Title: Monitoring the effects of extreme climate disturbances on forest health in the northeast U.S.

Author: Auclair, Allan N.D.; Heilman, Warren E.; Busalacchi, Peter

Year: 2002

Publication: In: Third Symposium on Environmental Applications; 2002 January 13-17; Orlando, FL. Boston, MA: American Meteorological Society.

Abstract: No methodology has been developed to date to predict when a forest population is at risk to specific climate and air pollution stressors. Yet, this information is important to natural resource managers who need frequent, updated assessments of forest health upon which to base management decisions and respond to public concerns on forest health. The USDA Forest Service's Forest Health Monitoring (FHM) Program is a comprehensive network of about 5000 permanent plots nationwide on which systematic observations are made on a critical array of tree and ecosystem parameters. Begun in 1991, some regions now have several complete four-year cycles of data on which to assess health trends.