Region Archives: US East

ALBANY, New York — The mass spectrometer in Rabi Musah’s lab at the University at Albany’s chemistry building is so sensitive that it can pick up the molecular fingerprint of almost anything. It’s not uncommon, for instance, for traces of cocaine, fentanyl or other illicit substances to turn up on currency such as dollar bills, she said. …Musah and Coon aren’t looking for drugs though. ….Instead, they are looking for microscopic specks of wood from endangered trees, which have been illegally harvested. …By using the spectrometer, which identifies the atomic weight of a given molecule — and comparing that with what will be an AI-powered database of various endangered wood species — the two women hope to create a device that businesses can use to make sure they aren’t selling an endangered species. …Deployment of the wood detection system is a year to 18 months away, and eventually they hope to develop a hand-held scanner.

The Northern Forest Region — 26 million acres of woodlands spanning Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and northern New York — is changing due to climate change, invasive insects and other threats. Protecting these ecologically, economically and culturally vital forests will require novel tools and knowledge, prompting new University of Maine research launching this spring. UMaine scientists are conducting six new projects that will help monitor and preserve the Northern Forest and the species that call it home. The research is made possible with $1.4 million from the Northern States Research Cooperative. 

Widespread 20th-century reforestation in the eastern United States helped counter rising temperatures due to climate change, according to new research. The authors highlight the potential of forests as regional climate adaptation tools, which are needed along with a decrease in carbon emissions. ….Before European colonization, the eastern United States was almost entirely covered in temperate forests. From the late 18th to early 20th centuries, timber harvests and clearing for agriculture led to forest losses exceeding 90% in some areas. …About 15 million hectares of forest have since grown sin these areas. …The researchers found that forests in the eastern U.S. today cool the land’s surface by 1 to 2 degrees Celsius (1.8 to 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) annually. The strongest cooling effect occurs at midday in the summer, when trees lower temperatures by 2 to 5 degrees Celsius (3.6 to 9 degrees Fahrenheit)—providing relief when it’s needed most.

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said a series of environmental directives and goals he initiated to protect and restore forests and wetlands in the state will help counter climate change and aid the economy. Cooper signed an executive order on Monday that in part sets statewide targets for governments and private land-protection groups by 2040 to both “permanently conserve” 1 million acres of forests and wetlands and to restore 1 million new acres of similar lands. The governor also wants 1 million new trees planted in urban areas by 2040. Cooper’s office called the executive action the most significant by a governor to protect the state’s ecosystems since then-Gov. Jim Hunt’s “Million Acre Initiative” for land preservation was announced in 1999. …Among other items, the order from Cooper also directed state agencies to use plants and seeds in landscaping projects that are native to the Southeast, with a preference for North Carolina-native plants. 

CLOQUET, Minnesota — The University of Minnesota will likely continue to use the Cloquet Forestry Center for a “somewhat lengthy” period after land ownership is transferred back to the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. That’s according to Karen Diver, senior adviser to the president for Native American affairs at the University of Minnesota and former chairwoman of the Fond du Lac Band, who updated the land transfer. …The session comes a year after a report to the university’s Board of Regents recommended the center, a 3,400-acre research facility located entirely within the Fond du Lac Reservation, be returned to the Fond du Lac Band. …Some alumni and former employees of the center expressed concern that giving the land back would jeopardize the future of the forestry program, but Brian Buhr, dean, tried to dispel those fears.

The Southern Forest Products Association has published its newly redesigned website – SouthernPine.com – to provide an easy-to-use, one-stop-shop for all Southern Pine lumber technical guidance, resources, and best-use applications.  SouthernPine.com combines the following sites into a single resource for all things related to Southern Pine lumber: SFPA.org; SouthernPine.com (and the members-only site); Southern Pine Decks; Southern Pine Global; and Raised Floor Living and Raised Floor Living Pro. …The re-envisioned website project, with a focus on Southern Pine lumber technical guidance and resources, came out of strategic visioning and planning the SFPA board of directors conducted in 2020. The new site meets all current accessibility requirements, and all content can be translated into 12 languages to drive Southern Pine lumber’s demand and increase user knowledge around the globe.  

At the top of America’s Amazon, nearly 8,000 acres of Alabama’s most sensitive and ecologically important land is being preserved forever, thanks to a multi-million dollar collaboration involving The Nature Conservancy in Alabama, Patagonia, and an undisclosed donor. The Nature Conservancy in Alabama says it has closed a $15 million+ deal to buy 7,990 acres in Clarke County at the head of the Mobile-Tensaw Delta, often called America’s Amazon for its remarkable biodiversity and wildlife. “This is one of the most important conservation victories that we’ve ever been a part of,” said Mitch Reid, state director for The Nature Conservancy in Alabama. …The Delta, a web of interconnected swamps, bayous, rivers and streams, contains an almost unparalleled number of species of fish, reptiles, amphibians, birds, plants and mammals.

…Three aircraft and a contingent of more than 100 wildland fire management professionals and scientists on the ground with research tools, are part of the Integrated Research Management Team, a collaborative effort between the U.S. Forest Service, the Department of Defense, and various wildland fire research and educational intuitions—some as far away as Spain—coming to Fort Stewart to study its prescribed burn program. James Furman, the U.S. Forest Service’s liaison to the Department of Defense’s wildland fire management program, said the research at Fort Stewart is important for helping wildland fire experts across the nation learn more about smoke and fire behavior from a program that is a recognized nationwide expert. …The U.S. Forest Service team will take the data collected and create next-generation fire behavior models to better learn how to manage prescribed fires and prevent wildfires, not only in the southeast but across the United States.

NEW HAMPSHIRE — For centuries the monetary value of forested land has been realized only when trees are felled, when standing timber is turned to finished lumber. With the onset of climate change, the economics of traditional forestry are being disrupted by monetizing the role of forests as sequesters of CO2 and storehouses of carbon to address the warming climate. Carbon harbored in standing trees has become a virtual commodity. In managing a forest for capturing and storing carbon timber, harvests are reduced to reap the value of the carbon in standing trees. Reduced timber harvests shrink employment and investment in traditional forestry industries while transferring income earned by foresters, loggers, truckers, mechanics and sawmills to the investors and traders plying the carbon markets. …It is a lot easier for trees to capture and store carbon than for lawmakers to strike a balance between harvesting timber and trading carbon.

In the southeastern landscape of Georgia, the dance between fire and land has long been a delicate balance. As the second-largest practitioner of prescribed burning in the Southeast, the state typically torches around 2 million acres of private and public land each year. These intentional fires are vital for the health of ecosystems and the survival of species… while also serving as a crucial defense against wildfires. However, this long-standing practice is now under threat, as climate change begins to shrink the window for safe and effective prescribed burns. The shifting climate has resulted in fewer “good burn days” – periods. Once averaging around 50 good burn days per year, Fort Moore now sees only 30-40. …Despite the decrease, prescribed burns have led to a decrease in wildfires, demonstrating their importance in managing fire-prone landscapes. Yet, with the new EPA standards for PM2.5, land managers may face further restrictions to protect air quality.

NORTH CAROLINA — Emmy Dasanaike is an honors scholar at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,  studying public policy and data science. …There were once 92 million acres of piney forests that stretched along the Southeast from Virginia through Texas. …The vast clearing of these forests was a tragedy, but the hands that cut the trees were part of a more encompassing devastation. Enslaved Africans performed most of the tasks to collect the longleaf pine materials. …Since the economy of North Carolina was so immensely shaped by the naval stores and lumber industries, it is important to remember and acknowledge the labor and the adversity that enslaved Blacks endured. In this internship, I explored the history of the longleaf and how the demand for longleaf pine products contributed to the expanded use of enslaved labor during this period in our state’s history.

CHAPEL HILL, North Carolina – Eastwood Forests closed their acquisition of approximately 92,200 acres of forestland in New York, as the first property in the Climate Smart Forestry Fund. The Northway Property is located in Essex, Fulton, Hamilton, Saratoga, Warren and Washington Counties, within and around New York’s Adirondack Park. This acquisition marks a significant step toward Eastwood’s commitment to sustainable forest management and climate change mitigation, said Eastwood’s CEO Alex Finkral. Matt Sampson, Vice President of Forest Management said… “We are really looking forward to working with the forest industry, recreational groups, and the Department of Environmental Conservation. It’s a beautiful forest, and a privilege to work there.”

Greenville, S.C. — In a landmark conservation effort, 2,808.16 acres of Pierce’s Low Grounds in Greensville County, Virginia, have been permanently protected, securing a vital ecological asset for future generations. The property, recognized by the Virginia Department of Forestry with a high-ranking in “Forest Conservation Value,” is now protected from development, thanks to collaborative efforts and strategic partnerships. The conservation initiative was made possible in part through a grant provided by the Enviva Forest Conservation Fund, underscoring the commitment to preserving critical habitats and fostering biodiversity. …Estie Thomas, Easement Manager at Virginia Outdoors Foundation, expressed the importance of the preservation of Pierce’s Low Grounds: “This project nearly doubles the amount of pristine forest and habitat VOF has conserved in partnership with Enviva over the past decade. We are grateful for their support, and for the support of the landowners whose commitment to conservation is inspiring.”

PAUL SMITHS, N.Y.–Paul Smith’s College, announced it has secured a $1 million grant from the 2023 Forest Economy Program, backed by New York Governor Kathy Hochul and the Northern Border Regional Commission. This grant will enable Paul Smith’s College to make essential infrastructure improvements on its rural campus in Franklin County, New York — an investment that will strengthen the institution’s ongoing commitment to maintain and grow the regional forest economy and forestry-related industries. …The college is one of the region’s most important forest training institutes and one of just two forestry schools in New York that offer degrees accredited by the Society of American Foresters. Paul Smith’s College prepares high-skilled, career-ready forestry graduates ready to join the workforce. …The college is one of the region’s most important forest training institutes and one of just two forestry schools in New York that offer degrees accredited by the Society of American Foresters. 

CLOQUET, Minnesota — Warm temperatures are causing issues for the logging industry during what is normally their busy season. Most years, up to 75% of Minnesota’s lumber is harvested between December and February. But warm temperatures this winter are making things more complicated. “This winter has been a mess for loggers in Minnesota,” said Ray Higgens with the Minnesota Timber Producers Association. This winter’s logging season was delayed by six weeks due to a warm December. …With highs above freezing, certain equipment can not operate on the soft, muddy forest floor. If the region doesn’t see a drop in temperatures soon, it could be a problem not just for loggers, but for local economies as well. “Our industry is critical to so many rural communities in our state,” said Higgens.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Trees are struggling to sequester heat-trapping carbon dioxide (CO2) in warmer, drier climates, meaning that they may no longer serve as a carbon offset solution as the planet warms, according to a study by Penn State researchers. “Trees in warmer, drier climates are essentially coughing instead of breathing,” said Max Lloyd, assistant professor of geosciences at Penn State and lead author on the study. “They are sending CO2 right back into the atmosphere far more than trees in cooler, wetter conditions.” Photosynthesis removes CO2 from the atmosphere, yet, under stressful conditions, trees release CO2 back to the atmosphere, a process called photorespiration. …the research team demonstrated that photorespiration is up to two times higher in warmer climates, especially when water is limited. They found the threshold for this response in subtropical climates begins when average daytime temperatures exceed 68 degrees Fahrenheit and worsens as temperatures rise further.

ASHEVILLE, North Carolina – The U.S. Forest Service announced the final version of the Pisgah-Nantahala Land Management Plan in February 2023, drawing criticism from conservation advocates about its allowance for aggressive logging practices. Now five of those groups have filed a lawsuit against the Forest Service, alleging that its plan to log a section of Nantahala National Forest violates the National Forest Management Act. The Southern Environmental Law Center … filed the complaint on behalf of the Chattooga Conservancy, the Center for Biological Diversity, Defenders of Wildlife, MountainTrue and the Sierra Club. …The lawsuit comes on the heels of a final environmental analysis and draft decision for the Nantahala Mountains Project, which the forest service described as a full restoration effort that would support wildlife, restore native tree species and improve trail access. Critics also took issue with that project’s plan to log a section of old growth forest.

Additional coverage from the Center for Biological Diversity: Lawsuit Seeks to Protect Nantahala National Forest From Logging

Indiana educators are encouraged to apply for the 2024 Natural Resources Teacher Institute on June 24-28 at the Forestry Training Center at Morgan-Monroe State Forest. Hosted by the Indiana DNR Division of Forestry and Purdue University Forestry and Natural Resources Extension, the week-long, immersive professional development program will provide educators with the knowledge, skills and tools to effectively teach students about forest ecology, research and management in Indiana. There is no cost to participants, and meals and housing are also provided. Daily activities include visiting public and private forest sites, touring forest industry facilities, and exploring forestry research through the Hardwood Ecosystem Experiment. Up to 18 educators will be accepted to participate.