bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Commentary: The Road Taken
Authors: Stocker L.B.
Published: April 2024

Ironically, one course I did not take in college was Forest Policy. I didn't realize then that policy is a thread that weaves its way throughout the fabric of our profession.
Book Review: Justice and Natural Resources: Concepts, Strategies, and Applications
Authors: Flick W.A.
Published: April 2024

In Justice and Natural Resources: Concepts, Strategies, and Applications, editors Kathryn M. Mutz, Gary C. Bryner, and Douglas S. Kenney present an enlarged vision of environmental justice by arguing that all natural resource management decisions must reflect the distributive impacts on poor, minority, and tribal communities.
Niches in the Urban Forest: Organizations and Their Role in Acquiring Metropolitan Open Space
Authors: Ruliffson J.A. , Gobster P.H. , Haight R.G. , Homans F.R.
Published: April 2024

As a response strategy to minimize the impacts of urban sprawl, public and private organizations are striving to acquire open lands that will contribute to a resilient and multifunctional urban forest. In the Chicago metropolitan region, we interviewed representatives of 15 organizations to understand the land acquisition process–the structures and functions of groups involved, their acquisition goals, and the cooperation among groups as they work to build metropolitan green infrastructure. Our findings reveal strength in diversity–a variety of groups working at different levels with complementary goals can help meet the complex challenges of land protection in rapidly urbanizing areas.
Forest Certification of Small Ownerships: Some Practical Challenges
Authors: Rickenbach M.G.
Published: April 2024

Certification is a relatively new topic for most nonindustrial private forest (NIPF) landowners in the United States. The management of NIPFs has long challenged foresters and policymakers to find workable opportunities for owners. Drawing on the literature surrounding NIPFs and their owners, this article considers four practical challenges to credible, meaningful, and widespread certification of these ownerships by examining the American Tree Farm System and the Forest Stewardship Council's certification system. The challenges are offered here to stimulate dialogue on this emerging issue for NIPF stewardship.
Focus on ... Field Foresters: Sudden Oak Death: Where and How to Detect It
Authors:   none
Published: April 2024

Phytophthora ramorum, the cause of “sudden oak death,” is responsible for widespread tree mortality in central and northern California and appears to be spreading to other areas as well. Although thus far only oaks in the black or red oak group have been found to be susceptible to the disease, at least 11 other unrelated plant species may serve as hosts. Foresters in the field should look for symptoms on these known hosts in proximity to dead and bleeding oakds in order to confirm the presence of the pathogen.
Southern Forest Resource Assessment highlights: The Southern Timber Market to 2040
Authors: Prestemon J.P. , Abt R.C.
Published: April 2024

Timber market analysis of the South's predominantly private timberland finds that the 13 southern states produce nearly 60 percent of the nation's timber, an increase from the mid-1900s. Projections with the Subregional Timber Supply model show that, despite a 60 percent increase in the area of pine plantations, the South will experience a 1 percent decline in private timberland area as other forest types shrink. Because of expected productivity gains for plantation forests and conversions of some agricultural lands to natural forests, the South's industrial wood output is projected to increase by more than 50 percent between 1995 and 2040.
Southern Forest Resource Assessment: Conducting Science in the Public Eye
Authors: Greis J.G. , Wear D.N.
Published: April 2024

Questions about the long-term sustainability of southern forest benefits, including wildlife habitat, water quality, and timber supply, prompted this regional assessment and guided the process by which it was conducted. SFRA's final report is descriptive–not prescriptive–and is intended to inform debate and policymaking in technically defensible, unbiased, and understandable terms. Although the analysis was science based and peer reviewed, the public helped frame the questions and critique the answers. This article describes the process used to complete the assessment and draws out several general observations about conducting a scientific analysis of this scope in a public setting.
From the Editor: Lessons from the Journey
Authors: Staebler R.N.
Published: April 2024

Rebecca Staebler says goodbye to SAF and shares some lessons learned from her 10 years as publications director.
Commentary: Getting Involved in Our Broad Field
Authors: Smith D.W.
Published: April 2024

Each of us should take an active role in sharing our wealth of knowledge about trees, forests, and forest management.
Forestry and Modern Environmentalism: Ending the Cold War
Authors: Limerick P.N.
Published: April 2024

The international Cold War that followed World War II set the context for increases in timber harvest, which heightened the tensions between environmentalists and foresters. Although the superpowers have called a halt to their conflict, the metaphorical cold war antagonists have not. Rethinking the history of the Progressive-era origins of both the preservation and the utilitarian perspectives, we see that each emerged in an effort to find alternatives to the depletion of America's natural resources, and neither was as mutually exclusive as they have become. Such a historical foundation allows us to rethink and revise our own habits of mind and find the common ground that could be the basis for peace.
Twenty Years of Price Reporting to NIPF Owners: A Progress Report
Authors: Rosen B.N. , Kaiser H.F.
Published: April 2024

A 2000 survey of stumpage price reporting services was compared with surveys conducted in 1980 and 1990 to determine whether the information provided to nonindustrial private forestland owners had improved. Slightly fewer states issue reports today than in 1990, but private reports are now available for Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. The quality of most reports has changed little since 1990. Although market reporting can help landowners make intelligent management decisions, most NIPF owners do not participate in timber markets, and few who do participate engage professional foresters–a source of market information. The most pressing need in the market reporting system is transferring the information to the millions of landowners. The Internet is becoming a vehicle, but more outreach to NIPF owners is needed.
Book Review: Living in the Appalachian Forest: True Tales of Sustainable Forestry
Authors: Elwell C.M.
Published: April 2024

In her charismatic book, Living in the Appalachian Forest: True Tales of Sustainable Forestry, Chris Bolgiano trains her focus on the people and livelihoods that persist within the subject of her previous book, The Appalachian Forest.
Puerto Rico's Forest Inventory: Adapting the Forest Inventory and Analysis Program to a Caribbean Island
Authors: Brandeis T.J.
Published: April 2024

Rapid changes in vegetation over short distances, high species diversity, and fragmented landscape challenge the implementation of the Forest Service's Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program on Puerto Rico. Applying the hexagonal FIA grid as used on the continental United States, the Forest Service is installing a new forest sampling and monitoring framework that incorporates previous inventory plots and has an expanded scope. However, an adequate description of Puerto Rico's diverse tropical forests requires additional sampling; the solution is to intensify the base systematic sampling grid. Ultimately, this framework can be used to monitor all vegetation and cover types on the island, plus fauna, soils, and air and water quality–in short, to create a comprehensive, long-term natural resources inventory and monitoring network.
European Woodwasp: A Potential Threat to North America's Conifer Forests
Authors: Ciesla W.M.
Published: April 2024

The European woodwasp, Sirex noctilio, a wood-boring insect native to Eurasia and northern Africa, has become established in several countries in the Southern Hemisphere where Monterey, loblolly, slash, and other North American pine species are widely used in plantations. These pines can be killed by the fungus and mucus transmitted by female woodwasps during egg laying, and the large tunnels constructed by the larvae damage the structural integrity of the wood. Should the European woodwasp become established in North America, it could cause severe damage to conifer forests.
It's a Neighborhood Now: Practicing Forestry at the Urban Fringe
Authors: Edwards K.K. , Bliss J.C.
Published: April 2024

Increasing land fragmentation, regulations, and neighbors' concerns pose significant challenges to forest owners at the urban fringe. Using Oregon's Soap Creek Watershed as a study site, we paired qualitative and quantitative methods to identify stakeholders, their opinions about forestry, and options for reducing conflict. Findings indicate that: (1) stakeholders viewed actively managed forests as preferable to further residential development, (2) residents held corporate and public forest managers to higher communication and management standards than individual private managers, and (3) consistently communicating management intentions and acknowledging neighbors' concerns reduced active opposition to forest management.
Using Airborne Laser Altimetry to Determine Fuel Models for Estimating Fire Behavior
Authors: Seielstad C.A. , Queen L.P.
Published: April 2024

Airborne laser altimetry provides an unprecedented view of the forest floor in timber fuel types and is a promising new tool for fuels assessments. It can be used to resolve two fuel models under closed canopies and may be effective for estimating coarse woody debris loads. A simple metric–obstacle density–provides the necessary quantification of fuel bed roughness to make these measures possible. This work highlights the need for more research in the application of laser technology to fuels mapping.
Employment Transitions in Oregon's Wood Products Sector During the 1990s
Authors: Helvoigt T.L. , Adams D.M. , Ayre A.L.
Published: April 2024

New data indicate that only 51 percent of workers displaced from the Oregon wood products sector during the 1990s remained in Oregon covered employment by 1998. Of these, 45 percent found employment in the service and wholesale-retail trade sectors. The median wage of separated workers in 1998 was below their wage when employed in the wood products sector and below the median wage of all Oregon workers. At least 30 percent of those separated from the wood products sector in the less populous southwestern and eastern portions of the state found new employment in the more urban northwestern region at wages 29 percent higher than their counterparts who did not move.
Focus on ... Field Foresters: How to Use a Cordless Drill to Extract Increment Cores
Authors: Baker F.A. , Long J.N.
Published: April 2024

Cordless drills are a viable alternative to increment borers and can greatly reduce the time and effort required to extract cores.
Commentary: Give Us the Green Light
Authors: Goergen M.T.
Published: April 2024

The forest health problem can be solved with the right focus and the right leaders.
Stakeholders' Perceptions of Parcelization in Wisconsin's Northwoods
Authors: Rickenbach M.G. , Gobster P.H.
Published: April 2024

Parcelization, the process by which relatively large forest ownerships become subdivided into smaller ones, is often related to changes in ownership and can bring changes to the use of the land. Landowners, resource professionals, and others interested in Wisconsin's Northwoods were asked their views on parcelization in a series of stakeholder forums. We analyzed their statements through the lens of forest sustainability with its ecological, economic, and social dimensions. The analysis shows how sustainability might be used to structure future research and discourse within local communities to foster fuller considerations of landscape and land use change.
PVF: A Scale to Measure Public Values of Forests
Authors: Tarrant M.A. , Cordell H.K. , Green G.T.
Published: April 2024

We propose a 12-point scale for measuring the relative importance of national forest resources–both economic and noneconomic–to the American public. With data from the National Survey on Recreation and the Environment, the scale supports the existence of three latent factors: protection, amenity, and outputs. The scale had moderate levels of internal reliability and demonstrated predictive validity. Consistent with previous studies of forest values, protection values were significantly higher for women, urban residents, and younger respondents. Future research should investigate the use and nonuse values of both the economic and noneconomic factors, because decisions that fail to include economic nonuse values in benefit-cost analyses may underestimate the total value of forest preservation. By understanding the forest values that people hold, forest planners and managers will be better able to design policies, reduce conflicts among stakeholders, and implement forest plans.
Restoring Dignity to Sound Professional Judgment
Authors: Haas G.E.
Published: April 2024

Both the scientific community and the judiciary make decisions based on less than complete information, and both acknowledge the reality of uncertainty. The scientific community tends to view certainty as a yes-no phenomenon, demands a high degree of certainty, and considers only several variables at one time. The judiciary, however, uses a sliding scale of certainty, allows a lower degree of certainty, and considers the totality of the situation. For natural resource decisionmakers–people with scientific training whose decisions are subject to judicial review–what should the standard of judgment be? This article examines certainty from both perspectives, argues for the restoration of sound professional judgment as the standard for natural resource decisionmaking, and offers suggestions to improve sound professional judgment.
Perspective: All Species Have Value
Authors: Lockhart Brian Roy
Published: April 2024

All tree species have inherent functions and values that should be considered in respect to management objectives.
Exercising the Right to Object: A Brief History of the Forest Service Appeals Process
Authors: Coulombe Mary J.
Published: April 2024

The USDA Forest Service has had a long association with the public in regard to managing the national forests. Appeals of certain decisions by local agency officials have been available since 1907. Over the past century, the procedures have adjusted to changing times by shifting back and forth from formal to informal, and from management by the agency to management by independent boards. Today, Forest Service appeals are managed by the agency with separate processes for forest plans, projects, and permits and special uses. The purposes of appeals and how they help or hinder Forest Service decisions remain controversial.
National Trends in the Use of Forest Service Administrative Appeals
Authors: Teich Gretchen M. R. , Vaughn Jacqueline , Cortner Hanna J.
Published: April 2024

Using publicly available electronic records, we compiled a database to compare administrative appeals of USDA Forest Service projects. The database contains 3,736 appeals decided nationwide from January 1997 through September 2002. The data show that the appeals process is used by a wide variety of interests, including individuals, tribes, and businesses as well as environmental groups, to challenge a wide range of projects, including development, recreation, and grazing as well as fuels reduction. The agency denied in full 54.6 percent of all appeals filed. The database provides a tool for informing the debate over appeals of Forest Service decisions but also opens up new lines of inquiry.
From Postdecisional Appeals to Predecisional Objections: Democratic Accountability in National Forest Planning
Authors: Manring Nancy
Published: April 2024

On December 6, 2002, the USDA Forest Service published a proposed planning rule that replaces postdecisional appeals of land and resource management plans with a “predecisional objection process” within a framework of collaborative planning for sustainability. This article examines the Forest Service's rationale for eliminating postdecisional appeals, provides an overview of accountability relationships, and explores the implications for democratic accountability if the proposed rule eliminating postdecisional appeals is adopted. Appeals have provided an important mechanism of accountability in forest planning. There are questions about whether the objection process will provide a comparable means of accountability. The change represents a shift away from traditional legal and hierarchical accountability relationships toward accountability based on public deliberation and scientific input in a collaborative planning process. The success of such a model depends on successfully institutionalizing collaborative planning throughout a large, decentralized organization.
Focus on ... Forest Policy: Healthy Forests Initiative and Its Effect on Appeals
Authors: Neznek Rita
Published: April 2024

New regulations have emerged from the USDA Forest Service and the Department of the Interior as a result of the Healthy Forests Initiative.
Commentary: Old-Growth: Science, Advocacy, and Public Values
Authors: Goergen Jr. Michael T.
Published: April 2024

Protection should not mean an end to management, any more than management should translate into large-scale logging projects.
Ecological Concepts and Diversity of Old-Growth Forests
Authors: Spies Thomas A.
Published: April 2024

An ecological understanding of old-growth requires a multiscale perspective, ranging from individual trees to regions. A consensus on a single general ecological definition of old-growth will never be reached, but that should not preclude the development of specific definitions needed by managers. Old-growth forests share many attributes, such as spatial heterogeneity, but they also differ in many ways. Given the complexity and dynamics of forests, efforts to conserve biodiversity must be sensitive to the diversity of old-growth forests and must consider forests of all developmental stages, not just old-growth. One implication is that forest policies and management practices may need to be as diverse as the old-growth forests they address.
Perspective: Old-Growth: Some Questions, Truths, and Consequences
Authors: Barnard Ed
Published: April 2024

I offer, if not the other side, perhaps some other sides of an important and often emotional issue.
Options Forestry: Acting on Uncertainty
Authors: Bormann Bernard T. , Kiester A. Ross
Published: April 2024

An increased appreciation of how scientific and societal uncertainty enters management decisions suggests a new approach to forest management–options forestry. We contend that unflinching assessments of uncertainty can often find an array of alternatives that cannot be distinguished with sufficient confidence to permit the choice of one “best practice.” Options forestry responds to uncertainty by diversifying management, emphasizing learning, and integrating research and management. A Siuslaw National Forest project in Oregon demonstrates options forestry as an approach to act on uncertainty to society's advantage.
Focus on ... Fire: Web Tools for Staying Ahead of the Fire
Authors:   none
Published: April 2024

The USDA Forest Service provides online tools to help forestland managers and the general public gauge current and future wildfire threats.
Certified Success: Integrating Sustainability into Corporate Management Systems
Authors: Johnson Dana , Walck Christa
Published: April 2024

Environmental certification is a costly proposal if it is merely added to a company's existing practices to appease consumer sentiment. In the forest products industry, this add-on approach to sustainability has not produced financially successful companies. If sustainability goals are integrated into the core business values, however, they can generate savings that can offset the increased costs of conforming to standards. Drawing from the organizational management literature and two examples in the forest industry, we find that senior managers must assume leadership in making sustainable practices a core business value, then establish a rigorous environmental management system and confirm the company's commitment by implementing training and reward programs for employees. Unlike quick fixes, which do not generate consistent results throughout the organization, full integration is the best way to achieve sustainability.
Focus on ... Invasive Species: How to Identify Emerald Ash Borer
Authors:   none
Published: April 2024

More than 3,000 square miles in southeastern Michigan are infested and more than 5 million ash trees are dead or dying from emerald ash borer.
Perspective: Financial Analysis of a Forest Property
Authors: Kernan Henry S.
Published: April 2024

Profitable or not, my woodlands have given me much satisfaction. I wish to pass them on with enough timber to pay the estate taxes and with the property otherwise free of encumbrances.
Effects of Wildfire on Soils and Watershed Processes
Authors: Ice George G. , Neary Daniel G. , Adams Paul W.
Published: April 2024

Wildfire can cause water repellency and consume plant canopy, surface plants and litter, and structure-enhancing organics within soil. Changes in soil moisture, structure, and infiltration can accelerate surface runoff, erosion, sediment transport, and deposition. Intense rainfall and some soil and terrain conditions can contribute to overland runoff and in-channel debris torrents. Mineralization of organic matter, interruption of root uptake, and loss of shade can further impact water quality by increasing stream temperatures and nutrient concentrations. Where wildfires are unnaturally large and severe, watershed effects are likely to be negatively skewed.
Extension/Outreach Implications for America's Family Forest Owners
Authors: Kittredge David B.
Published: April 2024

The increasing number of family forest owners presents a challenge to effective outreach. Family woodland in some parts of the country represents the dominant ownership type. Sustained provision of a host of greater social goods and services depends on functional forest landscapes, yet fragmentation and parcelization of family woodlands pose a threat. Segmentation of the family owner audience into different types, and targeting of outreach toward two specific decisionmaking junctures, may improve our ability to reach this important audience.
Future Forestland Area: Impacts from Population Growth and Other Factors that Affect Land Values
Authors: Alig Ralph J. , Plantinga Andrew J.
Published: April 2024

Shifting patterns of land use in the United States are associated with many of today's environmental concerns. Land-use shifts occur because of relative changes in land rents, which are determined in part by financial returns in commodity markets. In recent decades, more than 3 million ac shifted annually in or out of US forest use. Gross amounts of land-use change are an order of magnitude larger than net changes. Between 1982 and 1997, a net amount of 3.6 million ac was added to the US nonfederal forest land base. Area of developed uses is projected to increase by about 70 million ac by 2030, with the largest percentage diverted from forests. All regions show substantial increases in developed area, with increases in population and personal income as key drivers. Forest area is projected to decline in two key timber supply regions, the South (−6.0 million ac) and the Pacific Northwest Westside (−1.9 million ac). Other regions having projected losses in forest area include the Northeast (−3.0 million ac), the Lake States (−1.2 million ac), and the Pacific Southwest (−0.6 million ac). Conditions in land markets reflect increased rents from residential and other uses of developed land, such that forests and forestland values will increasingly be influenced by development and its location.
Assessing Private Forest Owner Attitudes Toward Ecosystem-Based Management
Authors: Belin Daniel L. , Kittredge David B. , Stevens Thomas H. , Dennis Donald C. , Schweik Charles M. , Morzuch Bernard J.
Published: April 2024

Nonindustrial private forest owners in Vermont, New Hampshire, and western Massachusetts were surveyed to determine their attitudes toward an ecosystem-based approach to management. In all cases, respondents showed favorable attitudes toward: unique, small-scale ecological features like rare species and wetlands; management at spatial scales larger than the individual parcel; and ownership beyond a single generation. Even nonrespondents, when interviewed on the telephone, indicated attitudes sensitive to these issues. We believe future conservation of nonindustrial private forestland (NIPF) lands will be successful if professionals design management alternatives sensitive to these attitudes and policy makers craft appealing and effective programs that are perceived as relevant.
No Sparks Fly: Policy Participants Agree on Thinning Trees in the Lake Tahoe Basin
Authors: Weible Chris , Sabatier Paul , Nechodom Mark
Published: April 2024

This article reports an analysis of mail-in questionnaires of policy participants in the Lake Tahoe Basin. The results show all stakeholder affiliations are concerned about the severity of fire risk relative to other important issue areas in the Basin, support thinning trees to reduce fire risk, and are skeptical that thinning trees will have adverse effects on scenic resources in the Basin. Support for thinning tress is strong among stakeholders with pro-development beliefs and with advanced degrees but is minimally influenced by owning property in the Basin.
Plantation Productivity in the Douglas-Fir Region Under Intensive Silvicultural Practices: Results from Research and Operations
Authors: Talbert Cheryl , Marshall David
Published: April 2024

This article reviews major plantation silvicultural practices used in the westside Douglas-fir region of Oregon and Washington: origin, growth and yield impacts, and the region's global competitive status for productivity, tree-growing costs, and returns. Two main messages emerge: (1) there has been great progress in the region to increase wood yield and shorten rotations; and (2) opportunity remains strong for this region to become even more competitive, although it will require challenging current beliefs and norms and an increased collective will and focused sense of urgency.
What Would a Global Forest Convention Mean for Tropical Forests and for Timber Consumers?
Authors: Vanclay J. K. , Nichols J. D.
Published: April 2024

A global forest convention has been advocated for about 15 years, but progress is slow and positions of advocates and opponents appear entrenched. We review several case studies and offer new empirical evidence relating to causes of and remedies for deforestation. We find no evidence to suggest that a forest convention will be effective in halting deforestation. Our data indicate that development assistance may be the most effective approach to save forests in developing countries. It appears that “money speaks louder than words.” We conclude that a global forest convention will be ineffective unless accompanied by substantial and well-directed development assistance.
Badly Burned? Effects of an Escaped Prescribed Burn on Social Acceptability of Wildland Fuels Treatments
Authors: Brunson Mark W. , Evans Jessica
Published: April 2024

In Sept. 2003, a prescribed burn on the Uinta National Forest escaped, costing nearly $3 million to extinguish while choking Utah cities with smoke for a week. When the incident drew harsh criticism from local officials and news media, fire managers worried that prescribed burning no longer would be feasible in northern Utah. Subsequently, we surveyed residents of three affected counties, including respondents to a 2001 survey, about acceptability of fuels management practices. Results suggest prescribed fire remains an acceptable tool for some situations but citizens doubt agencies' ability to use it effectively, especially near populated areas.
Nineteenth Century Lumber Surveys for Bangor, Maine: Implications for Pre-European Settlement Forest Characteristics in Northern and Eastern Maine
Authors: Wilson Jeremy S.
Published: April 2024

In the mid-19th century, Bangor, Maine, was a major center for the manufacturing and shipping of lumber, leading many to proclaim Bangor as the ”lumber capital of the world.” The raw material for this lumber was transported down the Penobscot River, which drains the largest watershed in Maine. Starting in 1832, lumber put up for sale and shipped from Bangor was surveyed. Between 1832 and 1872, over 3.36 billion board feet (bbf) of white pine lumber was tallied. In the 19th century, there were numerous inefficiencies and losses involved in the harvesting, transporting, and processing that converted a standing pine tree to lumber ready to be loaded on a ship; therefore, the 3.36 bbf surveyed provides only a minimum estimate for the volume of white pine in the pre-European settlement forest of northern and eastern Maine. Even this minimum volume estimate for pine suggests a magnitude of this resource that is inconsistent with descriptions developed from early land survey information and suggests that current interpretations of the pre-European disturbance regime may need re-evaluation.
History of Watershed Management in the US Forest Service: 1897–2005
Authors: Glasser Stephen P.
Published: April 2024

Legal statutes and scientific research have been essential to the Forest Service mission for the past 100 years. Congressional direction for administration of the forest reserves, now called national forests, began in 1897 with passage of the Organic Administration Act. One of the defined purposes for which federal forest lands were set aside from settlement was “securing favorable conditions of water flow.” Since then, more than 25 other federal statutes have further defined watershed management on these lands. The Research branch began watershed experiments in 1910 and did most of the watershed work by the Forest Service until the 1970s. Contributions of key individuals, the Civilian Conservation Corps, the barometer watershed program of the 1960s, and other programs in the National Forest System and the State and Private Forestry branches are examined.
Perspectives of Maine Forest Cover Change from Landsat Imagery and Forest Inventory Analysis (FIA)
Authors: Sader Steven , Hoppus Michael , Metzler Jacob , Jin Suming
Published: April 2024

A forest change detection map was developed to document forest gains and losses during the decade of the 1990s. The effectiveness of the Landsat imagery and methods for detecting Maine forest cover change are indicated by the good accuracy assessment results: forest—no change, forest loss, and forest gain accuracy were 90, 88, and 92%, respectively, and the good correlation of mapped areas of forest cover loss with forest inventory analysis (FIA) tree size class decrease at the county level. The combination of annually collected permanent FIA plots with accurate statewide forest change maps offers a complementary perspective of Maine's forest resource.
Does the Lack of Reference Ecosystems Limit Our Science? A Case Study in Nonnnative Invasive Plants as Forest Fuels
Authors: Dibble Alison C. , Rees Catherine A.
Published: April 2024

In forest experiments the problem of inadequate controls often arises. True controls might not be required in case studies, comparisons along an environmental gradient, or comparisons of multiple treated and untreated areas. In a recent characterization of fuels in invaded and uninvaded forest conditions for four forest types at 12 locations in Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Vermont, and Virginia, high-quality reference stands usually were not available as true controls. We called the uninvaded areas “comparison areas,” and applied a modified planar sampling technique to quantify live and dead fuels. No overarching pattern emerged; fuels in fire-adapted pitch pine differed from the three other forest types in that stands invaded by black locust had fewer 1- and 10-hour fuels, but more forbs cover and higher basal area. Invasive shrubs increased fuel height and density across most forest types. Invasive grasses in forests present an underrecognized hazard fuel if drought ensues. The comparison stand study design enabled uncovering of significant differences between invaded and uninvaded stands, especially in hardwoods and mixed woods, and fuels in softwoods were less affected by invasive plants.
Defining Reference Information for Restoring Ecologically Rare Tallgrass Oak Savannas in the Midwestern United States
Authors: Asbjornsen H. , Brudvig L. A. , Mabry C. M. , Evans C. W. , Karnitz H. M.
Published: April 2024

Reference information is commonly used in ecological restorations to guide management decisions and assess progress toward achieving goals. However, for extremely rare or degraded ecosystems, obtaining reliable reference information may be a daunting task. This article explores the limitations and potentials for identifying reference information for ecologically rare tallgrass oak savanna ecosystems, using a case study from central Iowa. Preliminary results suggest that restoration goals related to certain ecosystem parameters, such as vegetation structure, may be achieved relatively quickly, whereas other parameters, such as species composition, require longer timescales. The importance of developing additional reference information through experimental and adaptive management approaches is emphasized.
Business District Streetscapes, Trees, and Consumer Response
Authors: Wolf Kathleen L.
Published: April 2024

A multistudy research program has investigated how consumers respond to the urban forest in central business districts of cities of various sizes. Trees positively affect judgments of visual quality but, more significantly, may influence other consumer responses and behaviors. Survey respondents from all regions of the United States favored trees in business districts, and this preference was further reflected in positive district perceptions, patronage behavior, and product pricing. An overview of the research is provided, with implications for the economics of local communities.
Application of Geospatial Technology to Monitor Forest Legacy Conservation Easements
Authors: Williams Kenton , Sader Steven A. , Pryor Christopher , Reed Frank
Published: April 2024

Remote sensing and other geospatial tools are being applied to monitor large working forest conservation easements and to assist office and field users to improve the efficiency of required monitoring. Two USDA-Forest Legacy Program conservation easements in northern New England are included as case studies to describe how to acquire geospatial data and apply these tools to monitor selected easement features. Much of the remote sensing and geographical information system (GIS) data are free or low cost and functional software capable of viewing, querying, and making measurements on images and maps can be acquired from public sources. A high-resolution, digital image management system linked to satellite imagery and the GIS database is presented. Finally, the geospatial monitoring tools on a handheld personal data assistant device for field users are demonstrated.
Letdowns, Wake-Up Calls, and Constructed Preferences: People’s Responses to Fuel and Wildfire Risks
Authors: Arvai Joseph , Gregory Robin , Ohlson Dan , Blackwell Bruce , Gray Robert
Published: April 2024

This article presents results from three studies, which seek to develop a better understanding of some of the difficulties faced by forest managers in making wildfire risk management decisions. Study 1 showed that both the experts and the public tend to emphasize uncontrollable factors when asked to consider the causes of wildfires. Study 2 revealed the large role played by emotional responses in judgments about wildfire risks. Study 3 showed that preferences for risk management options tend to be remarkably malleable in response to even slight shifts in framing. In contrast to previous studies that call for improved public education about wildfire, our results emphasize the need to introduce improved processes to inform both expert and public decisionmaking for fire risk management.
What Are the Best Loblolly Pine Genotypes Worth to Landowners?
Authors: McKeand Steven E. , Abt Robert C. , Allen H. Lee , Li Bailian , Catts Glenn P.
Published: April 2024

Forest landowners in the South can realize large financial benefits from planting the best loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) genotypes. Most of the productivity increases from genetics can be considered as increases in site index. We estimate that landowners can realize net present values of $50 to over $300/ac across a range of productivity and silvicultural management regimes simply by planting the best genotypes that are currently available from commercial and state forest nurseries. Landowners could pay more for the best genotypes, and the best seedlings would be well worth the additional costs.
Is Wildfire Policy in the United States Sustainable?
Authors: Steelman Toddi A. , Burke Caitlin A.
Published: April 2024

Beginning in 2000, wildfire policy in the United States shifted from focusing almost exclusively on suppression to embracing multiple goals, including hazardous fuels reduction, ecosystem restoration, and community assistance. Mutually reinforcing, these policy goals have the potential to result in an ecologically, socially, and economically sustainable wildfire policy that can mitigate the long-term risk of wildfires for human and ecological communities alike. Six years into this new policy, we evaluate the evidence to determine how well the multiple goals are being served. We conclude that suppression and hazardous fuels reduction receive greater attention and resources relative to ecosystem restoration and community assistance. This provides an incomplete solution to mitigating the long-term risk of wildfire, thereby running the risk of perpetuating it.
The Geography of American Tree Species and Associated Place Names
Authors: Fei Songlin
Published: April 2024

Place names attached to natural and cultural landscape features may imply valuable information about settlement-era tree distribution and how they were regarded by European settlers. In this study, spatial distribution of tree-related place names was found to be highly consistent with reconstructions of the pre-Columbian distributions of native tree species. Abundance of tree-related place names was correlated with contemporary estimates of major timber species abundance. The findings of this research could be useful in efforts to conserve American forests and restore economically and culturally important species such as the American chestnut (Castanea dentata). The results also suggested that previous reconstructions of pre-Columbian species' distributions may not be entirely accurate.
Elevation Measurement Capabilities of Consumer-Grade Global Positioning System (GPS) Receivers
Authors: Wing Michael G. , Eklund Aaron
Published: April 2024

Elevation determination is central to many natural resource-related measurement tasks including establishing terrain profiles, determining road and stream gradients, and volume estimations of soil or water. We examined the relative vertical accuracy of six consumer-grade global positioning system (GPS) receivers that were rigorously tested at three different measurement courses in western Oregon. Each measurement course was in a distinct setting representing either open sky, young forest, or closed canopy conditions. Overall, we found that average vertical errors were 7 m or less for five of the consumer GPS receivers that we tested and that measurement reliability varied among the units. This level of accuracy may suffice for developing estimates of feature profiles and initial draft design applications depending on project requirements.
Partnering with Planners to Develop Tools for Financial Analysis of Fuel Treatments
Authors: Barbour R. James , Fight Roger D.
Published: April 2024

The financial analysis component of the fuel synthesis project was guided by the general specifications of the broader project. The project was requested on behalf of specific users (fuel treatment planners), to address specific questions (how to design and implement fuel treatments),and with specific attributes (easily learned and used by people with little or no background in economics or financial analysis). The strategy for designing analysis and information to meet this need was to involve the target user group and managers in design, testing, and implementation ofthe tools. The result is a set of tools that appear to be being adopted more quickly and more widely than any previous financial analysis tools that the authors have developed.
The Southern Pine Beetle Prevention Initiative: Working for Healthier Forests
Authors: Nowak John , Asaro Christopher , Klepzig Kier , Billings Ronald
Published: April 2024

The southern pine beetle (SPB) is the most destructive forest pest in the South. After a recent SPB outbreak, the US Forest Service (Forest Health Protection and Southern Research Station [SRS]) received SPB Initiative (SPBI) funding to focus more resources on proactive SPB prevention work. This funding is being used for on-the-ground accomplishments, landowner education, and research and development. Since 2003, on-the-ground accomplishments have totaled over 500,000 ac of thinning and restoration work on state, private, and national forestland. The SRS (SRS Research Work Unit 4552) has worked, internally and externally, on projects addressing (1) the risks and costs of SPB, (2) preventing and controlling SPB outbreaks, and (3) recovery from SPB outbreaks. Much work has been accomplished through the SPBI and will hopefully have a long-lasting impact. This article describes the history, current practices, and the accomplishments for the first 6 years of the SPBI.
Wildland Fire, Risk, and Recovery: Results of a National Survey with Regional and Racial Perspectives
Authors: Bowker J.M. , Lim Siew Hoon , Cordell H. Ken , Green Gary T. , Rideout-Hanzak Sandra , Johnson Cassandra Y.
Published: April 2024

We used a national household survey to examine knowledge, attitudes, and preferences pertaining to wildland fire. First, we present nationwide results and trends. Then, we examine opinions across region and race. Despite some regional variation, respondents are fairly consistent in their beliefs about assuming personal responsibility for living in fire-prone areas and believing that residents of such areas should follow government guidelines for managing fire risk. However, we find divergence of opinion on “trusting forest professionals” between African-American and Caucasian people. Across all survey questions related to fire management and public confidence, African-Americans appear to be relatively more concerned than Caucasian or Hispanic people.
Establishing a Research and Demonstration Area Initiated by Managers: The Sharkey Restoration Research and Demonstration Site
Authors: Gardiner Emile , Stanturf John , Leininger Theodor , Hamel Paul , Dorris Lamar , Portwood Jeffery , Shepard James
Published: April 2024

As forest scientists increase their role in the process of science delivery, many research organizations are searching for novel methods to effectively build collaboration with managers to produce valued results. This article documents our experience with establishment of a forest restoration research and demonstration area in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley (LMAV), a region that has experienced extensive afforestation of former agricultural land over the past 15 years. Although basic establishment techniques for production plantations had been developed and applied on small areas, land managers lacked critical knowledge to implement operational-scale afforestation practices that would accommodate multiple forest restoration objectives. In 1993, managers with the US Fish and Wildlife Service made a 1,700-ac agricultural tract available to scientists interested in partnering research and demonstrating various aspects of bottomland hardwood ecosystem restoration. Through collaborative efforts, resource managers and scientists have installed numerous experiments on the Sharkey Restoration Research and Demonstration Site to address relevant issues in afforestation and restoration of bottomland hardwood ecosystems. Development of this research and demonstration area has provided a science-based resource for educating landowners, foresters, wildlife managers, and the general public on afforestation techniques appropriate for restoration of bottomland hardwood forests; has served as a platform for scientists and land managers to cooperate on the development of innovative approaches to forest restoration; and has provided a venue for education and debate among policymakers active in the LMAV. Early results showed the viability of low-cost techniques such as direct seeding oaks, as well as introducing the interplanting technique for rapid development of forest conditions. We recognize that the value of the research and demonstration site is attributed in part to site characteristics and experimental design, and expect continued work at the location to contribute to improved afforestation practices that will foster establishment of sustainable bottomland hardwood forests.
A Tale of Two Forests: Case Study Comparisons of Sustained Yield Management on Mississippi and New York Nonindustrial Private Forestland
Authors: Munsell John F. , Germain René H. , Munn Ian A.
Published: April 2024

Nonindustrial private forestland (NIPF) is increasingly important in the United States from a timber perspective. Harvested volumes have risen steadily since the 1970s and are not expected to decelerate. Sustaining the potential to meet future demand depends in large part on the management of stand density and changes in stand diameter when thinning, the quality of residual stocking, and regeneration practices after a final harvest. Previous research shows that these aspects vary on NIPF, but little is known about how they differ across forest management contexts and owner types. Field surveys on recently harvested loblolly plantations in Mississippi and northern hardwood stands in New York were performed and interviews with the owners of these forests were conducted. Data were used to assess whether density and diameter management, residual stocking quality, and regeneration practices more strongly relate to the state where the harvesting occurred or the characteristics of the owner. Results suggest that outcomes differ more based on context than owner. The implications for sustaining high-quality timber yields from NIPF are also discussed.
Empowering Forestry Extension with Geospatial Technology
Authors: Fei Songlin , Thomas William , Stringer Jeffrey
Published: April 2024

Although geospatial technology has become an essential tool in forestry, it has not been widely applied in forestry extension and continuing education. Geospatial technology can be used to enhance our understanding of extension audiences and improve our ability to strategically plan education and training programs. In this article, we used the University of Kentucky's Cooperative Extension forestry program as an example to illustrate how geospatial technology can assist program planning, monitor and predict trends, identify service gaps, improve information dissemination, and foresee extension opportunities.