Snowpack in the West is facing a historic drought, and new research from the University of Washington shows that forest thinning with modern tools cannot only reduce wildfire risk, but it can also increase the snowpack in winter by up to 30%. The researchers suggest this could help recover lost water and safeguard future water supply.

Forest thinning involves shredding and mulching small trees, shrubs and brush — vegetation that is least resistant to fire. Creating more gaps between trees opens up sections of the forest floor that are shaded by the remaining forest. Snow that’s on shaded ground faces less sun exposure, preserving snowpack more efficiently than when the snow is caught by trees.

Cassie Lumbrazo, a research scientist at the University of Washington and the University of Alaska Southeast, joins us to explain the wide range of benefits these thinning methods can have on forest ecosystems and the impact these findings could have during a record-low year for snowpack in our region.

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News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2026/03/05/think-out-loud-universtiy-washington-forest/