Southern Research Station Headquarters - Asheville, NC
Main Logo of Southern Research Station, Stating: Southern Research Station - Asheville, NC, with a saying of 'Science you can use!'
[Images] Five photos of different landscape

Congressional Corner

Southwide Initiatives

Emerging Issues in the South

For an in-depth look at State-by-State summaries & forest facts:





The Southern Research Station is part of the Nation's largest forestry research organization -- USDA Forest Service Research and Development -- the leading organization for research on natural resource management and sustainability in the United States. Headquartered in Asheville, North Carolina, the Southern Research Station serves 13 Southern States and beyond. Its staff of over 130 scientists is organized into Research Work Units with science technicians and other support personnel, who work at various locations throughout the region: Federal laboratories, universities, and experimental forests.

Since the beginning of the 20th Century, the Southern Research Station's researchers have excelled in studies on temperate and tropical forests, forest resources, and forest products and activities. These studies provide a wealth of long-term data sets and conclusions on the dynamics of tree plantations and natural stands, watershed management, and wildlife habitats. Guided by a Strategic Framework updated in 2006, our mission is to create the science and technology needed to sustain and enchance southern forest ecosystems and benefits they provide. Forest Science in the South - 2006 summarizes budget information, highlights the year's accomplishments, and list publications.



Small logo of the USDASmall logo of the Forest Service Shield


Eastern Forest Environmental Threat Assessment Center

Issue: Eastern Forest Environmental Threat Assessment Center (EFETAC) is a part of the USDA Forest Service's program under the Healthy Forest Restoration Act.

Funding FY 05
Enacted		 FY 06
Enacted		 FY 07
Agency Request
Research $400,000 $770,000 $765,000
State & Private      $800,000 $800,000
Nat'l Forest      $800,000 $800,000


  • The new Eastern Forest Environmental Threat Assessment Center (EFETAC) is located in Asheville, North Carolina and is part of a network of early warning activities established by the Forest Service nationwide.

  • EFETAC provides science and technology for early detection and assessment of environmental threats. This includes insects and diseases, fire, drought, hurricanes or ice so that managers can take early, decisive action to stop or mitigate the identified problem.

  • The Center in Asheville, NC serves the entire eastern United States and will include all land ownerships.

  • The program has an emphasis on threats to hardwood forests, but will also include threats to conifers. The program includes a focus on modeling and remote sensing and other early warning techniques.

  • A key part of this program is the delivery of this knowledge to managers and the public in ways that are user friendly and accessible.

  • EFETAC partners with other government agencies and institutions

Background

Title VI Sec. 601 of the Healthy Forest Restoration Act of 2003 (HFRA) instructs the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out a program to monitor forest stands (with emphasis on hardwood forests) on National Forest System lands (other than those units created from the public domain) and private lands to improve detection of and response to environmental threats including: insects, diseases, invasive species, fire, weather-related risks and other episodic events.

Maintaining healthy Southern forests requires an understanding of changing market conditions, rapidly evolving forest threats, and the socio-economic aspects associated with landowner decision making. Incentives and new markets for ecosystem services and biomass are encouraged to support keeping forest lands in working forests, thus preventing fragmentation and loss of habitat. The capacity of States to deliver training, science, and assistance to landowners is essential for success.

Back to Emerging Issues