Experimental Forest Network Strategy and Visioning
The Southern Research Station (SRS) is home to 19 Experimental Forests (EFRs). These are facilities of long-term research and focal points for collaboration.
Assessments such as the Southern Forest Futures Project have illustrated risks, vulnerabilities and focal points of future scientific research in the South. A functional EFR network is critical for addressing natural resource challenges in the 21st century. A network will link sites strategically across geographic domains and environmental gradients, sampling a full complement of locations that are representative of the diversity of environments in question and would have the ability to answer larger scale questions and leverage the long-term investment in EFRs.
The Southern Research Station hosted a forum at the Bent Creek Experimental Forest conference center on March 15-16 in Asheville, NC. The meeting objective was to identify critical 21st century research questions that can be addressed collaboratively across EFRs in the South. The group discussed ideas for re-designing the existing EFRs as a network in order to answer these questions. Two project ideas were discussed: 1) Potential impacts of high precipitation events on forest roads- led by Devendra Amatya; and 2) Range-wide genetic and adaptive diversity study- led by Dana Nelson and Kurt Johnsen.
How can you participate?
Contact: Stephanie Laseter
SRS Experimental Forest Network Lead
Ph: 828-524-6441 *430 Cell: 828-200-6352
slaseter@fs.fed.us
What's New?
StoryMap is Live! The interactive tool developed by Stephanie Laseter (SRS) and AJ Beck (Northern Research Station) is now available online. Read more.
