Women in Science: C. Meghan Downes
The new Women in Science series features women scientists from across the Southern Research Station (SRS)–their education, career paths, challenges, achievements, and… More
Air, Water, and Wavelets
We know air temperature has increased over the last 15-20 years, and that it will continue to do so on an unprecedented scale. But we are still learning exactly how this air trend impacts water. As it turns out, air temperature is linked to changes in our streams — affecting things like flow, soil moisture,… More
Hargrove Joins the Ranks of Distinguished Landscape Ecologists
U.S. Forest Service research ecologist Bill Hargrove has been named The U.S. International Association for Landscape Ecology (US-IALE) Distinguished Landscape Ecologist for 2017. This is the organization’s most prestigious award. Hargrove becomes the 25th recipient, and just the fourth U.S. Forest Service (USFS) scientist to be recognized as Distinguished Landscape Ecologist since US-IALE began the… More
National Silviculture Workshop
In 1973, foresters and scientists gathered for the first U.S. Forest Service National Silviculture Workshop. Since 1979, the workshop has been held every two years. The workshop brings two branches of the U.S. Forest Service – the National Forest System and Research & Development – together to address silvicultural challenges. University scientists and managers from… More
Mountain Roads and Erosion
Forests on mountaintops may seem remote. “However, millions of people rely on these forested headwater watersheds for their drinking water,” says Johnny Grace. “For many people in the Southeastern U.S., high-elevation forests are where clean drinking water originates.” Grace is a general engineer at the U.S. Forest Service, and he recently studied forest roads and… More
Celebrating Pollinator Week at SRS
On June 22, 2017, a handful of people braved the rain at the U.S. Forest Service Southern Research Station to celebrate National Pollinator Week. National Pollinator Week was designated by a unanimous U.S. Senate resolution in 2007. The week recognizes pollinators and their importance to natural ecosystems and agriculture. Some pollinator species have drastically declined.… More
Drier Weather, Drier Fuels
Dry weather – and huge wildfires – are common. “Climate change would modify fuel moisture and wildland fires dramatically across the United States,” says Yongqiang Liu. Liu is a U.S. Forest Service research meteorologist who recently investigated climate impacts on fuel moisture. His study was published in the journal Ecohydrology. Weather quickly influences fuel moisture… More
Experimental Forest Network Engages New Partners
For the past 18 months, the SRS Experimental Forest network has been working to create scientific linkages across the Station and Region. The idea of a formal network was rolled out at the inaugural meeting in March 2016. The network is linking sites strategically across geographic domains and environmental gradients. U.S. Forest Service Experimental Forests,… More
Introducing Femelschlag
Visitors to the Cradle of Forestry (located near Brevard in Pisgah National Forest) learn about the Biltmore Forest School – the first school of forestry in North America. It was started in 1898 by Carl Schenck. A native of Germany, Schenck brought German forestry concepts to the United States. It is fitting that today in… More
Prioritizing Ecological Restoration
If ecological restoration is your vocation, think: location, location, location. The practice of assisting in the recovery of a degraded or damaged ecosystem, ecological restoration on a targeted site is a piece of a larger puzzle. “Many scientists and managers recognize the importance of the surrounding landscape because this context often determines the success of… More
American Chestnuts in the Field
By the 1950s, two non-native pathogens had killed almost all American chestnut trees. “There’s a lot of interest in breeding a chestnut that looks like American chestnut with the disease resistance of Chinese chestnut,” says U.S. Forest Service research forester Stacy Clark. “However, there hasn’t been much research on reintroducing disease-resistant trees to the forest.”… More