Research Highlights

Wild and Scenic Rivers: their contributions to aquatic species conservation and opportunities for improvement

Wild and Scenic Rivers are designated to preserve certain rivers with outstanding natural, cultural, and recreational values in a free-flowing condition for the enjoyment of present and future generations. These rivers also serve as strongholds for the conservation of aquatic biodiversity. Effective stewardship ofWild and Scenic Rivers depends on science-based, collaborative management informed by the ongoing combination of research and partnerships. Station: IITF

Why and where high-severity fire occurs

An evaluation using consistent data and methods across the broad geographic range of forested landscapes of the western United States will allow for an improved understanding of the most influential factors driving fire severity and will provide forest managers with highly relevant information for planning and mitigation purposes. Station: RMRS

Keep it wild: Asking the right questions to guide wilderness management

Every year, federal wilderness management agencies receive hundreds of proposals for ecological restoration actions in U.S. wilderness areas. Restoration needs are driven by a host of landscape stressors, including recreational use, invasive species, and climate change. However, existing laws and policies seldom provide clear support for decision-making. Station: RMRS

Another Benefit of Reforestation: Soil Carbon Sequestration

The rate of carbon sequestration in forests is projected to decline in the decades ahead, largely because more forest land will be developed and today’s aging forests sequester less carbon. In a first-of-its-kind analysis, Northern Research Station scientists and University of Michigan partners have found that forest soils can potentially sequester two billion tons of carbon this century with increased reforestation efforts. Station: NRS

Landowner Acceptance of a Pine Barrens Restoration Project

Despite landowners’ uncertainty about long-term outcomes near a pine barrens restoration project on the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, they support management actions and trust USDA Forest Service staff. Station: NRS

Communities, economies, and the Northwest Forest Plan: 24 years later

Social and economic conditions in rural communities have changed since the Northwest Forest Plan was enacted in 1994. A synthesis of research examining the changes will be used to inform forest plan revisions on 17 national forests and 5 Bureau of Land Management units in California, Oregon, and Washington within the range of the northern spotted owl. Station: PNW

Connecting future residential construction and lumber demand in the United States

Housing starts can be predicted by the rate of overall economic growth, and such a prediction informs estimates of future softwood lumber consumption in the U.S. Station: SRS