Associate Professor of Cooperative Extension
Associate Adjunct Professor of Forestry and Pyrosilviculture (TM)
Co-Director, Berkeley Forests
Fred E. Dickinson Distinguished Professor Chair in Wood Science and Technology
Pro Forester 2699
Associate Professor of Cooperative Extension
Associate Adjunct Professor of Forestry and Pyrosilviculture (TM)
Co-Director, Berkeley Forests
Fred E. Dickinson Distinguished Professor Chair in Wood Science and Technology
Pro Forester 2699
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.
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
Forest Ecology, Disturbance Regime Guided Silviculture, Giant Sequoia restoration, Prescribed burning, Pyrosilviculture
Since 2012
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.
York et al 2022_merging rx fire and timber.pdf, Baijnath-Rodino et al. 2022.pdf, Knight_etal_2022_Journal of Environmental Management.pdf, North et al. Operational resilience FEM 2022.pdf, York et al. 2021_Pyrosilviculture.pdf, York2021_Article_OpportunitiesForWinterPrescrib.pdf, York et al. 2021_Cal Ag burn frequency.pdfInstead of Honors & Awards, check out my UC Service Profile!
Forestry Group: Forestry Camp Curriculum Committee
Department: Lead Advisor of Master of Forestry Program
College: Co-Director, Berkeley Forests
Campus: Advisory Committee, Sagehen Creek Natural Reserve
ANR (multi-campus): Reviewer of annual state level reports
- 182 - Forest Operations Management
- 105C - Forest Measurements
- 105B - Silviculture and Utilization
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/
Contact details
Robert York
By appointment
4501 Blodgett Forest Road
Georgetown, CA 95634