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Analysis of Forest Inventory Data Shows Disparity in Tree Mortality and Resistance in Texas National Forests J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2024-02-17 Nicholas P Dewez, Weimin Xi, Duston R Duffie, Mukti R Subedi, Tilak Chaudhary, Sandra Rideout-Hanzak, Ambrose O Anoruo, Thomas Estabrook
In 2011, the forestlands of Texas were affected by one of the most severe droughts in the state’s history, killing an estimated 65 million trees in the East Texas region. This study uses USDA Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis data and a standardized precipitation-evapotranspiration index to estimate major tree species responses to the 2011 drought in Texas’ four national forests. We used
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Herbicides Have Variable Effects on Understory Plant and Insect Communities in Southern United States Working Forests J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2024-02-10 Emma L Briggs, Daniel U Greene, David C Clabo, Kamal J K Gandhi
Working pine (Pinus spp.) forests in the southern United States rely on herbicides to remove competing vegetation and improve productivity. We conducted a review of the effects of herbicides on understory plants in southern working forests. We also discuss the impacts of herbicides on insect taxa associated with understory vegetation and its litter layer, including Coleoptera (carabid beetles), Hemiptera
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Estimating Recreation Use on the San Gorgonio Wilderness J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2024-01-30 George A. James, Hans T. Schreuder
A pilot test was successfully employed during the summer of 1969 to estimate recreation use of the San Gorgonio Wilderness in California's San Bernardino National Forest. A stratified random-sampling model was used. Self-registration stations were placed on all trails into the area. Wilderness users were personally interviewed on randomly selected days and trails to determine rate of registration.
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US Forest Service Experimental Forests and Ranges: An Untapped Resource for Social Science J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2024-01-30 Susan Charnley, Lee K. Cerveny
For a century, US Forest Service experimental forests and ranges (EFRs) have been a resource for scientists conducting long-term research relating to forestry and range management. Social science research has been limited, despite the history of occupation and current use of these sites for activities ranging from resource extraction and recreation to public education. This article encourages researchers
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Understanding Landowner Education Needs for Invasive Disease Prevention and Restoration Planting in Southern Oregon J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2024-01-19 Norma Kline, Tamara Cushing, Lauren Grand
Understanding the knowledge and behavior of nonindustrial private forest landowners towards Port-Orford cedar (POC) root disease (Phytophthora lateralis), sudden oak death (Phytophthora ramorum), and disease-resistant seedlings can help target effective education and outreach programs. We surveyed two counties in Southern Oregon to gain knowledge about these pathogens, disease-resistant seedlings,
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The USDA Forest Service’s Forest Inventory and Analysis Database and the National Register of Champion Trees — A Potentially Symbiotic Relationship J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2024-01-11 Francis A Roesch, Todd A Schroeder, Charles A Price
This article shows how probability sampling and citizen science efforts can complement each other, using the USDA Forest Service’s Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program and the ongoing search by the National Register of Champion Trees (NRCT) for the largest specimen of each naturally occurring tree species in the United States as an example. We develop a ratio statistic (Zs) that uses the difference
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Perceptions of Tree Diseases in Indigenous Communities: Native Alaskan and Hawaiian Insights J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2024-01-10 Kylle Roy, Susan J Frankel, Lauren E Oakes, Kainana S Francisco, Kekuhi Kealiʻikanakaʻoleohaililani, Rachael A Sitz, Emily S Huff, John Schelhas
Concern for tree mortality and damage, and preferences for management interventions, reflect people’s values and cultures. We examine perceptions of tree diseases in two Indigenous communities to provide examples of the types of distress and attitudes that arise when tree diseases significantly damage cultural values. Summaries of yellow-cedar decline as perceived by Tlingit and Haida Alaska Natives
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Characterizing Community Forests in the United States J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2024-01-04 Reem Hajjar, Kathleen McGinley, Susan Charnley, Gregory E Frey, Meredith Hovis, Frederick W Cubbage, John Schelhas, Kailey Kornhauser
Research on community forests (CFs), primarily governed and managed by local forest users in the United States, is limited, despite their growth in numbers over the past decade. We conducted a survey to inventory CFs in the United States and better understand their ownership and governance structures, management objectives, benefits, and financing. The ninety-eight CFs in our inventory are on private
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Direct Seeding for Conifer Regeneration in the Pacific Northwest: A Past, Present, and Future of Operational Practices J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-12-11 Rebecca Downer, Tiffani Manteuffel-Ross, Lydia Tymon, Matthew Aghai
United States Pacific Northwest (PNW) forests are important ecological, cultural, and recreational landscapes. Direct seeding to aid forest regeneration in the PNW region was developed to reduce reforestation costs and timelines. These practices were largely discontinued in the 1970s due to poor establishment resulting from issues of seed predation, a lack of targeting favorable site conditions, seed
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What Does it Mean to be a Silviculturist? J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-11-20 R Justin DeRose, James N Long, Kristen M Waring, Marcella A Windmuller-Campione, Andrew S Nelson, Mark R Nabel
Silviculture has been a dynamic discipline for over a century in North America. During that time, silviculture has been closely tied with dominant trends in society, from reforestation in the early nineteenth century to incorporating climate change, invasive species, and shifts in disturbance regimes during the twenty-first century, and the discipline continues to evolve. In this evolution, there have
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Enhancing Diversity in Undergraduate Degree Programs in Forestry and Related Natural Resources: a Brief Review of Critical Issues and Promising Actions J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-11-18 Steven H Bullard, T J Walker, Leslie Burger
Although forestry and related natural resources (FRNR) undergraduate degree programs in the United States have become increasingly diverse in recent years, women and minorities remain underrepresented in multiple disciplines; this is particularly true in forestry undergraduate programs. We reviewed over one hundred reports and publications to help understand the critical issues that must be addressed
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Black Family Forest Owners in the Southeastern United States: A Case Study in Six Counties J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-11-10 Amanda Robillard, Cassandra Johnson Gaither, John Schelhas, Brett J Butler
The USDA Forest Service, National Woodland Owner Survey asks family forest owners (FFOs) about their attitudes and intentions regarding their forestland. Historically, the number of responses from Black or African American FFOs has been very low, but it is uncertain whether this is because of nonresponse bias or that there are relatively few Black FFOs. To get a better understanding of these FFOs and
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Tree Condition and Analysis Program – Detecting Forest Disturbance at the Tree Level across the Contiguous United States with High Resolution Imagery J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-11-06 Sarah A Wegmueller, William B Monahan, Philip A Townsend
Effective management of forest insects and diseases requires detection of abnormal mortality, particularly among a single species, sufficiently early to enable effective management. Remote detection of individual trees crowns requires a spatial resolution not available from satellites such as Landsat or Sentinel-2. In the United States, there are currently few operational systems capable of effectively
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Emerging Signals of Change that Could Shape the Future of Forestry: a Horizon Scan J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-11-06 David N Bengston, Lynne M Westphal, Paul Adelson, Jason Crabtree, Michael J Dockry, Andy Hines, George H Kubik, Maria Romero, Zach Van Stanley, Nicole L Zimmerman
Foresight is essential for long-term planning and forward-looking decision-making in forestry, where planning horizons often span many decades. But generating foresight is challenging due to the increasing pace and complexity of change and growing uncertainty about the future. Most change that could affect or even disrupt forestry in the future originates outside of the field, such as social, technological
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The Fire Adapted Communities Pathways Tool: Facilitating Social Learning and a Science of Practice J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-10-04 Travis B Paveglio, Annie Schmidt, Michelle Medley-Daniel
Wildfire science, policy, and practice lack systematic means for “tailoring” fire adaptation practices to socially diverse human populations and in ways that aggregate existing lessons. This article outlines the development and initial operationalization of the Fire Adapted Communities Pathways Tool, an inductive set of processes that help facilitate dialogue about needs and priorities for wildfire
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Assessing Mid-rotation Loblolly Pine and Competing Vegetation Responses to Post-thin Fertilization and Herbicide Application in the Southeastern United States J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-08-28 John B Young, Bronson P Bullock, Cristian R Montes
Mid-rotation silvicultural treatments (MRT) are commonly applied to loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantations in the southeastern United States to improve pine productivity. Competing vegetation is often present in operational plantations and limits site resource availability. The benefits of MRT for pine productivity are well known, but competing vegetation growth has not been extensively studied
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Metrics and Considerations for Evaluating How Forest Treatments Alter Wildfire Behavior and Effects J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-08-16 Anthony G Vorster, Camille Stevens-Rumann, Nicholas Young, Brian Woodward, Christopher Tsz Hin Choi, Marin E Chambers, Antony S Cheng, Michael Caggiano, Courtney Schultz, Matthew Thompson, Michelle Greiner, Greg Aplet, Robert N Addington, Mike A Battaglia, Daniel Bowker, Ethan Bucholz, Brian Buma, Paul Evangelista, David Huffman, Stephanie Mueller, Charles Rhoades, William H Romme, Andrew J Sánchez
The influence of forest treatments on wildfire effects is challenging to interpret. This is, in part, because the impact forest treatments have on wildfire can be slight and variable across many factors. Effectiveness of a treatment also depends on the metric considered. We present and define human–fire interaction, fire behavior, and ecological metrics of forest treatment effects on wildfire and discuss
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Calculating a Land Carbon Accounting Factor in the United States: an Example and Implications J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-08-14 Stephen P Prisley, Edie Sonne Hall
Companies that produce and use wood for products and energy find it increasingly important to communicate the carbon balance and potential climate effects of these activities. Computing forest carbon stocks and stock changes, and emissions from operations, are often part of institutional reporting for environmental, social, and governance purposes. This article describes an example methodology to assess
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Relative Density as a Standardizing Metric for the Development of Size-Density Management Charts J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-07-21 David Ray, Robert Seymour, Shawn Fraver, John-Pascal Berrill, Laura Kenefic, Nicole Rogers, Aaron Weiskittel
Stand density management is central to achieving diverse silvicultural objectives. Decision-support tools in this domain range from expert opinion to sophisticated computer models that vary by forest type, region, and organization. The graphical frameworks represented by density management diagrams (DMDs) and stocking guides (SGs), collectively called size-density management charts (SDMCs), are well
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A Qualitative Assessment to Inform Strategic Improvement of Research and Development within the USDA Forest Service J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-07-15 S Michelle Greiner, Courtney Schultz, Nathaniel Anderson
Past reviews of the USDA Forest Service (USFS) Research and Development (R&D) branch have identified several persistent challenges, including unclear strategic direction and a need for greater communication with end users. We conducted research focused on the Rocky Mountain Research Station (RMRS) of R&D to understand current perceptions about the station’s efficacy and strategic direction as well
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Institutions That Influence Cross-Boundary Forest Management: Four Cases of Shared Stewardship in Practice J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-07-06 Tyler Aldworth, Courtney Schultz
The USDA Forest Service’s 2018 Shared Stewardship Strategy emphasizes the need to coordinate work with actors across boundaries to increase the pace and scale of land management, particularly as it relates to forest restoration and wildfire mitigation. We researched how the Strategy was being implemented at the project level by conducting forty-four interviews with individuals closely involved with
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Forest Biomass Feedstock Availability and Economic Contribution of Biopower Facilities in the Lake States Region J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-07-03 Raju Pokharel, Jagdish Poudel, Ram Dahal, Shivan GC
The Lake States (MI, MN, WI) region holds 54.8 million acres of forest and offers the potential to meet the increasing demand for sustainable energy through forest biomass. The objective of this study is to estimate the annual availability of biomass, after considering the sustainability threshold, for a wood price and its economic impact in the Lake States region. This study identified twenty-seven
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Documenting Twenty Years of the Contracted Labor-Intensive Forestry Workforce on National Forest System Lands in the United States J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-06-28 Alison Deak, Heidi Huber-Stearns, Mindy Crandall, Kamana Poudel, Emily Jane Davis, Michael R Coughlan, Carl Wilmsen
This paper presents the first nationwide analysis detailing the scope and scale of labor-intensive forestry contracts performed on National Forest System lands and examines the businesses contracted, location and types of work performed, and distance traveled by businesses between 2001 and 2020. During the study period, 61,698 contracts were awarded to 7,896 businesses, totaling $12.9 million, to perform
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Forest Disturbances and Nonindustrial Forest Landowners: Management of Invasive Plants, Fire Hazards and Wildlife Habitats After a Hurricane J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-06-26 Mysha Clarke, Ajay Sharma, Taylor Stein, Jason Vogel, Jarek Nowak
There is limited research about the interacting impacts of hurricane damage and forest disturbances like invasive species and wildfires on nonindustrial forest land management. We administered a mail survey to 1,000 randomly selected nonindustrial private forest landowners in the Panhandle of Florida who owned forestlands in the counties most severely affected by Hurricane Michael. Results show that
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Species Preservation in the Face of Novel Threats: Cultural, Ecological, and Operational Considerations for Preserving Tree Species in the Context of Non-Indigenous Insects and Pathogens J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-06-26 Anthony W D’Amato, David A Orwig, Nathan W Siegert, Amanda Mahaffey, Les Benedict, Tyler Everett, John Daigle, Logan Johnson, Paul Catanzaro, Caitlin Cusack
Non-Indigenous insects and pathogens (NIIP) have functionally eliminated numerous tree species of immeasurable cultural and ecological significance over the past century, with the number of species introductions and associated impacts growing each year. Foresters are often on the frontlines of these impacts, tasked with quickly adapting management plans to recover potential economic losses and maintain
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Influence of Forester Traits and Advising Approaches on Landowners’ Intention to Follow Recommendations About Maple Sugarbush Management among Sap Producers in Wisconsin J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-06-25 Chen-Ting Chang, Bret R Shaw, Jeremy Solin, Tricia A Gorby, Patrick Robinson
The maple syrup industry has growth potential in the United States. Foresters can help expand the maple syrup industry by supporting private forest management decisions to improve maple tree health and sap production. This study examined the influence of advice solicitation, active listening, and forester traits (i.e., expertise, confidence, trustworthiness, shared forestland values) on outcomes of
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Towards Tree Species Preservation: Protecting Ash Amidst the Emerald Ash Borer Invasion in the Northeast J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-06-25 Anthony W D’Amato, David A Orwig, Nathan W Siegert, Amanda Mahaffey, Les Benedict, Tyler Everett, John Daigle, Logan Johnson, Paul Catanzaro, Caitlin Cusack
The introduced emerald ash borer (EAB) represents the costliest invasive forest insect in US history, causing significant mortality of ash species across much of eastern North America as well as in Colorado and Oregon. Few surviving overstory ash trees exist in areas first invaded by EAB, such as the Lake States region; however, forests with healthy, mature ash remain in recently invaded regions, such
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Loblolly Pine Planting Densities for Landowners in Areas with Poor Pulpwood Markets: Some Considerations J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-06-13 Curtis L VanderSchaaf
Loblolly pine plantations in the southeastern United States contribute significantly to local and state timber supply and economies. Planting density greatly affects reforestation costs. It also influences when vegetation starts competing inter- (and intra)-specifically for limited site resources, and when thinnings occur. Planting 600 seedlings per acre essentially forces landowners into two thinnings
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Variable Support and Opposition to Fuels Treatments for Wildfire Risk Reduction: Melding Frameworks for Local Context and Collaborative Potential J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-06-08 Travis B Paveglio, Catrin M Edgeley
Fuels reduction projects are an increasing focus of policy, funding, and management actions aimed at reducing wildfire risk to human populations while improving landscape health. This research used in-depth interviews to explore variable support or opposition to three fuels-reduction projects occurring in the same region of north central Washington State, USA. Results indicate that differential support
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Functional Zoning by Site Index to Balance Multiple Objectives for Pine in Southern US Family Forests J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-05-29 Bradley S Resch, Austin Himes, Stephen C Grado, Robert K Grala, Bruno Kanieski da Silva
Family forests comprise a significant portion of total forest land area in the southern United States and their owners frequently have multiple, competing objectives. This research evaluated the effectiveness of functional zoning based on site index on forest sizes relevant to family forest owners. A total of fifty family forests were randomly selected from twenty-five counties in the East Texas Pineywoods
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The Shared Stewardship Strategy in the Southern United States: Lessons Learned J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-05-29 Destin Kee, Jesse Abrams, Tyler Aldworth, Courtney Schultz, Chad Kooistra, Heidi Huber-Stearns
The USDA Forest Service’s Shared Stewardship strategy, announced initially in 2018, is built on a vision of advancing federal partnerships with states and other entities to better accomplish shared forest management priorities at the landscape scale. Early implementation of the strategy provides a glimpse into how these partnership dynamics differ both among states and among geographic and jurisdictional
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Forester and Logger Response to Emerald Ash Borer in Massachusetts and Vermont: a Secondary Disturbance J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-05-25 Marla Markowski-Lindsay, Paul Catanzaro, Amanda Robillard, Brett J Butler, David A Orwig, Anthony W D’Amato, Jonathan R Thompson, Danelle M Laflower, Meghan Graham MacLean, Malcolm Itter
Forester and logger responses to the invasive emerald ash borer (EAB) could substantially affect regions across the United States. We analyzed forester and logger responses to EAB in Massachusetts and Vermont, exploring characteristics associated with purposeful targeting of substantial ash properties; managing forests differently because of EAB; and regeneration goals. One-third of respondents increased
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Whole Stand Variable Density Yield Equations for Oak-Gum-Cypress Bottomland Hardwood Forests J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-05-19 Suchana Aryal, T Eric McConnell, Krishna Poudel, Adam Polinko
Variable density yield equations were constructed using fuzzy linear regression for bottomland oak-gum-cypress forests along the US Gulf Coast and lower Mississippi River Delta region. The USDA Forest Service’s Forest Inventory and Analysis program provided plot data (n = 526). Predictors included stand age, growing stock basal area per acre, sweetgum site index (base age 50 years), and US Environmental
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Outcomes of a Comprehensive Forest Landowner Extension Program J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-05-11 Susan T Guynn, Patrick Hiesl, Joe Bible, Janet Steele
Forestry in South Carolina has an annual economic impact of $23 billion and provides over 100,000 jobs statewide. Approximately 87% of forest lands in South Carolina is privately owned and faces shifts in ownership and management practices that may impact forest health. We conducted a bus tour that demonstrated the entire life cycle of a loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) forest from final harvest through
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Simulating Timber Harvest to Assess Potential Impacts to Forest Wildlife Habitat on State Lands in Minnesota, USA J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-05-08 Tyler S Gifford, John M Zobel, Lindsey M Shartell, Scott C Hillard
Forest management and planning efforts often account for many resource objectives and benefits, including wildlife habitat. In particular, newly approved management goals and harvest targets on state lands in Minnesota were examined for their potential impact on wildlife habitat. Using a list of stands planned for potential harvest and a regional wildlife habitat model, habitat effects were assessed
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Economic Contribution Analysis of Urban and Community Forestry in the Southern United States in 2019 J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-05-02 Rajan Parajuli, Stephanie Chizmar, Austin Lamica, Eric Wiseman, Jason Gordon, Thomas Ochuodho, Stella Zucchetti Schons, James E Henderson, Sayeed Mehmood, Lara Johnson
As populations in developing areas continue to increase in recent years, urban and community forestry (U&CF) has received considerable attention due to the ecological, social, and economic significance of trees and green landscapes in urban and semi-urban settings. Based on a regional survey of private, public, and nonprofit businesses and agencies involved in U&CF, we first developed a complete profile
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Economic Analysis of Wildfire Impacts to Water Quality: a Review J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-04-26 Matthew Wibbenmeyer, Matthew R Sloggy, José J Sánchez
As the frequency and severity of large wildfires in the western United States have grown, impacts to private property and air quality have typically attracted the greatest attention; however, wildfires can also substantially affect water resources, altering watershed function and contaminating drinking water supplies. Although there is significant scientific literature describing impacts of wildfires
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Improving Deciduous Forest Inventory Plot Center Measurement Using Unoccupied Aerial Systems Imagery J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-04-18 Joshua Carpenter, Daniel Rentauskas, Nikhil Makkar, Jinha Jung, Songlin Fei
Field-based forest inventory plots are fundamental for many forest studies. These on-the-ground measurements of small samples of forested areas provide foresters with key information such as the size, abundance, health, and value of their forests. Recently, forest inventory plots have begun to be used as ground validation for tree features automatically extracted from remotely sensed data sets. Additionally
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The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Forest Service: Insights for Local Job Creation and Equity from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-04-10 Susan Charnley, Emily Jane Davis, John Schelhas
The USDA Forest Service received $5.447 billion in funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of 2021, providing substantial funding to support implementation of the agency’s 2022 Wildfire Crisis Strategy between fiscal years 2022 and 2026. This article examines how the agency might enhance local job creation and equity while conducting wildfire risk reduction and ecosystem restoration under the
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Recent Douglas-fir Mortality in the Klamath Mountains Ecoregion of Oregon: Evidence for a Decline Spiral J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-03-07 Max Bennett, David C Shaw, Laura Lowrey
Recent increases in Douglas-fir (Psuedotsuga menziesii var. menziesii) mortality in the Klamath Mountains ecoregion raise concerns about the long-term resilience of Douglas-fir in the ecoregion and increased potential for uncharacteristic wildfire. We used data from the USDA Forest Service Aerial Detection Survey and ninety-six field plots to explore the relationships between physiographic and climate
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Importance of Consistency and Standardization in Estimating Economic Contributions of the Forest Industry in the Southern United States J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-02-21 Christa D Court, João-Pedro Ferreira, Caleb A Stair, Alan W Hodges
The forest industry is a significant contributor to many local and state economies in the United States (US). Informed public policy at state and national levels requires that decision makers have accurate and defensible information on the value and structure of these economic contributions. However, different methods and modeling assumptions used and different industry sectors included by various
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Critical Market Tipping Points for High-Grade White Oak Inventory Decline in the Central Hardwood Region of the United States J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-02-20 Gaurav Dhungel, David Rossi, Jesse D Henderson, Robert C Abt, Ray Sheffield, Justin Baker
This study expands the spatial scope of the Subregional Timber Supply (SRTS) model to include states in the central hardwood region and examine critical market tipping points of high-grade (large diameter) white oak under a set of illustrative scheduled demand scenarios. In light of the growing concern for future white oak timber supply, we illustrate the sensitivity of future inventory tipping points
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Geographic Variation in Survival and Growth of Atlantic White-Cedar (Chamaecyparis Thyoides [L.] B.S.P.): Implications for Artificial Regeneration of a Declining Species J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-02-15 Matthew Olson, Andrew Lubas, Kristin Mylecraine
Atlantic white-cedar (Chamaecyparis thyoides [L.] B.S.P.; AWC), a wetland tree species native to the eastern United States, is declining rangewide. This decline has stimulated interest in restoring AWC in parts of its range. However, restoration could benefit from more research on this species, especially that focus on where to source seedlings for artificial reforestation. This study presents results
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Mentoring in the USDA Forest Service: A Survey of Aquatic Professionals J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2022-12-26 Lee Cerveny, Nabin Baral, Brooke Penaluna, Brett Roper, Daniel Shively, Shelly Witt
Mentoring is suggested as an important strategy to promote workplace inclusivity and is shown to be positively associated with high employee morale, yet mentee needs and experiences may not be universal. To evaluate mentoring impacts from the perspective of USDA Forest Service employees, we conducted an online survey of 251 aquatic professionals, including managers and scientists. 70% of respondents
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Wildfire Response: A System on the Brink? J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2022-12-17 Matthew P Thompson, Erin J Belval, Jude Bayham, David E Calkin, Crystal S Stonesifer, David Flores
Increasing wildfire activity, decreasing workforce capacity, and growing systemic strain may result in an interagency wildfire-response system less capable of protecting landscapes and communities. Further, increased workloads will likely increase hazards to fire personnel and amplify existing problems with recruitment and retention. In the face of elevated risks and degraded capacity, it is imperative
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The Impact of COVID-19 Prevention Measures on Interagency Hotshot Crews in 2020 J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2022-12-15 Erin Belval, Sarah McCaffrey, Trevor Finney, David Calkin, Shane Greer
In the 2020 fire season, the fire management community developed and tested a wide range of new practices to meet challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic. To better understand the effectiveness of different innovations and which should be considered for more permanent use, we surveyed Interagency Hotshot Crew (IHC) superintendents in January 2021. We focused on identifying innovations that, regardless
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Identifying Economically Feasible Priority Landscape Areas in Idaho for Funding Assistance Programs J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2022-12-14 Raju Pokharel, Greg Latta, Chad Washington
Market coverage, or merchantability, is more than selling commodities. By offsetting expenditures, it provides an effective tool allowing forest managers to expand funding assistance to improve forest health, habitat, and water quality; reduce fire risk; and sustainably manage forest resources and services. This analysis narrows the focus to mill inputs and evaluates the forest products market extent
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The Cost of Forest Thinning Operations in the Western United States: A Systematic Literature Review and New Thinning Cost Model J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2022-12-14 Heesol Chang, Han-Sup Han, Nathaniel Anderson, Yeon-Su Kim, Sang-Kyun Han
Mechanical forest thinning treatments are implemented across the western United States (US) to improve forest health and reduce hazardous fuels. However, the main challenge in thinning operations is low financial feasibility. This study synthesized the stump-to-truck cost of forest thinning operations in the western US based on operations research articles published over the last 40 years (1980–2020)
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Estimating Stand-Level Carbon Supply Curves for Loblolly Pine and Douglas-Fir Plantations J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2022-12-14 Shaun M Tanger, Bruno Kanieski da Silva, Adam D Polinko, T Eric McConnell, Marc E McDill
We estimate the carbon sequestration supply curve at the stand level based on the optimal rotation decision and conduct a marginal analysis for payments necessary for postponing harvest for additional 1-year increments of two commercially important species in the United States, loblolly pine and Douglas-fir. Under certain costs, production and timber prices assumptions, payments ranged from $62.23
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Understanding Forest Landowner Attitudes, Perceived Risk, and Response to Emerald Ash Borer in Kentucky J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2022-12-13 Ram K Adhikari, Neelam C Poudyal, Thomas O Ochuodho, Rajan Parajuli, Omkar Joshi, Sayeed R Mehmood, John F Munsell, Gaurav Dhungel, William Thomas, Ellen Crocker, Mo Zhou
Emerald ash borer (EAB) (Agrilus planipennis), an invasive nonnative beetle, is responsible for the mortality of ash trees in the eastern and midwestern United States. Despite efforts to contain this beetle through various control options, human-induced spread of EAB has caused damage to ash forests in many states. Because most ash trees are under private ownership, it is important to understand how
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Climate Adaptive Management in the Northeastern United States: Common Strategies and Motivations of Rural and Urban Foresters J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2022-12-10 Tessa C McGann, Rachel E Schattman, Anthony W D’Amato, Todd A Ontl
Despite the mounting imperative for managers to help forests adapt to the rapidly shifting climate and related stressors, significant gaps remain between recommendations for adaptive forest management and its actual implementation across the globe. The research presented here offers a novel qualitative analysis regarding the current nature, extent, and drivers of adaptive management in the northeastern
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Economic Contribution of the Forest Sector in Kentucky: Community Dependence and Economic Well-Being J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2022-12-09 Kamana Poudel, Thomas O Ochuodho, Gaurav Dhungel
Rural communities depend on the forest sector to fulfill their subsistence needs and maintain economic well-being. The forest sector in Kentucky provides significant economic and employment opportunities to the rural communities in the state. Despite this, little is understood of how Kentucky communities’ dependence on the forest sector is related to their economic well-being. In this research, we
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Preventing the Perfect Storm of Forest Mortality in the United States Caused by Invasive Species J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2022-12-07 Craig Loehle, Jiri Hulcr, Jason A Smith, Holly L Munro, Tom Fox
Invasive species are a growing global threat to forest ecosystems. In North America, previous invasions have functionally eliminated the American chestnut (Castanea dentata), a keystone and commercially important species in eastern North American forests, and currently threaten to eliminate other important species, such as ash (Fraxinus spp.), redbay (Persea borbonia), and eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis)
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Municipal Employees’ Perceptions of Tree Risk and Liability in Alabama J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2022-12-05 Abbie Judice, Jason S Gordon, Arnold Brodbeck
Research about the broad range of ecological, social, and economic benefits urban forests provide communities trees has expanded significantly and helped provide justification for protecting and enhancing urban forests. However, an empirical understanding of risks and liabilities is limited despite an abundance of risk research in other disciplines. Employing Alabama as a case study, this research
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Social Marketing Works: Results from Ten Years of Tools for Engaging Landowners Effectively Trainings J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2022-10-08 Katherine Hollins, Purnima Chawla, Sarah M Butler
Engaging family forest owners in best practices for land management is essential for maintaining and improving the health of our forests. Yet few natural resource professionals have formal training in how to reach and persuade landowners. The Tools for Engaging Landowners Effectively (TELE) program sought to address this via a program of workshops, which train natural resource professionals to engage
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An Assessment of American Indian Forestry Research, Information Needs, and Priorities J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2022-10-07 Michael J Dockry, Serra J Hoagland, Adrian D Leighton, James R Durglo, Amit Pradhananga
Native American and Alaska Native tribes manage millions of acres of land and are leaders in forestry and fire management practices despite inadequate and inequitable funding. Native American tribes are rarely considered as research partners due to historically poor relationships with non-native scientists, tribal mistrust of research, differences between Indigenous values and scientific methods, and
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National Forest Visitation Preferences and Avenues to Participation for Urban Hispanic Recreationists in the Portland Metropolitan Area (USA) J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2022-10-07 Lee K Cerveny, Rebecca J McLain, David Banis, Matthew Helmer
Health benefits of outdoor recreation have been broadly demonstrated and land managers recognize the equity implications of providing safe and inclusive outdoor spaces. Data on public lands visitation and outdoor participation show that Hispanic recreationists are less likely to engage in outdoor leisure than White persons. Early studies of outdoor preferences of Hispanic persons identified a desire
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TreeMap 2016 Dataset Generates CONUS-Wide Maps of Forest Characteristics Including Live Basal Area, Aboveground Carbon, and Number of Trees per Acre J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2022-09-15 Karin L Riley, Isaac C Grenfell, John D Shaw, Mark A Finney
The TreeMap 2016 dataset provides detailed spatial information on forest characteristics including number of live and dead trees, biomass, and carbon across the entire forested extent of the continental United States at 30 × 30m resolution, enabling analyses at finer scales where forest inventory is inadequate. We used a random forests machine learning algorithm to assign the most similar Forest Inventory
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Usefulness and Need for Digital Technology to Assist Forest Management: Summary of Findings from a Survey of Registered Foresters J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2022-09-02 Pete Bettinger, Krista Merry, Songlin Fei, Aaron Weiskittel, Zhao Ma
Key components of a digital forestry program (digital tools, databases, and decision-support systems) can be of great importance in the management of forests today. A general lack of knowledge of the needs of forest managers and landowners for components of digital forestry has been hypothesized. A survey regarding digital forestry tools was conducted of registered foresters from five USA states (Alabama
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Structure and Growth of Century-Old White Pine Plantations in Saginaw Forest, Southeastern Michigan, USA J. For. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2022-08-29 Daniel M Kashian, Burton V Barnes
Saginaw Forest in Ann Arbor, Michigan, includes the second-oldest eastern white pine plantation in the United States, with pioneering thinning experiments among the oldest in the country. With no additional silvicultural treatments occurring since at least the 1950s, we report on the current condition of four planting lots near their century mark to provide silvicultural, cultural, and historical perspectives