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!'
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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



Emerging Issues in the South

Forest Inventory and Analysis
The health and competitiveness of Southern forests is being impacted by changing local and global markets, invasive species, shifting consumer demands, and declining economic viability of the private forest landowner. There are ways to both promote the conservation ethic, manage forests for a multitude of resources (traditional and nontraditional), and provide economic gains to the landowner.

Program Overview

[PHOTO] Forest Inventory and Analysis - Two people measuring trees FIA develops, analyzes, and maintains annualized forest resource information for the 13 Southern States, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. This inventory is accomplished collaboratively with the Southern Group of State Foresters and their respective forestry organizations. The program is administered in Knoxville, TN, with offices in Asheville, NC, and Starkville, MS.

Wood-using industries and forest values are extremely important to the Southern U.S. economy; consequently, resource sustainability must be continually assessed. The Station’s FIA program provides important data about Southern forests through annual inventories as a component of the national FIA program. In addition, FIA works collaboratively with universities, forest industry groups, and other governmental agencies to develop new procedures to improve the inventory process.








The Importance of Inventories

FIA status and trend information is recognized as the single best source of indicators on the conservation and sustainable management of America’s forests, answering questions such as: 1) how much forest exists, 2) where it exists, 3) who owns it, and 4) how it is changing. FIA uses forest health indicators, along with comprehensive forest inventory data, to provide information on the status, trends, and condition of forest resources.
In addition to forest inventory data, FIA is collecting information on Timber Products Output (TPO) and participates in the National Woodland Owners Survey (NWOS). TPO information provides estimates of timber product output by state for all products. NWOS results are used to address what services landowners intend to derive, manage, or provide from their forested acreage.



Program Highlights

Researchers are conducting annual forest inventories across the South, in cooperation with State forestry organizations. Continual partnership efforts and funding are critical to maintaining current information. Program highlights include:
  • Data, information, and reports accessible through the Station’s FIA website at http://srsfia2.fs.fed.us/, which provides interactive web tools allowing individuals to query the database.
  • Current funding for inventory work in 11 of the 13 Southern States (including central and western Texas), Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Mississippi and Oklahoma will be added as funds become available.
  • State Foresters’ financial contributions that augment federal budget allocations, allowing effective delivery and adding value to the FIA program in the Southern U.S.
  • The first state-level, 5-year report in the U.S. incorporating forest resource data with forest health attributes published for South Carolina.






Back to: Emerging Issues in the South

PDF Format Available for Download: Forest Inventory and Analysis Download - 248 KB




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.






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