The Forest Resource Index for Decisions in Adaptation (FRIDA) is a library of climate adaptation support tools for forest stewardship in the Southwest. Please submit suggestions and comments about this tool here.
As the climate becomes hotter and drier in the Southwest United States, forests are experiencing more drought, wildfires, and pest pressure. Forested ecosystems provide essential services such as providing habitat, clean water, and economic and cultural benefits. Forest managers rely on resources and decision-support tools to help forests adapt to a changing climate. However, forest tools and resources are often created with limited coordination. This lack of coordination, along with the sheer number of resources available, leads to an inability on the part of decision-makers to assess options and choose the most appropriate action for their specific objectives. In response to this challenge and in collaboration with the South Central and Southwest Climate Adaptation Science Centers (CASCs), the USDA Southwest Climate Hub has developed the Forest Resource Index for Decisions in Adaptation or FRIDA. FRIDA is an online library of decision-support tools and resources to help support climate change adaptation decision-making and forest stewardship in the Southwest. FRIDA allows managers and decision-makers to easily query based on their objectives and area(s) of interest. Users can filter resources by topic, region/state, resource platform, and vegetation type to efficiently find the most relevant region-specific tools and resources to best fit their needs.
There are a few ways to search for resources using FRIDA. You can use the search box at the top of the page to search for specific keywords or topics. You can also use the filters to further narrow your search. Use the Topic filter to select one or more topic(s). Use the Region filter to select specific region(s) or state(s). Use the Platform filter to select which resource type you'd like to choose. Use the Vegetation Type filter to select specific ecosystem type(s). As you select filters, the resources that show up at the bottom of the page will become more specific to your search. Click the Clear Filters button to remove previously selected filters and expand your search again. Once you select a resource, a window will open with the resource's information including the title, platform type(s), keywords, topic(s), vegetation type(s), region/state(s), author(s)/principal investigator(s), citation, weblink and description.