Despite being one of the first landscape level conservation practices in the U.S., forestry is often unfairly characterized as an extractive, land degrading practice by some modern conservation special interest groups. However, forestry is a renewable industry and well managed forest lands have broad conservation value, argue Tom DeLuca and Jeff Hatten of the College of Forestry in a recent article published in the journal Anthropocene. The authors use forestry, which is conducted on regenerated forests and involves timber harvest, tree planting, and forest stand maintenance, as a case study for conservation.

Using a soils-based assessment of different land-use practices, they show that forestry incentivizing land management practices that cause minimal soil disturbance could help advance our nation’s ability to achieve large scale conservation objectives such as 30% of land area conservation by 2030.

Soil, not above-ground vegetation, represents the largest terrestrial body of stored carbon on Earth and a wellspring of biodiversity, and should be at the center of conservation efforts. Land use practices that maximize continual live vegetative cover, minimize bare soil, and maximize native species composition are more likely to protect soil and store a greater amount of carbon.

Adopting or incentivizing land use practices geared toward conservation will allow the United States to meet its goals, while simultaneously providing the population with wood and other forest products necessary for providing climate smart, affordable housing or shelter, and supporting critical ecosystem services including recreation and access to nature. Sustainably using managed forests in the U.S. for our resource needs, rather than relying on countries with lax environmental standards, can help with global conservation goals.

Read the full paper and learn more.

A McIntire-Stennis supported project

PROJECT
Water quality and availability are critical parts of life – for humans, ecosystems and every species on Earth.

Forested watersheds are an important part of this equation as they provide water, sediment, and nutrients that shape the health of aquatic ecosystems. Forested watersheds also make up a large portion of the landscape in places like the Pacific Northwest. And how water moves through forested watersheds impacts the supply of clear water – along with things like the quality of fish habitat and the well-being of hydraulic infrastructure, like culverts.

Many external factors can affect hydrologic processes including drought, wildfire, timber harvests, and urbanization. Therefore, understanding how forest management decisions, human activity, and natural disturbances influence the flow and supply of water is fundamental to sustainable management. Forested mountainous ecosystems are especially challenging because they see a complex array of physiography and the records of water data are usually sparse.

This project, led by Oregon State University Associate Professor Catalina Segura, is aiming to build knowledge about the vital process of water movement in forested watersheds – by researching how storm events affect water and sediment transport through forested watersheds.

IMPACT
This research will help inform management policies, practices, and regulations in forested watersheds by offering critical insights into hydrologic processes. It will provide valuable data and tools to better understand and predict the impacts of disturbances to forested watersheds.

COLLABORATION
Researchers and students from Oregon State University’s College of Forestry are partnering with researchers from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station to conduct this work.

About McIntire-Stennis
The McIntire-Stennis program, a unique federal-state partnership, cultivates and delivers forestry and natural resource innovations for a better future. By advancing research and education that increases the understanding of emerging challenges and fosters the development of relevant solutions, the McIntire-Stennis program has ensured healthy resilient forests and communities and an exceptional natural resources workforce since 1962.

A McIntire-Stennis supported project

PROJECT
Having a reliable way to monitor and analyze forest inventory is a key part of managing forests and forecasting forest dynamics. Remote sensing techniques offer a way to do this vital work, as they allow forest managers to consistently collect a large amount of relevant data and information across vast landscapes. This data provides valuable insights into the status and trends of forests, which supports informed decision-making related to forest management.

The most common remote sensing method used to collect data about tree dimensions and defects, has been laser scanning, or lidar (light detection and ranging). Lidar has traditionally been used to observe the forest from above the canopy and take vertical measurements of tree dimensions, but it is less reliable for producing horizontal measurements. Lidar is often supplemented by field measurements, which provide on-the-ground observations to round out the data.

In the last decade, with improvements in laser technology and decreased use costs, it’s now possible to scan the forest from below the canopy, usually using handheld mobile lidar systems. While this technology collects robust data from below the canopy, it does not provide information about the tops of the trees, as the above-the-canopy lidar system does.

This means that to compile a comprehensive forest inventory, multiple datasets are needed. However, it can be challenging to combine datasets because georeferencing technology that efficiently merges datasets is lacking.

This research project, led by Oregon State University Associate Professor Bogdan Strimbu, aims to improve forest inventory data collection by developing an operational system to integrate the data, or point clouds, and provide a more complete inventory of forests.

The goal is to develop two software programs, one that will fuse point clouds from above and below the canopy – and another, which will compile a comprehensive forest inventory from point clouds.

IMPACT
The researchers hope that this project will improve forest monitoring and analysis and hep inform decision makers. Comprehensive 3-D datasets can provide information about threats to trees including fire, insect, diseases, and competition. A near complete picture of the forest ecosystem will help researchers and forest managers better understand the effects of climate change, the state of wildlife habitat, and the status of carbon storage in forests. Quickly produced and reliable data can help decision-makers implement more sustainable forest management practices.

COLLABORATION
Oregon State University is working in conjunction with the Elliott State Research Forest, the Oregon Department of Forestry, the Siuslaw National Forest, and private landowners.

A McIntire-Stennis supported project

PROJECT
Mass timber building technology offers an opportunity to utilize more sustainable materials in construction because mass timber can serve as a carbon sink and lock carbon away in the building structure, instead of consuming more energy, like materials such as steel and concrete. Mass timber materials are also usually manufactured from domestically grown products, instead of sourced from foreign countries, which can provide additional energy savings and support local economies.

But while there are many potential benefits to using mass timber, mass timber structures in the United States face a major challenge from termites and fungi, which can cause damage to the wood and lead to early failure of a building. While standard wood frame buildings can be protected from termites through different preservative treatments, the chemicals used in these treatments can interfere with the resins that hold mass timber panels together, and make the panels unusable in building applications. Mass timber panels also rely on moisture barriers to increase the durability of the materials, and termites can attack the dry wood behind these barriers.

To successfully expand mass timber construction in the United States, a solution to the termite problem needs to be identified. If mass timber construction fails due to decay, it could hurt public confidence in this green technology and threaten its long-term potential. The project, led by Oregon State University Assistant Professor of Wood Science and Engineering Gerald Presley and graduate student Cody Wainscott, aims to test different treatments for cross-laminated timber panels (CLT), to identify a treatment that would maintain mass timber’s structural integrity and improve the durability of the material against termites and fungi.

Presley’s lab has manufactured experimental materials to test different treatments on Douglas-fir lumber to identify a treatment with the most potential.

IMPACT
Oregon State University researchers will provide valuable information about the most effective treatments for CLT panels. Their research will help guide mass timber manufacturing practices to produce more durable and reliable wooden structures, that are better protected from decay and termite attack. This could position mass timber materials to be more widely used as an environmentally-friendly and sustainable building material across the globe.

About McIntire-Stennis
The McIntire-Stennis program, a unique federal-state partnership, cultivates and delivers forestry and natural resource innovations for a better future. By advancing research and education that increases the understanding of emerging challenges and fosters the development of relevant solutions, the McIntire-Stennis program has ensured healthy resilient forests and communities and an exceptional natural resources workforce since 1962.

A McIntire-Stennis supported project

PROJECT
A common assertion made about forest policy is that policies are shaped by science. Oregon State University Professor Michael Paul Nelson is examining how accurate that belief is – and investigating how values factor into forestry policy decision-making. To do this, Nelson will analyze the soundness of the arguments that shaped different forest policies and the values that informed those arguments.

People often seek evidence or information to guide them toward good outcomes when making decisions. However, preconceptions can influence the way that people see the world. These preconceptions can influence what information people seek and how people use the information available to them. Nelson will explore preconceptions and how people filter information and blend scientific facts, and the impact of long-term versus short-term data in that filtering.

In addition to understanding how science and values influence decision-making, Nelson will specifically examine how people conceptualize and understand mature and old-growth forests. To do this, he is using a “mental models” approach. Mental models are a framework from cognitive psychology for understanding how individuals arrange and relate their beliefs, knowledge, and experience on a specific topic ( Jones et al., 2011).

Understanding how decision-makers conceptualize and understand the scientific information presented will help advance our understanding of how values and science interact to inform forest policy.

IMPACT
This research project will explore how science and values interact and influence natural resource or forest management decisions as well as how people filter and blend scientific information to understand and conceptualize topics.

COLLABORATION
Oregon State University will collaborate with many partners while conducing this research, including the National Science Foundation Long Term Ecological Research program, the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest, the United States Geological Survey, National Ecological Observatory Network, Oregon Climate Change Research Institute, and the United States Forest Service, including the Pacific Northwest Research Station and the Willamette National Forest.

About McIntire-Stennis
The McIntire-Stennis program, a unique federal-state partnership, cultivates and delivers forestry and natural resource innovations for a better future. By advancing research and education that increases the understanding of emerging challenges and fosters the development of relevant solutions, the McIntire-Stennis program has ensured healthy resilient forests and communities and an exceptional natural resources workforce since 1962.

A McIntire-Stennis supported project

PROJECT
Marbled murrelets can serve as an important indicator species for both healthy forests and healthy marine environments, as this small seabird gets its food sources from marine waters but commutes many miles inland to late-successional and old-growth forests to breed.

Murrelets are found along the coasts from Alaska to Central California. Their population has declined significantly from historic levels and they are now listed as a “threatened” species under the federal Endangered Species Act in California, Oregon and Washington. The reasons for their decline are due largely to the loss of older forests needed for breeding, and much remains unknown about this bird and the factors that influence populations. This knowledge gap has made it difficult to develop best practices for protecting murrelet nesting habitat, particularly around how different management activities will affect the marbled murrelet and its habitat within working forest landscapes.

The knowledge gap has been further challenged by the cryptic breeding behavior of the murrelet, which is difficult for researchers to track and observe.

Oregon State University Assistant Professor Jim Rivers is leading a research project to build knowledge about marbled murrelets, so conservationists and forest managers can better understand the factors that limit reproduction in coastal forests. This research will provide more certainty about how murrelet breeding ecology is influenced by factors such as ocean warming and timber harvest practices within actively managed forest landscapes. This information could help forest managers implement measures to conserve murrelet populations, while also practicing active forest management that allows for timber production.

The team of researchers has been conducting field investigations to collect data and observations about the murrelets’ breeding behavior, habitat and nesting needs, and the greatest threats to their reproductive success.

IMPACT
This research will provide foundational knowledge about the marbled murrelet population and its habitat needs in its listed range. In turn, this will help inform forest management and conservation decisions to better protect this threatened species – while also allowing for timber harvests and other forest management activities in Oregon. This research will also offer insights into how to enhance ecosystem health across landscapes, including forest and marine biodiversity.

COLLABORATION
Oregon State University is partnering with many other groups on this project, including the USDA Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Oregon Department of Forestry, The National Council for Air and Stream Improvement, the forest industry, and the environmental community.

About McIntire-Stennis
The McIntire-Stennis program, a unique federal-state partnership, cultivates and delivers forestry and natural resource innovations for a better future. By advancing research and education that increases the understanding of emerging challenges and fosters the development of relevant solutions, the McIntire-Stennis program has ensured healthy resilient forests and communities and an exceptional natural resources workforce since 1962.

A McIntire-Stennis supported project

PROJECT
The development of modern engineered wood products has presented an opportunity to use more sustainable building materials in construction projects. Products like cross-laminated panels (CLT) and glulam (GL) have proven to be a more environmentally-friendly option than traditional construction materials like steel and concrete – and global demand for these products has increased as people look for ways to mitigate climate change.

However, in order to seize the opportunity to leverage these products on a larger-scale, it is crucial to evaluate their performance and their suitability for use in buildings. This assessment should involve observing their behavior in full-scale scenarios and real-world buildings to evaluate their durability and structural integrity over time.

Oregon State University Associate Professor Mariapaola Riggio is researching the constructive features and environmental performance of mass timber products to gain a deeper understanding of their effective use in constructing durable and eco-friendly buildings.

Riggio is specifically looking at how mass timber systems handle a variety of hydrothermal conditions, like wood moisture content, air humidity, and temperature, to see whether the long-term behavior of the materials and buildings is affected by different conditions. For this purpose, Riggio has been monitoring crucial parameters such as the wetting and drying behavior of mass timber products, time-dependent deformations of mass timber systems under varying climatic conditions, and vibrational behavior of mass timber floors, during various stages of a building’s life, from construction to occupancy. Riggio uses case-study sites in the U.S., alongside laboratory work, to conduct this research.

This research equips wood products manufacturers and designers with key data and information that they can use to design and produce innovative, high-performing mass timber buildings.

IMPACT
There’s a huge economic opportunity in mass timber – but there needs to be greater confidence in the use of these products to fully explore that opportunity. This research project helps provide valuable insights about the safe, durable, and efficient use of emerging mass timber systems so there is a better understanding and greater confidence about the long-term performance of CLT panels and mass timber buildings.

About McIntire-Stennis
The McIntire-Stennis program, a unique federal-state partnership, cultivates and delivers forestry and natural resource innovations for a better future. By advancing research and education that increases the understanding of emerging challenges and fosters the development of relevant solutions, the McIntire-Stennis program has ensured healthy resilient forests and communities and an exceptional natural resources workforce since 1962.

A McIntire-Stennis supported project

PROJECT
Landslides can have major environmental, societal, and economic impacts – and they often occur in conjunction with extreme events, like heavy precipitation, wildfires and earthquakes.

In mountainous, forested terrain across the West, like in Oregon, shallow landslides often remain a persistent hazard that can impact things like aquatic ecosystems and the structure of a forest. But despite the prevalence of this hazard, much remains unknown about the interplay between a landslide disturbance and the forest structure and events like heavy rainfall and wildfires.

Oregon State University Professor of Forest Engineering Ben Leshchinsky is leading a team to uncover more information about landslides in forested environments – which will help provide new insights into how the dynamics of a forest and its vegetation affects the size and rate of landslides. This group is developing models to predict the susceptibility of future slides in mountainous, forested regions – and to understand how the structure of a forest in these areas impacts the size and rate of landslides. Their model will evaluate the importance of forest vegetation on landslide size and rate.

The team is also creating an inventory of historic landslide activity, which will include data about how a range of conditions and triggering events have affected each slide. The researchers will use this data to better understand how factors like slope vegetation influence the likelihood of a slide and the amount of sediment transported in a landslide. Understanding more about slope stability and susceptibility will also provide valuable insights into how extreme events like wildfire and heavy rainfall might initiate slope failure – especially through their impact on the root strength of the vegetation that holds a slope together.

IMPACT
This research will provide valuable insights into how vegetation influences landslide hazard and sediment transport in forested environments, and how events like storms and wildfires may influence these rates. The team is analyzing data from 7,000 landslides in Oregon to examine how the landslide was affected by rainfall conditions, topographic factors, and vegetation conditions. The new model will provide insights into when vegetation helps control the size of a landslide – and when it does not.

COLLABORATION
Oregon State University researchers are collaborating with a number of agencies on this project including the Oregon Department of Forestry, the United States Forest Service, the United States Geological Survey, Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries, and Oregon Department of Transportation.

About McIntire-Stennis
The McIntire-Stennis program, a unique federal-state partnership, cultivates and delivers forestry and natural resource innovations for a better future. By advancing research and education that increases the understanding of emerging challenges and fosters the development of relevant solutions, the McIntire-Stennis program has ensured healthy resilient forests and communities and an exceptional natural resources workforce since 1962.