Research
An integrated approach, drawing from many disciplines, guides research
that addresses major issues and supports learning and dialogue about Vermont's
forests and our relationships with them. Results of research are clearly
and regularly disseminated and citizens are actively involved in community-based
monitoring.
Research is an important function in natural resource management. The
department participates in a variety of research and monitoring projects,
often with cooperators such as the University of Vermont and the USDA
Forest Service, on important natural resource issues such as forest ecosystem
health, economic contributions of forest-based economic contributions
of forest-based businesses, and forest practices. Often the department
is the driving force behind recommending research, and integrating research
activities throughout all natural resource disciplines is an important
department role. Providing up-to-date information to the public and special
interests supports learning and open dialogue. Intensive monitoring and
research on forested ecosystems is conducted at two sites in the state‹Mount
Mansfield State Forest and the Lye Brook Wilderness Area (part of the
GMNF near Manchester). This cooperative effort is coordinated by the Vermont
Forest Ecosystem Monitoring (VForEm) Program, and involves over 40 organizations
that are interested in understanding, managing, or protecting forest ecosystems.
A centralized data management system allows shared data to be formatted
into a common system, archived so that data is maintained for the long
term, and accessed by any interested individual. Annual data summary reports
are printed and distributed to a wide variety of organizations in the
state and region. A web site allows access to reports and data, and provides
a forum for disseminating information to a broader audience. Monitoring
and research address current issues and provide high-quality baseline
information for applications over the long term. The program is administered
jointly by the Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation, the University
of Vermont's School of Natural Resources, and the Green Mountain National
Forest. Funding for the program since its inception in 1990 has been varied.
Of the base program funds (those used to administer the program and pay
for basic monitoring data collection), nearly $1 million has come from
Federal funds, $250,000 from state general funds (through FPR budget),
and $70,000 from UVM (Figure 27). In addition,
some of the cooperating scientists have been funded through other sources
for targeted research or monitoring, for an amount totaling nearly $2
million. Since 1994, Federal funds have diminished, and some monitoring
efforts have had to be discontinued due to lack of funding.
VForEM research is highly dependent on data that is collected as part
of many different local, statewide, regional, and national networks. This
integrated approach allows for many disciplines to work together in understanding
and reporting on the health of forest ecosystems. Listed below are many
of the issues and networks included in VForEM.
Air pollution effects on forests
- On-site ozone pollution monitoring in conjunction with forest monitoring
(EPA ozone monitoring and National Forest Health Monitoring ozone bio-indicator
plant monitoring)
- Cloudwater chemistry monitoring in conjunction with high-elevation
forest health monitoring
- Forest throughfall, soil acidity, and stream chemistry monitoring
(part of regional network including the White Mountain National Forest
and Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest)
- Nutrient cycling, including nitrogen saturation, biogeo-chemical budget,
and mercury transport through forests, soils, and streams
- Vernal pool chemistry and relationship to amphibian reproduction
Sustainable forestry
- Ecological land use history
- Criteria for biological integrity
- Applying benchmarks of sustainability
- Ecological effects of forest management
- Ecologically based forest inventory pilot study
- Ecological effects of recreation
- Forest sensitivity mapping-critical load exceedences of acid deposition
(part of Eastern Governors and Canadian Premiers Acid Rain Action Plan)
Global climate change
- Sugar maple growing at its elevational limits: a bio-indicator of
climate change
- Bud development and fall color as indicators of climate change
- Insect seasonality as a baseline for measuring change
Ecosystem management
- Ecosystem management demonstration project
- Mansfield State Forest management planning process
Biodiversity
- Flora and fauna species surveys
- Natural community determination
- Rare and endangered species mapping
- Ecological processes
- Climate and atmospheric environment
Sugar maple condition
- Sugar maple health monitoring (part of international network)
- Regeneration studies
- Pear thrips population and damage to sugar maples (part of statewide
monitoring)
- Growth and nutrition study (statewide study)
Forest health
- Forest health monitoring (part of statewide monitoring)
- High elevation forest monitoring
- Red spruce growth (part of regional study)
- Elevation productivity of white birch
- Forest pest monitoring (part of statewide monitoring)
Sprawl
- Air pollution trends and transport from urban areas to rural areas
(part of many EPA regional and national monitoring networks)
- Reference conditions of ecological systems as a comparison to developed
areas
Human health
- Air quality modeling statewide (ozone, particulate matter, aerosols)
- Atmospheric mercury monitoring (part of University of Michigan regional
network)
- UVB monitoring and development of burn index for humans (part of USDA
network)
- Stream water quality standards development (part of statewide bio-monitoring
network)
Amphibian deformity
- Baseline for mountainous areas used as comparison for lowland deformity
data (statewide monitoring)
Forest songbird decline
- Forest songbird monitoring (part of statewide network)
- Bicknell's thrush ecology (part of regional survey)
The department must continue to promote integrated, multi-disciplinary
research projects that expand knowledge of Vermont's forests and our relationship
to them. Coordination with other research cooperators is essential. Opportunities
must be sought out to build on present partnerships and to effectively
use the results obtained.
The utilization and development section of the Department of Forests,
Parks and Recreation has had a program of applied research for many years.
The focus of this program has been in three areas. First, the section
has partnered with the forest products research community to initiate
or support research concerned with efficient processing and use of wood.
Additionally, the section has conducted research regarding forest inventory
and harvest on its own or in partnership with the USDA Forest Service.
Finally, there has been a growing capacity to participate in research
on the forest-based economy.
Some examples of recent applied research projects include the following:
- yield of white wood from soft maple
- mechanical properties of soft maple
- performance of preservative treatments for native softwoods and hardwoods
- performance of cut-to-length harvesting systems
- sawing variation in sawmills
- grade and volume yields in sawmills
- performance of horse skidding
- use of character-marked wood in furniture
- whey-based wood coatings
- wood chip gasification
- economic impact of the forest products industry
- timber bridges and retaining structures made of native timber
In all cases, the section has limited capacity for originating and conducting
a full research project alone, and there is heavy reliance on partners
in industry and the research community. The emphasis is on applied research.
The products of this research are intended to be communicated directly
to those who can benefit from the information. The department will continue
to engage in applied research and put the results to work as quickly as
possible.
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