mobile in-woods biochar production. Energy Conversion and Management 223 113305
• Levine, J.L., B.M. Collins, R.A. York, D.E. Foster, D.L. Fry, and S.L. Stephens. 2020. Forest Stand and site characteristics influence fuel consumption in repeat prescribed burns. International Journal of Wildland Fire https://doi.org/10.1071/WF19043
• York, R.A. 2019. Long-term taper and growth reductions following pruning intensity treatments in giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum). Canadian Journal of Forest Research 49: 1189-1197
• Hatch. L., C.N. Jen, N. Kreisberg, V. Selimovic, R. Yokelson, C. Stamatis, R. York, D. Foster, S. Stephens, A. Goldstein, and K. Barsanti. 2019. Environmental Science & Technnology Letters. 53(16) 9418-9428.
• Annighofer, P., D. Seidel, C. Ammer, S.L. Stephens, and R.A. York. 2019. Silvicultural implications from analyzing light induced height growth development of eight North American juvenile tree species in mixed-conifer forestsForestry. 38: 1-11.
• North, Malcolm; Stevens, Jen; Greene, David; Coppoletta, Michelle; Knapp, Eric; Latimer, Andrew; Restaino, Christina; Tompkins, Ryan; Welch, Kevin; York, Robert; Young, Derek; Axelson, Jodi et al. (2019). Tamm Review: Reforestation for resilience in dry western U.S. forests. Forest Ecology and Management. Elsevier. 432:2019, 209-224.
• Stephens, S.L., J.T. Stevens, B.M. Collins, R.A. York, and J.M. Lyderson. 2018. Historical and modern landscape forest structure in fir (Abies)-dominated mixed conifer forests in the northern Sierra Nevada, USA. Fire Ecology 14(7): 1-14
• Jen, C.N., Liang, Y., Hatch, L.E., Kreisberg, N.M., Stamatis, C., Kristensen, K., Battles, J., Stephens, S., York, R., Barsanti, K., and Goldstein, A. 2018. High hydroquinone emissions from burning manzanita. Environmental Letters Science and Technology 5: 309-314
• Cousins, Stella; Battles, John; Sanders, John; York, Robert (2015). Decay patterns and carbon density of standing dead trees in California mixed conifer forests. Forest Ecology and Management. 353:1, 136-147.
• Springsteen, Bruce; Christofk, Thomas; York, Robert; Mason, Tad; Baker, Stephen; Lincoln, Emily; Hartsough, Bruce; Yoshioka, Takuyuki (2015). Forest boimass diversion in the Sierra Nevada: Energy, economics and emissions. California Agriculture. 69:3.
• York, Robert; Louen, Justin; Thomson, Ariel (2015). Growth Response of Massive Sequoiadendron giganteum Trees to Mechanical Treatments. Forest Science. 61:5, 959-965.
• York, Robert (2015). Large-tree removal in a mixed-conifer forest halves productivity and increases white fir. California Agriculture. 69:1. Online: http://californiaagriculture.ucanr.edu/ landingpage.cfm?article=ca.v069n01p27&fulltext=yes
• York, Robert; Keller, Richard; Thomson, Ariel (2015). Thinning treatments had minimal effect on soil compaction in mixed-conifer plantations. California Agriculture. 69:3, 157-163.
• Bellows, Robin; Thomson, Ariel; Helmstedt, K; York, Robert; Potts, Matthew (2016). Damage and mortality patterns in young mixed conifer plantations following prescribed fires in the Sierra Nevada, California. Forest Ecology and Management. 376, 193-204.
• Dore, Sabina; Fry, Danny; Collins, Brandon; Vargas, Rodrigo; York, Robert; Stephens, Scott (2016). Management Impacts on Carbon Dynamics in a Sierra Nevada Mixed Conifer Forest. PLOS One. 11:2, 1-22.
• Stephens, Connor; York, Robert (2017). An evaluation of stand age as a factor of mastication efficiency and effectiveness in the Central Sierra Nevada, California. Northwest Science. 91:4.
• Stewart, William; Sharma, Benktesh; York, Robert; Diller, Lowell; Hamey, Nadia; Powell, Roger; Swiers, Robert (2016). Forestry In: Ecosystems of California.H. Mooney and E. Zavaleta.
• Battles, J., Bell, D., Kennedy, R., Saah, D., Collins, B., York, R., Sanders, J.,and Lopez-Ornelas, F. 2018. Innovations in measuring and managing forest carbon stocks in California. A report for California’s Fourth Climate Change Assessment. California Natural Resources Agency CCCA4-CNRA-2018-014
• O'Hara, K.; York, R. (2014). Leaf Area Development and Crown Architecture in a Giant Sequoia Spacing Study. Forest Science. 60:4, 776-783.
• Falster, Daniel; Duursma, Remko; Ishihara, Masae; Barneche, Diego; York, Robert (2015). BAAD: a Biomass And Allometry Database for woody plants. Ecology. 96:5, 1445.
• York, Robert; Devries, Rose (2013). Snow Damage Patterns in Maturing Mixed-Species Plantations of the Sierra Nevada. Western Journal of Applied forestry. 28:4, 174-177.
• York, R.; O'Hara, K; Battles, J (2013). Density Effects on Giant Sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) Growth Through 22 Years: Implications for Restoration and Plantation Management. Western Journal of Applied Forestry. 28:1, 30-37.
• Eitzel, Melissa; Battles, John; York, Robert; Knape, Jonas; De Valpine, Perry (2013). Estimating tree growth from complex forest monitoring data. Ecological Applications. 23:6, 1288-1296.
• Fahey, Cathy; York, Robert; Powloska, Teresa (2012). Arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization of giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) in response to restoration practices. Mycologia. 104:5, 988-997.

Publications (attached):
PDF icon York et al 2022_merging rx fire and timber.pdf, PDF icon Baijnath-Rodino et al. 2022.pdf, PDF icon Knight_etal_2022_Journal of Environmental Management.pdf, PDF icon North et al. Operational resilience FEM 2022.pdf, PDF icon York et al. 2021_Pyrosilviculture.pdf, PDF icon York2021_Article_OpportunitiesForWinterPrescrib.pdf, PDF icon York et al. 2021_Cal Ag burn frequency.pdf

Honors and Awards

• Forestry Group: Forestry Camp Curriculum Committee
• Department: Lead Advisor of Master of Forestry Program
• College: Co-Director, Berkeley Forests (lead of Research Forests) and 24-25' Chair of Extension Specialists Group
• Campus: Advisory Committee, Sagehen Creek Natural Reserve
• ANR (multi-campus): Reviewer of annual state level reports

Recent Teaching

182 - Forest Operations Management
105C - Forest Measurements
105B - Silviculture and Utilization

Other Information

• Co-Director, Berkeley Forests
• Lead Advisor, Master of Forestry
• Registered Professional Forester #2699
• 2019 webinar on prescribed fire in the mixed conifer forest: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uwl7BNZPhh8
• Introduction to winter prescribed burning videos https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lXMlA5tt0s
• Co-PI Adaptive Management Experiment: https://www.adaptive-forest-management-experiment.com/