Understory

This edition of the Institute’s Accomplishments Report spans fiscal years 2014-2015. The past two years have been exciting and productive! In the following pages you will find numerous and diverse examples of Forest Service personnel striving to carry out the Institute’s mission, through the complementary programmatic realms of Research and Development, State and Private Forestry, and International Development. Just a few of the highlights include the establishment of a new experiment to test the projected effects of climatic warming in a tropical forest, the strengthening of international act...

The Estate Thomas Experimental Forest (hereinafter Estate Thomas) is the only tropical dry forest owned and administered for this purpose by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service. It is the easternmost experimental forest in the agency's system of Experimental Forests and Ranges, located 5.4 km west of Christiansted, St. Croix, United States Virgin Islands (Figure 1 ). The Federal government has owned Estate Thomas since 1934. The Forest Service purchased it from the Virgin Islands Corporation in 1963 for dry tropical forest research, and Forest Service Chief Edward...

Fiscal year 2013 was marked by the celebration of the 75th Anniversary of the Institute. A year full of celebratory activities across all our programs: International Cooperation, State and Private Forestry and Research and Development. It was a year of reconnecting with longer term colleagues, employees and partners; and enthusiastically developing newer friendships. Hope you enjoy reading as much as we feel grateful for the opportunities of collaboration opened via the Arts and Sciences, the 16th Caribbean Foresters Meeting and Conservation Education – among many other significant accomplishm...

Fiscal year (FY) 2011 was one of renovation at the Institute. This first edition of our Accomplishment Report includes all of the Institute’s units. Hoping you enjoy learning what we accomplished during FY 2011.

Fiscal year (FY) 2012 was marked by the inaugurations of the renovated facilities at the Institute’s Headquarters in Río Piedras and the Sabana Field Research Station in Luquillo, PR. Amidst the moving and celebrations, much was accomplished this fiscal year within each of the Institute’s programs. I hope you enjoy learning what we accomplished in Research and Development, State and Private Forestry, and International Cooperation during FY 2012. Thanks to the Institute’s program managers, employees and partners for their text and photo contributions to this report. Special thanks to Marinelis ...

This article was authored by John K. Francis, research forester, and Salvador Alemañy, botanist, from the U.S. Forest Service International Institute of Tropical Forestry to raise awareness and promote citizen participation in the Puerto Rico Champion Tree Project.

This article was originally published in El Nuevo Dia as promotion for the Puerto Rico Champion Tree Project in 1996. It contains a brief description of the project as well as a highlight of some notable Champions.