Forestry Research

  |  Research Notes

The Department of Forestry is one of three departments in the College of Forest Resources (CFR) and is a part of the Forest and Wildlife Research Center (FWRC) at Mississippi State University.

The mission of the Forest and Wildlife Research Center (FWRC) is to

• expand through research the fundamental and applied knowledge upon which forestry, forest products, and wildlife and fisheries disciplines are based;
• to assist in conserving, developing and using the forest, forest products, wildlife, and fisheries resources of Mississippi, the nation, and other countries through research, technology transfer, and other service activities.

In research, the mission of the FWRC is to produce and communicate information and technology relevant to the efficient management, conservation, and utilization of Mississippi's forest, wildlife, and fisheries resources and to conserve and enhance the natural environment associated with these renewable resources.

In fulfilling this mission, the FWRC shall conduct fundamental and applied research that will improve the economic progress of Mississippi by encouraging growth and development of forest-based industries. Within the scope of this mission, the FWRC has responsibilities for developing through research:

1. natural resource management systems that ensure optimal production of goods and services while protecting, sustaining, and enhancing forest, wildlife, and aquatic environments;
2. harvesting and manufacturing technologies that promote efficient utilization of the state's timber resources;
3. biological and economic databases that address specific problems and opportunities related to the state's forest, wildlife, and fisheries resources, including environmental issues related to these resources;
4. policy analyses that provide options for renewable resource management and use in Mississippi;
5. basic studies that will enhance the knowledge necessary to conduct the above research.

Forestry research can be divided into four main areas:

• Forest Biology and Watershed Management
• Forest Economics, Management and Policy
• Forest Measurements and Spatial Technology
• Wood Supply Systems

Additional forestry research is being conducted in the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology part of the Mississippi Agricultural and Forest Expeiment Station (MAFES).

A brief description of each of these areas and faculty conducting research can be found below:

Forest Biology and Watershed Management

• Hardwood Silviculture

  Current research efforts in hardwood silviculture include bottomland hardwood establishment techniques, effects of long term flooding on hardwood species composition, and mid-rotation competition control. Extensive research is also being conducted in black walnut management.

  
  
• Pine Silviculture

  Current research efforts in pine silviculture include pine plantation establishment, herbicide use in establishment and mid-rotation applications, use of poultry litter as fertilizer, needle and crown dynamics, and agroforestry.

  
  
• Genetics

  Current research in forest genetics includes improving cottonwood clones for fiber production, understanding tree growth/development and tree response to stresses at the molecular level.

  
  
• Soils and Hydrology

  The Soils and Hydrology group conducts research into the effects of forest management on the water and soils of Mississippi. Current projects include forest management effects on erosion and subsequent water and site quality and hardwood establishment for carbon sequestration.

  
  
• Faculty involved in Forest Biology and Watershed Management
  • Dr. Andy Ezell
  • Dr. John Hodges
  • Dr. Andy Londo
  • Dr. Emily Schultz
  • Dr. Cetin Yuceer
  • Dr. John Kushla
  • Dr. Scott Roberts

Forest Economics, Management and Policy

• Forest Management and Economics:

  The forest management and economics group works in a variety of areas including timber supply issues, forest taxation, forest management planning, economic impacts of forestry and wildlife activities, carbon credits and other non market values.

  This group also organizes the annual Southern Forest Economics Workers (SoFEW) conference

  
  
• Forestry Policy and Law

  The Forestry Policy and Law group conducts research into policy and law issues affecting forestry primarily in Mississippi and the United States. Current projects include an analysis of congressional voting on fire issues, and carbon policy.

  
  
• Faculty involved in Forest Economics, Management and Policy
  • Dr. Debbie Gaddis
  • Dr. Stephen Grado
  • Dr. Robert Grala
  • Dr. Don Grebner
  • Dr. Ian Munn
  • Dr. Changyou "Edwin" Sun

Forest Measurements and Spatial Technology

The forest measurements group conducts research into growth and yield of timber stands as well as new techniques and technologies for measuring these stands. Techniques and technologies include the use new ìon the groundî equipment as well as satellite and air-borne imagery. The use of LIDAR for measuring forest stands is being investigated for both inventory and ecological characteristics is a main focus of this group. The Spatial Information Technologies Laboratory (SITL)

This group is also working with the Mississippi Institute for Forest Inventory (MIFI) to conduct a statewide forest inventory.

Faculty involved with forest measurements research include:

• Dr. Keith Belli
• Dr. David Evans
• Dr. Tom Matney
• Dr. Scott Roberts
• Dr. Emily Schultz

Wood Supply Systems

The Wood Supply Systems Group conducts research in forest harvesting. Current projects include the logger cost study for the eastern United States and a history of industrial forestry in Mississippi. This group is also helps conduct the Logger Education program for the MSU Extension Service and organizes the Mid South Forestry Equipment Show.

Faculty involved with forest operations research include:

• Dr. Laura Grace
• Dr. Bill Stuart

More information about forestry research is available.