My interests lie in conservation and management issues related to natural communities. In particular I am interested in how prescribed burning affects avian communities and other wildlife in the Sierra Nevada. Specific issues of interest are changes in productivity, abundance, and species diversity related to fire-induced changes to forest structure. Restoration of natural disturbance to these systems is of particular interest to me. My research, which will most likley be initiated in 2001, is in collaboration with the Pacific Southwest Research Station and the US Forest Service.