The Nature Conservancy

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David Ganz
Director, Global Fire Initiative

Contact Information:
The Nature Conservancy
2922 Magee Ave.
Oakland, CA 94619
Phone: (510) 336-0809
nature.org/fire/

Brief Bio
David Ganz leads the work of the 19-person Global Fire Initiative, which is focused on abating fire-related threats to biodiversity around the world. David is an expert in fire science, policy and management who also has experience integrating fire with some new and emerging conservation opportunities like sustainable livelihoods, climate change adaptation, ecosystem services, biofuels, avoided deforestation and community forestry.

David has worked for United Nations’ FAO at the Regional Community Forestry Center in Bangkok, Thailand, managing a variety of projects focused on Southwestern China and Southeast Asia. More recently, he was a senior scientist in charge of forestry and fire science projects for TSS Consultants and vice president of international operations for the Renewable Energy Institute. Recent projects have included organizing and facilitating both the China E5 Biofuels Assessment and the Pinchot Institute’s independent science review of the Quincy Library Group pilot project.

Dr. Ganz’s doctoral research in the Sierra Nevada evaluated the forest health and management implications of various prescribed burning and thinning treatments. More recently he has focused on facilitating processes in which local communities have substantial involvement in deciding the objectives and practices involved in preventing, controlling or utilizing fires. He has published more than 30 papers in technical journals with a primary focus in the fields of fire science, forest health, silviculture and community forestry.

Education
Ph.D. Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California at Berkeley
M.F. Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies
B.S. Forest Management, University of California at Berkeley

Recent Professional Activities and Service
California Alumni Foresters Executive Committee (Vice-President and President). 2006-Present

Diablo Fire Safe Council Board of Directors. 2003-2006

FAO regional representative for Final Phase of the Forest, Trees, and People Program. 1999-2002

Communities in Flames conference steering committee. 2001

Selected Publications
Nechodom, M. ,Schuetzle, D., Ganz, D. and Cooper, J. 2008. Sustainable Forests, Renewable Energy and the Environment. Feature article: Environmental Science and Technology 42 (1):13-18 (in press).

Schuetzle, D., Tamblyn, G., Tornatore, F., Ganz, D., Caldwell, M., Minden, A., Hurley, R. and Schuetzle, R., 2007. An Assessment of Biomass Conversion Technologies and Recommendations in Support of an Integrated Thermochemical Biorefinery Plant at Gridley, CA for the Production of Bioalcohols and Bioenergy from Rice Harvest Waste and Other Agriculture Biomass Resources. DOE Report #DE-FC36-03G013071, Golden, CO.

Ganz, D. 2006. Fire Safe Councils and community involvement in wildfire hazard mitigation and management In: Living on the Edge: Economic, Institutional and Management Perspectives on Wildfire Hazard in the Urban Interface (Troy, A. & Kennedy, R. eds.) Elsevier Sciences.

Shields, B.J., Smith, R.W., and D. Ganz. 2006. Global Forest Resources Assessment 2005 – Thematic report on forest fires in the South East Asian Region. Forest Fire Management Working Paper 10. http://www.fao.org/docrep/009/j7566e/j7566e00.htm.

Ganz, D. and P.B. Durst. 2003. Assisted Natural Regeneration: An Overview In: Advancing assisted natural regeneration (ANR) in Asia and the Pacific (Dugan, P.C., Durst, P.B., Ganz, D. & McKenzie, P.J. eds.), FAO RAP Publication 2003/19, 44 p. http://www.fao.org/docrep/004/ad466e/ad466e00.htm

Ganz, D., Moore, P.F. and D. Reeb. 2003. Prologue. In: Community-based fire management: case studies from China, The Gambia, Honduras, India, Lao People's Democratic Republic and Turkey. Food and Agriculture Organization RAP Publication 2003/ Bangkok, Thailand.
http://www.fao.org/DOCREP/006/AD348E/AD348E00.HTM

Ganz, D. 2002. Framing Fires: A country-by-country analysis of forest and land fires in the ASEAN nations. Project FireFight South East Asia, WWF/IUCN/CIFOR Publication 2002. 92 p.

Ganz, D.J. and J.H. Burckle. 2002. Forest utilization in the Sierra Juarez, Oaxaca, Mexico: A history of exploitation and current management. Journal of Sustainable Forestry 15(1): 29-49
https://www.haworthpress.com/store/ArticleAbstract.asp?sid=2D9P95LKBL4G9PXVW0VUQWFEH9W108DA&ID=9046

Ganz, D. and P.F. Moore. 2002. Living with Fire In: Communities in Flames Proceedings of 1st International Conference on Community Involvement in Fire Management (Moore, P., Ganz, D., Tan, L.C., Enters, T, & Durst, P. eds.), FAO RAP Publication 2002/25, 133 p.

Moore, P.F., Ganz, D., Tan L.C., Enters, T. and Durst, P.B. 2002. Communities in Flames: Proceedings of an international conference on community involvement in fire management. FAO & Project FireFight South East Asia, RAP Publication 2002/25. Pp 133.

Makarabhirom, P., Ganz, D.J. and Onprom, S.P.. 2002. Community involvement in fire management: Cases and recommendations for community-based fire management in Thailand In: Communities in Flames Proceedings of 1st International Conference on Community Involvement in Fire Management (Moore, P., Ganz, D., Tan, L.C., Enters, T, & Durst, P. eds.), FAO RAP Publication 2002/25, 133 p.

Ganz, D.J., Saah, D.S., Barber, K.. and M. Nechodom. 2007. Fire Behavior Modeling to Assess Net Benefits of Forest Treatments on Fire Hazard Mitigation and Bioenergy Production in Northeastern California, in Proceedings of The Fire Environment; Innovations, Management and Policy. USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station. Proceedings RMRS-P-46CD, Destin, Florida. March 25-30, 2007.

Ganz, D.J., Saah, D.S., Wilson, M.A. and A.Troy. 2007. Assessment of the Efficacy of the California Bureau of Land Management Community Assistance and Hazardous Fuels Programs, in Proceedings of The Fire Environment; Innovations, Management and Policy. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. Proceedings RMRS-P-46CD, Destin, Florida. March 25-30, 2007.

Ganz, D. J. 2005. Assessment of the Efficacy of the California Bureau of Land Management Community Assistance and Hazardous Fuels Programs In:1st Fire Behavior and Fuels Conference Fuels Management--How to Measure Success. International Association of Wildland Fire.

Ganz, D. Fisher, R.J. and P.F. Moore. 2003. Further Defining Community-Based Fire Management: Critical Elements and Rapid Appraisal Tools. In: Proceedings of the 3rd International Wildland Fire Conference, Sydney, Australia. October 3-6, 2003.

Ganz, D. J.. 2002. Communities in Flames: A Summary of the International Conference in Proceedings of the California’s 2001 Wildfire Conference (editors, Blonksi, K.S., M.E. Morales, and T.J. Morales): Ten Years After the East Bay Hills Fire; October 10-12, 2001; Oakland California. Technical Report 35.01.462. Richmond CA: University of California Forest Products Laboratory.

Ganz, D. J., Dahlsten, D. and Stephens, S. 2001. The Postburning Response of Bark Beetles: Guidelines for Estimating Tree Survival and The Implications for Stand Management. Proceedings of Joint Bushfire/FRFRANZ Conference 2001: July 3-6, 2001, Christ church, New Zealand New Zealand Forest Research Institute Limited, Rotorua, New Zealand.

Ganz, D. J.. 2001. Results of Regional Workshop on Community Based Fire Management in South East Asia. Proceedings of Joint Bushfire/FRFRANZ Conference 2001: July 3-6, 2001, Christ church, New Zealand. New Zealand Forest Research Institute Limited, Rotorua, New Zealand.

Ganz, D. J.. 2001. Barefoot Silviculture in Oaxaca, Mexico: Adaptation of Standard Silvicultural Systems for NTFP and Integration of Indigenous Knowledge, in Proceedings of the Joint FAO/ECE/ILO Committee on Forest Technology, Management and Training’s Seminar on Harvesting of Non-Wood Forest Products, 2-8 October 2000, Menemen, Izmir, Turkey. Ministry of Forestry of Turkey Publication, Ankara, Turkey.

Ganz, D. J.. 2000. Community Based Fire Management in Asia; Lessons Learned and Implications. Proceedings of Fire Conference 2000: The First National Congress on Fire Ecology, Prevention and Management; November 27th -December 1, 2000. San Diego, California

Ganz, D. J.. 1995. Soil Compaction and the Potential for Site Degradation. in Proceedings CONFOR'95, University of Toronto, November 14-15, 1995. Toronto, Canada.