Randall Morin

Title: Research Forester
Unit: Forest Inventory & Analysis, National Inventory & Monitoring Applications Center
Previous Unit: National Inventory & Monitoring Applications Center
Address: Northern Research Station
11 Campus Blvd., Suite 200
Newtown Square, PA 19073
Phone: 610-557-4054
E-mail: Contact Randall Morin

Jump to Publications

Education

• M.S. Forestry - West Virginia University (2002)
• B.S. Forest Resource Management - West Virginia University (1997)

Civic & Professional Affiliations

Society of American Foresters, Resource Modeling Association

Current Research

I am a Research Forester in the Northern Research Station's Forest Inventory and Analysis group located in Newtown Square, PA. The NRS-FIA unit is one of four such units that make up the national Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program, which is responsible for conducting a comprehensive and consistent inventory of our Nation's forests. The inventory is based on a network of permanent ground plots where timber attributes are sampled, with a spatial sampling intensity of one plot per approximately 6,000 acres. In addition, forest health indicators are sampled on 1/16th of those plots. Indicators of forest health are broadly delineated by the Criteria and Indicators of Sustainability for reporting under the Montreal Process: understory vegetation, down woody materials (DWM), soils, crowns, tree damage, tree mortality, lichen communities, and ozone injury. My current research focuses on landscape-level influences of forest insects, diseases, invasive species, and other biotic and abiotic disturbances on forests. I am the also the lead analyst for the New Hampshire and Vermont inventories with responsibility for the core-reporting requirements of State-level reports. Additionally, I serve as the analyst for the National Inventory and Monitoring Applications Center (NIMAC).

Why is This Important

The mission of the NRS-FIA program is to "improve the understanding and stewardship of northern forests through scientifically credible inventories and analyses of the status and trends in forest condition, use, and productivity, and by transferring timely resource information and new technology to the public." My research fills critical information needs on forest ecosystems to the general public, resource managers, scientists, policy-makers, economists, and a wide range of other natural resource specialists. Success in this mission is crucial to assessing the condition, health, and sustainability of not only forest ecosystems in the north but also our Nation's forests. The outputs will also provide Forest Service customers and clients with crucial information and provide improved techniques for application to a range of resource inventory and monitoring needs. Human and other impacts on forest composition, structure, condition, and process have been identified as critical reporting needs for northern forests. I am responsible for developing indicators, analytical frameworks, and reports that elucidate impacts and resultant forest conditions in a timely manner.

I serve as the National Forest System Coordinator for NRS-FIA. This position requires me to work with NFS personnel across the Northern Region to ensure that FIA is able to provide relevant inventory information to all 18 national forests in the region. The national forests cover nearly 15 million acres with many different ecosystems, forest types, and management objectives. Other duties required for this task include coordinating issues and helping with adaptive plan management, attending meetings regarding planning of special studies, delegating information requests, and tracking reporting and analysis progress on national forest lands.

Future Research

My research time is currently allocated between conducting forest health research and being the lead analyst for New Hampshire and Vermont. My research objectives are

1. FIA forest health indicator analysis,
2. effects of disturbances on forests,
3. insect and disease spread models and riskmapping.

Featured Publications

Additional Online Publications