Southern
Research Station

Transitioning to a forest-based bioeconomy: The Argentina experience

Part of the Unlocking the Bioeconomy for Nontimber Forest Products Series
October 6, 2022

Presented by Juan Pablo Moro and Sandra E. Sharry, Ph

To address challenges linked to the forest sector, Argentina crafted ForestAr 2030, a strategic plan to move toward a forest-based bioeconomy. This effort, led by the Ministry of Science and Technology accompanied by Agriculture and Environment, took six years, and involved five Ministries. Concurrently, the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development launched a national program for Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs), that included characterization, statistics, and monitoring the products. Argentina recognized that NTFPs can be of major economic importance at national and local levels by generating employment and trade of unprocessed and processed products. During this effort, the project “Sustainable use of NTFP in northern forests of Argentina” documented cases of sustainable use of forest biodiversity, specifically of nontimber forest products. Examples include the incorporation of native fruits into the national food standard code and fungi commercialization. This presentation describes the process of developing the bioeconomy policy in Argentina, with an emphasis on the forestry sector and presents successful cases of usage and marketing of NTFPs.

Read more about Juan Pablo Moro and Sandra E. Sharry

Juan Pablo Moro, an Agricultural Engineer from the University of Buenos Aires (UBA), is an expert in non-timber forest products from Argentina and across Latin America. His special emphasis is the sustainable use of native fruits, and development of value chains. Since 2013, Juan has been the Technical Advisor in the National Program of Non-Timber Forest Products of the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development of the Argentine Nation.

Sandra E. Sharry holds a PhD in Natural Sciences from the National University of La Plata- UNLP-Argentina. Dr Sharry holds a number of positions, including Coordinator of the Experimental Center for Vegetative Propagation, Coordinator of the Project “Sustainable Use of Biodiversity in Forests of High Conservation Value” and - Vice-President of ProDiversitas, the Pan American Program for the Defense and Development of Biological, Cultural and Social Diversity. Previously, Dr. Sharry was Coordinator of the Forest Bioeconomy Board of the Ministry of Sciences and a member of the Advisory Commission on Bioeconomy, Secretary of Agriculture and Fisheries of the Nation.

The importance of NTFPs in Mexico and their potential for the bioeconomy

Part of the Unlocking the Bioeconomy for Nontimber Forest Products Series
June 15, 2022

Presented by María Teresa Pulido Silva

Mexico has the fourth richest flora on the planet. But this multicultural country, where more than half of the territory is communal property, is facing major social, economic, and ecosystemic changes. In this context, nontimber forest products (NTFPs) have provided and must continue to provide a livelihood for many people in the country. In this presentation by María Teresa Pulido Silva, who combines ethnobotany and population ecology for the study of NTFPs, the monetary importance and legally traded volumes of NTFPs will be analyzed and three case studies representing a gradient of commercial importance will be discussed in depth. The contextual conditions that interfere with the transition towards a bioeconomy will also be examined. This presentation can enrich the understanding of some of the challenges faced throughout Latin America in relation to the bioeconomy.

Read more about María Teresa Pulido Silva

María Teresa Pulido Silva earned a PhD from the National Autonomous University of Mexico in 2006. Her work combines ethnobotany and population ecology for the study of NTFPs, particularly palms and cycads. Dr. Silva has extensive experience working with the indigenous and mestizo use of these products, and has worked in Colombia, Honduras, Brazil as well as Mexico. She studies the use of Sabal palm by Maya people, including population ecology, landscape ecology and ethnobotanical aspects. Additionally, Maria has experience studying Brahea genera, the most important palm in Mesoamerican arid ecosystem. In particular she is studying the ethnoecology and religious use of Brahea by Otomí and mestizo people.

Seeing the Forest for the Trees: Using Satellite Images to Observe Forest Change

May 4, 2022

What, where, and when are forests changing in the Southeastern U.S.? Join us for a talk exploring how forests in the Southeastern U.S. have changed over the past two decades as observed by satellite images. We’ll look at how land use change is shifting the landscape context of forests, recent forest disturbance patterns, and indicators of changing productivity and seasonality of forests.

Dr. Kristen Emmett is a landscape ecologist working with the Eastern Forest Environmental Threat Assessment Center in Asheville, NC. Her goal is to provide science that is relevant for forest conservation, planning, and management through studying relationships between forests, climate, and disturbance. Her career has taken her from studying leaf cutter ants in the tropics, to guiding hikes in old growth temperate rainforests, to using super computers for simulating regional climate change impacts. She is currently an Oak Ridge Institute of Science and Education Postdoctoral Fellow.

Nonwood forest products in agroforestry: Farmer’s perceptions in Europe

Part of the Unlocking the Bioeconomy for Nontimber Forest Products Series
April 26, 2022

Presented by Mercedes Rois Díaz

Agroforestry is the intentional integration of trees and shrubs into crop and animal farming systems to create environmental, economic, and social benefits. It has been practiced around the world for centuries. This webinar will focus on the potential of agroforestry to provide a variety of NWFPs, with particular attention to the Galicia region (NW Spain), and the identified driving forces for farmers and foresters to implement agroforestry. Agroforestry is receiving more prominent consideration in European and global policies as it is fully aligned with the UN 2030 Agenda, the Sustainable Development Goals, and the European Bioeconomy Strategy. The Strategy proposes actions for leading the way towards a sustainable, circular bioeconomy, and explicitly declares agroforestry as a priority land-use system that makes efficient use of ecosystems services. Despite this objective, agroforestry is not extensively used and not well-known by many farmers and foresters. Effective policies for promoting agroforestry need to be based on the motivations and the barriers affecting farmers and foresters to adopt such practices.

Read more about Mercedes Rois Díaz

Mercedes Rois Díaz is an independent consultant on forest bioeconomy, with extensive research and management experience after having worked for 17 years at the European Forest Institute. Her main field of expertise is agroforestry systems and the transfer of scientific results to farmers and forest owners, with special focus on the link to the circular bioeconomy and bioproducts.

Nontimber forest products and bioeconomy in the European Union

Part of the Unlocking the Bioeconomy for Nontimber Forest Products Series
March 22, 2022

Presented by Marko Lovric, European Forest Institute

Many non-wood forest products (NWFPs) such as mushrooms and berries are collected and consumed in Europe; but both national statistical and scientific data on this topic are reported only for a limited number of countries, products and case-study areas. Their importance as source of food and income, their links to recreation and cultural heritage, are all under-valued in forest-focused and forest-related policies.

Nontimber forest products and bioeconomy in the United States

Part of the Unlocking the Bioeconomy for Nontimber Forest Products Series
February 15, 2022

Presented by James Chamberlain, USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station, USA

No single forest system is more important than another. In a functioning bioeconomy, society needs to focus on all of them. All of the different production systems have the potential to contribute to food security and nutrition on a global scale.

When looking at management plans for natural forest lands, decision makers may want to think past timber. Forested land can produce food and medicine. Every year, in the U.S., hundreds of thousands of pounds of food are gathered from public lands. But an untapped source is the nearly 2,500 square miles of urban land that could be planted with fruit-bearing trees and contribute to production systems. Join James Chamberlain of the USDA Forest Service for a discussion about the U.S. and the bioeconomy.

Roles of NTFPs in poverty alleviation in China: Case studies of southwest China

Part of the Unlocking the Bioeconomy for Nontimber Forest Products Series
January 13, 2022

Presented by Liu Jinlong, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China

This presentation will explore China’s story of evolving notion of Non-Timber Forest Products, experiences of policy supporting promotion of NTFPs in the rural economy, and try to capture policy implications. NTFPs are of great importance to peoples’ livelihood, rural economy, cultural heritage, biodiversity conservation, and community engagement, yet their roles in rural social-ecological systems varies greatly. Since 2004, collective forest reform has been implemented and most forests have been privatized to individual households. However, a large percentage of those forests have been poorly managed due to low economic returns and bureaucratic challenges to harvesting trees. To be discussed are the steps taken to motivate more investment in forest lands and support implementation of rural collective forest tenure reform, what policy reforms by different levels of government have worked or not, and the challenges faced by and recommendations for integrating NTFPs into the “green” economy.

Read more about Liu Jinlong

Liu Jinlong is a Professor and the director of the Center of Forestry, Environmental, and Resources Policy Study at the Renmin University of China. He received his PhD in Rural Development Sociology from the Wageningen University in 2006. He is Honourable Adjunct Professor at Hongkong University, Adjunct Professor at Wageningen University, and Research, Seoul National University. His research fields include: rural development, forest governance and policy, nature resource management, and environmental governance. He is Deputy Coordinator of IUFRO Forest Policy and Economic Division (Division 9), and a member of Task Force of Indigenous and Local Knowledge of the International Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. He has published more than 100 journal articles and 4 academic books between 2010 and 2020.

Towards a Himalayan bioeconomy

Part of the Unlocking the Bioeconomy for Nontimber Forest Products Series
December 17, 2021

Presented by Carsten Smith-Hall, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

While the number of dedicated bioeconomy strategies around the world is increasing, as are the efforts to identify gaps in the current set of strategies, the majority of the world’s countries remain without any nominal bioeconomic laws, i.e., policies and legislation explicitly addressing the bioeconomy. However, all these countries have functional bioeconomic laws, meaning, non-bioeconomic policies, laws, and regulations whose provisions have some relevance for the bioeconomy. Using the case of commercial medicinal plants in Nepal, this talk focuses in on how to build on functional bioeconomic law to support the identification of transition pathways to the forest-based bioeconomy in a low-income country.

Read more about Carsten Smith-Hall

Carsten Smith-Hall has directed several international and interdisciplinary research programmes and published in both natural and social science journals. He has raised more than €25 million in external funding for research and development of teaching programmes. His research is focused on environment-livelihood relationships, including the role of forests in preventing and reducing poverty; environment and human health, in particular the role of forests in maintaining and improving welfare; and commercial utilization of biodiversity, with emphasis on trade and conservation issues. He is a member of several international journal boards, co-coordinates the Global Task Force on Unlocking the Bioeconomy and Non-Timber Forest Products (under the International Union of Forest Research Organizations), and serves on the World Conservation Union's Medicinal Plant Specialist Group. He is Head of Studies for the MSc in Environment and Development.

Commercialization of baobab fruit products as an exemplary NTFP: Lessons learned from local to global markets

Part of the Unlocking the Bioeconomy for Nontimber Forest Products Series
November 18, 2021

Presented by Katie Meinhold, Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences

Wild forest food resources are becoming popular, and products are increasingly entering modern food supply chains. Baobab fruit pulp features nutritional properties such as high levels of Vitamin C and selected minerals, especially Calcium, and phytochemicals such as polyphenols, making it an interesting candidate for the bioeconomy. Since it is naturally dry when the fruit is ripe, it can easily be used as an ingredient to enrich other foods and a variety of products have been developed in recent years including juices, snack-bars, and cookies, fostered by its potential health benefits and reduction of micronutrient deficiencies. While in selected countries with widespread baobab resources derived products are only slowly losing their ‘food for the poor’ image and are yet mainly used traditionally, in other countries products are increasingly also available in formal domestic food outlets, a transformation which has consequences not only on resource demand, but also on its supply chain organisation and product quality. To facilitate the jump onto international markets various innovations as well as a variety of actors and institutions in the global South and the global North were necessary, focussing both on the production side to achieve the high-quality standards demanded as well as on the consumption side to make baobab popular amongst novel consumers with no previous exposure to this product. Since most of these developments were pushed bottom-up using external support, there is a need to strengthen the institutional framework and enabling environment, to further foster the production of high-quality and ethically sourced products and contribute to rural development. Katie Meinhold will discuss these developments using baobab fruit products as an example, focussing on local markets, as well as how baobab overcame challenges faced by most NTFPs in gaining access to formal international markets.

Read more about Katie Meinhold

Katie Meinhold is coordinating the Sustainable Food Systems Research Centre at Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences whereas the sustainable utilisation of wild plants and forest products is one of the research priorities. Her research focusses on the evolving markets and sustainable commercialisation of products derived from the baobab tree, particularly its nutritious fruit. Her academic background lies in nutritional science and sustainable resource management. Katie has extensive experience coordinating and working in international multi-actor research projects, including projects focussing on baobab resources (BAOFOOD and BAOQUALITY) in Kenya, Malawi, and Sudan.

From the mountains to the coast: Fire effects on the soils of the South

Part of the Science in Practice Series
November 17, 2021

Presented by Mac Callaham, SRS Research Ecologist

Some key messages from this webinar:

• For most of the last 10,000 years, the majority of the land area in the Southeastern US experienced frequent fires, which influenced forest composition and soil functions.
• During the most recent 100-200 years, fire has been excluded from a large portion of the landscape, with associated changes to forests and soils.
• What happens when fires return to ecosystems that haven’t burned for long periods of time? What are the consequences for soil processes? This presentation will present results from research on these questions in the Appalachian Mountains, the Southern Piedmont, and the Coastal Plain.

Download presentation (PDF; 4 MB) ↷

Hitchiti Experimental Forest QUIC-Fire and 3D Monitoring Demo

October 27, 2021

Update on advanced modeling demo at Hitchiti Experimental Forest.

No-bid timber sales: Agency and timber buyer perspectives on why public timber sales offerings sometimes go unsold

Part of the Science in Practice Series
October 27, 2021

Presented by Greg Frey, SRS Research Forester, and Sonia Bruck, Post-doctoral Fellow

Some key messages from this webinar:

• A consistent vocabulary and framework for understanding unsold timber offerings allows different stakeholders to discuss problem areas.
• Proximate causes are immediate, sale-specific drivers that are the concrete reason a bidder chose not to bid. Underlying factors create the conditions that make proximate causes more likely to occur.
• NFS employees and industry professionals identified similar drivers but disagreed on which were the most important.
• NFS employee perceptions aligned with actual sales data from the Timber Information Manager (TIM) database.

Download presentation (PDF; 1 MB) ↷

Comparing the potential of non-wood forest products in different European regions

Part of the Unlocking the Bioeconomy for Nontimber Forest Products Series
October 20, 2021

Presented by Harald Vacik, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences – Institute of Silviculture, Austria

Forest management often does not give full attention towards the management of non-wood forest products (NWFPs) since wood production is the main ecosystem service provided. In this presentation the future potential of NWFPs for diversifying the forest bioeconomy in different European regions is investigated. The results of several case studies are based on a multi-criteria analysis, including stakeholder interaction and expert involvement. Forest owners who are willing to focus their management on the joint production of wood and non-wood resources will be able to learn about the most successful combinations in a given ecological and socio-economic context. The presentation intends to unravel perspectives for forest owners in particular as they act as main suppliers of NWFP raw materials and thus can be understood as key actors in a forest bioeconomy. Due to the varying socio-economic and ecological environments, there is huge potential to strengthen the economic viability of rural areas and a sustainable co-production may foster the ecological integrity of forest ecosystems across Europe.

Read more about Harald Vacik

Harald Vacik is doing his research on the evaluation of natural resource management in the context of sustainability and biodiversity. Spatial decision support systems for multipurpose natural resource management developed at the Department of Forest and Soil Sciences at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, where he is associate professor of silviculture, are part of his research activities. For almost 20 years he has been actively involved in the development and application of criteria and indicators for evaluating sustainable forest management at the forest level and in national and international contexts. In this context he is providing expert advice in the implementation of scientifically based practical applications of silvicultural know-how and multi-criteria decision-making techniques in Europe and Asia. He is a founder of the Austrian Forest Fire Research Initiative (AFFRI) and the Sub-Regional Euro-Alpine Wildland Fire Network of Global Fire Monitoring Center (GFMC). He is coordinator of the IUFRO group 4.03.03 “Information management and information technologies” and coordinator of the Community of Practice of Forest Management Decision Support System. Harald Vacik has been actively involved in several European-scale and nationwide research projects and initiatives on the evaluation of management concepts for non-wood forest products and ecosystem services for balancing multiple interests on natural resources.

Keeping it green: An integrated pest management approach to HWA

Part of the Science in Practice Series
October 6, 2021

Presented by Bud Mayfield, SRS Research Entomologist

Some key messages from this webinar:

• Hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA) is a non-native invasive insect that threatens unique hemlock ecosystems in eastern North America.
• Chemical, biological, and silvicultural tactics reduce the negative impacts of HWA and present potential strategies for integrating these tactics on forest landscapes.

Download presentation (PDF; 5 MB) ↷

Stone pine cultivation and the emerging bioeconomy in Chile

Part of the Unlocking the Bioeconomy for Nontimber Forest Products Series
September 30, 2021

Presented by Verónica Loewe Muñoz, Chilean Forestry Institute, INFOR, Chile

Pinus pinea is a Mediterranean species whose edible seeds are highly valued and demanded worldwide. The cones are harvested mainly from natural forests, and the pine nuts are considered NTFPs. Cropping of this species generates income from cone or pine nut sales, creates jobs, and provides multiple social and environmental benefits, contributing to rural development. The presentation presents the potential contribution of stone pine, an emerging crop in Chile, in terms of its socioeconomic benefits and its relationship with the bioeconomy. An economic assessment of stone pine cultivation was estimated under different management schemes: medium-intensity managed plantation, medium-intensity managed agroforestry system, and high-intensity managed plantation. Regardless of the management scheme, stone pine plantations would contribute to sustainable socioeconomic development, representing an opportunity for transition towards bioeconomy.

Read more about Verónica Loewe Muñoz

Verónica Loewe Muñoz received her BSc in Forest Engineering from Universidad de Chile in 1986. Then in Italy she did a specialization on high value timber production and was introduced to stone pine (Pinus pinea L.). Verónica did her doctorate in Biosciences and AgriFood Sciences at University of Córdoba, Spain (2012–2016) focused on stone pine growth and fruiting, variability, adaptation, and management. In 2019, she was recognized by the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) with the Outstanding Doctoral Research Award in recognition of the scientific achievements in her research, making valuable contributions to the advancement of the species’ domestication, contributing to the establishment of over 3,000 hectares of new plantations for pine nut production in Chile. She currently is project leader at the Chilean Forest Institute (INFOR), in charge of the program “Development and contributions for the use of high value forest and forest-fruit species for Chile,” funded by the Ministry of Agriculture. Her goal is to offer to society new productive alternatives and sustainable productive models that can be successfully implemented at an economic, environmental, and social point of view.

Non-wood provisioning services from Mediterranean forest ecosystems

Part of the Unlocking the Bioeconomy for Nontimber Forest Products Series
August 31, 2021

Presented by Sven Mutke, Forest Research Centre (INIA, CSIC), Madrid, Spain

Pine nuts, mushrooms, and woodland pastures are just a few examples of the nontimber forest products that are increasingly part of the bioeconomy—an economic model that embraces forests as a source of food while prioritizing biodiversity and sustainability. Dr. Sven Mutke discussed Mediterranean forest ecosystems and the goods they provide.

Read more about Dr. Sven Mutke

Dr. Sven Mutke is Head of Service for Forest Industries at the Forest Research Centre of INIA-CSIC, the Spanish National Research Council, though his expertise is centred in Mediterranean Non Wood Forest Products management and production, particularly the edible pine nuts and the pine gum resin tapped for industrial uses. Sven is coordinating the IUFRO Research Group 1.08 on Silviculture for edible NWFPs, and had been coordinating before the FAO-CIHEAM research network on Mediterranean stone pine. He is also member of the global IUFRO Task Force that defines and examine the potential of NWFPs for a Bioeconomy. Sven holds a Ph.D. from the Forestry College of Madrid Tech (2005) on the development of stone pine as grafted orchard crop. He has published extensively on the subject of Mediterranean pine woodlands, their ecology, management and products. Sven has extensive experience working in multipurpose and multi-actor research projects and networks with forest value chain stakeholders in Europe, northern Africa and Middle East, and has collaborated in projects on edible NWFPs in eastern Asia and Southern America.

Predicting acorn crops with forest inventory data

July 2021

Presented by Katie Greenberg, SRS Research Ecologist

In a series of collaborative studies, researchers developed new methods for estimating acorn crops. Traditional methods require a great deal of time and effort. Wildlife biologists and forest managers often need to estimate acorn crops, as acorns are important food for wildlife and are also crucial to oak regeneration.

Every picture tells a story: Reflections on a century of Forest Service research in the South

July 28, 2021

This 90-minute program was a look back over the past 100 years, and included stories about the people, places, programs, and relationships that have made the legacy of Forest Service research in the South possible.

Evaluating whole-sounder trapping for control of invasive wild pig populations

Part of the Science in Practice Series
July 15, 2021

Presented by John Kilgo, SRS Research Wildlife Biologist

Some key messages from this webinar:

• Wild pig sounders (social groups) on the Savannah River Site behave in a generally territorial manner, even in the presence of a super-abundant food resource in the form of a large landfill.
• Territorial behavior should enhance the success of whole-sounder trapping.
• Preliminary evidence from a large-scale, two-year experiment indicates that whole-sounder trapping reduces wild pig density more effectively than traditional trapping methods.

Download presentation (PowerPoint; 9.5 MB) ↷

Intensity and mode of Pondberry reproduction are affected by flooding and light availability

Part of the Science in Practice Series
June 24, 2021

Presented by Ted Leininger, SRS Project Leader

Some key messages from this webinar:

• Pondberry plants exhibited plasticity in reproductive mode such that soil flooding increased the relative importance of asexual reproduction.
• A high light environment was most favorable to sexual reproduction, and reproductive mode transitioned to exclusively asexual in low light.
• Our results raise several implications important to active management for the conservation of this endangered plant.

The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) 101

Part of the Science in Practice Series
June 17, 2021

Presented by Stephanie Madson, R8 Regional Planning Director, and Stephanie Medlin, Southern Regional Environmental Coordinator

Some key messages from this webinar:

• Federal officials to consider environmental values alongside technical and economic considerations for all Federal actions (not an optional process).
• An interdisciplinary approach to Federal project planning and decision making that must engage the public.
• Federal officials to follow a process to inform decision making (Note: NEPA is not pre-decisional and does not require the most “favorable” alternative to be selected).

Download presentation (PowerPoint; 5 MB) ↷

Understanding the role of tidal freshwater wetlands in provisioning coastal ecosystem services

Part of the Science in Practice Series
June 10, 2021

Presented by Carl Trettin, SRS Research Soil Scientist

Some key messages from this webinar:

• Tidal freshwater wetlands occur with both forest and marsh vegetation, occurring at the interface of the terrestrial and marine environments.
• Unlike terrestrial wetlands, tidal freshwater wetlands are perpetually moist which alters biogeochemical cycling and greenhouse gas emissions.
• Research on the Santee Experimental Forest is considering the functional linkages of tidal freshwater wetlands in the headwaters of the Charleston (SC) Harbor estuary.

Considering crayfishes when making land management decisions

Part of the Science in Practice Series
May 25, 2021

Presented by Zanethia Barnett, SRS Research Fisheries Biologist

Some key messages from this webinar:

• Anthropogenic alterations have greatly altered crayfish populations, with 51% of US species under conservation concern.
• The main threats to US crayfish species are pollution, urban development, damming/water management, and logging.
• Managing lands to protect essential crayfish habitats and food sources can increase crayfish populations, conserve at-risk species, and minimize the effects of disturbances.

Does your prescribed burn meet your objectives? Monitoring and evaluating burn plan objectives

Part of the Science in Practice Series
May 19, 2021

Presented by McRee Anderson and Gabe De Jong (The Nature Conservancy), Beth Buchanan (USDA Forest Service Southern Region), and Virginia McDaniel (SRS forestry technician)

Some key messages from this webinar:

• This webinar highlights first-order fire effects monitoring on a glade restoration project on the Ouachita National Forest in Arkansas.
• The monitoring protocol was developed by The Nature Conservancy in Arkansas and has been implemented across the state for over 20 years.
• This rapid assessment tool can be broadly applied to burned areas in the southeastern US to measure the effectiveness of management and restoration projects.

How COVID-19 affects forests and the people who use them

Part of the Science in Practice Series
May 7, 2021

Panelists include: Jeff Prestemon, SRS Research Economist; Susan Loeb, SRS Research Wildlife Biologist; Eric White, SRS Research Social Scientist, Recreation; Jason Rodrigue, R8 Silviculturist; Beth Lemaster, R8 Acting Director of Forest Management

Identification, mitigation and adaptation to salinization on working lands in the U.S. southeast

Part of the Science in Practice Series
April 16, 2021

Presented by Nancy Gibson

Some key messages from this webinar:

• Soil salinization in the coastal Southeastern United States is becoming more prevalent as storm surges increase in frequency and sea levels rise.
• Salinization reduces the productivity of working lands and can prevent trees and crops from growing.
• Landowners need resources to help them understand coastal salinization and how to manage for resilience.

Download presentation (PDF; 5 MB) ↷

Bird sampling in southern pine forests

Part of the Science in Practice Series
March 18, 2021

Presented by Dan Saenz, SRS Research Wildlife Biologist

Some key messages from this webinar:

• Bird communities are responsive to forest management.
• Bird sampling with automated recorders is an efficient alternative to traditional point counts.
• Traditional surveys may not give an adequate representation of bird communities.

Download presentation (PDF; 7 MB) ↷

Journey to develop technology transfer products on the American chestnut

Part of the Science in Practice Series
March 4, 2021

Presented by Stacy Clark, SRS Research Forester

Some key messages from this webinar:

• An online short course on the American chestnut and other tech transfer products were developed to provide synthesized information to managers.
• These products can be used as prototypes to educate a diverse audience on research results and management applications.
• The research cycle is not complete until research findings impact managers or other customers.

Effects of species conversion on transpiration and stream flow in the Piedmont of North Carolina

Part of the Science in Practice Series
February 5, 2021

Presented by Johnny Boggs, SRS Biological Scientist

Some key messages from this webinar:

• Forestry Best Management Practices (BMPs) can help minimize impacts to water quality after a harvest, by reducing risks of overland runoff and erosion from hillslopes and providing sufficient shading of streams.
• Stream crossing BMPs offer further guidance on how best to protect water quality at stream crossings in Piedmont forests.
• Forest vegetation plays a more significant role in affecting water balances in this region than either the coastal plains or the mountains due to the unique climate and topography in the Piedmont.
  • Converting hardwood stand to pine stand reduces water yield in watersheds in North Carolina.
  • Shortleaf pines (Pinus echinata) use less water than loblolly pines (Pinus taeda).

Prescribed fire’s place in oak regeneration

Part of the Science in Practice Series
February 19, 2021

Presented by Callie Schweitzer, SRS Research Forester

Some key messages from this webinar:

• Disturbance regime changes, including fire, have greatly altered upland hardwood forest species composition and structure.
• Timing prescribed fire to meet management goals is paramount to success.
• Using prescribed fire to recruit oak reproduction is highly dependent on individual stand conditions.

Download presentation (PDF; 7.1 MB) ↷

Water, water, everywhere: Understanding forests, urbanization and flood interactions

Part of the Science in Practice Series
February 17, 2021

Presented by Ge Sun, SRS Research Hydrologist

Some key messages from this webinar:

• Forest Service R&D was motivated to quantify how forests reduce erosion and floods – answering the forest influence questions.
• We know that forests can reduce the frequency and magnitude of small floods and reduce river sedimentation when forestry BMPs are used.
• Forest management activities affect floods through altering flow path and forest evapotranspiration processes.
• Urbanization that involves replacing forests with impervious surfaces in the humid southeast can dramatically reduce evapotranspiration (i.e., water pumping to the air), thus elevate direct runoff and floods.
• Keeping forests and using urban BMPs or staying away from floods can reduce flood damages.

Download presentation (PowerPoint; 23 MB) ↷

Nontimber forest products? Think food, medicine, decorative products!

Part of the Science in Practice Series
December 2, 2020

Presented by Jim Chamberlain, SRS Research Forest Products Technologist

Some key messages from this webinar:

• $1 billion – the approximate wholesale value of nontimber forest products harvested from US forests every year.
• 2.9 million pounds of food harvested from national forests and BLM lands from 2009-2013.
• 900,000 pounds of wild American ginseng harvested from US forests 2009-2013; every year about $27 million to rural-based harvesters.

Download presentation (PowerPoint; 65 MB) ↷

Delivering resources to improve forest productivity and resilience to threats

Part of the Science in Practice Series
November 10, 2020

Presented by Michael Gavazzi, SRS Natural Resources Specialist

Some key messages from this webinar:

• How the USDA SE Climate Hub works with Federal, State, regional and local groups to deliver resources that allow for climate-informed decision-making to increase resilience and productivity and reduce risk.
• Ongoing projects including state-specific fact sheets on emerging forest threats and adaptation options, guides to help prepare for and recover from hurricane impacts, and a manual to help land managers assess their soil salinization risk and available adaptation options.

This webinar recording is unavailable, but you can download the slides below.

Download presentation (PowerPoint; 10.3 MB) ↷

RxFire science: Departing from the status quo

Part of the Science in Practice Series
October 19, 2020

Presented by Joe O’Brien, SRS Project Leader/Research Ecologist

Some key messages from this webinar:

• Prescribed fires are applied to millions of hectares of forests annually and are rightfully promoted as a solution to wildfire threats and to maintain forest function and health. However, there has been a lack of science specifically targeted to support their broader application due to focus of research on wildfires.
• In order to improve and expand the application of prescribed fire, a campaign of prescribed fire science must be initiated with a fundamental departure from the fire science status quo.

Fire and wildlife in the southern Appalachians

Part of the Science in Practice Series
October 16, 2020

Presented by Katie Greenberg, SRS Research Ecologist; Christopher Moorman, NCSU Professor

Download presentation (PowerPoint; 25 MB) ↷

Experimental forests: A network of opportunities

Part of the Science in Practice Series
August 27, 2020

Presented by Johnny Boggs and Stephanie Laseter, SRS Experimental Forest Network Co-Leads

Some key messages from this webinar:

• Forest Inventory and Analysis and Experimental Forests and Ranges are cornerstones of Forest Service R&D.
• Network-wide data collection and sharing are critical for answering broad-scale questions and identifying trends and patterns that generate new questions.
• The SRS Experimental Forest Network offers many opportunities for research and collaboration, and can be a template for doing both new science and current science more effectively.

Download presentation (PowerPoint; 11 MB) ↷

New fuel measurements for operational RxFire models

Part of the Science in Practice Series
October 6, 2020

Presented by Louise Loudermilk, SRS Research Ecologist

Some key messages from this webinar:

• New operational 3D models such as QUIC-Fire, may change how land managers plan for and manage prescribed fire, but they require unique input data about fuels.
• Representing fuels in 3D adds detail on fuel structure and distribution. This info allows researchers to explore how fuels are distributed within and across plots, stands, and different ecosystems.
• Researchers are combining different ways of measuring and representing fuels in 3D for these models and for streamlining monitoring protocols.

Download presentation with embedded videos (PowerPoint; 310.5 MB) ↷

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A new chapter in the Southern Forest Assessment Library: Southern Forest Outlook

Part of the Science in Practice Series
September 23, 2020

Presented by John Coulston, SRS Supervisory Research Forester; Daniel McInnis, Southern Region Shared Stewardship Coordinator

Some key messages from this webinar:

• How we have used these synthesis documents in the past, and how we plan to use the Southern Forest Outlook (SFO).
• The mission of the SFO, which is to inform forest sector decision makers and the interested public about observed trends, anticipated futures, and critical issues based on authoritative synthesis and interpretation of existing science, data and projections.

Learn more about the Southern Forest Outlook here.

This webinar recording is unavailable, but you can download the slides below.

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From the forest to the faucet: Linking forests to water supplies across the South

Part of the Science in Practice Series
September 18, 2020

Presented by Peter Caldwell, SRS Research Hydrologist; Ning Liu, UMN Post-doctoral Research Fellow

Some key messages from this webinar:

• New data and tools are available that connect forests to specific municipal water supplies across the South.
• Approximately 56 million people (~ 50% of the total population) receive some portion of their water from forest lands.
• Managing and maintaining forests in water supply watersheds will be critical for protecting water resources in the future.

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Silviculture for oak seedlings: The variable retention shelterwood in upland hardwood forests

Part of the Science in Practice Series
August 27, 2020

Presented by Callie Schweitzer, SRS Research Forester

Some key messages from this webinar:

• Oak requires disturbance to recruit into larger size classes. This study used shelterwood harvest and midstory herbicide treatments to alter light conditions to favor oak over other competing hardwood species.
• Treatments resulted in some recruitment of oak into larger size classes over time, but competing hardwoods also responded favorably.
• A future challenge is finding the right levels of disturbance to promote oak regeneration. Competing species and site conditions are key considerations.

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American chestnut revival: Restoration efforts in the southern NFS

Part of the Science in Practice Series
August 14, 2020

Presented by Stacy Clark, SRS Research Forester

Some key messages from this webinar:

• Restoration on public lands will require a targeted approach.
• Animal browsing and root rot disease will impede future restoration efforts.
• Ten years of field trials show that hybrid American chestnuts are extremely competitive.

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How human-made corridors impact forest regeneration

Part of the Science in Practice Series
August 6, 2020

Presented by Rima Lucardi, SRS Research Ecologist; Gary Ervin & Adrian Lazaro-Lobo, Mississippi State University

Some key messages from this webinar:

• Invasive plant species negatively impact the regeneration of tree seedlings and saplings in southern forests.
• In the South, invasive plants have the most severe impact on regeneration of pine (Pinus) tree species.
• The project used FIA data to track the presence or absence of 16 target nonnative species that are widely distributed and spreading rapidly across the region.

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Fantastic flying mammals: A synthesis of forest management effects on bats

Part of the Science in Practice Series
July 29, 2020

Presented by Susan C. Loeb, SRS Research Ecologist

Some key messages from this webinar:

• Loeb synthesized the results of 88 studies on silvicultural treatments and the responses of temperate, insectivorous bats. The studies spanned three continents and included treatments such as shelterwood harvests, fire, gap formation, and plantation forestry.
• The review found that roosting behavior is more sensitive to silvicultural treatments than foraging or commuting behavior.
• The synthesis also revealed gaps in bat research. More research is needed on the physiological and demographic responses of bats to silvicultural treatments, along with responses during different seasons and across broader scales.

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Advances in efficient high resolution forest mapping

Part of the Science in Practice Series
July 20, 2020

Presented by Steve Norman, SRS Research Ecologist

Some key messages from this webinar:

• New high-resolution remote sensing and analytical tools are revolutionizing how we monitor disturbance.
• The HiForm workflow rapidly generates vegetation change maps that show the footprint and severity of disturbances.
• Having this technology is only half the battle, as assessment requires local knowledge, ancillary data, and skill.

This webinar recording is unavailable, but you can download the slides below.

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Virtual Upland Hardwood workshop

July 28, 2020

This workshop was designed to provide foresters and other natural resource practitioners with the most state-of-the-art, science-based information necessary to sustainably manage upland hardwood ecosystems of the Central Hardwoods Region of the US for a wide variety of goods and services. You can view the recorded presentations and course materials from each day!

Battling beetle breakouts: Pine beetle mitigation strategies in the southeast

July 15, 2020

Presented by Steve McNulty, SRS Research Ecologist

• The Southern Pine Beetle (SPB) Outbreak Model uses stand conditions, climate, and insect factors to predict areas at high risk of future outbreaks.
• Previous year SPB spots are the best predictor for current year spots. Pine stand density is the next most important factor in determining SPB outbreak location.
• As the climate changes, SPB outbreaks within the current range are becoming more likely, and SPB range will likely expand northward.
• High-risk areas can be monitored with traps. If SPB is found, mitigation—seek, find, destroy—should begin quickly.

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Nontimber forest products in the United States: Access, production, markets, and market values

April 14, 2020

Nontimber forest products (NTFPs) are derived from natural populations of plants or fungi, or farmed in forests. Although numerous and varied users harvest, trade, and consume NTFPs, relatively little is known about the organization of the markets for these products and the market value or contribution to local and regional economies. We will explore past research and gaps in current understanding related to the access, production, markets, and market values of NTFPs in the United States, including the continuum of production from wild-harvesting to forest farming of NTFPs.

Tangled title and timber

December 14, 2018

Heirs property presents many challenges, particularly with respect to who owns timber on the land. This webinar will focus on how loggers and lawyers can work together to address timber harvesting issues on heirs property.

Casualty loss and income tax deductions related to timber and landscape trees

December 7, 2018

Timber or landscape trees destroyed by recent fires, hurricanes or other storms are “casualty losses” that may allow the property owners to take a deduction on their federal income tax returns. To help timber owners, as well as home owners, who suffered timber or landscape tree damages with their tax reporting, this webinar will focus on the new tax law changes that Congress passed in 2017 that affect the casualty loss deductions starting in the 2018 tax year.

First Friday All Climate Change Talks (FFACCTs)

The Eastern Forest Environmental Threat Assessment Center (EFETAC) hosted monthly FFACCTs sessions from 2010—2017. During that time, FFACCTs featured numerous presentations covering a wide variety of issues and perspectives. Dedicated contributors also provided regular updates on research efforts, management activities, publications, tools and products, events, and more. All 8 years of presentations are archived and available to revisit at the EFETAC website.

Resources Planning Act (RPA) assessment: U.S. forest fragmentation and land cover patterns

Forest fragmentation continues even as total forestland area remains relatively stable. The Update to the 2010 RPA Assessment reported that forest cover fragmentation increased from 2001 to 2011, with fragmentation rates higher on private land than on public land. This webinar will describe how the RPA Assessment treatment of forest spatial patterns has evolved, summarize key results related to forest spatial patterns, and discuss future directions in evaluating fragmentation and land cover patterns. Watch a recording of the webinar and download the presentation.

Effects of drought on forests and rangelands in the United States: A comprehensive science synthesis

The presenters will discuss key messages from the recently published drought assessment. Topics to be covered include a state-of-the-science review of direct and indirect impacts of drought on forests and rangelands, as well as a discussion of management options for increasing resilience to future drought.

Rapid appraisal research on sustainable forestry and African American land retention

African American rural land ownership has declined significantly over the past 100 years, threatening critical family and community assets. The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities, in collaboration with the USDA Forest Service and Natural Resource Conservation Service, seeks to address this problem through the Sustainable Forestry and African American Land Retention Program. A team of social scientists recently completed baseline qualitative research in association with this program, entailing over 60 in-person interviews with African American forest owners at the pilot sites in South Carolina, North Carolina, and Alabama. Results from this study provide insights into the history, current circumstances, and goals of African American land ownership and forest management. These insights will enhance understanding and inform outreach efforts, which we hope will accelerate an emerging trend for African American landowners to return to forestry as a sound, land-based business strategy.

Tracking forest and landscape change from space using the ForWarn system

U.S. Forest Service Southern Research Station (SRS) Research Ecologists Steve Norman and William Hargrove with the SRS Eastern Forests Environmental Threat Assessment Center (EFETAC) will present a webinar on ForWarn, an online satellite-based change detection tool that maps disturbances and drought effects every 8 days.

Upland hardwood silviculture

The goal of this course is to provide practicing foresters with information about current silvicultural practices and emerging issues based on scientific research that affects managing upland hardwoods. The course is designed for professional foresters working in upland hardwood systems. Wildlife professionals and natural resources managers from State and Federal agencies, non-governmental organizations, educators, and the general public also may take the course, with the understanding that they should be familiar with forestry terminology.

Ramps forest farming video series

Research Forest Products Technologist, Jim Chamberlain, reviews the steps taken to manage and cultivate ramps, or wild onions. In this video series, the proper soil, shade and forest type are all considered prior to constructing a raised bed for planting ramps under the forest canopy.