Budget 101: McIntire-Stennis and Forestry Research Projects for Students
Much of the forestry research conducted at land grant schools in the United States is funded through the USDA McIntire-Stennis program. This research provides the tools and information necessary for family forest owners to keep their land healthy. Without this invaluable research, landowners would otherwise practice antiquated land management in an ever changing forest ecosystem.
Across the country, land grant university research works to reduce the many threats to forestlands: fires, storms, climate change, insects, disease, urbanization, fragmentation, and lost economic opportunities.
The list of projects funding by the $30 million dollar McIntire-Stennis program goes on and on, but in order to gain a better understanding of just how useful this research really is, let's take a look at a few highlights:
At Clemson University in South Carolina, researchers funded by McIntire-Stennis are investigating forested floodplains and their effects on water quality, drainage systems in coastal pine/cypress forests, and factors affecting regeneration of tree species in wetlands.
Out west, Colorado State University graduate students researched future remote sensing vegetation indices and the relationship between leaf area index and net primary productivity in North American biomes.
A University of Vermont graduate student investigated the carbon stocks and fluxes of changing land use patterns.
At the University of Idaho, professors and students provided landowners with information on how to balance the production of ecosystem products and services with environmental sustainability—specifically, sustaining water supply while reducing wildland fire hazards.
And in North Carolina, NC State research professors are attempting to understand the impacts of increased recreation on urban forests and natural areas.
Funding from the McIntire-Stennis program enables forest land owners to access cutting edge land management tools and markets to gain critical information for future adaptation.
AFF recognizes the potential of this USDA program and therefore requests the Subcommittee to maintain this important funding [PDF].
Take action today: ask your members of Congress to protect the health of our forests.
Keep reading from this series:
Budget 101: Farm Bill Conservation Programs
Budget 101: APHIS Invasive Pest and Pathogens Funding
Budget 101: Natural Resource Conservation Service
Budget 101: NIFA Renewable Resource Extension Program
Ed. note: This is the fifth and final blog post in this Budget 101 series.
Photo credit: Flickr's Coconino National Forest
