In the News

2024

Threat Center helps Mississippi Forestry Commission map pine mortality

HiForm pinebeetle MS2023A Mississippi news story in The Daily Leader (Brookhaven, MS) reported on a collaboration between Threat Center scientists and the Mississippi Forestry Commission, bringing Threat Center science to bear on a pressing problem. Historic drought conditions in southeastern and central Mississippi have created conditions favorable for outbreak of pine beetle infestations, leading to widespread pine tree mortality. To respond effectively, managers need timely information about where the impacted areas are--whether on private or public lands. Threat Center researchers Steve Norman and Bill Christie worked with the Forestry Commission to deliver a highly accurate and detailed map of likely pine mortality associated with the recent drought and insect outbreaks. This research relies on remote sensing based techniques developed by the HiForm (High-resolution Forest Mapping) project.

Read the Daily Reader's news story.

View the online map of recent pine mortality in Mississippi.

Visit the HiForm website for details about the mapping effort and other projects.

Pictured: The HiForm workflow to map pine mortality included using Sentinel 2 satellite imagery to first identify evergreen-dominated forests, then measure recent declines in greenness indicative of drought and insect stress. Image by US Forest Service.

 

Southeast Climate Hub expands outreach efforts Southeast Climate Hub expands outreach efforts

The USDA Southeast Climate Hub develops and delivers science-based information for southern resource managers. In fall of 2023, the Hub shared resilience strategies with agricultural producers and others who attended the Virginia State Fair, the North Carolina State Fair, and the Rocky Mount Forest Landowner Conference.

These outreach opportunities introduced agricultural producers, forest landowners, and families to resources for managing land for resilience to climate variability, and helped Hub researchers better understand the needs of communities across the Southeast.

At the two fairs, Hub scientists interacted with over 4,000 people including 140 farmers, 86 foresters, and 39 ranchers. Much of the audience was also made up of young children, students, educators, gardeners, and other public service providers. The Forest Landowner Conference in Rocky Mount, North Carolina was also a successful outreach and networking event, where the Hub connected with over 100 forest landowners, graduate students, and representatives from state and federal agencies and universities.

Read the CompassLive story here.

Visit the website of the Southeast Climate Hub.

Pictured: The Southeast Climate Hub crew spent time with Smokey Bear at the North Carolina State Fair. Photo by Renai Nez, Southeast Climate Hub.

 

The silent invasion: Nonnative trees threaten American forests The silent invasion: Nonnative trees threaten American forests

CompassLive recently covered Threat Center research on a quiet yet profound ecological shift taking place in U.S. Forests. Nonnative invasive tree species are gaining a foothold in forest ecosystems, competing with native trees for resources, sunlight, and space. A recent study conducted by Threat Center researchers Kevin Potter, Kurt Riitters, and Qinfeng Guo reveals the extent and potential consequences of this invasion.

“Our strategy was to identify the nonnative tree species that are successfully reproducing across wide areas in the woods. That’s because those species are more likely to degrade the ecosystem services of our native forests,” Potter explained. 

Read recent coverage of this research in CompassLive.

Read the Research Highlight.

Read the scientific publication.

Pictured: Tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima) is native to China. In the U.S., it may be the most invasive nonnative tree species. Photo by Barbara Tokarska-Guzik, Bugwood.org.

 

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