http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/publications/scifi.shtml Pacific Northwest Research Station - Science Findings en-us http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi149.pdf Climate change is altering growing conditions in the temperate rain forest region that extends from northern California to the Gulf of Alaska. Longer, warmer growing seasons are generally increasing the overall potential for forest growth in the region. However, species differ in their ability to adapt to changing conditions. For example, researchers with Pacific Northwest Research Station examined forest trends for southeastern and southcentral Alaska and found that, in 13 years, western redcedar showed a 4.2-percent increase in live-tree biomass, while shore pine showed a 4.6-percent decrease. In general, the researchers found that the amount of live-tree biomass in extensive areas of unmanaged, higher elevation forest in southern Alaska increased by as much as 8 percent over the 13-year period, contributing to significant carbon storage. Hemlock dwarf mistletoe is another species expected to fare well under warmer conditions in Alaska. Model projections indicate that habitat for this parasitic species could increase 374 to 757 percent over the next 100 years. This could temper the prospects for western hemlock—a tree species otherwise expected to do well under future climate conditions projected for southern Alaska. In coastal forests of Washington and Oregon, water availability may be a limiting factor in future productivity, with gains at higher elevations but declines at lower elevations. Parks, Noreen; Barrett, Tara Fri., 04 Jan 2013 14:00:00 PST Science Findings 149. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 6 p. Douglas Beebe http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi148.pdf National forest managers are charged with tackling the effects of climate change on the natural resources under their care. The Forest Service National Roadmap for Responding to Climate Change and the Climate Change Performance Scorecard require managers to make significant progress in addressing climate change by 2015. To help land managers meet this challenge, Forest Service scientists conducted three case studies on national forests and adjacent national parks and documented a wide range of scientific issues and solutions. They summarized the scientific foundation for climate change adaptation and made the information accessible to land managers by creating a climate change adaptation guidebook and web portal. Case study teams discovered that collaboration among scientists and land managers is crucial to adaptation planning, as are management plans targeted to the particular ecosystem conditions and management priorities of each region. Oliver, Marie Mon., 03 Dec 2012 14:30:00 PST Science Findings 148. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 6 p. Douglas Beebe http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi147.pdf People have long valued mature western redcedar for its strong, lightweight wood that is rot-resistant. The species has cultural importance for Northwest tribes who use the tree’s bark and roots as well as the wood. Redcedar is very shade-tolerant and is often found in the understory and midstory of Pacific Northwest forests. It is also very adaptable and can grow on a wide range of site conditions in both single and mixed-species stands. In contrast to Douglas-fir, the subject of countless studies related to its growth potential and response to management in the region, very little has been reported for redcedar. O'Callaghan, Joan Mon., 15 Oct 2012 13:50:00 PST Science Findings 147. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 6 p. Douglas Beebe http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi142.pdf Populations of greater sage-grouse have declined dramatically across their North American range for many decades in response to harmful effects of a variety of human activities and land uses, prompting legal actions to protect the species under the Endangered Species Act. Parks, Noreen Tue., 01 May 2012 15:00:00 PST Science Findings 142. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Douglas Beebe http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi141.pdf Scientists have had little information about how prescribed fire and cattle grazing—common practices in many Western ponderosa pine forests—affect plant abundance and reproduction in the forest understory. Pacific Northwest Research Station scientists began to explore how these practices affect vegetation in a five-year study of postfire vegetation in eastern Oregon ponderosa pine forests where cattle have been routinely pastured from late June or early July through early to mid August. For this area of eastern Oregon, they found that excluding cattle grazing during peak growing season increased native plant cover and grass flowering capability in ungrazed areas compared to grazed areas. Because vegetation was measured prior to releasing cattle on the land, the study's results tend to reflect lasting grazing impacts rather than simple consumption. Oliver, Marie Mon., 02 Apr 2012 14:40:00 PST Science Findings 141. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Douglas Beebe http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi140.pdf 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. Oliver, Marie Fri., 22 Mar 2012 13:40:00 PST Science Findings 140. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Douglas Beebe http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi139.pdf Exploring relationships between landscape characteristics and rivers is an emerging field of study, bolstered by the proliferation of satellite data, advances in statistical analysis, and increased emphasis on large-scale monitoring. Climate patterns and landscape features such as road networks, underlying geology, and human developments determine the characteristics of the rivers flowing through them. O Callaghan, Joan mon., 13 Feb 2012 14:59:00 PST Science Findings 139. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Douglas Beebe http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi138.pdf The 1994 Northwest Forest Plan (NWFP) established a common management approach across federal land within the range of the northern spotted owl. It also established a monitoring framework to track, among other things, the Plan's effectiveness at maintaining and restoring late-successional and old-growth forests. Meznarich, Paul mon., 13 Feb 2012 11:59:00 PST Science Findings 138. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Douglas Beebe http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi137.pdf City dwellers can find many reasons to value neighborhood trees. Kirkland, John wed., 10 Nov 2011 12:00:00 PST Science Findings 137. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi136.pdf Climate variation exacerbates threats to amphibians such as disease and habitat loss. Parks, Noreen wed., 02 Nov 2011 12:00:00 PST Science Findings 136. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi135.pdf The massive volcanic eruption of Mount St. Helens 31 years ago provided the perfect backdrop for studying the earliest stages of forest development. Mazza, Rhonda Thur., 29 Sep 2011 12:00:00 PST Science Findings 135. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi134.pdf Federal policies direct public-land managers to reduce wildfire risks for urban areas close to wildlands, while broader agency goals call for landscape restoration to create fire-resilient forests. Parks, Noreen Thur., 29 Sep 2011 12:00:00 PST Science Findings 134. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi133.pdf Thermal pollution in rivers can be caused by dams, logging, municipal wastewater treatment, and other human activities. Oliver, Marie Tue., 07 Jun 2011 12:00:00 PST Science Findings 133. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi132.pdf The red fox is one of the most widespread and adaptable mammals on Earth. In the American West, however, there are populations of native red foxes that occur only in alpine and subalpine habitats, which may be at risk from human-caused and natural pressures. Wells, Gail Wed., 27 Apr 2011 12:00:00 PST Science Findings 132. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi131.pdf In Pacific Northwest forests, lichens provide essential winter forage for deer and elk and also nesting materials and habitat for rodents, birds, and invertebrates. Oliver, Marie Tue., 01 Mar 2011 12:00:00 PST Science Findings 131. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi130.pdf Whitebark pine inhabits some of the most pristine high elevation areas of the West. Wells, Gail Tue., 01 Feb 2011 12:00:00 PST Science Findings 130. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi129.pdf Regulation alone cannot solve complex ecological problems on private lands that are managed for diverse uses. Oliver, Marie Mon., 03 Jan 2011 9:00:00 PST Science Findings 129. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi128.pdf Spring bud burst has been occurring earlier in the year for many plant species because of warmer winter and spring temperatures. Parks, Noreen Wed., 01 Dec 2010 9:00:00 PST Science Findings 128. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi127.pdf Land use change is a key part of global change. Deforestation, urban sprawl, agriculture, and other human influences have substantially altered natural ecosystems and fragmented the global landscape. Mazza, Rhonda Thur., 04 Nov 2010 09:45:00 PST Science Findings 127. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi126.pdf For urban dwellers, trees soften a city's hard edges and surfaces, shade homes and streets, enhance neighborhood beauty, filter the air, mitigate storm runoff, and absorb carbon dioxide Wells, Gail Tue., 07 Sep 2010 08:00:00 PST Science Findings 126. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi125.pdf A network of late-successional forest reserves is central to the Northwest Forest Plan, the guiding vision for managing federal forests in Washington, Oregon, and northern California within the range of the northern spotted owl. Feinstein, Michael Wed., 07 Jul 2010 08:00:00 PST Science Findings 125. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi123.pdf The decline of oak woodlands is an urgent conservation challenge in the Pacific Northwest. Wells, Gail Mon., 03 May 2010 08:20:00 PST Science Findings 123. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi122.pdf Acre for acre, streams of the coastal temperate rain forest along the Gulf of Alaska export 36 times as much dissolved organic carbon as the world average. Mazza, Rhonda Thur., 01 Apr 2010 08:20:00 PST Science Findings 122. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi121.pdf Interactions among plant species and their growth patterns help shape a forest. Parks, Noreen Mon., 01 Mar 2010 08:20:00 PST Science Findings 121. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi120.pdf Many forest-dwelling species rely on both terrestrial and aquatic habitat for their survival. Oliver, Marie Thur., 04 Feb 2010 08:20:00 PST Science Findings 120. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi119.pdf New technology has given scientists the means to probe the hidden world of belowground hydrology. Steve Wondzell with the Pacific Northwest Research Station and his colleagues conducted several experiments in Montana's Tenderfoot Creek Experimental Forest and Oregon's H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest to determine which factors control the timing and location of water inputs from hillslopes to streams, the movement of water down the stream channel, and the consequences of these processes on watershed outputs. Parks, Noreen Tue., 01 Dec 2009 08:20:00 PST Science Findings 119. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi118.pdf Soil organisms play essential roles in forest health, and truffle fungi are one of the more fascinating groups of these important organisms. After 40 years of specimen collection and study, scientists with Pacific Northwest Research Station have published a report documenting how truffle fungi affect tree survival and growth, perform valuable functions in nutrient cycling and retention, and serve as a major food source for many forest animals. Oliver, Marie Mon., 02 Nov 2009 08:20:00 PST Science Findings 118. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Tiffany Dong 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 Thur, 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/sciencef/scifi116.pdf Forests significantly influence the global carbon budget: they store massive amounts of carbon in their wood and soil, they sequester atmospheric carbon as they grow, and they emit carbon as a greenhouse gas when harvested or converted to another use. Thompson, Jonathan Thur, 3 Sep 2009 08:20:00 PST Science Findings 116. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi115.pdf Excess nitrogen stemming from human activities is a common water pollutant. Fertilizer runoff, sewage, and fossil fuel emission all contain nitrogen that often ends in streams, rivers, and ultimately the ocean. Mazza, Rhonda. Tue, 11 Aug 2009 11:20:00 PST Science Findings 115. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi114.pdf The wolverine is one of the rarest and least-known mammals in North America. A lack of understanding regarding its historical distribution in the contiguous United States and its broad-scale habitat needs has hampered conservation efforts. Parks, Noreen Wed, 1 Jul 2009 16:30:00 PST Science Findings 114. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi113.pdf Oregon:s land use planning program has protected an estimated 1.2 million acres of forest and agricultural land from development since its inception in 1973. Mazza, Rhonda Mon, 1 June 2009 16:30:00 PST Science Findings 113. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi112.pdf Can management of 40- to 80-year-old forests on the Olympic Peninsula accelerate the development of stand structures and plant and animal communities associated with much older forests? Mazza, Rhonda Wed, 1 Apr 2009 08:30:00 PST Science Findings 112. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Keiko Williams http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi111.pdf Removing dams that are outdated, unsafe, or pose significant economic or environmental costs has emerged in the last 10 years as a major river restoration strategy. Parks, Noreen Tue, 3 Mar 2009 08:30:00 PST Science Findings 111. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Keiko Williams http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi110.pdf Old growth revisited: integrating social, economic, and ecological perspectives. Oliver, Marie Tue, 3 Feb 2009 11:24:00 PST Science Findings 110. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 6 p. Keiko Williams http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi109.pdf The pileated woodpecker is a species of conservation concern and a keystone species in mature and old forests of the Pacific Northwest. Thompson, Janathan Thu, 22 Jan 2009 13:22:00 PST Science Findings 109. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 6 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi108.pdf Most ecosystems contain a few common species and many rare ones. By virtue of being rare, these species are often poorly understood and difficult to manage. Thompson, Janathan Tue, 09 Dec 2008 13:22:00 PST Science Findings 108. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 6 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi106.pdf Frequent, low-intensity fires were historically a common feature in many dry forests of the United States. Today, largely owing to fire exclusion and past management practices, many of these fire-dependent forests contain significantly more small trees and fewer large trees than occurred under the natural fire regime. Youngblood, Andrew Thu, 18 Sep 2008 13:22:00 PST Science Findings 106. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 6 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi105.pdf Over the past 7 years, a strong collaboration has emerged between the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest ecosystem research group and the Spring Creek Project for Ideas, Nature, and the Written Word, an independently funded program for nature writing based in the Department of Philosophy, Oregon State University. The program is called Long-Term Ecological Reflections and it brings together scientists, creative writers, and environmental philosophers to consider new ways to conceptualize and communicate views of long-term ecological change in forests and watersheds and the participation of humans in that change. The program is designed to parallel the Long-Term Ecological Research program, a national science program initiated in 1980 and involving the Andrews Forest. Both programs focus on primary inquiry and have 200-year planning horizons, which have resulted in some uniquely farsighted perspectives and astute ecological observations. Swanson, Fred Tue, 12 Aug 2008 13:22:00 PST Science Findings 105. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 6 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi100.pdf Commercial farming of Atlantic salmon in marine net-pens has become a booming industry. At present, approximately 130 salmon farms exist along the Pacific coast of North America. Most of these farms are in cold marine bays within British Columbia, where farmed salmon have become the province's most valuable agricultural export. Each year, thousands of farmed Atlantic salmon escape their pens, and could potentially impact native fishes. The PNW Research Station has recently examined the risk of population establishment by escaped Atlantic salmon in the Pacific Northwest, and assessed the potential implications of invasions for native fishes inhabiting streams within national forests. Bisson, Pete Thu, 07 Feb 2008 13:22:00 PST Science Findings 100. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 6 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi99.pdf Although stream protection has become a central tenet of forest management in the Pacific Northwest, it is often only the larger, fish-bearing streams that are afforded the strongest safeguards. Yet, even without fish, headwater streams and riparian areas are hotspots of biodiversity, and they are the source of much of the water, gravel, and nutrients that subsidize downstream environments. Amphibians, in particular, thrive in the relatively cool and moist microclimate created by headwater streams. In fact, more than a quarter of amphibian species in the region have life histories reliant on headwaters. Olson, Deanna; Anderson, Paul Fri, 18 Jan 2008 15:15:00 PST Science Findings 99. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 6 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi96.pdf In response to societal concerns about clearcutting in the Pacific Northwest, structural or green-tree retention is now an integral part of harvest prescriptions on federal lands. However, the benefits of different levels or patterns of retention for the ecological, microclimatic, and aesthetic attributes of resulting forest stands remain speculative. The Demonstration of Ecosystem Management Options (DEMO) study was designed to address this information gap by evaluating the ecological effects of greentree retention in mature Douglas-fir forests. Peterson, Charley; Aubry, Keith Fri, 28 Sep 2007 07:15:00 PST Science Findings 96. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi95.pdf The Northwest Forest Plan (the Plan) was designed to balance protection of older forest ecosystems with mitigation of impacts on rural communities and economies. It was implemented by using an adaptive management approach that featured an interagency monitoring program. This program included socioeconomic monitoring—the systematic observation and measurement of a set of social and economic indicators over time#151;to evaluate the effects of the Plan on forest communities. Socioeconomic goals of the Plan included producing predictable levels of timber and nontimber resources, maintaining the stability of local and regional economies, assisting with long-term economic development and diversification, promoting collaboration in forest management, and protecting forest values associated with aquatic and older forest ecosystems. Charnley, Susan; Donoghue, Ellen Fri, 28 Sep 2007 7:15:00 PST Science Findings 95. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi94.pdf Mountain meadows in the Pacific Northwest are patches of remarkable biological diversity. Lush, forb-, grass-, and shrub-dominated communities attract rich assemblages of arthropods, support diverse communities of birds, and provide habitat for small mammals and other wildlife. Recent encroachment by conifers has reduced the extent and ecological integrity of meadows, with consequences for their biota, scenic values, and recreational use. Using a diversity of approaches, researchers and managers are attempting to unravel the causes and consequences of encroachment and the potential for maintaining or restoring these important habitats. Swanson, Fred Fri, 28 Sep 2007 7:15:00 PST Science Findings 94. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi93.pdf For more than a century, yellow-cedar has been inexplicably dying throughout the northern coastal rain forests of the Pacific Northwest. Thompson, Jonathan Fri, 27 Apr 2007 12:00:36 PST Science Findings 93. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi92.pdf How do you project the effects of management decisions made today on future conditions of riparian forests, stream habitat, and fish abundance in the streams and rivers of the interior Columbia Basin? Thompson, Jonathan Wed, 1 Apr 2007 12:00:36 PST Science Findings 92. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi91.pdf Sagebrush habitats are declining rapidly across western North America, with over 350 associated plant and animal species at risk of local or regional extirpation. Thompson, Jonathan Mon, 12 Mar 2007 12:00:36 PST Science Findings 91. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi89.pdf Change is the only constant in forest ecosystems. Quantifying regional-scale forest change is increasingly done with remote sensing, which relies on data sent from digital camera-like sensors mounted to Earth-orbiting satellites. Through remote sensing, changes in forests can be studied comprehensively and uniformly across time and space. Thompson, Jonathan Mon, 04 Dec 2006 12:00:36 PST Science Findings 89. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi88.pdf Changing patterns of land use are at the heart of many environmental concerns regarding U.S. forest lands. Of all the human impacts to forests, development is one of the most significant because of the severity and permanency of the change. Thompson, Jonathan Thu, 26 Oct 2006 12:00:36 PST Science Findings 88. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi87.pdf The condition of aquatic habitat and the health of aquatic species, particularly salmon, are a significant concern in the Pacific Northwest. Land management agencies use fish and riparian guidelines intended to maintain or improve aquatic habitat. Thompson, Jonathan Thu, 07 Sep 2006 12:00:36 PST Science Findings 87. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi86.pdf Conservation measures for aquatic species throughout the Pacific Northwest rely heavily on maintaining forested riparian zones. A key rationale for this strategy is that the presence of standing and downed trees next to streams will provide a continuous source of wood, which is an important structural component of aquatic habitat. Thompson, Jonathan Thu, 07 Sep 2006 12:00:36 PST Science Findings 86. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi85.pdf Some federal forest managers working in late-successional reserves find themselves in a potential no-win situation. The Northwest Forest Plan requires that the reserves be protected from large-scale natural and human disturbances while simultaneously maintaining older forest habitat. Thompson, Jonathan Thu, 08 Jun 2006 13:00:36 PST Science Findings 85. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi84.pdf The Pacific Northwest is one of the world's major timber-producing regions, and its capacity to produce wood on a sustained-yield basis is widely recognized. Nonetheless, there has been increasing public interest in assuring that forests are being sustainably managed, as well as a desire by landowners to demonstrate their commitment to responsible stewardship. Thompson, Jonathan Tue, 16 May 2006 13:00:36 PST Science Findings 84. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi83.pdf Decayed wood plays many critical roles in forest ecosystems. Standing dead trees, called snags, provide habitat for a suite of wildlife, including several species of birds, insects, bats, and other mammals. Down wood provides wildlife habitat and performs ecosystem services such as releasing humus, nitrogen, and phosphorus into the forest soil, storing pockets of moisture, and stabilizing soil on slopes. Root wads, tree stumps, hollow trees, and partially dead trees also perform important ecological roles as wildlife habitats and sources of soil organic matter. DecAID Advisor is an on-line decision-aiding system to help managers plan for wood decay elements for biodiversity in forests of Washington and Oregon. DecAID Advisor is a statistical "meta-analysis" and synthesis of a vast amount of wildlife and inventory data. It does not make decisions for managers, but instead, DecAID Advisor advises on size and amount of snags, down wood, and other wood decay elements to meet management objectives and to help set those objectives by forest type and structural condition class. It is the first decision-aiding tool of its kind, given its scope of species, inventory data, and topics provided. Thompson, Jonathan Tue, 02 May 2006 15:00:36 PST Science Findings 83. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi82.pdf A century of fire suppression has resulted in dense fuel loads within the dry pine forests of eastern Oregon . To alleviate the risk of stand-replacing wildfire, forest managers are using prescribed fire and thinning treatments. Until recently, the impact of these fuel treatments on soil productivity has been largely unknown. Such information is essential for making sound management decisions about the successful reintroduction of fire to the ecosystem to retain biodiversity of soil fungi and achieve the desired future condition of large ponderosa pines with low fuel loads. In a recent pair of studies, led by researchers at the PNW Forestry Sciences Laboratory in Corvallis, Oregon, novel molecular techniques were utilized to investigate the response of soil ecosystems to prescribed burning and thinning. The research compared impacts of the season of burn and various combinations of fuel-reducing treatments. Results suggest that overly severe fires can damage soil productivity and that less intense fires can be used to gradually reduce accumulations of fuel. The findings are currently being implemented in decisions about forest management and contribute important new information to the science. Thompson, Jonathan Fri, 14 Apr 2006 15:00:36 PST Science Findings 82. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi81.pdf In the mid-1990s, forest managers on the Malheur National Forest were concerned about their prescribed fire program. Although they have only a few weeks of acceptable conditions available in the spring and fall, they were worried that spring-season prescribed burning might be exacerbating black stain root disease and having negative effects on understory plants. Thompson, Jonathan Tue, 06 Mar 2006 15:25:36 PST Science Findings 81. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi80.pdf A century of effective fire suppression has radically transformed many forested landscapes on the east side of the Cascades. Managers of dry forests critically need information to help plan for and implement forest restoration. Management priorities include the stabilization of fire regimes and the maintenance of habitat for the northern spotted owl and other old-forest associates. Thompson, Jonathan Fri, 10 Feb 2006 12:00:00 PST Science Findings 80. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 6 p. Tiffany Dong http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi79.pdf Millions of miles of highway crisscross the United States. Highways fragment the landscape, affecting the distribution of animal populations and limiting the ability of individuals to disperse between those populations. Moreover, animal-vehicle collisions are a serious hazard to wildlife, not to mention people. Thompson, Jonathan Fri, 20 Jan 2006 12:00:00 PST Science Findings 79. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 6 p. Tiffany Dong