Call for Peer Review: Study on the Links Between Forest Health, Wildfire Smoke, and Public Health

The California Council on Science and Technology (CCST) and Blue Forest Conservation (Blue Forest) have received funding from the National Forest Foundation, US Endowment for Forestry and Communities, and USFS’s Innovative Finance for National Forests (IFNF) grant program to produce a peer-reviewed report aiming to connect forest management, wildfire smoke, and stakeholders paying high healthcare costs, to identify potential motivations for investment in activities that reduce wildfire risk. More details about the report scope and study team can be found here.

As the project nears completion, CCST seeks nominations of individuals (including self-nominations) with expertise relevant to the following topics to serve as peer reviewers for the report:

• Management practices for restoring the health of forests other fire-influenced ecosystems
• Linkages between forest restoration, including fuel reduction treatments, and changes in wildfire behavior
• Linkages between wildfire behavior and wildfire smoke
• Wildfire smoke transport, tracking, and forecasting methods, models, and data
• Methods and tools for tracking population exposure to wildfire smoke
• Public health interventions, including community outreach and education, to reduce exposure to wildfire smoke
• Health impacts of exposure to wildfire smoke, including to vulnerable populations
• Costs of wildfire smoke health impacts
• Frameworks for systematic monitoring of public health impacts
• The healthcare industry and risk modeling
• Air quality management
• California policy relevant to forest management, wildfires, air quality, public health, and/or healthcare.
• Social science/qualitative research expertise for natural resource management

Timeline and Effort:
The report will be transmitted via a Dropbox link. Reviewers will be asked to evaluate the sections relevant to their expertise. Upon publication of the study, reviewers will be named and acknowledged, but specific comments will not be attributed.

• June 1, 2023 – The report and executive summary will be completed and transmitted to reviewers
• June 2, 2023 until June 16, 2023 – Reviewers conduct review and report back written comments

Honorarium: For those who are eligible, we will provide a $150-300 honorarium (depending on scope of review) for individuals selected as reviewers. No travel is expected.

Please let us know if you would be interested in assisting with this evaluation and can complete your efforts in the timeline allowed. The instructions for reviewers and required conflict of interest forms are attached for your information.

By Monday, May 1st, please submit names, affiliations, relevant area(s) of expertise (see bullets above) and contact information for individuals who are qualified to serve in support of this study. Self-nominations are welcome.

Please click here to submit your nominations.

For any questions, contact CCST Program Associate Garbhita Shah.

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About the California Council on Science and Technology
The California Council on Science and Technology is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization established via the California State Legislature — making California’s policies stronger with science and technology since 1988. We engage leading experts in science and technology to advise State policymakers — ensuring that California policy is strengthened and informed by scientific knowledge, research, and innovation.