Hill Demonstration Experimental Forest
The USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station and the North Carolina State University College of Natural Resources recently signed an agreement adding NC State’s Hill Demonstration Forest to the SRS Experimental Forest Network. The Hill Demonstration Forest covers more than 2,600 acres in the Carolina Slate Belt and has a variety of forest types and conditions. It was added as a cooperating experimental forest – a status that preserves its current ownership and management while recognizing its vital contributions to the Network.
A new study shows that Best Management Practices protect water quality and aquatic life during timber harvests in the Piedmont. The findings will help land managers protect aquatic resources across the region.
Year2023Research StationForest management practices require data and knowledge about local or site-specific conditions. Fifteen years of local watershed hydrology and water quality data from the piedmont of North Carolina were used in the 2022 revised NC Forest Service Forestry Best Management Practices manual, the Upper Neuse River Basin Association watershed modeling project to preserve water quality, and the Wake County, NC Water Partnership's Green Stormwater Infrastructure program.
Year2022Research StationState(s)North CarolinaNew Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) plots are being installed across the Southern Research Station Experimental Forest Network. The purpose of these plots is to:Generate baseline data about tree attributes and forest health,Create a universal sampling method, andProvide an infrastructure for long-term complementary studies. This work will increase communication across experimental forests and offer foundational data that will be used to maintain and improve the health of our forests and other natural resources.
Year2020Research StationPrincipal Investigator(s): Johnny Boggs, Stephanie H. LaseterState(s)North CarolinaSedimentation inputs to streams are some of the biggest current and future challenges for land and water managers. Preventing stream sediment generated from silvicultural activities requires an understanding of local inputs. A recent Forest Service study provides sediment data that resource managers can incorporate into their decision support system to help estimate sediment concentrations and exports from stream crossings, haul roads, and skid trails in Piedmont forests. They can also use the data to further refine statewide Best Management Practice guidelines.
Year2017Research StationPrincipal Investigator(s): Johnny BoggsState(s)North CarolinaThe mountains, Piedmont, and coastal plain are three distinct land provinces across the southeastern U.S. Population density, topography, and types of forests are unique to each region, resulting in a range of different water resource needs and responses to land cover changes. Understanding how streamflow will respond to land disturbances such as timber harvesting and development planning across these regions can provide useful information to land managers as they set streamflow targets needed to maintain healthy fish habitat and meet human water demand.
Year2015Research StationPrincipal Investigator(s): Johnny BoggsState(s)North Carolina
Piedmont Paired Watershed Study Datasets on the USFS Research Data Archive
Hill Demonstration Forest and Umstead Research Farm climate data
This data publication contains hourly climate data from a weather station that was located in an open area on the Hill Demonstration Forest (HF) from 2007 to 2020. The HF is located north of Durham, North Carolina and owned by North Carolina State University. Given the proximate location of HF to Umstead Research Farm (UF) (5 miles), the climate data from HF can be used to represent the climate conditions at UF (due to limited funds, there was no weather station installed at UF). UF is located north of Durham, North Carolina and is owned by North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services. Measurements include air temperature, relative humidity, dew point, solar radiation, vapour pressure as well as wind speed, gust and direction.
Hill Demonstration Forest HF1 riparian buffer climate data
This data publication contains hourly climate data from a weather station that was located in the riparian buffer in a watershed (HF1) on the Hill Demonstration Forest (HF) (2010 – 2016). The HF is located north of Durham, North Carolina and owned by North Carolina State University. Measurements include air temperature, shortwave, longwave, and net radiation, relative humidity, wind speed, and wind direction.
Hill Demonstration Forest HF1 and HF2 riparian buffer and HF2 upland sap flow data
This data publication contains hourly sap flux data from three locations (defined as HF1 riparian buffer, HF2 riparian buffer, and HF2 upland) in a pair of watersheds on the Hill Demonstration Forest (HF). Sap flux density was monitored at the HF1 riparian buffer location in the following species from 2010-2016: loblolly pine (Pinus taeda), sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), red maple (Acer rubrum), white oak (Quercus alba), and tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera). At the HF2 riparian buffer location sap flux density was monitored from 2010-2016 in the following species: loblolly pine, sweetgum, red maple, tulip poplar, American beech (Fagus grandifolia), white oak, and Virginia pine (Pinus Virginia). Thirdly, sap flux density was monitored at the HF2 upland location from 2015-2016 for the following species: loblolly pine, sweetgum, red maple, tulip poplar, chestnut oak (Quercus montana), and Virginia pine.
Hill Demonstration Forest HF1 and HF2 riparian buffer and HF2 upland soil moisture data
This data publication contains hourly soil moisture data from three locations (defined as HF1 riparian buffer, HF2 riparian buffer, and HF2 upland) in a pair of watersheds on Hill Demonstration Forest (HF). Hourly soil moisture readings were monitored from 2010-2016 at the HF1 and HF2 riparian buffer locations at depths of 10 centimeters (cm) and 30 cm. At the HF2 upland location hourly soil moisture readings were monitored from 2015-2016 at depths of 10 cm and 60 cm.
Hill Demonstration Forest and Umstead Research Farm precipitation data
This data publication contains hourly precipitation readings collected from a tipping bucket on the Hill Demonstration Forest (HF) and Umstead Research Farm (UF) from 2007 to 2020. Both sites are located north of Durham, North Carolina. The HF is owned by North Carolina State University and UF is owned by North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
Hill Demonstration Forest and Umstead Research Farm streamflow data
This data publication contains hourly streamflow readings from three pairs of watersheds on the Hill Demonstration Forest (HF) and Umstead Research Farm (UF) from 2007 to 2013. Both sites are located north of Durham, North Carolina. The Hill Forest is owned by North Carolina State University and Umstead Research Farm is owned by North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
People
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Person
Johnny Boggs
Biological Scientisthttps://research.fs.usda.gov/about/people/johnny.boggs -
Person
Ge Sun, PhD
Research Hydrologist and Project Leaderhttps://research.fs.usda.gov/about/people/ge.sun -
Person
Steve McNulty, PhD
Director, USDA Southeast Regional Climate Hubhttps://research.fs.usda.gov/about/people/steven.mcnulty -
Person
Phoebe Habeck
Forester