Category: Ethics & Values

In the Southeast, Who’s in the Path of Smoke Plumes?

by Sarah Farmer, SRS Science Delivery  • 
For more than 30 years, researchers have known that poor communities and people of color in the U.S. are more likely to be affected by environmental threats such as landfills and toxic waste sites. “Are these socially vulnerable communities also exposed to more smoke from wildfires and prescribed fires?” says U.S. Forest Service scientist Cassandra…  More 

Ebola Virus Disease in Liberia

by Zoё Hoyle, SRS Science Delivery  • 
A newly published research study by U.S. Forest Service researchers demonstrates that the social vulnerability indices used in climate change and natural hazards research can also be used in other contexts such as disease outbreaks. Authors of the article include Forest Service Southern Research Station (SRS) researchers John Stanturf, Scott Goodrick, Mel Warren, and Christie…  More 

U.S. Forest Service & the University of Texas at San Antonio

by Sarah Farmer, SRS Science Delivery  • 
A recent agreement between the U.S. Forest Service Southern Research Station (SRS) and the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) will provide funding to support the newly established Educating Youth in Environmental Science Program (EYES). SRS is contributing $24,000 towards the program, which will provide environmental learning opportunities for children in San Antonio, Texas. Ultimately, the…  More 

Linking Water, Forests, & Communities in Atlanta: Part 3

by Josh McDaniel; Annie Hermansen- Báez, Interface South  • 
Proctor Creek snakes through downtown Atlanta and eventually works its way north to the Chattahoochee River. In 2013, Proctor Creek was named one of 11 new projects of the Urban Waters Federal Partnership, an innovative union of 13 federal agencies that focus on both natural resources and economic development. As a part of the partnership,…  More 

Linking Water, Forests, & Communities in Atlanta: Part 2

by Josh McDaniel ; Annie Hermansen- Báez, InterfaceSouth  • 
Projects led by Forest Service Southern Research Station (SRS) researchers support a wide partnership effort to clean up an urban Atlanta river and revitalize the communities in its watershed. Proctor Creek snakes through downtown Atlanta and eventually works its way north to the Chattahoochee River. Along the way it passes through both middle and lower…  More 

Linking Water, Forests, & People in Atlanta: Part 1, Urban Forest Assessment

by Josh McDaniel; Annie Hermansen- Báez, InterfaceSouth  • 
Projects led by Forest Service Southern Research Station (SRS) researchers support a wide partnership to clean up an urban Atlanta river and revitalize the communities in its watershed. Proctor Creek snakes through downtown Atlanta and eventually works its way north to the Chattahoochee River. Along the way it passes through both middle and lower income…  More 

Vulnerability to Climate Change: Hotspots in Georgia

by Sarah Farmer, SRS Science Delivery  • 
Since the 1970s, the average temperature in the southeastern U.S. has risen, especially during the winter. The increased temperature has been accompanied by other changes: droughts have become more common, and severe storms are more frequent and extreme. “We wanted to determine how these changes in climate are affecting people in Georgia,” says U.S. Forest…  More 

Tribes and the U.S. Forest Service Strengthen Partnerships

by Sarah Farmer, SRS Science Delivery  • 
Tribal Nations and the U.S. Forest Service recently met at the 14th annual To Bridge a Gap meeting to share scientific research and traditional ecological knowledge, while discussing strategies for managing cultural and natural resources in the National Forests. The meeting was held from March 30 – April 2, and was hosted by the Eastern…  More 

New Forest Service Report Spotlights Visitor Diversity

by Rod Truesdell, Science Delivery Group  • 
When you think of forest research, several topics probably come to mind—wildlife habitat management, invasive species, drought, or tree disease. You may be surprised to learn that some U.S. Forest Service scientists research an entirely different type of forest life—the people who visit forests. Promoting visitation of the national forests by people of all racial…  More 

Health Benefits of Green Spaces Not Shared Equally

by Sarah Farmer  • 
Without forests, parks, gardens, and other green spaces, some people may be at a higher risk of health challenges such as heart disease, obesity, depression, and heat-related illness. “Decades of research suggest that the natural environment can play an important role in sustaining public health,” says U.S. Forest Service Southern Research Station (SRS) scientist Viniece…  More