Treesearch

Patterns of post-fire recovery in southern California chaparral shrublands are important for understanding fuel available for future fires. Satellite remote sensing provides an opportunity to examine these patterns over large spatial extents and at high temporal resolution. The relatively limited temporal range of satellite remote sensing products has previously constrained studies of post-fire recovery to chronosequence approaches, in which space is substituted for time, but the lengthening satellite data record is easing this limitation. In this study, we tracked vegetation recovery...

In 2013, there was an estimated 9,900 wildland fires that claimed more than 577,000 acres of land. That same year, about 542 prescribed fires were used to treat 48,554 acres by several agencies in California. Being able to understand fires using laboratory models can better prepare individuals to combat or use fires. Our research focused on chaparral crown fires. Chaparral is a shrub community that blankets 5% of California land. As a result, it becomes key fuel sources for wildfires. By using chaparral to model crown fires, our goal is to develop a model that can be deployed for evacuation...

This resource update provides an overview of forest resource attributes for Nebraska based on annual inventories conducted by the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Program of the Northern Research Station (NRS), U.S. Forest Service. The estimates presented in this update are based on field data collected in 2010-2014 with comparisons made to data collected from 2005-2009. In the 2014 inventory, NRS-FIA is now measuring 1/7th (14.3 percent) of the plots annually and plans to continue this, completing a 7-year cycle in the 2020 inventory. The complete set of plots is being retained. All...

This study examines the institutional factors that affect organizations' decisions to offer after-school nature programs. Data are from interviews of 31 staff and administrators of after-school programs in San Diego, CA. Results show support for the importance of nature education experiences in general, and that such activities are more likely to be offered if they directly support the agency's mission, if the on-site supervisor and/or a staff person has an interest or knowledge in that area, if delivery and cost issues are overcome, and if they have evidence that the children like the...

This resource update provides an overview of forest resources in Indiana based on an inventory conducted by the U.S. Forest Service, Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program at the Northern Research Station in cooperation with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Estimates are based on field data collected using the FIA annualized strategic sample design and are updated yearly. The estimates presented in this update are for the measurement years 2009-2014 with comparisons between estimates reported in 2009. The current, 2009-2014 sample set consists of 6,492 plots with 1,661 of...

This publication provides an overview of the forest resources in Maine based upon inventories conducted by the U.S. Forest Service, Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program of the Northern Research Station. Information about the national and regional FIA program is available online at http://fia.fs.fed.us. Since 1999, FIA has implemented an annual inventory measuring data on 20 percent of sample plots each year. For the 2014 inventory, estimates for current variables, such as area, volume, and biomass, are based on 3,169 plots inventoried from 2010-2014. Change variables, such as net...

The principal findings of the ninth forest survey of Arkansas are presented. The survey examines trends between the 2005 and 2010 surveys. Topics examined include forest area, ownership, forest-type groups, stand structure, basal area, timber volume, growth, removals, mortality, crown characteristics, ozone levels, and invasive species.

Documenting the environmental performance of building products is becoming increasingly common. Creating environmental product declarations (EPDs) based on life-cycle assessment (LCA) data is one approach to provide scientific documentation of the products’ environmental performance. Many U.S. structural wood products have LCA-based “eco-labels” developed under the ISO standard 14025. In this study, the standard dictates underlying life-cycle inventory (LCI) data to be used reflect current practices in the industry. Therefore, gate-to-gate manufacturing LCI data for I-joist must be...

Despite compelling reasons to involve nonscientists in the production of ecological knowledge, cultural and institutional factors often dis-incentivize engagement between scientists and nonscientists. This paper details our efforts to develop a biweekly newspaper column to increase communication between ecological scientists, social scientists, and the communities within which they work. Addressing community-generated topics and written by a collective of social and natural scientists, the column is meant to foster public dialog about socio-environmental issues and to lay the groundwork...

On average, new residential construction accounts for about one-third of all wood products consumed in the United States annually. During periods of robust housing activity, 45% or more of all wood products consumed are for new single-family and multifamily housing. This can fall to as low as 20% or less during times of economic recession. Unfortunately, 2012 was not an average year for new residential construction. The housing boom that occurred between 2000 and 2006 turned into a major housing recession in 2007. The recession bottomed out in 2009, with steady improvements being made...