Development and Coordination of Monitoring Programs in Foreign Countries

Research Issue

Foreign countries have inventory and monitoring needs similar to those in the United States. Due to lack of expertise, political changes that lead to a lack of continuity in forestry staff, or lack of funding, many countries do not have a national forest inventory. Sound, scientifically defensible monitoring programs that provide results that are compatible with those of other countries are needed for both national and global forest resource assessments.

Our Research

National Inventory and Monitoring Applications Center (NIMAC) is working with the Honduran Forest Service and the Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Forestales (National Forestry School) to develop a monitoring effort in Honduran forests. As part of this work, NIMAC is collaboratively developing a monitoring design tool, a data collection tool, and a database and reporting tool that not only Honduras, but also other Spanish speaking countries, will be able to use. 

NIMAC has participated in several planning meetings with Russian forestry officials in order to help establish a Russian national forest inventory. Although Russia has been inventorying their managed stands for over 75 years, they have never assessed all their forests, which comprise a quarter of the world’s forests.  The Russian Forest Service continues to seek input and review comments as they develop their national forest inventory.

Expected Outcomes 

The inventory and the tool being developed for the Honduras project will help this country address international obligations to monitor forest health and condition indicators, provide a credible, scientific foundation for making management decisions for sustainable forestry, contribute to the rural and national economy through wise use of their forests, and contribute to the body of institutional knowledge in the international forest monitoring community. This program could serve as a model for other Latin American nations interested in conducting national forest inventories. The establishment of the Russian forest inventory will be a vital first step in characterizing large areas of forest that have previously not been inventoried and aid in international reporting. NIMAC’s work with Russia and other countries not only helps the Forest Service meets its international technology transfer obligations, but allows us to accumulate knowledge that can be used to improve our own inventory and management methods.

Research Participants 

Principal Investigator

• Charles T. Scott, USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station NIMAC Program Manager

Research Partners

• Ron McRoberts, USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station Forest Inventory and Analysis Mathematical Statistician
• Lara Peterson, Forest Service International Programs
• Asdrubal Calderon, Honduran Forestry Science School

For further details log on website :
https://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/inventory_monitoring/inventory/nimac_international/

National Forest System Monitoring Coordination and Techniques Development

Research Issue

The National Forest System (NFS) of the US Forest Service manages more than 192 million acres of land. In the past, forest monitoring was conducted with less emphasis on standardized procedures and measuring accountability for meeting national management goals. In recent years, however, efforts have been made to measure the effects of management policies in a standardized way. As the Forest Service begins to implement these policies, new techniques and tools are needed to meet agency requirements. 

Our Research

National Inventory and Monitoring Applications Center (NIMAC) staff is on several teams that advise NFS managers on how to implement scientifically defensible forest-level monitoring plans. For example, in the Allegheny National Forest, NIMAC and NFS monitoring personnel are working on developing comprehensive reports of various forest health metrics. On the Mark Twain National Forest, NIMAC helped plan a pilot study of a comprehensive monitoring protocol that addresses local monitoring needs and meets national standards.  As a result, the Mark Twain now funds FIA to intensify its sample on the Forest.  A design tool was developed as part of the pilot and applied to several forests in Forest Service Regions 8 and 9.  NIMAC has also helped the Spring Mountain National Recreation Area (Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest) in Nevada design an eightfold intensification that focuses on plant and animal species of concern.  NIMAC has guided them through a decision process that has led to the establishment of monitoring priorities and an assessment of existing data, data gaps, and need for intensification.

Expected Outcomes 

As the NFS begins to adopt standardized, science-based monitoring procedures, its managers will be able to apply adaptive management to the forest resource on NFS lands. Furthermore, adopting the decision process and the monitoring framework that NIMAC has helped develop will help them use the existing data and collect more data in a more efficient and effective way.

Morin, R.S., Westfall, J., White, R. and others. In preparation. Forest Health Conditions on the Allegheny National Forest. 

Research Participants 

Principal Investigators

• Charles T. Scott, US Forest Service, Northern Research Station NIMAC Program Manager
• Randall S. Morin, US Forest Servic Research, Northern Research Station Research Forester
• James Westfall, US Forest Service Research, Northern Research Station Research Forester

Research Partners

• David Meriwether, Forest Service Region 8
• David Shadis, Forest Service Region 9
• Robert White, Allegheny National Forest
• Michael Schanta, Mark Twain National Forest

For further details log on website :
https://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/inventory_monitoring/techniques/nimac_national/

Monitoring Studies Conducted with State Clients

Research Issue

State forestry agencies often have non-traditional monitoring needs that FIA does not address. For example, National Inventory and Monitoring Applications Center (NIMAC) clients might be interested in having precise estimates of forest attributes on the forestland that they manage, like State forests, or having detailed information on trees outside of forests (FIA only collects tree information on forested plots). 

Our Research

In order to address these needs, NIMAC works with state agencies in Wisconsin, Indiana, Maryland, and four Great Plains States (North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Kansas). 

In Wisconsin, NIMAC teamed with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) to develop a forest inventory program that is allowing them to ensure the sustainability of their forests, focusing on forest certification and invasive plants.  They now collect, analyze and publish data on an annual basis for each Wisconsin state forest individually and as a group (total of approximately 500,000 acres).  One sample plot is measured for every 160 ac.  The information is being used to track the status of and trends in forest extent, tree growth, mortality, harvest, invasive plants, wildlife habitat, and overall health. 

In Indiana, NIMAC and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (INDNR) conducted a needs assessment and designed a sampling methodology to characterize and monitor forests on state-owned land. Results will be produced annually and new plots will be established as new land is acquired by the State.  One sample plot is measured for every 40 ac across the 150,000 ac of State Forest land.  Whole compartments are sampled within a year and all compartments will be measured within 5 years, at which time remeasurement will begin.

In Maryland, NIMAC works with the Maryland Forest Service on a joint research project that involves investigating ways to summarize inventory plot data and attach the information to maps of stands derived from image segmentation. The utility of stand maps is being assessed, and the method might be expanded to all of the MD Forest Service land holdings. 

State forestry agencies in the Plains States (ND, SD, NE, and KS) are concerned about the spread of an exotic pest, the Emerald Ash Borer, and its potential effects on the ash resource. In addition, they have little information on the tree resource in nonforest areas that contain trees. In order to address these needs, NIMAC has worked with state partners to plan, design, construct, and implement an inventory of these areas. At least 300 plots will be measured in each state using a 3 phase design involving satellite imagery, aerial photography, and ground sampling.

Expected Outcomes 

The common thread that unites these state-level efforts is the desire of resource managers to better understand the forests on state-owned properties, and to be able to monitor changes in order to make better management decisions. By supplementing the information provided by Forest Inventory and Analysis, NIMAC will provide more precise estimates of forest attributes in these areas, and be able to provide additional information that FIA can’t provide. By doing so, we not only provide valuable information to the state, but we add value to the FIA analytical products.

Research Results

Lister, A.J. and C.T. Scott. 2008. Planning, Designing and Conducting an Inventory of the Tree Resource in Nonforest Areas in Four Great Plains States. In preparation.

Lister, A.J., Kahler, H., Clark, A., Zumbrun, F., and J. Perdue. 2008 (In press). Imputing forest inventory data to stands formed by image segmentation in Maryland's Green Ridge State Forest. Proceedings of the 6th Southern Forestry and Natural Resources GIS Conference, March 24-26, 2008, Orlando, Florida.

Research Participants 

Principal Investigators

Work in WI and IN:

• James Westfall, US Forest Service Research, Northern Research Station Research Forester

Work in MD:

• Andrew Lister, US Forest Service, Northern Research Station Research Forester

Work in ND, SD, NE and KS:

• Charles T. Scott US Forest Service, Northern Research Station NIMAC Program Manager
• Andrew Lister, US Forest Service, Northern Research Station Research Forester

Research Partners

• Work in ND, SD, NE and KS: David Nowak, US Forest Service- Northern Research Station Project Leader
• Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry
• Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry
• Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Forest Service
• North Dakota Forest Service
• South Dakota Department of Agriculture Resource Conservation and Forestry
• Nebraska Forest Service
• Kansas Forest Service

For further details log on website :
https://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/inventory_monitoring/inventory/nimac_state/

Experimental Forests

Experimental Forests

Research Issue

The complexity of forest ecosystems and their interactions requires reference sites for understanding systems and how they change.  

Our Research

The number of stressors that impact today’s forests is ever-increasing and the resilience of forest ecosystems is untested.  Without sound research to evaluate the silvicultural, hydrologic, and ecological responses; forest management will be uninformed.  Experimental Forests provide the opportunity to study these relationships and many other aspects, such as wildlife, natural system development, and restoration.  The station currently houses 20 Experimental Forests across the region. More on Northern Reserach Station Experimental Forests. 

Expected Outcomes

The research results from Experimental Forests typically provide critical information that is relevant for large forest biomes, such as the Allegheny Plateau of Pennsylvania.  The long-term nature of Experimental Forest studies are invaluable because they are part of a larger network of Forests that meshes to offer region-wide coverage.  Forest management is kept up to date as findings and issues continue to evolve.

Research Results

Lugo, A. E., F.J. Swanson, O.R. González, M.B. Adams, B. Palik, R.E. Thill, D.G. Brockway, C. Kern, R. Woodsmith, R. Musselman.  2006.  Long Term Research at the USDA Forest Service's Experimental Forests and Ranges.  BioScience 56(1):39-48 

  

Research Participants

Principal Investigator

Mary Beth Adams, USDA-Forest Service-NRS Research Forester

Research Partners

Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Forest Service
Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Forestry
Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Forestry
West Virginia Division of Forestry

For further details log on website :
https://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/inventory_monitoring/monitoring_assessment/experimental_forests/

Map Atlas

Map Atlas 

Research Issue

Knowing the extent of the forest resource is simply not enough. Modern forest science and management requires spatially explicit monitoring results.

Our Research

Modern decisions require accurate information on the location of particular forest resources.  When combined with other geo-spatial data, the forest inventory data become a tremendous source of contextual information.  For example, overlaying a map of an oak forest cover type with maps depicting the location of gypsy moth outbreaks, of population densities and land-use changes, and any other variables of interest, will provide a complete picture of the many factors affecting our landscape.  Analyzing these kinds of data allow significant value-added products that improve our ability to monitor and shape future forests.

Expected Impact

The ability to view forest resource information in a spatial format has expanded the scientific community’s ability to forge new analyses that address contemporary issues.  This in turn allows policy-makers and managers to make highly informed decisions.

Research Results

Hoppus, M.L. and A.J. Lister.  2005.  Measuring Forest Area Loss Over Time Using FIA Plots and Satellite Imagery  In: McRoberts, Ronald E.; Reams, Gregory A.; Van Deusen, Paul C.; McWilliams, William H.; Cieszewski, Chris J., eds. Proceedings of the fourth annual forest inventory and analysis symposium; Gen. Tech. Rep. NC-252. St. Paul, MN: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, North Central Research Station. 91-97 

Research Participants

Principal Investigator

• Barry "Ty" Wilson, US Forest Service Northern Research Station Research Forester
• Charles H. "Hobie" Perry, US Forest Service Northern Research Station Research Soil Scientist 

Research Partners

• Andrew Lister, US Forest Service Northern Research Station Research Forester
• Rachel Riemann, US Forest Service Northern Research Station Research Forester/Geographer
• Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, Forestry
• Delaware Department of Agriculture, Forestry
• Illinois Division of Forest Resources
• Indiana Division of Forestry
• Iowa Department of Natural Resources – Forestry Division
• Kansas Forest Service
• Maine Department of Conservation, Forest Service
• Massachusetts Department of Conservation, Forestry
• Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Forest Service
• Michigan Department of Natural Resources 
• Minnesota Department of Natural Resource, Division of Forestry
• Missouri Department of Conservation
• Nebraska Forest Service
• New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Parks and Forestry
• New Hampshire Division of Forests and Lands
• New York Division of Land and Forests
• North Dakota Forest Service
• Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Forestry
• Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Forestry
• Rhode Island Division of Forest Environment
• South Dakota Division of Resource Conservation and Forestry
• Vermont Division of Forestry, Parks, and Recreation
• Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Forestry Program
• West Virginia Division of Forestry

For further details log on website :
https://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/inventory_monitoring/monitoring_assessment/map_atlas/

Reporting and Assessment

Research Issue

Accurate, timely, and relevant reports on our forest resources are needed to provide information for industry, states, regions, and the nation.

Our Research

In the past, forest inventory reporting has varied between years and geographic regions as changes have been made to the inventory system.   A national system of annual inventory offers significant improvements.  The Northern Forest Inventory and Analysis Unit works collaboratively with station scientists and other colleagues to supply faster, more cost efficient, and higher quality forest resource information.  A process for annual, 5-year, and National Forest System reporting has been implemented.  This inventory now covers all ownerships, including federal, state, local, corporate, and private forest land.

Expected Outcomes 

Improvements in the dissemination of monitoring and assessment findings affect the quality and timeliness of decisions about the landscape in general, and forested ecosystems in particular.  The on-line access to annual results, 5-year reports, geo-spatial products, techniques documentation, definitions, and related information is a fundamental improvement over past approaches.

Research Results

Moser, K.W., M.W. Hansen, S. J. Crocker, C. H. Perry, B. Schulz, C.W. Woodall, L.M. Nagel, M. Manfred.  After the blowdown: a resource assessment of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, 1999-2003.  Gen. Tech. Rep. NRS-7. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station. 54 p. 

McWilliams, W.H., S.P. Cassell, C.L. Alerich, B.J. Butler, M.L. Hoppus, S.B. Horsely., A.J. Lister, T.W. Lister, R.S. Morin, C.H. Perry, J.A. Westfall, E.H. Wharton, C.W. Woodall.  2007.  Pennsylvania’s forest, 2004.  Resource Bulletin NRS-20.  Newtown Square, PA:  USDA, Forest Service, Northern Research Station. 

C.W. Woodall, J. Gallion.  Indiana's forest resources, 2006.  Res. Note. NRS-1. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station. 4 p.

Smith, W. B., P.D. Miles, J.S. Vissage, and S.A. Pugh.  2007.  Forest Resources of the United States, 2002.  General Technical Report NC-241. St. Paul, MN: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Forest Service, North Central Research Station 

Research Participants

Principal Investigator

Will McWilliams, USDA-Forest Service-NRS Research Forester

Research Partners

USDA Forest Service, National Forest System
USDA Forest Service, Forest Inventory and Analysis, Washington Office
Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, Forestry
Delaware Department of Agriculture, Forestry
Illinois Division of Forest Resources
Indiana Division of Forestry
Iowa Department of Natural Resources – Forestry Division
Kansas Forest Service
Maine Department of Conservation, Forest Service
Massachusetts Department of Conservation, Forestry
Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Forest Service
Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Minnesota Department of Natural Resource, Division of Forestry
Missouri Department of Conservation
Nebraska Forest Service
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Parks and Forestry
New Hampshire Division of Forests and Lands
New York Division of Land and Forests
North Dakota Forest Service
Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Forestry
Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Forestry
Rhode Island Division of Forest Environment
South Dakota Division of Resource Conservation and Forestry
Vermont Division of Forestry, Parks, and Recreation
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Forestry Program
West Virginia Division of Forestry

For further details log on website :
https://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/inventory_monitoring/monitoring_assessment/reporting_assessment/

Clean Air and Water

Forest Carbon Accounting and Research - National Greenhouse Gas Inventories 

Research Issue

The climate system of the Earth interacts with the global carbon cycle.  Increasing greenhouse gases (GHGs), such as carbon dioxide, in the atmosphere are related to increasing temperatures. The global carbon cycle is not well-understood:  increasing measured concentrations of GHGs do not match increases expected from anthropogenic and other known emissions.  Accurate estimates of GHG emissions and sequestration of carbon are fundamental to aid scientific understanding and to inform policymakers about how net emissions can be reduced.  All land—forests, grasslands, croplands, wetlands, settlements, and all other—management, change, and land use change affect atmospheric chemistry.  Land use change and forests are important activities not only because of the magnitude of possible emissions but also because forests sequester carbon. 

Our Research

Our research has three main goals: to develop or adopt scientific methodologies to conduct forest-related greenhouse gas inventories for the United States and territories which are accurate, precise, well-documented, and consistent at the county, state, regional, and national-levels; to provide the official forest national greenhouse gas inventories for the US annually; and to develop or assist with development of tools for estimating forest carbon changes from USDA Forest Service, Forest Inventory & Analysis data.  Estimates include both an indication of the mean and uncertainties of land areas and sequestration and emissions.  Ideally, the estimates should tie back to a particular land base, and be consistent with timber volume statistics.  All ecosystem pools are of interest: soil--including mineral or organic, litter or forest floor, down dead wood, standing dead trees, woody shrubs and understory, live trees both above- and below-ground; and emissions from wildfires and other disturbances, as well as carbon in harvested wood and subsequent products and wood burned for energy.  Although accurate information is needed for scientific purposes, this information must be precise and stand up to scrutiny by those who want to participate in the emerging markets of forest carbon credits. 

Expected Outcomes

• Scientific methodologies to estimate greenhouse gas inventories using a combination of data, remote sensing, and models.
• Historic, current, and projected greenhouse gas inventories of carbon stocks and changes at various geographic levels such as county, state and the national-level, as well as other greenhouse gases and uncertainties for forests in the US and territories accepted by the scientific community, policymakers, and planners.
• Benchmark estimates of forest carbon stocks and rates of change regionally and across the landscape accepted by scientists, land managers, and the marketplace.
• Tools to assist users in calculating sequestration and emissions.

Research Results

Carbon tools are available at https://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/carbon/tools/

Research is used by...

King, A.W.; Dilling, L.; Zimmerman, G.P.; Fairman, D.M.; Houghton, R.A.; Marland, G.; Rose, A.Z.; Wilbanks, T.J., eds. The First State of the Carbon Cycle Report (SOCCR): The North American Carbon Budget and Implications for the Global Carbon Cycle. US Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Climatic Data Center, Asheville, NC. 

USDA Forest Service, Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry.  2007. In: Carpenter, C.A., editor. Forest Sustainability Assessment for the Northern United States. NA-TP-01-07CD, Newtown Square PA. 

US Environmental Protection Agency.  2008 (and previous years) Inventory of US Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2006. Download a short summary of these estimates.   

US Department of Energy. 2006. Methods for Calculating Forest Ecosystem and Harvested Carbon with Standard Estimates for Forest Types of the United States.  P. 2-227: Section 1, Part I Forestry Appendix to Chapter 1, Emission Inventory Guidelines,  Technical Guidelines for Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gas Program.  

Some links above point to documents in PDF format. You may obtain a free PDF reader from Adobe.

 

Research Participants

Co-Principal Investigators

• Linda S. Heath, US Forest Service Northern Research Station, Research Forester
• James E. Smith, US Forest Service Northern Research Station, Plant Physiology/Modeling

Some Important Colleagues

• Kenneth E. Skog, US Forest Service Forest Products Laboratory 
• Stephen Ogle, Colorado State University
• Charles Perry, US Forest Service Northern Research Station, Research Soil Scientist
• Christopher Woodall, US Forest Service Northern Research Station, Research Forester
• Patrick Miles, US Forest Service Northern Research Station, Research Forester
• Barry ‘Ty’ Wilson, US Forest Service Northern Research Station Research Forester
• Will McWilliams, US Forest Service Northern Research Station Research Forester
• Daolan Zheng, University of New Hampshire
• Mark J. Ducey, University of New Hampshire
• Coeli M. Hoover, US Forest Service Northern Research Station Research Ecologist 
• Paul Van Deusen, National Council of Air and Stream Improvement, Inc
• Reid Miner, National Council of Air and Stream Improvement, Inc.
• Michael Nichols, US Forest Service Northern Research Station Computer Systems Analyst

For further details log on website :
https://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/clean_air_water/monitoring_carbon/nghgi/

Impacts of Disturbances and Climate on Carbon Sequestration and Biofuels

Research Issue

Currently, U.S. forests and forest products offset about 20% of the nation’s fossil fuel emissions. However, recent findings cast doubt on the sustainability of this offset. First, the strength of the U.S. forest carbon offset may be weakening due to forest ageing, climate variability, and increasing natural disturbances. Second, climate change is expected to further increase frequencies of insect outbreaks and wildfire, and alter species composition in forest ecosystems, consequently influencing forest carbon pools in a significant way.  These current and projected forest carbon cycle dynamics need to be considered in strategic forest planning and management decisions in coming decades if the nation’s forests are to provide stable or even increasing ecosystem services.

Our Research

We will provide high resolution continental maps of annually estimated forestland-atmosphere carbon exchange and other variables (i.e. biofuel product), and use a disturbance-driven ecosystem process model combined with age-climate related growth and mortality equations to project changes in carbon stocks under scenarios of future climate and disturbances. Data from FIA and ecosystem studies will be used to develop a forest age map and a net primary production (NPP) map of 2006 as “knowledge” to validate model simulations using historical climate, disturbances and atmospheric data. Through this work, we will take advantage of the combined power of FIA data and process knowledge from ecosystem studies, to achieve better accuracy and detection of carbon changes and causes of changes in the US forests, and provide the best available knowledge for managing forest C at regional and national scales.  

Expected Outcomes

The U.S. urgently needs a comprehensive forest management strategy that is based on the best available knowledge to sustain or increase forest benefits including the offset to fossil fuel emissions. The Chief of the Forest Service has called for a national effort to increase carbon sequestration, increase use of biofuels, and address threats to U.S. forests.  This research develops the scientific basis for evaluating the effects of climate change and disturbances on the forest carbon cycle, and provides basic information for analysis of tactical management alternatives at the scale of National Forests or States.

Research Results

We will provide the following specific data and products including: 1) the continental forest age and disturbance maps to characterize forest disturbance and regrowth effects; 2) age-climate related growth and mortality equations of major forest types within eco-regions; 3) inventory-based reference map of NPP served to constrain model predictions and as the “start point” for assessing future forest carbon changes, and 4) a unique disturbance-driven ecosystem process model, statistically parameterized by FIA data.

Zhang, F; Chen, JM; Pan, Y; Birdsey, RA; Shen, S; Ju, W; Dugan, AJ. 2015. Impacts of inadequate historical disturbance data in the early 20th century on modeling recent carbon dynamics (1951-2010) in conterminous US forests. JGR-Biogeosciences 120(3): 549-569. 

Birdsey, R; Pan, Y; Janowiak, M; Stewart, S; Hines, S; Parker, L; Gower, S; Lichstein, J; McCullough, K; Zhang, F; Chen, J; Mladenoff, D; Wayson, C; Swanston, C. 2014. Past and prospective carbon stocks in forests of northern Wisconsin: a report from the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest Climate Change Response Framework. Gen. Tech. Rep. NRS-127. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station. 52 p. 

Deng, F.; Chen, J.M.; Pan, Y.; Peters, W.; Birdsey, R.; McCullough, K.; Xiao, J. 2013. The use of forest stand age information in an atmospheric CO2 inversion applied to North America. Biogeosciences. 10(8): 5335-5348.

Dilling, L; Birdsey, R; Pan, Y. 2013. Opportunities and challenges for carbon management on U.S. public lands. Chapter 18. In: Brown DG, Robinson DT, French NHF, Reed BC (eds). Land use and the Carbon Cycle: Advance in Integrated Science, management, and Policy. Cambridge University Press, New York, p455-454. 

He, L; Chen, JM; Pan, Y; Birdsey, R; Kattge, J. 2012. Relationships between net primary productivity and forest stand age in U.S. forests. Global Biogeochemical Cycles 26: GB3009, doi:10.1029.

Zhang, F; Chen, JM; Pan, Y; Birdsey, RA; Shen, S; Ju, W; He, L. 2012. Attributing carbon changes in conterminous U.S. forests to disturbance and non-disturbance factors from 1901 to 2010. J. Geophysical Research 117: G02021, doi:10.1029.

Pan, Y; Chen, JM; Birdsey, R; McCullough, K; He, L; Deng, F. 2011. Age structure and disturbance legacy of North American forests. Biogeosciences 8:715-732. 

He, L; Chen, JM; Zhang, S; Gomez, G; Pan, Y; McCullough, K; Birdsey, R. 2011. Normalized algorithm for mapping and dating forest disturbances and regrowth for the United States. International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation 13:236-245 

Pan, Y; Birdsey, R; Chen, J; McCullough, K. 2008. Forest Carbon Change of the United States in Response to Impact of Disturbances, Succession, Climate Variability and Atmospheric Chemistry. In: Proceedings of the International Conference of IUFRO-8.01.02 Landscape Ecology, p.136-137

Smith, Pete; Nabuurs, Gert-Jan; Janssens, Ivan A.; Reis, Stefan; Marland, Gregg; Soussana, Jean-François; Christensen, Torben R.; Heath, Linda; Apps, Mike; Alexeyev, Vlady; Fang, Jingyun; Gattuso, Jean-Pierre; Guerschman, Juan Pablo; Huang, Yao; Jobbagy, Esteban; Murdiyarso, Daniel; Ni, Jian; Nobre, Antonio; Peng, Changhui; Walcroft, Adrian; Wang, Shao Qiang; Pan, Yude; Zhou, Guang Sheng. 2008. Sectoral approaches to improve regional carbon budgets Climate Change 88: 209-249.

Pan Y, Birdsey R, Hom J, McCullough K. 2007. Modeling complex effects of multiple environmental stresses on carbon dynamics of Mid-Atlantic temperate forests. Book of Abstracts The U.S. North American Carbon Program (NACP) Investigators, p58-59. NACP All Scientists Meeting, January 22-24, Colorado Springs, CO.

Research Participants

Principal Investigators

• Yude Pan, Research Forester, US Forest Service Northern Research Station
• Richard Birdsey, Program Manager, US Forest Service Northern Research Station

Research Partners

• Jing Chen, University of Toronto

For further details log on website :
https://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/disturbance/climate_change/disturbance_carbon_biofuels/

Experimental Forests

Research Issue

The complexity of forest ecosystems and their interactions requires reference sites for understanding systems and how they change.  

Our Research

The number of stressors that impact today’s forests is ever-increasing and the resilience of forest ecosystems is untested.  Without sound research to evaluate the silvicultural, hydrologic, and ecological responses; forest management will be uninformed.  Experimental Forests provide the opportunity to study these relationships and many other aspects, such as wildlife, natural system development, and restoration.  The station currently houses 20 Experimental Forests across the region. More on Northern Reserach Station Experimental Forests. 

Expected Outcomes 

The research results from Experimental Forests typically provide critical information that is relevant for large forest biomes, such as the Allegheny Plateau of Pennsylvania.  The long-term nature of Experimental Forest studies are invaluable because they are part of a larger network of Forests that meshes to offer region-wide coverage.  Forest management is kept up to date as findings and issues continue to evolve.

Research Results

Lugo, A. E., F.J. Swanson, O.R. González, M.B. Adams, B. Palik, R.E. Thill, D.G. Brockway, C. Kern, R. Woodsmith, R. Musselman.  2006.  Long Term Research at the USDA Forest Service's Experimental Forests and Ranges.  BioScience 56(1):39-48 

  

Research Participants

Principal Investigator

Mary Beth Adams, USDA-Forest Service-NRS Research Forester

Research Partners

Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Forest Service
Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Forestry
Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Forestry
West Virginia Division of Forestry

For further details log on website :
https://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/inventory_monitoring/monitoring_assessment/experimental_forests/

Carbon

All aspects of forests and land management contain or affect carbon. Live trees (both aboveground and roots), standing dead trees (including roots), down dead wood, forest floor carbon, and soil contain carbon. Harvesting releases carbon, and, also transfers carbon in wood to products, landfills. Wood burned for energy in place of fossil fuels helps mitigate carbon in the atmosphere because it provides energy and then the trees regrow and take up the released carbon again. -Fires release carbon, and may also convert wood to charcoal, which keeps carbon captured for a long time. -Land use change and other disturbances also release carbon. -Even urban forests play a role in the carbon cycle either by sequestration by trees or by thoughtful placement around buildings for summer shading that reduces the need for cooling, resulting in decreased emissions. 

Many NRS scientists study an aspect of carbon in forests, in all themes. 

Major Carbon Science and Applications Studies

• National Greenhouse Gas Inventories for US Forests 
• Tools for Carbon Inventory, Management and Reporting

Climate Change Continuing Education Webinar Series

Spring Semester 2009

This webinar series will run from January - May and feature monthly presentations geared to help land managers, consulting foresters, and private forest landowners stay informed on the latest science and tech transfer tools related to forest-based adaptation and mitigation of climate change. Each webinar is an hour long, including Q & A, although there will be an optional additional 15 minute Q & A period. Each webinar counts as one hour of continuing education credit for certified foresters. 

Visit the Climate Change Continuing Education Webinar Series page.

Last Modified: 05/30/2013

For further details log on website :
https://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/carbon/