Forestry Sciences Laboratory (Portland)

Legacy 

Portland Forestry Science lab has expanded forestry knowledge since the 1940s, when a lab was first housed in the Yeon building in downtown Portland, Oregon. The lab has a long record of creating knowledge about fire, fire effects, fire recovery, and data for the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Program that assesses forest health and status nationwide. The lab's work to identify forest status and trends reaches across the vast Alaskan interior - an effort never before attempted - to tiny islands of the Pacific Ocean. Closer to home, the lab played a key role in the landmark Portland urban forestry and air quality study in 2016.

Portland Forestry Sciences Lab is in the Edith Green and Wendell Wyatt Federal Building on Southwest Third Avenue. A strong working relationship with Portland State University facilitates research partnerships and research opportunities for undergraduate students, graduate students, post-doctoral students, and visiting scientists. Proximity to Portland’s bustling urban center and universities ensures a steady influx of new ideas and research opportunities. The facility hosts a biennial science symposium that draws wide attendance.

Address

1220 SW 3rd Avenue, Suite 1410  
Portland, OR 97204 

Voice: 503-808-2000, TDY/TDD: 503-808-2055

Science 

The Portland Lab is known internationally for its involvement in the national Forest Inventory and Analysis Program, recognized globally for exemplary forest inventory methods. The Portland lab collaborated with NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey to develop remote sensing technology able to assess tree canopy cover for the National Land Cover Dataset every 5 years. Innovation in forest inventory and analysis efforts has also led to 3-D image capture to digitally re-construct tree volume from data gathered by wearable technology or drones. Notable publications at the Portland Lab include work done by wildlife biologist Bruce Marcot on polar bears, and salvage logging studies of the Biscuit Fire. Other work includes ozone injury studies, ladder fuels, carbon cycling, soil damage, invasive species, and tree-crown condition science.

People 

Portland Forestry Sciences Laboratory is home to about 42 permanent employees. Collaborations pull in diverse knowledge from partners including NASA and the Society of American Foresters, and Oregon State School of Forestry. Staffing for resource monitoring and assessment and forest inventory and analysis projects increase for seasonal projects. Seasonal work delivers training opportunities for temporary employees, plus service-learning opportunities through the Student Conservation Association. Early-career scientists and civil servants are often placed at the lab as Presidential Management fellows or Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education research participants. 

Teams 

The Portland Lab hosts team members from diverse research programs. Scientists based at the Portland Lab include Vegetation Monitoring Science & Application (VeMSA) team, Wildlife Ecology team, Information Management team, Vegetation Monitoring & Remote Sensing (VMaRS) team, Urban-Wildland Interactions team, Data Collection team, Inventory, Reporting and Mapping team, and Ecosystem Services team. 

Contribution 

Our lab supports Pacific Northwest Research Station programs including: Ecological Process and Function Program Goods, Services and Values Program Land and Watershed Management Program Resource Monitoring and Assessment Program Threat Characterization and Management Program