Treesearch

In this chapter, we focus on the vulnerability of U.S. freshwater supplies considering all lands, not just forest and rangelands. We do not assess the condition of those lands or report on how much of our water supply originates on lands of different land covers or ownerships, because earlier Resources Planning Act (RPA) Assessment work addressed these topics. Regarding the source of water supply, we found that forests are the source of more than one-half of the U.S. water supply and of fully two-thirds of the water supply in the West and the South, and that national forests and grasslands...

Over 75% of the New York City Watershed is forested, and the majority of the land is owned by family forest owners. Ownership fragmentation and development may impact both the working forested landscape and water quality. We surveyed the owners of intact and subdivided family forest parcels across various parcel sizes to gauge their awareness of forest management practices and to assess the potential property-level impacts of their activities on water quality. To support the landowner survey, we used field data on forest stocking and timber quality gathered at each property. Results...

Between 1984 and 2000, the parcelization of family forests in the New York City Watershed caused a decline in average parcel size from 19 to 16 ac. However, little is known about the timing and intensity of development on subdivided parcels, which has the potential to negatively affect water quality by increasing nonpoint source pollution associated with nutrient runoff and erosion intensified by increased impervious surface area. Using a combination of field measurements and analysis of digital orthoimagery, this study quantified forest cover and impervious surface area on new parcels...

In this work, we evaluate the impact of nanocellulose reinforcement on transparent composite properties. Due to the small diameter, high modulus, and high strength of cellulose nanocrystals, transparent composites that utilize these materials should show improvement in bulk mechanical performances without a corresponding reduction in optical properties. In this study composites were reinforced using dispersed nanoparticles as well as continuous architecture developed from hydrogel-based processes. Poly(methyl methacrylate) and Bisphenol F resin systems were integrated with nanocellulose of...

In this chapter, we develop and present national outdoor recreation participation projections for 17 recreation activities or activity composites through 2060. (The projections are for the population of Americans age 16 and older, referred to hereafter in this section as “adults.”) This charge is consistent with the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act (RPA) of 1974, which mandates periodic assessments of the condition and trends of the Nation's renewable resources. The RPA Assessment provides a snapshot of current U.S. forest and rangeland conditions and trends on all...

The United States has observed unprecedented urban growth over the last few decades. Nowak et al. (2005) noted that between 1990 and 2000, the share of urban land area in the nation increased from 2.5% to 3.1%. Existing urban areas in the U.S. maintain average tree coverage of 27% (Nowak et al. 2001), and consist of millions of trees along streets and in parks, riparian buffers, and other public areas. Further, Walton and Nowak (2005) predicted that this urban area will continue to expand through 2050, eventually covering up to 8.1% of the country’s area. Some of the expected urban...

Tests were conducted on two insecticides (carbaryl and bifenthrin) for excluding subcortical beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae and Cerambycidae) from loblolly pine trees (Pinus taeda L.). Two trap designs (single- and double-pane windows) and two trapping heights (1.5 and 4m) were also evaluated for maximizing beetle catches.

To better understand how businesses’ motivation and support for green projects varies by their organizational objectives and characteristics, this study investigates a case of urban forestry carbon credits in a broader context of climate change mitigation efforts. Companies and organizations currently participating in the Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX) were surveyed regarding their perception of consumers’ concerns with climate change, attitudes toward government regulations, factors important to their emission management decisions, and their interest in buying and paying premiums for...

Understanding factors that influence the supply of private acreage for lease hunting has become increasingly important to sustaining hunting. Improving on existing studies that mostly utilized landowners’ responses from contingent surveys, we adopted a different approach to this question by analyzing 2009 market data from Georgia counties. Results from multivariate regression indicate that supply of private lease hunting acres was influenced by: (a) site characteristics such as the relative proportion of certain habitat types; (b) market forces and access factors such as rural road...