Grow Back Better explores how people, forests, and communities recover after wildfire. Focusing on nonindustrial private forestlands affected by Oregon's 2020 Lab Day Fires, the project examines the social, ecological, and organizational factors that shape recovery decisions and outcomes. 

Through qualitative research with landowners and recovery organizations in three western Oregon watersheds affected by wildfire, this project investigates what resources and support systems help recovery efforts succeed, how to support landowner decisions about reforestation, and how recovery programs can better meet community needs. The project's findings will inform future approaches to post-fire recovery, supporting long-term resilience for forests and the communities that depend on them.