Fernow Experimental Forest

Fernow EF

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Related Websites

• Ecological and Economic Sustainability of the Appalachian Forest in an Era of Globalization
• Experimental Forests & Ranges Network
• Forest Service Research & Development 

Additional Information

• Review the Fernow Experimental Forest Environmental Impact Statement
• Take a virtual tour of the Fernow EF

• View the Fernow Experimental Forest information brochure Download a printable version of the brochure

The forests of the central Appalachian Mountains are an important resource to the millions of people who live in and around the area, as well as to the region’s many visitors. These mixed hardwood forests cover about 78 percent of West Virginia, and timber production from them is critical to the regional economy.  However, these forests are equally important for providing clean water, biodiversity, and other benefits that contribute to forest resiliency.  

In 2014, we are celebrating the 80th anniversary of the Fernow Experimental Forest, which was established on March 28, 1934, to address water quantity, water quality, and timber quality issues. Today, forest health and clean water are still a focus, but data from the Fernow Experimental Forest are also contributing to research of issues that had not been identified 80 years ago, such as biodiversity, endangered species management, carbon sequestration, atmospheric deposition, and climate change.   

To meet current and future demands placed on these ecosystems, scientists at the Fernow Experimental Forest are developing information and techniques for sustainably managing hardwood forests in the central Appalachians. The Fernow Experimental Forest was the first monitoring site in a national network to study acid deposition on forest health.

Scientists at the Fernow Experimental Forest have  

• Contributed to design of Best Management Practices that protect water quality while also permitting forest operations.
• Developed two-age management as an alternative to clearcutting and provided demonstrations of different types of forest management, such as even-age and uneven-age management.  
• Explored prescribed fire as a means to sustain central Appalachian mixed-oak forests and better understand fire effects on some wildlife species.  
• Answered transcontinental questions about ecosystem properties related to climate change as part of the national experimental forest network. 
• Contributed to the Central Appalachian Forest Vulnerability assessment in light of anticipated global changes in climate over the next century.
• Hosted scientists and students from around the world, throughout the U.S., and from local universities.  
• Provided hydrological and stream chemistry data for the past half-century that are freely available on the internet and are one of the most commonly downloaded Forest Service data sets nationally.
• Demonstrated that the upland woodland salamander community is resilient to low to moderate intensity prescribed fires.
• Contributed to demonstrating that the central Appalachian Mountains provide important winter habitat for golden eagles.

Some links on this page point to files in portable document format (pdf) - You may download a free pdf reader from Adobe.

For further details log on website :
https://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/ef/locations/wv/fernow/