me National Visitor Use Monitoring implementation in Alaska By www.fs.fed.us Published On :: Tue, 19 Feb 2008 11:15:00 PST The USDA Forest Service implemented the National Visitor Use Monitoring (NVUM) program across the entire National Forest System (NFS) in calendar year 2000. The primary objective of the NVUM program is to develop reliable estimates of recreation use on NFS lands via a nationally consistent, statistically valid sampling approach. Secondary objectives of NVUM are to characterize recreation visits, collect data in support of regional economic analyses, and gauge national forest visitor satisfaction. We document and review the round 1 NVUM implementation in the USDA Forest Service Alaska Region (R-10) with examination of the R-10 prework, sample day implementation, survey completion rates, sampling at cabins, boat docks, and air carriers; and the NVUM expansion weights assigned to survey cases. Several opportunities to improve the implementation of the standard NVUM protocols in R-10 are identified. Full Article
me Juvenile tree growth on some volcanic ash soils disturbed by prior forest harvest By www.fs.fed.us Published On :: Tue, 24 Mar 2008 10:00:00 PST The effects of mechanical disturbance from traditional ground-based logging and site preparation on volcanic ash soil and associated tree growth were investigated by using two study approaches in a retrospective study. This research was conducted on volcanic ash soils within previously harvested units in the Blue Mountains of northeast Oregon and southwest Washington. We assessed soil and tree attributes and their association with higher and lower levels of soil disturbance. The two approaches were independent efforts that yielded very different results. Full Article
me Production, prices, employment, and trade in Northwest forest industries, all quarters of 2006 By www.fs.fed.us Published On :: Tue, 24 Mar 2008 10:00:00 PST Provides current information on lumber and plywood production and prices; employment in the forest industries; international trade in logs, lumber, and plywood; volume and average prices of stumpage sold by public agencies; and other related items. Full Article
me Emergent lessons from a century of experience with Pacific Northwest timber markets By www.fs.fed.us Published On :: Thu, 01 May 2008 08:15:00 PST Timber markets in the United States are areas where timber prices tend to be uniform because of the continuous interactions of buyers and sellers. These markets are highly competitive, volatile, and change relentlessly. This paper looks at how market interactions in the Pacific Northwest have responded to changes in underlying determinants of market behavior and government actions that have influenced supply or demand. Several messages emerge from timber markets about price reporting and changing definitions of price, long-term price trends, timber as an investment, impacts of market intervention, relations among different markets, and implications for future stewardship. The enduring message is that landowners and managers respond to price signals arising from market interactions, and their actions create the forests inherited by future generations. Full Article
me A protocol using coho salmon to monitor Tongass National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan standards and guidelines for fish habitat By www.fs.fed.us Published On :: Thu, 22 May 2008 14:00:00 PST We describe a protocol to monitor the effectiveness of the Tongass Land Management Plan (TLMP) management standards for maintaining fish habitat. The protocol uses juvenile coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) in small tributary streams in forested watersheds. We used a 3-year pilot study to develop detailed methods to estimate juvenile salmonid populations, measure habitat, and quantitatively determine trends in juvenile coho salmon abundance over 10 years. Coho salmon have been shown to be sensitive to habitat alterations, and we use coho salmon parr as the primary indicator in the protocol. A priori criteria for type I and type II error rates, effect size, and sample sizes for the protocol were derived with estimates of variance computed from the 3-year pilot study. The protocol is designed to detect trends in abundance of coho salmon parr, as well as coho salmon fry and Dolly Varden (Salvelinus malma), in small streams managed according to TLMP standards and guidelines and to compare these to trends in unmanaged (old-growth) watersheds. Trends are adjusted to account for statistically significant habitat covariates. This information provides an important element in monitoring land management practices in the Tongass National Forest. The methods we describe may have application to monitoring protocols elsewhere for fish populations and land management practices. Full Article
me Understanding concepts of place in recreation research and management By www.fs.fed.us Published On :: Thu, 22 May 2008 14:00:00 PST Over a 3-day weekend in the spring of 2004 a group of scientists interested in extending understanding of place as applied in recreation research and management convened a working session in Portland, Oregon. The purpose of the gathering was to clarify their understanding of place-related concepts, approaches to the study of people-place relations, and the application of that understanding in recreation management for the purpose of integrating perspectives from different disciplines, discussing approaches to understanding and measuring sense of place, and other questions around the study and application of place-related concepts. Topics that generated the most discussion included how social processes influence place meanings, how place meanings are shared and negoitated within social groups, and when and how place meanings and attachments focus, reduce, or avert conflict in natural resource planning and management. This collection of papers is a result of that meeting. Full Article
me User guide for HCR Estimator 2.0: software to calculate cost and revenue thresholds for harvesting small-diameter ponderosa pine By www.fs.fed.us Published On :: Thu, 22 May 2008 14:00:00 PST The HCR (Harvest Cost-Revenue) Estimator is engineering and financial analysis software used to evaluate stand-level financial thresholds for harvesting smalldiameter ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Dougl. ex Laws.) in the Southwest United States. The Windows-based program helps contractors and planners to identify costs associated with tree selection, residual handling, transportation of raw materials, and equipment used. Costs are compared against total financial return for regionally based market opportunities to arrive at potential net profit. Information is used to identify per-acre cost thresholds, for contract appraisal, and for prioritizing project planning for wildfire fuel reduction treatments and forest restoration efforts. Full Article
me Incorporating understanding of informal economic activity in natural resource and economic development policy By www.fs.fed.us Published On :: Mon, 16 Jun 2008 09:15:00 PST This report synthesizes the literature on the role of informal economic activity in the United States postindustrial economy. Informal economic activity is expanding in the United States and is likely to continue in the foreseeable future. The formal and informal economic sectors are inextricably intertwined, with individuals and households combining elements of both sectors to construct their livelihoods. Although the informal economy is often thought of as the domain of economically marginal individuals and households, virtually everyone participates in the informal economy to some extent. However, the literature highlights how factors such as social status and household position in the formal economy affect whether participation in informal economic activity is exploitative or empowering. The nontimber forest products sector serves as a case study of why it is important to consider informal economic activity when developing natural resource and economic development policy. We recommend steps policymakers can take to identify and encourage positive aspects of the informal economic activity. We also highlight several areas of research to improve understandings of the role of informal economic activity in postindustrial societies. Full Article
me A closer look at forests on the edge: future development on private forests in three states By www.fs.fed.us Published On :: Mon, 16 Jun 2008 09:15:00 PST Privately owned forests provide many public benefits, including clean water and air, wildlife habitat, and recreational opportunities. By 2030, 44.2 million acres of rural private forest land across the conterminous United States are projected to experience substantial increases in residential development. As housing density increases, the public benefits provided by private forests can be permanently altered. We examine factors behind projected patterns of residential development and conversion of private forest land by 2030 in northwestern Washington, southern Maine, and northwestern Georgia. Some key factors affecting the extent of future residential housing include (1) population growth from migration into an area; (2) historical settlement patterns, topography, and land ownership; and (3) land use planning and zoning. Full Article
me Stumpage prices and volumes sold for individual western national forests: 1984-2007 By www.fs.fed.us Published On :: Mon, 16 Jun 2008 09:15:00 PST Sold prices for national forest stumpage provide geographically specific price references for timber. This report presents "sold" price series for western national forests between 1984 and the first 3 months of 2007. Selected trends in stumpage prices and sold volumes as well as issues related to species aggregation in the data are also discussed. Full Article
me Production, prices, employment, and trade in Northwest forest industries, all quarters of 2007 By www.fs.fed.us Published On :: Tue, 08 Jul 2008 09:10:00 PST Provides current information on lumber and plywood production and prices; employment in the forest industries; international trade in logs, lumber, and plywood; volume and average prices of stumpage sold by public agencies; and other related items. Full Article
me Effects of timber harvest following wildfire in western North America By www.fs.fed.us Published On :: Fri, 06 Mar 2009 10:10:00 PST Timber harvest following wildfire leads to different outcomes depending on the biophysical setting of the forest, pattern of burn severity, operational aspects of tree removal, and other management activities. Fire effects range from relatively minor, in which fire burns through the understory and may kill a few trees, to severe, in which fire kills most trees and removes much of the organic soil layer. Postfire logging adds to these effects by removing standing dead trees (snags) and disturbing the soil. The influence of postfire logging depends on the intensity of the fire, intensity of the logging operation, and management activities such as fuel treatments. In severely burned forest, timing of logging following fire (same season as fire vs. subsequent years) can influence the magnitude of effects on naturally regenerating trees, soils, and commercial wood value. Removal of snags reduces long-term fuel loads but generally results in increased amounts of fine fuels for the first few years after logging unless surface fuels are effectively treated. By reducing evapotranspiration, disturbing the soil organic horizon, and creating hydrophobic soils in some cases, fire can cause large increases in surface-water runoff, streamflow, and erosion. Through soil disturbance, especially the construction of roads, logging with ground-based equipment and cable yarding can exacerbate this effect, increasing erosion and altering hydrological function at the local scale. Effects on aquatic systems of removing trees are mostly negative, and logging and transportation systems that disturb the soil surface or accelerate road-related erosion can be particularly harmful unless disturbances are mitigated. Cavity-nesting birds, small mammals, and amphibians may be affected by harvest of standing dead and live trees, with negative effects on most species but positive or neutral effects on other species, depending on the intensity and extent of logging. Data gaps on postfire logging include the effects of various intensities of logging, patch size of harvest relative to fire size, and long-term (10+ years) biophysical changes. Uncertainty about the effects of postfire logging can be reduced by implementing management experiments to document long-term changes in natural resources at different spatial scales. Full Article
me Ecological foundations for fire management in North American forest and shrubland ecosystems By www.fs.fed.us Published On :: Thu, 19 Mar 2009 11:45:00 PST This synthesis provides an ecological foundation for management of the diverse ecosystems and fire regimes of North America, based on scientific principles of fire interactions with vegetation, fuels, and biophysical processes. Although a large amount of scientific data on fire exists, most of those data have been collected at small spatial and temporal scales. Thus, it is challenging to develop consistent science-based plans for large spatial and temporal scales where most fire management and planning occur. Understanding the regional geographic context of fire regimes is critical for developing appropriate and sustainable management strategies and policy. The degree to which human intervention has modified fire frequency, intensity, and severity varies greatly among different ecosystems, and must be considered when planning to alter fuel loads or implement restorative treatments. Detailed discussion of six ecosystems--ponderosa pine forest (western North America), chaparral (California), boreal forest (Alaska and Canada), Great Basin sagebrush (intermountain West), pine and pine-hardwood forests (Southern Appalachian Mountains), and longleaf pine (Southeastern United States)--illustrates the complexity of fire regimes and that fire management requires a clear regional focus that recognizes where conflicts might exist between fire hazard reduction and resource needs. In some systems, such as ponderosa pine, treatments are usually compatible with both fuel reduction and resource needs, whereas in others, such as chaparral, the potential exists for conflicts that need to be closely evaluated. Managing fire regimes in a changing climate and social environment requires a strong scientific basis for developing fire management and policy. Full Article
me The Western Bark Beetle Research Group: a unique collaboration with Forest Health Protection--proceedings of a symposium at the 2007 Society of American Foresters conference By www.fs.fed.us Published On :: Tue, 12 May 2009 16:00:00 PDT The compilation of papers in this proceedings is based on a symposium sponsored by the Insect and Diseases Working Group (D5) at the 2007 Society of American Foresters (SAF) convention in Portland, Oregon. The selection of topics parallels the research priorities of the Western Bark Beetle Research Group (WBBRG) (USDA Forest Service, Research and Development), which had been recently formed at the time of the symposium. Reflecting a unique partnership within the Forest Service, each paper was jointly prepared by a research scientist with the WBBRG and one or more entomologists with Forest Health Protection (USDA Forest Service, State and Private Forestry). Among these papers is a description of the currently elevated impacts of bark beetles in the Western United States; descriptions of the current state of knowledge of bark beetle response to vegetation management and also to climate change; discussions of the complex interactions of bark beetles and fire and of the complex ecological and socioeconomic impacts of infestations; an overview of the use of semiochemical (behavioral chemicals)-based technology for conifer protection; and a case study exemplifying efforts to assess risks posed by nonnative invasive bark beetles. Full Article
me Benjamin Research Natural Area: guidebook supplement 36 By www.fs.fed.us Published On :: Tue, 12 May 2009 16:40:00 PDT This guidebook describes Benjamin Research Natural Area, a 258-ha (637-ac) tract originally established to represent an example of the western juniper/Idaho fescue (Juniperus occidentalis/Festuca idahoensis) plant association. Subsequent field surveys indicate the predominant vegetation is best characterized as the western juniper/low sagebrush/Idaho fescue plant association. Current vegetation is dominated by western juniper woodland with an understory vegetation mosaic that varies with soil depth. Low sagebrush (Artemisia arbuscula Nutt.) occurs as the major shrub in shallow or rocky soils, and Wyoming big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata Nutt. ssp. wyomingensis Beetle and Young) predominates in areas with deeper or more finely textured soil. Full Article
me Aspen biology, community classification, and management in the Blue Mountains By www.fs.fed.us Published On :: Wed, 25 Aug 2010 10:15:00 PST Quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) is a valuable species that is declining in the Blue Mountains of northeastern Oregon. This publication is a compilation of over 20 years of aspen management experience by USDA Forest Service workers in the Blue Mountains. Full Article
me Timber volume and aboveground live tree biomass estimations for landscape analyses in the Pacific Northwest. By www.fs.fed.us Published On :: Mon, 26 Jul 2010 14:50:00 PST Timber availability, aboveground tree biomass, and changes in aboveground carbon pools are important consequences of landscape management. Full Article
me Woodcock Bog Research Natural Area: guidebook supplement 40 By www.fs.fed.us Published On :: Tue, 29 Jun 2010 14:10:00 PST This guidebook describes Woodcock Bog Research Natural Area (RNA), a 114-ha (281-ac) area located within the Klamath-Siskiyou ecoregion in southwestern Oregon. The RNA includes a hanging fen and stream segment on ultramafic rock and derived soils. Numerous plant species occur within the fens that are endemic to the Klamath-Siskiyou Mountains of southwestern Oregon and northwestern California. Cobra lily (Darlingtonia californica), and sedges (Carex spp.) characterize the area. The site also supports very dry, open serpentine forest stands of Jeffrey pine (Pinus jeffreyi), along with denser stands of Port-Orfordcedar (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana), Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), and other conifers typical of the region. Full Article
me Guide to effective research-management collaboration at long-term environmental research sites. By www.fs.fed.us Published On :: Tue, 28 Sep 2010 08:45:00 PST The Forest Service system of experimental forests and ranges (EFRs) and other sites of long-term silvicultural, watershed, and ecological research have contributed to science and natural resource management for more than a century. An important aspect of the success of EFR programs is strong collaboration between the research and land manager communities. This guide offers suggestions for effective research management partnerships based at EFRs and other long-term research sites. Keys to success include mutual understanding and respect, shared commitment to learning, and joint projects and communications programs. Full Article
me Production, prices, employment, and trade in Northwest forest industries, all quarters 2009 By www.fs.fed.us Published On :: Tue 28 Sep 2010 09:23:00 PDT Provides current information on lumber and plywood production and prices; employment in the forest industries; international trade in logs, lumber, and plywood; volume and average prices of stumpage sold by public agencies; and other related items. Full Article
me Development of lichen response indexes using a regional gradient modeling approach for large-scale monitoring of forests. By www.fs.fed.us Published On :: Tue 12 Oct 2010 14:50:00 PST Development of a regional lichen gradient model from community data is a powerful tool to derive lichen indexes of response to environmental factors for large-scale and long-term monitoring of forest ecosystems. The Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service includes lichens in its national inventory of forests of the United States, to help monitor the status of forested ecosystems. Full Article
me Riparian adaptive management symposium: a conversation between scientists and management. By www.fs.fed.us Published On :: Fri, 03 Dec 2010 14:08:00 PST Scientists, land managers and policy makers discussed whether riparian (stream side) forest management and policy for state, federal and private lands in western Washington are consistent with current science. Answers were mixed: some aspects of riparian policy and management have a strong basis in current science, while other aspects may not. Full Article
me A socioeconomic assessment of Forest Service American Recovery and Reinvestment Act projects: eight case studies. By www.fs.fed.us Published On :: Thu, 18 May 2011 10:33:00 PST The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 aimed to create jobs and jumpstart the economy while addressing the Nation's social and environmental needs. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, received $1.15 billion in recovery funding to support projects in wildland fire management, capital improvement and maintenance, and biomass utilization. This volume contains eight individual case-study reports that describe how Forest Service economic recovery projects from around the United States are contributing to socioeconomic well-being in rural communities and investigates how forest restoration, conservation, and rural community development goals can be linked to promote healthy forests and healthy communities. Full Article
me Cherry Creek Research Natural Area: guidebook supplement 41 By www.fs.fed.us Published On :: Mon, 17 Apr 2011 13:34:00 PST This guidebook describes Cherry Creek Research Natural Area, a 239-ha (590-ac) area that supports old-growth Douglas-fir-western hemlock (Pseudotsuga menziesii- Tsuga heterophylla) forest occurring on sedimentary materials in the southern Oregon Coast Range. Full Article
me Camas Swale Research Natural Area: guidebook supplement 42. By www.fs.fed.us Published On :: Fri, 10 Jun 2011 14:40:00 PST This guidebook describes Camas Swale Research Natural Area, a 127-ha (314-ac) area that supports dry site, old-growth Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) forest. Major plant associations present within the area include the Douglas-fir/salal/western swordfern (Pseudotsuga menziesii/Gaultheria shallon/Polystichummunitum) plant association, Douglas-fir/Oregongrape (Pseudotsuga menziesii/Berberis nervosa) plant association, Douglas-fir/poison oak (Pseudotsuga menziesii/Toxicodendron diversilobum) plant association, and Douglas-fir/hazelnut-trailing snowberry/western swordfern (Pseudotsuga menziesii/Corylus cornutavar. californica-Symphoricarpos mollis/Polystichum munitum) plant association. Full Article
me Nontimber forest products in the United States: Montreal Process indicators as measures of current conditions and sustainability. By www.fs.fed.us Published On :: Wed, 20 Jul 2011 11:10:00 PST The United States, in partnership with 11 other countries, participates in the Montreal Process. Each country assesses national progress toward the sustainable management of forest resources by using a set of criteria and indicators agreed on by all member countries. Several indicators focus on nontimber forest products (NTFPs). In the United States, permit and contract data from the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management, in addition to several other data sources, were used as a benchmark to assess harvest, value, employment, exports and imports, per capita consumption, and subsistence uses for many NTFPs. The retail value of commercial harvests of NTFPs from U.S. forest lands is estimated at $1.4 billion annually. Nontimber forest products in the United States are important to many people throughout the country for personal, cultural, and commercial uses, providing food security, beauty, connection to culture and tradition, and income. Full Article
me Production, prices, employment, and trade in Northwest forest industries, all quarters 2010 By www.fs.fed.us Published On :: Mon 15 Aug 2011 10:16:00 PDT Provides current information on lumber and plywood production and prices; employment in the forest industries; international trade in logs, lumber, and plywood; volume and average prices of stumpage sold by public agencies; and other related items. Full Article
me A landscape model for predicting potential natural vegetation of the Olympic Peninsula USA using boundary equations and newly developed environmental variables By www.fs.fed.us Published On :: Thu 18 Aug 2011 10:30:00 PDT A gradient-analysis-based model and grid-based map are presented that use the potential vegetation zone as the object of the model. Several new variables are presented that describe the environmental gradients of the landscape at different scales. Boundary algorithms are conceptualized, and then defined, that describe the environmental boundaries between vegetation zones on the Olympic Peninsula, Washington, USA. Full Article
me Ecosystem services as a framework for forest stewardship: Deschutes National Forest overview. By www.fs.fed.us Published On :: Fri, 26 Aug 2011 09:10:00 PST The concept of ecosystem services has emerged as a way of framing and describing the comprehensive set of benefits that people receive from nature. These include commonly recognized goods like timber and fresh water, as well as processes like climate regulation and water purification, and aesthetic, spiritual, and cultural benefits. The USDA Forest Service has been exploring use of the framework of ecosystem services as a way to describe goods and services provided by federal lands and attract and build partnerships with stakeholders and nongovernmental organizations. More recently, the agency has sought place-based example applications of the ecosystem service framework to explore its possible use as a tool to guide forest management, and better illustrate the concept for policymakers, managers, and potential national forest partners. Full Article
me Harvest, employment, exports, and prices in Pacific Northwest forests, 1965–2010. By www.fs.fed.us Published On :: Wed 23 Nov 2011 12:05 PDT Provides historical information on log harvest; employment in the forest industries; international trade in logs, lumber, and chips; and volume and average prices of sawtimber stumpage sold by national forests. Full Article
me Socioeconomic assessment of Forest Service American Recovery and Reinvestment Act projects: key findings and lessons learned. By www.fs.fed.us Published On :: Fri, 06 Jan 2012 08:35:00 PST The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (the Recovery Act) aimed to create jobs and promote economic growth while addressing the Nation's social and environmental needs. The USDA Forest Service received $1.15 billion in economic recovery funding. This report contains key findings and lessons learned from a socioeconomic assessment of Forest Service Recovery Act projects. The assessment examines how Forest Service economic recovery projects at eight case-study locations around the United States are contributing to socioeconomic well-being in rural counties affected by the economic recession of 2007-2009. It also investigates how Forest Service mission-related work can be accomplished in a manner that creates local community development opportunities. This report is a companion to general technical report PNW-GTR-831, which contains the full case-study reports. Full Article
me Overview and example application of the Landscape Treatment Designer By www.fs.fed.us Published On :: Fri, 10 Jan 2012 10:00:00 PST The Landscape Treatment Designer (LTD) is a multicriteria spatial prioritization and optimization system to help design and explore landscape fuel treatment scenarios. The program fills a gap between fire model programs such as FlamMap, and planning systems such as ArcFuels, in the fuel treatment planning process. The LTD uses inputs on spatial treatment objectives, activity constraints, and treatment thresholds, and then identifies optimal fuel treatment locations with respect to the input parameters. Full Article
me Seasonal neighbors: residential development encroaches on mule deer winter range in central Oregon. By www.fs.fed.us Published On :: Fri., 22 Mar 2012 13:40:00 PST Mule deer populations in central Oregon are in decline, largely because of habitat loss. Several factors are likely contributors. Encroaching juniper and invasive cheatgrass are replacing deer forage with high nutritional value, such as bitterbrush and sagebrush. Fire suppression and reduced timber harvests mean fewer acres of early successional forest, which also offer forage opportunities. Human development, including homes and roads, is another factor. It is this one that scientists with the Pacific Northwest Research Station and their collaborators investigated in a recent study. Full Article
me Evaluating tradeoffs among ecosystem services in the management of public lands By www.fs.fed.us Published On :: Tue, 26 Jun 2012 10:37:00 PST The U.S. Forest Service has adopted the concept and language of ecosystem services to describe the beneficial outcomes of national forest management. We review the economic theory of ecosystem services as it applies to public lands management, and consider what it implies about the types of biophysical and other data that are needed for characterizing management outcomes as changes in ecosystem services. Our intent is to provide a guide to policymakers, managers, researchers, and others for evaluating and describing the tradeoffs involved in the management of public lands. Characterizing ecosystem services fundamentally is about explaining the benefits of national forests to the American public, with an emphasis on addressing their interests and concerns about how public lands are managed. Our hope is that this report will foster dialog about what people value about national forests and how public land management agencies might best go about securing those benefits. Full Article
me Synthesis of wind energy development and potential impacts on wildlife in the Pacific Northwest, Oregon and Washington. By www.fs.fed.us Published On :: Fri, 20 Jul 2012 13:40:00 PST Nationally, there is growing public interest in and policy pressure for developing alternative and renewable sources of energy. Wind energy facilities in the Pacific Northwest expanded rapidly over the past decade, as a result of state policies that encourage wind energy development. While much of the development thus far has occurred on private lands, there is interest in expanding onto federal land. However, there are concerns about the impacts of wind energy on wildlife. Wind energy facilities have the potential to harm wildlife both directly through collisions with turbines and transmission lines, and indirectly by modifying habitat. This report synthesizes the available scientific literature on potential wind energy facility impacts to wildlife, with a focus on the Pacific Northwest (Oregon and Washington), and summarizes the current best management practices recommended in federal and state guidelines for wind energy development. Research gaps in our understanding of wind energy impacts on wildlife remain. Future research needs include long-term, multisite, experimental studies of wind energy impacts on wildlife, improved ability to estimate population-level and cumulative impacts of wind energy facilities on wildlife, and better knowledge of key wildlife species' migration and demography. Full Article
me Cofiring biomass and coal for fossil fuel reduction and other benefits–Status of North American facilities in 2010. By www.fs.fed.us Published On :: Fri., 31 Aug 2012 8:55:00 PST Cofiring of biomass and coal at electrical generation facilities is gaining in importance as a means of reducing fossil fuel consumption, and more than 40 facilities in the United States have conducted test burns. Given the large size of many coal plants, cofiring at even low rates has the potential to utilize relatively large volumes of biomass. This could have important forest management implications if harvest residues or salvage timber are supplied to coal plants. Other feedstocks suitable for cofiring include wood products manufacturing residues, woody municipal wastes, agricultural residues, short-rotation intensive culture forests, or hazard fuel removals. Cofiring at low rates can often be done with minimal changes to plant handling and processing equipment, requiring little capital investment. Cofiring at higher rates can involve repowering entire burners to burn biomass in place of coal, or in some cases, repowering entire powerplants. Our research evaluates the current status of biomass cofiring in North America, identifying current trends and success stories, types of biomass used, coal plant sizes, and primary cofiring regions. We also identify potential barriers to cofiring. Results are presented for more than a dozen plants that are currently cofiring or have recently announced plans to cofire. Full Article
me Production, prices, employment, and trade in Northwest forest industries, all quarters 2011 By www.fs.fed.us Published On :: Fri 28 Dec 2012 10:06:00 PDT Provides current information on lumber and plywood production and prices; employment in the forest industries; international trade in logs, lumber, and plywood; volume and average prices of stumpage sold by public agencies; and other related items. Full Article
me Fox Hollow Research Natural Area: Guidebook Supplement 44 By www.fs.fed.us Published On :: Fri, 18 Feb 2013 12:01:36 PST This guidebook describes Fox Hollow Research Natural Area (RNA), a 66-ha (163-ac) area that supports dry-site Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii)–ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) forest within the Oregon Coast Range ecoregion. Major forest plant associations represented at Fox Hollow RNA include Douglas-fir/salal/western swordfern (Pseudotsuga menziesii/Gaultheria shallon/Polystichum munitum) forest and Douglas-fir/Oregongrape (Pseudotsuga menziesii/Berberis nervosa) forest. Other forested communities are represented within the RNA in minor amounts including: Douglas-fir/poison oak (Pseudotsuga menziesii/ Toxicodendron diversilobum) forest, ponderosa pine-Douglas-fir/California fescue (Pinus ponderosa-Pseudotsuga menziesii/Festuca californica) woodland, and ponderosa pine-Douglas-fir-California black oak (Pinus ponderosa-Pseudotsuga menziesii-Quercus kelloggii) woodland. Full Article
me Upper Elk Meadows Research Natural Area: guidebook supplement 43 By www.fs.fed.us Published On :: Fri, 26 Apr. 2013 10:08:00 PST This guidebook describes Upper Elk Meadows Research Natural Area (RNA), a 90-ha (223-ac) area that supports a mixture of coniferous forest and open, shruband herb-dominated wetlands. The major forest plant association present within Upper Elk Meadows RNA is Pacific silver fir/vine maple/coolwort foamflower (Abies amabilis/Acer circinatum-Tiarella trifoliata). Full Article
me Precommercial thinning: implications of early results from the Tongass-Wide Young-Growth Studies experiments for deer habitat in southeast Alaska. By www.fs.fed.us Published On :: Fri, 17 May 2013 13:50:00 PST This report documents the results from the first “5-year” round of understory responses to the Tongass-Wide Young-Growth Studies (TWYGS) treatments, especially in relation to their effects on food resources for black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus sitkensis). Responses of understory vegetation to precommercial silviculture experiments after their first 4 to 8 years posttreatment were analyzed with the Forage Resource Evaluation System for Habitat (FRESH)-Deer model. The studies were conducted in western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla)-Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) young-growth forests in southeast Alaska. All four TWYGS experiments were studied: (I) planting of red alder (Alnus rubra) within 1- to 5-year-old stands; (II) precommercial thinning at narrow and wide spacings (549 and 331 trees per hectare, respectively) in 15- to 25-year-old stands; (III) precommercial thinning at medium spacing (420 trees per hectare) with and without pruning in 25- to 35-yearold stands; and (IV) precommercial thinning at wide spacing (203 trees per hectare) with and without slash treatment versus thinning by girdling in >35-year-old stands. All experiments also included untreated control stands of identical age. FRESHDeer was used to evaluate the implications for deer habitat in terms of forage resources (species-specific biomass, digestible protein, and digestible dry matter) relative to deer metabolic requirements in summer (at two levels of requirements—maintenance only vs. lactation) and in winter (at six levels of snow depth). Full Article
me Climate Change, Carbon, and Forestry in Northwestern North America: Proceedings of a Workshop November 14 - 15, 2001 Orcas Island, Washington By www.fs.fed.us Published On :: Fri, 07 Nov 2008 08:00:00 PST Interactions between forests, climatic change and the Earths carbon cycle are complex and represent a challenge for forest managers - they are integral to the sustainable management of forests. In this volume, a number of papers are presented that describe some of the complex relationships between climate, the global carbon cycle and forests. Full Article
me Bringing climate change into natural resource management: proceedings. By www.fs.fed.us Published On :: Fri, 07 Nov 2008 08:00:00 PST These are the proceedings of the 2005 workshop titled implications of bringing climate into natural resource management in the Western United States. This workshop was an attempt to further the dialogue among scientists, land managers, landowners, interested stakeholders and the public about how individuals are addressing climate change in natural resource management. Full Article
me Assessing the vulnerability of watersheds to climate change: results of national forest watershed vulnerability pilot assessments By www.fs.fed.us Published On :: Wed, 31 Jul 2013 14:38:00 PST Existing models and predictions project serious changes to worldwide hydrologic processes as a result of global climate change. Projections indicate that significant change may threaten National Forest System watersheds that are an important source of water used to support people, economies, and ecosystems. Wildland managers are expected to anticipate and respond to these threats, adjusting management priorities and actions. Because watersheds differ greatly in: (1) the values they support, (2) their exposure to climatic changes, and (3) their sensitivity to climatic changes, understanding these differences will help inform the setting of priorities and selection of management approaches. Drawing distinctions in climate change vulnerability among watersheds on a national forest or grassland allows more efficient and effective allocation of resources and better land and watershed stewardship. Eleven national forests from throughout the United States, representing each of the nine Forest Service regions, conducted assessments of potential hydrologic change resulting from ongoing and expected climate warming. A pilot assessment approach was developed and implemented. Each national forest identified water resources important in that area, assessed climate change exposure and watershed sensitivity, and evaluated the relative vulnerabilities of watersheds to climate change. The assessments provided management recommendations to anticipate and respond to projected climate-hydrologic changes. Completed assessments differed in level of detail, but all assessments identified priority areas and management actions to maintain or improve watershed resilience in response to a changing climate. The pilot efforts also identified key principles important to conducting future vulnerability assessments. Full Article
me New report provides conservation and management strategies for climate-sensitive yellow-cedar in Alaska By www.fs.fed.us Published On :: 2016-01-13 The U.S. Forest Service's Pacific Northwest Research Station today released a new report that outlines a climate adaptation strategy for yellow-cedar in Alaska. Full Article
me Volume and value of West coast log, lumber exports down in 2015 By www.fs.fed.us Published On :: 2016-03-22 The latest data summarizing West coast log and lumber exports in the fourth quarter of 2015 were released today by the U.S. Forest Service's Pacific Northwest Research Station. The data-covering exports during October, November, and December 2015-were compiled and analyzed by Xiaoping Zhou, a research economist with the station. Full Article
me Forest Service releases maps of element concentrations in Portland moss By www.fs.fed.us Published On :: 2016-06-08 Information can be used to investigate air pollution in the city. Full Article
me Sanchez welcomed as acting Station Director By www.fs.fed.us Published On :: 2016-07-18 The U.S. Forest Service’s Pacific Northwest (PNW) Research Station today welcomed Dr. Felipe Sanchez as its acting Station Director. Sanchez replaces Robert Mangold, who retired last month after three years with the station. Full Article
me Gordon Grant named 2016 American Geophysical Union fellow By www.fs.fed.us Published On :: 2016-10-24 First Forest Service researcher to receive honor. Full Article
me Rollins welcomed as Threat Characterization and Management Program Manager By www.fs.fed.us Published On :: 2017-03-02 The U.S. Forest Service’s Pacific Northwest (PNW) Research Station is pleased to announce the arrival of Matt Rollins as the Threat Characterization and Management (TCM) Program Manager. Full Article
me Leading Mount St. Helens ecologist available at volcano for media interviews on May 16 By www.fs.fed.us Published On :: 2018-05-11 On Wednesday, May 16, research ecologist Charlie Crisafulli will be available for field-based media interviews at Mount St. Helens, the volcano that erupted catastrophically 38 years ago this month. Full Article