Treesearch

The Raster Tools Python package provides an application programmers interface (API) for building raster data processing pipelines. Pipelines built with Raster Tools can efficiently process extremely large raster datasets, including those larger than the system’s available memory. Raster Tools can be deployed on systems ranging from small laptops to high performance computing environments. To aid in the construction of raster processing pipelines, Raster Tools provides a consistent API to a suite of scalable and lazy raster processing functions including focal, zonal, clipping, convolution,...

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Forest Service, Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program provides this resource update yearly as an overview of forest resources in Kansas. These estimates are derived from field data collected across a systematic network of fixed-radius forest monitoring plots located on both public and private land. New updates are provided annually as a subset of plots within the State are remeasured. Each year, field crews visit and measure a subset of all FIA plots across the entire State (the size of the subset varies by State and year). Combining all the...

Today, we hear a great deal about Artificial Intelligence (AI) and how it is changing society. Every time we search for something on our computers, buy something over the internet, take a picture on our phone, ask Google where to eat, get mapping directions, or search for a phone number, we are knowingly, and often unknowingly, using AI. But what exactly is AI and how is it being used within forestry?

Reducing fuels in overly dense, arid forests of the Western US is a prominent fire mitigation strategy. Fuel treatments, including thinning and prescribed burning, are a means of reintroducing fire to fire-dependent forests and alleviating wildfire-related damages to human health, infrastructure and natural resources.To help establish economic efficiency analysis of fuel treatments, we provide a methodological framework illustrating benefit-cost analysis (BCA) and considerations for dealing with valuation complexity.Our framework was developed from research reviews and valuation discussions...

Wildfire risk mitigation on private property is central to reducing community wildfire vulnerability. Homeowners have control over many of the key factors that contribute to wildfire risk on their parcels, yet vulnerable conditions persist. One potential explanation is a misalignment between homeowners’ and trained assessors’ perceptions of parcel-level wildfire risk. Prior research has documented a “risk gap” in a single community wherein owners often underestimate their parcel-level wildfire risk; however, it is unclear whether such misalignments are widespread. This study replicates and...

Federally designated wilderness in the US is to be stewarded to provide, among other qualities, outstanding opportunities for unconfined recreation - or recreation generally free from rules and regulations. However, compared to other wilderness character qualities, measurement and monitoring of unconfined recreation is often considered less formally. This research seeks to understand the spatial distribution of unconfined recreation across wilderness areas and other federal and nonfederal protected areas in Colorado, and to answer questions related to comparative levels of confinement...

Trust is essential for successful environmental governance, but more research is needed to understand how trust ecology dynamics interact to influence partnership success. We applied the trust ecology framework to partnerships between federal agencies and non-governmental organizations focused on outdoor recreation management. Data were collected from U.S. agency personnel and nonprofit organizations engaged in partnerships to understand partnership success, overall trust, and the four trust pathways: expected behavior (rational trust), emotional connection/shared values (affinitive...

These standard bridge plans provide guidance to bridge engineers for replacement of timber bridges along historic U.S. highway routes. They utilize treated glued-laminated timber components for two superstructure design types: (1) longitudinal stringer with a panelized transverse deck and (2) longitudinal deck. Superstructure designs are in conformance with the AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications, 9th edition.

Urban trees are vital components of urban societies and ecosystems, but their management is often contested by diverse and sometimes conflicting goals. As storm frequency and intensity increases, it is important to understand the factors that impact municipal level proactive and reactive storm responses to urban trees including pruning, removal, and emergency procedures. Therefore, we surveyed 920 urban forestry professionals in the Northeastern and Southeastern United States to assess their perceived storm threats, socio-demographic characteristics and whether their affiliated organization...

The 2017 fire season in Montana was especially severe, with more than 2,400 wildfires burning about 1.4 million acres across the state. In the aftermath, the Forest Service’s Northern Region headquarters helped assess and prioritize national forest recovery needs. The work required hundreds of hours compiling data, matching it with GIS layers and fire boundaries, and considering factors such as slope, aspect, and the presence of nearby tree species.