News

When a reader wrote the Star Tribune to ask how much of Minnesota is covered by forests in comparison to neighboring states, reporter Jeff Hargarten turned to the Department of Forest Resources – and Director of the Center for Forest Ecology Lee Frelich – for help. 

"Minnesota scientists test global warming worst case scenarios," a news report published today by Al Jazeera English, features Associate Professor of Silviculture Marcella Windmuller Campione on the vital role of peat moss in northern peatland ecosystems.

The Department of Forest Resources is currently recruiting for two open positions with the Reich Research Lab. Apply today!

Private consulting forester and University of Minnesota forestry program alumna, Jan Bernu, was recently honored with the national American Tree Farm System (ATFS) Outstanding Inspector of the Year award.

Peter Reich, University of Minnesota Department of Forestry professor, was featured on the latest episode of the Boundary Waters Podcast. Along with climatologist Pete Boulay of the DNR, Reich weighed in on how climate change is impacting the Boundary Waters.

Diana Karwan, department of forest resources associate professor and director of graduate studies, water resources science, is part of a team of researchers that was recently inducted into the Office of Academic Clinical Affairs (OACA) Academy for Excellence in Team Science.

Distinguished Department of Forest Resources professor Peter Reich was quoted in Great Lakes Echo on findings from the recent study Even modest climate change may lead to major transitions in boreal forests, which he was lead author of.

The purpose of this project was to inform unit leadership and visitor use management at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore (PIRO) regarding boat behaviors and density at areas between Miners and Chapel Beaches. 

This study compared the relative importance of the transport of raw forest products by trucks to the top five non-timber commodities and the fatality rates of log trucks to other heavy trucks in the lower 48 states, compared available national road damage cost estimates for interstate and non-interstate roads, and assessed the impact of relaxing interstate weight limits on hauling distance, travel time, safety, pavement damage, and CO2 emissions for hauling timber along three travel corridors in Wisconsin and Minnesota.

From Minnesota to the Northwest Territories, researchers are studying dramatic changes in the vast northern forests: thawing permafrost, drowned trees, methane releases, increased wildfires, and the slow transformation of these forests from carbon sinks to carbon emitters. Forest Resources Professor Lee Frelich, PhD, talks more about this important work.