http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/publications/gtrs.shtml Pacific Northwest Research Station Publications by Topic en-us http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_gtr874.pdf 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). Schuller, Reid; Mayrsohn, Cheshire Fri, 26 Apr. 2013 10:08:00 PST Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-874. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 35 p. Douglas Beebe http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_gtr864.pdf Forest managers are seeking practical guidance on how to adapt their current practices and, if necessary, their management goals, in response to climate change. Science-management collaboration was initiated on national forests in eastern Washington where resource managers showed a keen interest in science-based options for adapting to climate change at a 2-day workshop. Scientists and managers reviewed current climate change science and identified resources vulnerable to expected climate change. Vulnerabilities related to vegetation and habitat management included potential reductions in forest biodiversity and low forest resilience to changing disturbance regimes. The vulnerabilities related to aquatic and infrastructure resources included changing water quality and quantity, the risk to roads and other facilities from changes to hydrologic regimes, and the potential loss of at-risk aquatic species and habitats. Managers then worked in facilitated groups to identify adaptations that could be implemented through management and planning to reduce the vulnerability of key resources to climate change. The identified adaptations were grouped under two major headings: Increasing Ecological Resiliency to Climate Change, and Increasing Social and Economic Resiliency to Climate Change. The information generated from the science-management collaborative represents an initial and important step in identifying and prioritizing tangible steps to address climate change in forest management. Next would be the development of detailed implementation strategies that address the identified management adaptations.. Hummel, Susan; Foltz-Jordan, Sarah; Polasky, Sophia Thu., 25 Oct 2012 13:30:00 PST Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-864. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 34 p. Douglas Beebe http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_gtr867.pdf 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. Nicholls, David; Zerbe, John Fri., 31 Aug 2012 8:55:00 PST Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-867. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 22 p. Douglas Beebe http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_gtr861.pdf This study examines the three major wood pellet markets in Asia: China, Japan, and South Korea. In contrast to the United States, where most wood pellets are used for residential heating with pellet stoves, a majority of the wood pellets in Asia are used for co-firing at coal-fired power plants. Our analysis indicated that Japan is the largest importer of wood pellets in Asia and that most of the pellets it consumes are used for co-firing at power plants. South Korean wood pellet imports are fairly small; however, South Korea is striving to increase its percentage of renewable energy, which could benefit the wood pellets industry. We found that China, the largest energy consumer in Asia, has an established wood pellet market. However, a majority of these wood pellets are manufactured in China, thus imports are minimal. A consistent factor in these nations is that their governments are promoting renewable energy, leading to policies that are driving demand for wood pellets. As these countries strive to meet their renewable energy targets, their wood pellet consumption is projected to grow. Roos, Joseph A.; Brackley, Allen, M. Tue., 29 May 2012 8:55:00 PST Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-861. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 210 p. Douglas Beebe http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_gtr849.pdf The past decade has seen resurgence in interest in gathering wild plants and fungi in cities. In addition to gathering by individuals, dozens of groups have emerged in U.S., Canadian, and European cities to facilitate access to nontimber forest products (NTFPs), particularly fruits and nuts, in public and private spaces. Recent efforts within cities to encourage public orchards and food forests, and to incorporate more fruit and nut trees into street tree planting programs indicate a growing recognition among planners that gathering is an important urban activity. McLain, R.J.; MacFarland, K.; Brody, L.; Hebert, J.; Hurley, P.; Poe, M.; Buttolph, L.P.; Gabriel, N.; Dzuna, M.; Emery, M.R.; Charnley, S Thu, 23 Feb 2012 14:00:00 PST Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-849. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 107 p Douglas Beebe http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_gtr855.pdf This guidebook contains science-based principles, processes, and tools necessary to assist with developing adaptation options for national forest lands. The adaptation process is based on partnerships between local resource managers and scientists who work collaboratively to understand potential climate change effects, identify important resource issues, and develop management options that can capitalize on new opportunities and reduce deleterious effects. Because management objectives and sensitivity of resources to climate change differ among national forests, appropriate processes and tools for developing adaptation options may also differ. Peterson, David L.; Millar, Connie I.; Joyce, Linda A.; Furniss, Michael J.; Halofsky, Jessica E.; Neilson, Ronald P.; Morelli, Toni Lyn Wed, 18 Jan 2012 10:00:00 PST Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-855. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 109 p. Douglas Beebe http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_gtr832.pdf 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. Charnley, Susan; Jakes, Pamela; Schelhas, John Fri, 06 Jan 2012 08:35:00 PST Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-832. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 44 p. Douglas Beebe http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_gtr850.pdf This is the second in a series of periodic monitoring reports on northern spotted owl (Strix occidentalis caurina) population and habitat trends on federally administered lands since implementation of the Northwest Forest Plan in 1994. Here we summarize results from a population analysis that included data from longterm demographic studies during 1985–2008. This data was analyzed separately by study area, and also in a meta-analysis across all study areas to assess temporal and spatial patterns in fecundity, apparent survival, recruitment, and annual rates of population change. Davis, Raymond J.; Dugger, Katie M.; Mohoric, Shawne; Evers, Louisa; Aney, William C. Fri 04 Nov 2011 10:02 PDT Gen. Tech. Rep. PNWGTR-850. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 147 p. Douglas Beebe http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_gtr839.pdf Traditionally, there has been a strong forest products trade between Alaska and Asia. This trade relationship has developed owing to Alaska's proximity to Asia and, in the past, an abundance of high-quality timber. Although forest products markets in North America remain soft, markets in Asia are growing. However, to benefit from Asia's growing forest products market, it is important to understand the concepts of global shipping including containerization, intermodal transport, non vessel operating common carriers, and freight forwarders. One key development that could have a major impact on Alaska's forest products trade is the opening of the Port of Prince Rupert (British Columbia) in 2007. The Port of Prince Rupert ships lumber, logs, and wood pellets to Asia and is much closer to southeast Alaska than are the ports of Seattle and Tacoma. The Prince Rupert port is also 1 day closer to Asia. Despite Prince Rupert's proximity to Alaska, however, there is still no regularly scheduled barge service between the Port of Prince Rupert and southeast Alaska. Potential connections that may develop are examined in this paper. This paper also examines the changing concepts of global shipping and how they affect Alaska's forest products industry. Roos, Joseph A.; Brackley, Allen M.; Sasatani, Daisuke. Mon 29 Aug 2011 1350:00 PST Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-839. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 30p. Douglas Beebe http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_rb260.pdf 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. Warren, Debra D. Mon 15 Aug 2011 10:16:00 PDT Resour. Bull. PNW-RB-260. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 161 p. Douglas Beebe http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_rp586.pdf This study presents results of statistical tests for stumpage market integration on 62 national forests in the Western United States. Quarterly stumpage prices from 1984 to 2007 obtained from cut and sold reports for USDA Forest Service Regions 1, 4, 5, and 6 (Northern, Intermountain, Pacific Southwest, and Pacific Northwest, respectively) were analyzed to establish the presence and extent of national forest timber markets. Daniels, Jean M. Fri, 11 Mar 2011 13:31:00 PST Res. Pap. PNW-RP-586. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 21 p. Douglas Beebe http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_gtr833.pdf This report is a compilation of six briefing papers based on literature reviews and syntheses, prepared for U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service policy analysts and decisionmakers about specific questions pertaining to climate change. Alig, Ralph J. Mon, 08 Nov 2010 14:34:00 PST Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-833. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 169 p. Douglas Beebe http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_gtr831.pdf 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. Charnley, Susan; Jakes, Pamela; Schelhas, John Thu, 18 May 2011 10:33:00 PST Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-831. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 168 p. Douglas Beebe http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_gtr829.pdf Sustaining farm and forest land has been an important goal in the United States because of the role these lands play in the livelihoods of rural residents while also providing desired open space benefits. However, land use policies to protect rural lands often involve a tension between balancing public interests regarding economic and open space goals with the private interests and property rights of farm and forest land owners. Kline, Jeffrey D.; White, Eric M Tue, 23 Nov 2010 13:08:00 PST Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-829. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 55 p. Douglas Beebe http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_rb259.pdf 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. Warren, Debra D. Tue, 28 Sep 2010 09:23:00 PDT Resour. Bull. PNW-RB-259. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 157 p. Douglas Beebe http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_gtr827.pdf Goal three of the current U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service strategy for improving the use of woody biomass is to help develop and expand markets for woody biomass products. This report is concerned with the existing volumes of renewable wood energy products (RWEP) that are currently used in Alaska and the potential demand for RWEP for residential and community heating projects in the state. Brackley, Allen M.; Barber, Valerie A.; Pinkel, Cassie Tue, 24 Aug 2010 13:40:00 PST Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-827. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 31 p. Douglas Beebe http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_gtr825.pdf Woody biomass can be used for the generation of heat, electricity, and biofuels. In many cases, the technology for converting woody biomass into energy has been established for decades, but because the price of woody biomass energy has not been competitive with traditional fossil fuels, bioenergy production from woody biomass has not been widely adopted. However, current projections of future energy use and renewable energy and climate change legislation under consideration suggest increased use of both forest and agriculture biomass energy in the coming decades. Nicholls, David L.; Brackley, Allen M.; Barber, Valerie Mon, 09 Aug 2010 11:10:00 PST Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-825. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 45 p. Douglas Beebe http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_gtr822.pdf Increasing concern over the management and harvest of special forest products (SFP) from national forest lands has led to the development of new Forest Service policy directives. Fri, 06 Aug 2010 10:45:00 PST Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-RP-822. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 35 p. Douglas Beebe http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_gtr819.pdf Timber availability, aboveground tree biomass, and changes in aboveground carbon pools are important consequences of landscape management. Zhou, Xiaoping; Hemstrom, Miles A. Mon, 26 Jul 2010 14:50:00 PST Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-819. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 31 p. Douglas Beebe http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_gtr826.pdf This study considered three aspects of residential wood energy use in Alaska: current conditions and fuel consumption, knowledge and attitudes, and future use and conditions. We found that heating oil was the primary fuel for home heating in southeast and interior Alaska, whereas natural gas was used most often in south-central Alaska (Anchorage). Firewood heating played a much more important role as a secondary (vs. primary) heating source in all regions of Alaska. In interior Alaska, there was a somewhat greater interest in the use of wood energy compared to other regions. Likewise, consumption of fossil fuels was considerably greater in interior Alaska. Nicholls, David L.; Brackley, Allen M.; Barber, Valerie Tue, 20 Jul 2010 14:10:00 PST Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-826. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 30 p. Douglas Beebe http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_rn565.pdf In spring and summer of 2008 and 2009, sawmill production capacity and utilization information was collected from major wood manufacturers in southeast Alaska. The estimated mill capacity in southeast Alaska for calendar year 2007 was 292,350 thousand board feet (mbf) (log scale), and for calendar year 2008 was 282,350 mbf (log scale). Thu, 17 Jun 2010 09:45:00 PST Res. Note. PNW-RN-565. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 15 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_rn564.pdf This paper analyzes patterns of forest products trade between Asia and Alaska. Wed, 21 Jul 2010 09:45:00 PST Res. Note. PNW-RN-564. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 42 p. Douglas Beebe http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_gtr820.pdf Edge-glued panels could become a natural extension for the birch (Betula papyrifera Marsh.) lumber industry in Alaska, resulting in greater utilization of the birch resource while allowing producers to explore a wider variety of products and markets. Nicholls, David Tue, 13 Apr 2010 10:40:00 PST Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-820 Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture,Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 25 p. Douglas Beebe http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi117.pdf Increasingly large and severe wildfires threaten millions of forested acres throughout the West. Under certain conditions, mechanical thinning can address these hazardous conditions while providing opportunitiesto create renewable energy and reduce our carbon footprint but how do land managers decide whether thinning is a good idea? How do they decide where to begin, and what to do with the removed trees? Prioritizing treatment areas and determining the most effective techniques for fuel hazard reduction depends on various factors such as owner objectives, forest types, and the availability of processing facilities. Oliver, Marie Thu, 24 Sep 2009 08:20:00 PST Science Findings 117. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_gtr796.pdf In this study, glulam beam manufacturers in the United States and Canada were surveyed regarding their lamstock usage and glulam beam distribution channels. Roos, Joseph A.; Brackley, Allen M.; Sasatani, Daisuke. Mon, 24 Aug 2009 08:00:00 PST Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-796. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 19 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_gtr793.pdf Biomass resources in Alaska are extensive and diverse, comprising millions of acres of standing small-diameter trees, diseased or dead trees, and trees having lowgrade timber. Nicolls, David Thu, 25 Jun 2008 08:00:00 PST Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-793. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 33 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_rp579.pdf In rural Alaskan communities, high economic, social, and ecological costs are associated with fossil fuel use for power generation. Fresco, Nancy and Chapin F. Stuart III. Thu, 11 Jun 2008 08:00:00 PST Res. Pap. PNW-RP-579. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 56 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_gtr787.pdf This report traces the flow of timber harvested in Alaska during calendar year 2005, describes the composition and operations of the state's primary forest products industry, and quantifies volumes and uses of wood fiber. Historical wood products industry changes are discussed, as well as trends in timber harvest, production, and sales of primary wood products. Halbrook, Jeff M.; Morgan, Todd A.; Brandt, Jason P.; Keegan, Charles E., III; Dillon, Thale; Barrett, Tara M. Tue, 12 May 2009 16:00:00 PDT Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-787. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 30 p. Keiko Williams http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_gtr782.pdf Log moisture content has an important impact on many aspects of log home construction, including log processing, transportation costs, and dimensional stability in use. Air-drying times for house logs from freshly harvested trees can depend on numerous factors including initial moisture content, log diameter, bark condition, and environmental conditions during drying. In this study, we evaluated air-drying properties of young-growth Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr) and of western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.) from logs harvested in southeast Alaska. Nicholls, David; Brackley, Allen Tue, 10 Apr 2009 09:40:00 PDT Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-782. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 18 p. Keiko Williams http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_gtr774.pdf Many stands in southeast Alaska harvested since 1950, especially where there has been a high degree of disturbance of mineral soil, have regenerated to red alder (Alnus rubra Bong.) and are now approaching maturity. The availability of red alder raises questions addressed in this study about the recovery of lumber from this resource. Information in this study was obtained from trees estimated to be 46 years old on a site outside of Ketchikan. Rates of recovery using a thin-kerf portable band mill were higher than those reported by larger production mills in Washington and Oregon. Grade yields of the Alaska material are comparable to those attained in other regions. This study determined that there were no significant differences in material characteristics that would set this Alaska log resource apart from red alder in the other regions of North America. The potential value of the products is sufficient to allow production in Alaska for use in the manufacturing of value-added products within the state or shipment of finished lumber to domestic or export markets. Brackley, Allen M.; Nicholls, David; Hannan, Michael Tue, 17 Feb 2009 16:40:00 PDT Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-774. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 27 p. Keiko Williams http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_rn561.pdf In spring 2006 and 2007, sawmill capacity and wood utilization information was collected for selected mills in southeast Alaska. The collected information is required to prepare information for compliance with Section 705(a) of the Tongass Timber Reform Act. The total estimated design capacity in the region (active and inactive mills) was 289,850 thousand board feet (mbf) Scribner log scale in calendar year (CY) 2005 and 284,350 mbf in CY 2006. The estimated design capacity of active mills was 259,850 mbf for CY 2005 and 247,850 mbf for CY 2006. This is a 2.9-percent decrease in active design capacity from CY 2004 (255,350 mbf) to CY 2006. The estimated volume of material processed during CY 2006 was 32,141 mbf Scribner log scale. This is a 3.6-percent increase over CY 2004 (31,027 mbf Scribner log scale). Brackley, Allen M.; Crone, Lisa K. Tue, 3 Feb 2009 13:37:00 PST Research Note. PNW-RN-561. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 24 p. Keiko Williams http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_gtr783.pdf Wood has become an important energy alternative in Alaska, particularly in rural areas where liquid fuel costs can be substantial. In some cases, wood fuel is readily available to communities, increasing the attractiveness of wood energy. Wood energy systems in rural Alaska can also lead to employment gains as well as benefits to local cash economies. Many Alaska villages are now considering wood as a fuel source for community heating, several have completed feasibility studies, and others are moving forward with design and construction activities. Cordwood is readily available in many regions of Alaska, although not always in commercial quantities. However, for many small-scale applications, efficient cordwood systems could be a viable energy option. In this paper, we provide a qualitative review of factors such as wood fuel availability, cordwood system size, wood fuel cost, wood quality, labor, fuel drying, and underground piping. Other general observations are noted, based on case studies of operating cordwood systems in Alaska. Nicholls, David; Miles, Tom. Tue, 03 Feb 2009 15:50:00 PST Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-783. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 17 p. Keiko Willaims http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/publications/gtr765/ This report highlights key findings from the most recent (2001-2005) data collected by the Pacific Northwest Forest Inventory and Analysis (PNW-FIA) Program across all ownerships in Oregon. Donnegan, Joseph; Campbell, Sally; Azuma, Dave, tech. eds. Mon, 08 Dec 2008 08:00:00 PST Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-765. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 186 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/publications/gtr763/ This report highlights key findings from the most recent (2001-2005) data collected by the Forest Inventory and Analysis Program across all forest land in California. Christensen, Glenn A.; Campbell, Sally J.; Fried, Jeremy S., tech. eds. Mon, 08 Dec 2008 08:00:00 PST Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-763. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 183 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_gtr770.pdf 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. Warren, Debra D. Thu, 11 Sep 2008 08:00:00 PST Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-770. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 17 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_gtr764.pdf This report examines socioeconomic changes that took place between 1990 and 2003 on and around lands managed by the Klamath National Forest in California to assess the effects of the Northwest Forest Plan (the Plan) on rural economies and communities there. Three case communities were studied: Scott Valley, Butte Valley, and Mid-Klamath. Charnley, Susan; Dillingham, Candace; Stuart, Claudia; Moseley, Cassandra; Donoghue, Ellen. Thu, 06 Nov 2008 08:00:00 PST Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-764. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 111 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_rn559.pdf Updated projections of demand for Alaska timber were published July 2006. Their application in land management planning for the Tongass National Forest has resulted in numerous questions and requests for clarification. This note discusses a broad range of these questions from the context of why we do projections, the model we used, the assumptions that determine the levels of timber harvest, our use of scenario planning, comments about how producers in Alaska compete with other North American producers, and the potential that some significant changes in southeast Alaska markets have changed the demand projections. Brackley, Allen M.; Haynes, Richard W. Thu, 11 Sep 2008 08:00:00 PST Research Note. PNW-RN-559. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 41 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_gtr752.pdf Changes in forest management have detrimentally affected the economic health of small communities in the Blue Mountain region of Oregon over the past few decades. A build-up of small trees threatens the ecological health of these forests and increases wildland fire hazard. Hoping to boost their economies and also restore these forests, local leaders are interested in the economic value of timber that might be available from thinning treatments on these lands. Rainville, Robert; White, Rachel; Barbour, Jamie, tech. eds. Tue, 12 Aug 2008 08:00:00 PST Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-752. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 65 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_gtr735.pdf A taper equation and associated tables are presented for red alder (Alnus rubra Bong.) trees grown in plantations. The data were gathered from variable-density experimental plantations throughout the Pacific Northwest. Diameter inside bark along the stem was fitted to a variable exponent model form by using generalized nonlinear least squares and a first-order continuous autoregressive process. A number of parameterizations of the exponent were examined in a preliminary analysis, and the most appropriate form was determined. This was achieved by examining alternative models across geographic locations and silvicultural treatments on the basis of their ability to behave well outside the range of the modeling data by using an independent evaluation data set from across the region and a model validation procedure. Incorporating three easily measured tree variables—diameter at breast height, total tree height, and crown ratio—provided the best fit among location and treatment. This taper equation can be used to estimate diameter inside bark anywhere along the stem, inside bark volume of the entire stem to any top height diameter, and merchantable height and volume between any two points along the stem (i.e., individual log volumes). The flexibility of the model allows for accurate volume predictions across a range of operational stand conditions and management activities and is therefore an improvement over previously published red alder volume and taper equations. Bluhm, Andrew A.; Garber, Sean M.; Hibbs, David E. Wed, 07 Nov 2007 08:00:00 PST Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-735. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 74 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_rb254.pdf 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. Warren, Debra D. Mon, 29 Oct 2007 10:19:00 PST Res. Bull. PNW-RB-254. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 165 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/publications/gtr710/ Morels are prized edible mushrooms that fruit, sometimes prolifically, in many forest types throughout western North America. They are collected for personal consumption and commercially harvested as valuable special (nontimber) forest products. Large gaps remain, however, in our knowledge about their taxonomy, biology, ecology, cultivation, safety, and how to manage forests and harvesting activities to conserve morel populations and ensure sustainable crops. This publication provides forest managers, policymakers, mycologists, and mushroom harvesters with a synthesis of current knowledge regarding these issues, regional summaries of morel harvesting and management, and a comprehensive review of the literature. Pilz, David; McLain, Rebecca; Alexander, Susan; Villarreal-Ruiz, Luis; Berch, Shannon; Wurtz, Tricia L.; Parks, Catherine G.; McFarlane, Erika; Baker, Blaze; Molina, Randy; Smith, Jane E. Fri, 20 Apr 2007 10:40:00 PST Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-710. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/publications/gtr699/ This update reports changes in the Nation's timber resource since the Analysis of the Timber Situation in the United States was completed in 2003. Prospective trends in demands for and supplies of timber, and the factors that affect these trends are examined. These trends include changes in the U.S. economy, increased salvage of British Columbia beetle-killed timber, and a stronger U.S. dollar. Other prospective trends that might alter the future timber situation are discussed including changes in U.S. timberland area, reductions in southern pine plantation establishment, impacts of climate change on forest productivity, increased restoration thinning on Western public lands, and the impact of programs to increase carbon sequestration through afforestation. Various management implications such as the influence of prices on forest management, concerns about changes in forest area, the emerging open space issue, forests as a set of commons, seeking to find greater compatibility in forest management, and the stewardship agenda are discussed. Haynes, Richard W.; Adams, Darius M.; Alig, Ralph J.; Ince, Peter J.; Mills, John R.; Zhou, Xiaoping. Fri, 20 Apr 2007 10:40:00 PST Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-699. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_rp572.pdf Research suggests that forest land development can reduce the productivity of remaining forest land because private forest owners reduce their investments in forest management. We developed empirical models describing forest stocking, thinning, harvest, and postharvest tree planting in eastern Oregon, as functions of stand and site characteristics, ownership, and building densities. The models are based on USDA Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis data gathered in eastern Oregon in 1987 and 1998, and data describing building densities gathered by the Oregon Department of Forestry from aerial photographs taken over the same period. We used the models to examine the potential effects of population growth and development, as described by increasing building densities, on the likelihood that private forest owners maintain forest stocking, precommercially thin, harvest, and plant trees following harvest. Empirical results suggest that population growth and development have had no measurable effect on these activities in eastern Oregon during the period examined. Any development effects on private forest management and investment so far are likely to be fairly localized. Kline, Jeffrey D.; Azuma, David L. Fri, 30 Mar 2007 09:30:00 PST Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-RP-572. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_gtr702.pdf The kitchen cabinet industry has shown significant growth recently, with expanding residential markets, new cabinet styles, and larger kitchens. This industry represents an opportunity for small Alaska wood producers to create high-value secondary products. In response to recent trends in kitchen cabinet manufacturing and the need to identify opportunities for underutilized species, the Alaska Wood Utilization Research and Development Center has conducted numerous studies evaluating consumer preferences for Alaska's primary hardwoods-Alaska birch (Betula papyrifera var. humilis )Reg.) Fern & Raup) and red alder (Alnus rubra Bong.). These studies explored consumer preferences under a range of marketing parameters, cabinet appearances, and regional market locations. This paper summarizes these studies and offers insights into the potential market for Alaska's hardwoods as secondary wood products such as kitchen cabinets. Nicholls, David L.; Stiefel, Maria C. Fri, 30 Mar 2007 09:30:00 PST Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-702. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_rp570.pdf An econometric model of private land-use decisions is used to project land use to 2030 for each county in the continental United States. On a national scale, forest area is projected to increase overall between 0.1 and 0.2 percent per year between now and 2030. However, forest area is projected to decrease in a majority of regions, including the key forestry regions of the South and the Pacific Northwest Westside. Urban area is projected to increase by 68 million acres, and cropland, pasture, rangeland, and Conservation Reserve Program land is projected to decline in area. Regional econometric models are needed to better represent region-specific economic relationships. County-level models of forest fragmentation indices are estimated for the Western United States. The core forest model is found to perform better than the model of like adjacencies for forest land. A spatially detailed analysis of forest fragmentation in Polk County, Oregon, reveals that forests become more fragmented even though forest area increases. By linking the land-use projection and forest fragmentation models, we project increases in the average county shares of core forest in 8 of the 11 Western States. The average like adjacency measure increases in six of the states. The aggregate and spatially detailed fragmentation methods are compared by projecting the fragmentation indices to 2022 for Polk County, Oregon. Considerable differences in the results were produced with the two methods, especially in the case of the like adjacency metric. Plantinga, Andrew J.1 Alig, Ralph J.1 Eichman, Henry1 Lewis, David J. Tue, 20 Feb 2007 12:00:00 PST Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-RP-570. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_gtr703.pdf National forest lands encompass numerous rural and urban communities. Some national-forest-based communities lie embedded within national forests, and others reside just outside the official boundaries of national forests. The urban and rural communities within or near national forest lands include a wide variety of historical traditions and cultural values that affect their process of economic development. National-forest-based urban and rural communities participate in numerous economic sectors including nontraded industries, resource-dependent traded industries, and non-resource-dependent traded industries. These communities represent microeconomic environments. Cluster theory provides an explicit framework to examine the microeconomic relationships between national forests and their embedded and neighboring communities. Implementation of economic cluster initiatives in national-forest-based communities could improve their overall social well-being through increased competitive advantage based on innovation and higher productivity. This paper proposes establishing an Economic Clusters research team within the Forest Service. This team would dedicate its efforts to the analysis and improvement of the determinants of competitive advantage affecting national-forest-based communities. Rojas, Thomas D. Tue, 20 Feb 2007 12:00:00 PST Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-703. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_gtr693/ A recurrent theme in the development of U.S. forest policies has been the assertion of strong positive relations among communities, economies, and natural resource management. Now as a new round of federal land management planning is getting underway, questions are being raised about the strength of that assertion and how to view communities following a decade of reduced federal harvests. This report examines these questions considering the 433 communities in six Bureau of Land Management districts in western Oregon. It discusses the ways that forest-based communities have been considered in the context of federal forest management planning, and it summarizes information on socioeconomic conditions and trends for communities in western Oregon. Donoghue, Ellen M.1 Sutton, N. Lynnae- Haynes, Richard W. Tue, 20 Feb 2007 12:00:00 PST Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-693. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/publications/pnw_gtr688/ The importance to society of environmental services, provided by forest ecosystems, has significantly increased during the last few decades. A growing global concern with the deterioration of forests, beginning perhaps most noticeably in the 1980s, has led to an increasing public awareness of the environmental, cultural, economic, and social values that forests provide. Around the world, ideas of sustainable, close-to-nature, and multi-functional forestry have progressively replaced the older perception of forests as only a source for timber. The international impetus to protect and sustainably manage forests has come from global initiatives at management, conservation, and sustainable development related to all types of forests and forestry. A few of the more notable initiatives include: the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, UNCED); regional follow-ups to the Earth Summit such as the Montreal Process and Helsinki Accords; the forest elements of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD); and the Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC). Reynolds, Keith M., ed. Fri, 22 Dec 2006 12:00:00 PST Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-688. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. CD-ROM. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw-gtr684.pdf Cost of private timber management practices in the United States are identified, and their relationship to timber production in general is highlighted. Costs across timber-producing regions and forest types are identified by forest type and timber management practices historically applied in each region. This includes cost estimates for activities such as forest establishment practices such as reforestation and afforestation on crop and pastureland. Establishment costs for reforestation in the Southern United States are less than in other regions, although regional differences in establishment costs are less evident in hardwood than in softwood stands. Also, included in the list of timber management costs ate the intermediate management treatments of precommercial thinning, herbicide, and fertilizer application. Intermediate management treatments are less costly in the southern United States than in other regions. Trends in timber management costs reported as part of the management costs reporting. Bair, Lucas S; Alig, Ralph J. Fri, 08 Sep 2006 12:00:00 PST Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-684. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 32 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_gtr683.pdf A survey determined that installed dry kiln capacity in Alaska more than doubled to an estimated 220 thousand board feet (mbf) within 4 years (2000-2004). This increased ability to produce dry lumber and value-added products resulted from industry efforts to obtain federal funding to support a dry kiln grant program. This report reviews grantees' progress in implementing grantsupported projects and their impact on the production capabilities of the Alaska lumber drying industry. Data were collected in early 2005 by using a standard set of questions asked of 19 dry kiln owners. Much of the growth in drying and value-added processing capacity has been concentrated in southeast Alaska where there has been the greatest dry kiln investment. During 2004, the estimated volume of lumber dried in Alaska was 813 mbf, whereas potential annual capacity was estimated to be almost 6,600 mbf. This indicates that Alaska producers are drying just over 12 percent of their potential capacity. Factors that will increase the future production of value-added forest products in Alaska include a continuing supply of economically priced timber, the ability of the industry to support a reasonably priced grading service, and the ability of producers to move value-added products to domestic and export markets. Nicholls, David L.; Brackley, Allen M.; Rojas, Thomas D. Fri, 11 Aug 2006 12:00:00 PST Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-683. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 32 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_gtr681.pdf This report traces the flow of Oregon's 2003 timber harvest through the primary timber-processing industry and describes its structure, operations, and condition. Pulp and board, lumber, and plywood and veneer sectors accounted for 96 percent of total industry sales of $6.7 billion. Oregon's 2003 timber harvest of just over 4 billion board feet was 95 percent softwood species; 65 percent of the total was Douglas-fir. As a result of improved technology, lumber overrun increased 32 percent since 1988 to 2.07 board feet lumber tally per board foot Scribner of timber input. Despite decreases in amount of timber harvested, the industry has remained important to Oregon's workforce: average earnings for a worker in Oregon forest products industry was about $50,200; Oregon's average for all industries was $32,400. Brandt, Jason P.; Morgan, Todd A.; Dillon, Thale; Lettman, Gary J.; Keegan, Charles E.; Azuma, David L. Fri, 04 Aug 2006 12:00:00 PST Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-681. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 64 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_gtr679.pdf This report examines socioeconomic changes that occurred between 1990 and 2000 associated with implementation of the Northwest Forest Plan (the Plan) in the Olympic National Forest in western Washington. We used a combination of quantitative data from the U.S. census and the USDA Forest Service, historical documents, and interviews from Forest Service employees and members of three case study communities-Quilcene, the Lake Quinault area, and the Quinault Indian Nation. We explore how the Plan affected the flow of socioeconomic benefits associated with the Olympic National Forest, such as the production of forest commodities and forest-based recreation, agency jobs, procurement contract work for ecosystem management activities, grants for community economic assistance, payments to county governments, and opportunities for collaborative forest management. The greatest change in socioeconomic benefits derived from the forest was the curtailment of timber harvest activities. This not only affected timber industry jobs in local communities, but also resulted in declining agency budgets and staff reductions. Mitigation efforts varied. Ecosystem management contracts declined and shifted from labor-intensive to equipment-intensive activities, with about half of all contractors from the Olympic Peninsula. Economic assistance grants benefited communities that had the staff and resources to develop projects and apply for monies, but provided little benefit to communities without those resources. Payments to counties served as an important source of revenue for rural schools and roads. We also examine socioeconomic changes that occurred in the case study communities, and the influence of forest management policy on these changes. Between 1990 and 2000 all three communities showed a decrease in population, an increase in median age, a decline in timber industry-related employment, and an increase in service-industry and government jobs. Quilcene's proximity to the larger urban centers has attracted professional and service industry workers that commute to larger economic hubs. Lake Quinault area residents are increasingly turning to tourism, and its growing Latino population works in the cedar shake and floral greens industries. For the Quinault Indian Nation, employment in tribal government and its casino has helped offset job losses in the fishing and timber industries. Many changes observed in the communities were a result of the prior restructuring of the forest products industry, national economic trends, and demographic shifts. However, for Quilcene and Lake Quinault, which were highly dependent on the national forest for timber and served as Forest Service district headquarters, the loss of timber industry and Forest Service jobs associated with the Plan led to substantial job losses and crises in the economic and social capital of these communities. Buttolph, Lita P.; Kay, William; Charnley, Susan; Moseley, Cassandra; Donoghue, Ellen M. Mon, 31 Jul 2006 12:00:00 PST Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-679. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 96 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_gtr678.pdf Integrated research is about achieving holistic understanding of complex biophysical and social issues and problems. It is driven by the need to improve understanding about such systems and to improve resource management by using the results of integrated research processes. Traditional research tends to fragment complex problems, focusing more on the pieces of problems rather than the whole that comprises multiple interrelationships and interactions. The outcome is that a lot is known about the parts (e.g., recreation, fish, and wildlife) but relatively little about how they are interrelated. There seems to be general agreement that integrated questions must drive the search for integrated understanding, but tradition, inertia, institutional culture, budgets, training, and lack of effective leadership foster reductionism (at worst) or minimal degrees of integration (at best) rather than any substantial, sustainable effort toward integrated research. In this paper, a phased approach to framing integrated research questions and addressing the substantial barriers that impede integrated efforts are discussed. A key conclusion is that to make any significant progress toward comprehensive integrated research will require more than rhetoric. Progress must begin with more effective leadership throughout various levels of research organizations. Clark, Roger N.; Stankey, George H. Fri, 28 Jul 2006 12:00:00 PST Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-678. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 70 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_gtr677.pdf Projections of Alaska timber products output, the derived demand for logs and chips, and timber harvest by owner are developed by using a trend-based analysis. These are revised projections of those made in 1990, 1994, and 1997, and reflect the consequences of recent changes in the Alaska forest sector and trends in markets for Alaska products. With the cancellation of the long-term contracts and the closure of the two southeast Alaska pulp mills, demand for Alaska national forest timber now depends on markets for sawn wood and the ability to export manufacturing residues and lower grade logs. Four scenarios are presented that display a range of possible future demands. The range in annual demand for timber from Alaska national forests is 48 to 370 million board feet of logs annually. Areas of uncertainty include the prospect of continuing changes in markets and competition, and the rates of investment and innovation in manufacturing in Alaska. Brackley, Allen M.; Rojas, Thomas D.; Haynes, Richard W. Fri, 21 Jul 2006 12:00:00 PST Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-677. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 40 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_gtr676.pdf Currently, all treated lumber used in Alaska is imported from the 48 contiguous states and Canada because there are no wood-treating facilities in Alaska. This report explores conventional and alternative wood-treating methods and reviews previous studies and laboratory tests on treated wood. In investigating wood treatment as a possible processing option for Alaska forest products manufacturers, the double-diffusion method of using sodium fluoride followed by a copper sulfate appeared to be the most advantageous approach. This method of treating wood was identified because it can be used to treat freshly cut or green wood. This was an important factor to consider, owing to the limited drying capacity in Alaska. Little information was available as to the chemical retention after treating and its resistance to leaching. Pavia, K. Josephine Fri, 14 Jul 2006 12:00:00 PST Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-676. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 29 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/publications/pnw_gtr675/ This case study examines the socioeconomic changes that took place between 1990 and 2000 in and around lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Coos Bay District in southwestern Oregon for purposes of assessing the effects of the Northwest Forest Plan (the Plan) on rural economies and communities in the Coos Bay region. The case study included an analysis of changes in the district's programs, as well as socioeconomic changes that occurred within the communities of Coos Bay, Myrtle Point, and Reedsport. Data were gathered during 2003 and 2004 from multiple sources including U.S. census databases, county and state criminal justice and economic development databases, and BLM annual reports. Interviews with BLM employees and community residents provided additional insights on how the Plan affected local socioeconomic conditions and the district's interactions with local communities. The study indicates that by the time the record of decision for the Plan was signed, the Coos Bay region's timber sector had already lost a substantial portion of the wood products processing capacity and employment opportunities. Additionally, the changes in socioeconomic conditions that took place in the mid and late 1990s-an outflow of younger workers, inmigration of older workers and retirees, school closures, increased levels of educational attainment, declines in manufacturing sectors, and expansion of the services sector-are changes that took place during the same period in rural communities across much of the Western United States. It is thus likely that the types of overall socioeconomic changes observed in the Coos Bay region between 1990 and 2004 would have occurred with or without the Plan. Owing to legal challenges, the Coos Bay District was unable to provide a steady and predictable supply of timber from 1994 onward. District foresters shifted their focus toward developing thinning techniques for density management of stands less than 80 years old. Barring legal action, sales from these younger stands will enable the district to provide a predictable supply of smaller diameter timber in future years. In the post-Plan years, the Coos Bay District also significantly expanded its capacity to carry out multiple-use land management. It played a key role in community-based watershed restoration and recreation and tourism development efforts. As a result, the district is now in a much better position to provide the public, including residents of local communities, with a broad array of forest values and opportunities (i.e., improved fish habitat, more recreation sites, more cultural sites, etc.). Key factors in the success of post-Plan community-district partnerships included ongoing and substantial support from upper level leadership, a stable district budget (in marked contrast to the budget declines in neighboring national forests), and a relatively stable staffing level (in contrast to the downsizing that occurred in neighboring national forests). McLain, Rebecca J.; Tobe, Lisa; Charnley, Susan; Donoghue, Ellen M.; Moseley, Cassandra Fri, 7 Jul 2006 12:00:00 PST Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-675. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 144 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_gtr674.pdf WestProPlus is an add-in program developed to work with Microsoft Excel to simulate the growth and management of all-aged Douglas-fir-western hemlock (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco-Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.) stands in Oregon and Washington. Its built-in growth model was calibrated from 2,706 permanent plots in the Douglas-fir-western hemlock forest type in Oregon and Washington. Stands are described by the number of trees per acre in each of nineteen 2-in diameter classes in four species groups: Douglas-fir, other shadeintolerant species, western hemlock, and other shade-tolerant species. WestProPlus allows managers to predict stand development by year and for many decades from a specific initial state. The simulations can be stochastic or deterministic. The stochastic simulations are based on bootstrapping of the observed errors in models of stand growth, timber prices, and interest rate. When used in stochastic simulations, this bootstrap technique simulates random variables by sampling randomly (with replacement) from actual observations of the variable, rather than from an assumed distribution. Users can choose cutting regimes by specifying the interval between harvests (cutting cycle) and a target distribution of trees remaining after harvest. A target distribution can be a reverse-J-shaped distribution or any other desired distribution. Diameterlimit cuts can also be simulated. Tabulated and graphic results show diameter distributions, basal area, volumes by log grade, income, net present value, and indices of stand diversity by species and size. This manual documents the program installation and activation, provides suggestions for working with Excel, and gives background information on West-ProPlus's models. It offers a comprehensive tutorial in the form of two practical examples that explain how to start the program, enter simulation data, execute a simulation, compare simulations, and plot summary statistics. Liang, Jingjing; Buongiorno, Joseph; Monserud, Robert A. 08 Jun 2006 14:00:36 PST Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-674. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 48 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_gtr671.pdf Nontimber forest products from southern Alaska (also called special forest products) have been used for millennia as resources vital to the livelihoods and culture of Alaska Natives and, more recently, as subsistence resources for the welfare of all citizens. Many of these products are now being sold, and Alaskans seek additional income opportunities through sustainable harvest and manufacture of such forest resources. We discuss the unique legal, regulatory, land tenure, geographic, vegetation, and climatic context that southern Alaska presents for marketing nontimber forest products; summarize the various species and types of products being harvested; and consider the marketing challenges and opportunities new entrepreneurs will encounter. The information and resources we provide are intended to enhance income opportunities for all Alaskans, while sustaining the organisms harvested, respecting traditional activities, and ensuring equitable access to resources. Pilz, David; Alexander, Susan J.; Smith, Jerry; Schroeder, Robert; Freed, Jim. Fri, 12 May 2006 12:00:00 PST Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-671. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 88 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/publications/gtr669/ In March 23-25, 2005, an international symposium on red alder was held at the University of Washington Center for Urban Horticulture in Seattle, WA. The symposium was entitled “Red alder: A State of Knowledge” and brought together regional experts to critically examine the economic, ecological and social values of red alder. The primary goal of the symposium was to discuss new advances in the understanding of red alder biology and silviculture, changing market and nonmarket values, and the current regulatory climate for management of alder. This proceedings includes 14 papers based on oral presentations given at the symposium. These papers highlight some of the key findings from the history, ecology, biology, silviculture and economics sessions presented at the red alder symposium. Deal, Robert L.; Harrington, Constance A., eds. Wed, 12 Apr 2006 15:25:36 PST Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-669. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 150 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_gtr661.pdf As part of the 10-year socioeconomic monitoring of the Northwest Forest Plan, this report evaluates changes in Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) procurement contracting between 1990 and 2002 by asking, (1) How much and what kind of work did the Forest Service and BLM contract during this period, and (2) who received economic benefits from this procurement contracting? Procurement contracting is a particular focus of the socioeconomic monitoring because one expectation of the Northwest Forest Plan was that the Forest Service and BLM would create high-skill, high-wage private sector jobs in public land restoration through contracting to partially offset job losses in timber production, harvesting, and processing. This report finds that, to the contrary, the Forest Service reduced its contracting of land management activities on national forests in the Northwest Forest Plan area from a high of $103 million in 1991 to a low of $33 million in 2002. By contrast, BLM spending was fairly constant at just under $20 million annually. Both the Forest Service and the BLM changed the type of activities that they contracted, shifting from activities associated with intensive forest management such as tree planting in clearcuts to activities associated with ecosystem management. Contractors located near national forests and BLM lands and rural communities captured a similar proportion of contracts in both the earlier and later parts of the study period. However, the significant decline in Forest Service contract spending resulted in considerable decline in the amount of money flowing to rural communities through contracting. Thus, it is unlikely that federal land management contracting created a net increase in jobs to replace jobs lost in mills and logging operations in public lands communities. Moseley, Cassandra Fri, 13 Jan 2006 12:00:00 PST Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-661. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 44 p. Tiffany Dong