PARTNERS: North Carolina State University (NCSU) Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station

SUMMARY: This research joint venture agreement includes the Forest Health Monitoring (FHM) Program annual technical reports as well as several other research, analysis and reporting tasks as primary responsibilities. The FHM Program of the U.S. Forest Service is a long‑term, national research and monitoring effort focusing on the health of forest ecosystems over time. The U.S. Forest Service cooperates with State forestry and agricultural agencies to conduct FHM activities. This is an interagency program that is designed to assist resource managers and policy makers in managing forest resources in the United States, allocating funds for research and development, and evaluating the effectiveness of environmental policies. FHM national reporting includes an annual technical report that provides analysis and synthesis of technical information at the national level as well as other annual and special publications that present information about U.S. forest health conditions and management priorities. 

Personnel from the Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources at North Carolina State University (NCSU) provide the FHM program with problem identification, data analyses, natural resource assessment, and technical writing skills resulting in published contributions to the FHM national reporting program. This includes expertise in statistical design and analysis, such as computer programming, model use and development, identification of literature and data for use in reporting and research, graphics, technical writing, and editing. The results of this work are communicated in written, poster, and oral presentations as appropriate. For this agreement, NCSU personnel also provide U.S. Forest Service staff assistance in analysis of urban forest health data. In addition, NCSU personnel assist the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Program of the U.S. Forest Service with documentation for field protocols and database use.

STATUS: Ongoing

PROGRESS: One of the main products under this agreement is the annual FHM National Technical Report, prepared in cooperation with various federal and university contributors. The Forest Health Monitoring 2006 National Technical Report is in press, and the 2007 National Technical Report has been submitted for internal review. Additionally, reporting products include a brochure focused on the FHM national reports already in print, and the monthly FHM Update, which is a newsletter distributed to over 400 scientists inside and outside FHM and the U.S. Forest Service. Other completed work includes contributions to the FIA Data Acquisition Band, including assistance in completing version 4.0 of the phase 2 and phase 3 field guides, and contributions to the FIA National Resource Data Distribution Team, including assisting with completion of the FIADB (FIA data base) Users Guide version 3.0 for both phase 2 and phase 3 parts.

LINKS:

NCSU Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources

USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station

National Forest Health Monitoring

CONTACT:

• Barbara Conkling, NCSU Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, bconkling@fs.fed.us or (919) 549-4084 
• William Bechtold, USDA Forest Service Liaison, wabechtold@fs.fed.us or (828) 257-4357