Emerging Issues in the South

The health and competitiveness of Southern forests is being impacted by changing local and global markets, invasive species, shifting consumer demands, and declining economic viability of the private forest landowner. There are ways to both promote the conservation ethic, manage forests for a multitude of resources (traditional and nontraditional), and provide economic gains to the landowner.

Station Realignment to Science Areas

The Southern Research Station has a long and productive history in the restoration and recovery of forested landscapes in the South. Recently, we have realigned our 28 research work units (RWUs) into 15 RWUs grouped under five science areas, which will clearly define our core research strengths. (read the details)

Economics of Fire Damage and Suppression

Program Overview:
Fire plays a critical role in Southern forest ecosystems and forest managers have long used fire as a management tool. However, as urbanization plays out across the Southern landscape, the opportunities to manage fire diminish while the potential costs of wildfire increase dramatically. Research is needed to help guide management strategies in this changing forest-human environment. The Station’s research program builds from ongoing fire economics research within the Economics and Policy research work unit in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. (read the details)

Forest Inventory and Analysis

Program Overview:
FIA develops, analyzes, and maintains annualized forest resource information for the 13 Southern States, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. This inventory is accomplished collaboratively with the Southern Group of State Foresters and their respective forestry organizations. The program is administered in Knoxville, TN, with offices in Asheville, NC, and Starkville, MS. Wood-using industries and forest values are extremely important to the Southern U.S. economy; consequently, resource sustainability must be continually assessed. The Station’s FIA program provides important data about Southern forests through annual inventories as a component of the national FIA program. In addition, FIA works collaboratively with universities, forest industry groups, and other governmental agencies to develop new procedures to improve the inventory process. (read the details)

Hemlock Woolly Adelgid

Program Overview:
Hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA) is a non-native invasive pest that impacts eastern hemlock and Carolina hemlock. HWA has spread to the Southern Appalachian region of northern Georgia, western North Carolina, eastern Tennessee, and southern Virginia. Without control, hemlocks typically die within five to seven years after infestation. Hemlock trees serve important ecological roles in the southern Appalachians. They are a keystone species in near-stream areas, providing critical habitat for birds and other animals, and shading streams to maintain cool water temperatures required by trout and other aquatic organisms. Hemlocks are also prized for their visual beauty in both forest and urban settings, and are a contributor to residential property values. (read the details)

Silvopasture

Program Issues:
The pulpwood market in the Southeastern U.S. has weakened, and it has become difficult for pine plantation owners to generate a profit or even pay for the cost of a mid-rotation thinning. If left unthinned, the growth of a pine plantation stagnates and the stand poses a high risk for wildfire and insect damage, and fails to realize its potential to produce quality sawtimber.

“Current market trends (i.e. low domestic pulpwood prices) are forcing the forestry community to look at other options. A silvopasture system can produce short-term or annual economic returns while being able to produce a high value timber product over the long term.” - Rick Hatten, Georgia Forestry Commission (read the details)

Southern Pine Beetle

Program Overview:
The southern pine beetle (SPB) is the most serious forest pest in the Southern United States. Its outbreaks result in large patches of infested, dying, and dead trees that can expand over hundreds of acres if uncontrolled. One of the biggest challenges for forest management, SPB outbreaks have caused timber losses on 1 million acres since 1999. This is equivalent to the lumber needed to build approximately 187,000 single-family homes. (read the details)

Threat Assessment

Program Overview:
The Eastern Forest Environmental Threat Assessment Center (EFETAC) was chartered in 2005 in response to the Healthy Forest Restoration Act of 2003 (HFRA) and is charged with predicting, detecting, and assessing environmental threats to public and private forests and wildlands. The Center identifies multiple interacting stresses (e.g., insects, climate change, wildland fire, and urbanization), and is working to generate new knowledge and develop tools that allow land managers to anticipate and respond to threats effectively.

The Center has joined forces with government agencies, universities, and non-governmental partners to leverage resources and improve the collective capacity to prepare for and respond to environmental threats. (read the details)

Utilization of Forest Biomass

Program Overview:
Station research in forest biomass utilization advances the U.S. economy, energy supply, environment, human health, and national security in ways that help address issues surrounding climate change, alternative energy sources, and sustainability. Forest biomass, such as firewood, has been an effective energy source for decades. The South has abundant forest biomass and is uniquely positioned within an existing rural forest-based economic system with potential to process this supply for renewable energy. Station research harnesses and creates value added opportunities for the South’s forest based economy. Researchers improve environmental and ecological risk by deploying sustainable healthy forest management strategies to public and private lands. (read the details)

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Maintaining healthy Southern forests requires an understanding of changing market conditions, rapidly evolving forest threats, and the socio-economic aspects associated with landowner decision making. Incentives and new markets for ecosystem services and biomass are encouraged to support keeping forest lands in working forests, thus preventing fragmentation and loss of habitat. The capacity of States to deliver training, science, and assistance to landowners is essential for success.






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