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Browse subject: private forestry
Number of records: 1257

Institute for Commercial Forestry Research
About this Resource: A privately funded forestry research institute, the Institute for Commercial Forestry Research (ICFR) seeks to contrbute the global competitiveness of the Institute's sponsors. The Institute's main ares of expertise is in sustainable plantation silviculture. Website features includes a web search engine; staff information; an events calendar and relevant external links.

Ontario Professional Foresters Association
About this Resource: The OPFA contributes to the sustainability of Ontario's forests by promoting continuing education among members, influencing forest policy, and enhancing public awareness. The site provides links to legislation, policies, committees, newsletters, consultants, forestry news, and classified ads. There is information about the OPFA, private land forestry, continuing education, and employment.

American Forest Foundation
About this Resource: The American Forest Foundation works to further sustainable forestry, environmental education and wildlife habitat and watershed protection. The webpage reflects this by providing information on the organization including education, sustainable forestry, and conservation programs. The site also provides a newsletter to keep users up to date on activities of the Foundation. Donations and volunteering information is also available.

Minneapolis Park and Recreaion Board: Urban Forests
About this Resource: The forestry section of the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board works to maintain and preserve the urban forest by monitoring the planting, pruning, and removal of trees on public property. Their site provides information about reforestation, Dutch Elm Disease, tree removal, pruning, natural area management, storm response, gypsy moth, and disposal of private wood debris. There are links to information about the Wood Chip Program, volunteer information, and tree health tips.

Urban National Forest Home Page
About this Resource: The Urban National Forest works to enhance our ability to address urban values and needs, to promote national understanding of the value of urban national forests, to build external constituencies to facilitate management of the Urban National Forests, and to develop State and Private Forests and research programs. Their website provides access to a Urban National Forest Directory, information about current issues, links to research and publications, and map and fact sheet links to Urban National Forests.

New England Forestry Foundation
About this Resource: The NEFF is dedicated to promoting the conservation and sustainable management of the private and municipal forestlands of New England. The website offers information on the conservation projects that the Foundation is working on, a forestry management plan, an interactive map of New England forests, information on community forests of each state, conservation strategies, and newsletters from past seasons. The site also offers information about the Foundation in general such as history, staff, and how to contribute.

Ohio Division of Forestry
About this Resource: The Ohio Division of Forestry works to promote and apply management for the sustainable use of Ohio's private and public forest lands. Their website provides information about state forests and recreation, seedling sales, urban forestry, landowner assistance, forest industries, and fire protection. They provide access to online fishing and hunting licenses, park reservations and boat registrations. They also provide a list of the divisions of the ODNR.

Southern Center for Sustainable Forestry
About this Resource: The Center "provides innovative research and practical applications for enhancing sustainable forest management on industrial and nonindustrial private forest (NIPF) land in the South. The Center provides an umbrella for research activities ranging from sustainable production of wood fiber to extensive management of nonindustrial private forest land to the broad management of forested landscapes for non-market values." This site provides information on forest certification of state and university lands in North Carolina as well as details of a wood chip study, including powerpoint slides. There are also yearly status reports available for viewing and links to different forestry related sites.

Intertribal Timber Council
About this Resource: The ITC works cooperatively with the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), private industry, and academia to explore issues and identify practical strategies and initiatives to promote social, economic and ecological values while protecting and utilizing forests, soil, water, and wildlife. The site contains job and scholarship postings, information on the National Indian Timber Symposium, issues affecting the Council, links to related pages, and a donations section where donations can be made directly online. A directory and a fire sub-committee section offer contact information for the user.

Long-term contracts for forest land and timber in the South
About this Resource: By means of long-term contracts, southern wood-using industries control almost 7 million acres of privately owned, nonindustrial forest. While pine is the prevalent timber type under contract, there are also substantial acreages of hardwood. Nearly all agreements are written on an individual basis, but most fit into one of several broad categories.

Great Lakes Forest Alliance
About this Resource: The Great Lakes Forest Alliance ("The Alliance") is a forum to foster and facilitate cooperative efforts that enhance management and sustainable use of the public and private forest lands in Michigan, Minnesota, Ontario and Wisconsin. The site contains areas about the Alliance, news and events, publications available online, and contact information.

Influence and Effectiveness of Financial Incentive Programs in Promoting Sustainable Forestry in the South.
About this Resource: State forestry officials responsible for forestry incentive programs in each of the 13 southern states were surveyed concerning their opinions on financial incentive programs available to nonindustrial private forest owners. The forestry officials were asked to name and describe the public and private programs available in their state, to assess forest owners' awareness of each program, its appeal among the owners aware of it, its effectiveness in encouraging sustainable forestry and enabling owners to meet their objectives, and the percent of program practices that remain in place and enrolled acres that remain in forest over time. They also were asked to suggest ways to improve the programs. The Forest Stewardship, Forest Land Enhancement, and Forest Legacy Programs were among the top rated federal programs. Programs sponsored by states and private organizations tended to be more narrowly targeted than federal programs and scored well for specific attributes. The forestry officials' suggestions for program improvement centered largely on improving program visibility and availability, increasing and ensuring long-term consistency in program funding, and simplifying the application and approval process.

International Institute of Tropical Forestry (IITF)
About this Resource: The IITF's goal is to address aspects of physical, social, and economic issues in managing tropical forests. This website contains information on the Caribbean National Forest, international programs, the IITF Library, recent publications, products and services, and state and private forestry programs. There are links to conservation groups, federal agencies, land management, and state and private forestry sites.

American Tree Farm System
About this Resource: With a membership of over 51,000 and over six decades of experience, the American Tree Farm System (ATFS) is a leading advocate for forest owners throughout the United States. ATFS, aside from its' forest industry sponsored work in certification and recognition, also works actively in education and technical assistance - promoting renewable forestry resources on private lands and improving public awareness. The website offers details on ATFS; is a source for the Tree Farmer Magazine; and provides a listing of state foreseters as well as a searchable map indicating state forestry associations.

Minnesota Shade Tree Advisory Committee (MNSTAC)
About this Resource: The Minnesota Shade Tree Advisory Committee (MNSTAC) provides advice, coordination, and support in matters related to community forestry and serves as an advocate for public and private community forestry interests. Their site offers information about the committee, events, awards, and press releases. They also provide links to several community resources including a list of Minnesota native plant terminology, information about tree pruning, and information about tree planting.

National Bureau of Economic Research
About this Resource: The National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) is a private, nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization dedicated to promoting a greater understanding of how the economy works. Posts contact information via street addresses and telephone number. Allows users to search for working papers or books. Describes major programs and projects, including the asset pricing, children's health, corporate finance, industrial organization, and the economics of aging programs. Contains a staff directory, information on NBER publications, and economic and industry data. Links to other sites of interest to economists, including financial markets, business and economic news, and colleges and universities. Includes a section of online data covering (among other topics) consumption, and import export.

Forest Resources Association
About this Resource: The Forest Resources Association's goal is to promote the interests of forest products industry members in the economical, efficient, and sustainable use of forest resources to meet the needs of the wood fiber supply chain through private enterprise. From the home page, visitors can learn about FRA’s structure, goals, and program emphasis; review and order most-requested publications; and apply for membership. Also available are links to programs and other website "allies" and also a members only section.

Estimating a Family Forest Landowner's Likelihood of Posting against Trespass.
About this Resource: Hunters and other recreators face challenges to gain access to private forestland in the United States because of an increasing number of landowners posting their land. A landowners' decision to post their land is influenced by a variety of factors, including landowner characteristics, hunter behavior, and parcel attributes. We used a logit model to help understand why family forest landowners in Minnesota post their land against public trespass. Factors that increased the likelihood of posting included younger owners, a perception that allowing access would interfere with one's own hunting, a perception that allowing access would result in damage to one's property, hunting as the primary reason for forestland ownership, larger parcel size, having a management plan, higher property values, and a high percentage of surrounding area open to public hunting. Implications of increased posting by family forest owners on hunting access and wildlife management are discussed.

Home Vegetable Gardening | N.C. State University
About this Resource: An article on home vegetable gardening from the North Carolina Extension Service. Offers tips and ideas on: site selection; garden planning; garden tools; soils; fertilization; transplants; seeds; possible varieties; hill and drill planting; wide rows; thinning seedlings; fall gardening; watering; sprinklers; weed control; mulching; harvesting; composting and common garden problems.

Rural Poverty Report 2001: The Challenge of Ending Rural Poverty
About this Resource: In this Rural Poverty Report 2001, the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) argues that, to be successful, poverty-reduction policies must focus on rural areas. To overcome disadvantages stemming from remoteness, lack of education and health care, insecure and unproductive jobs, high fertility and (often) discrimination as women or ethnic minorities, the rural poor need: legally secure entitlements to assets (especially land and water); technology (above all for increasing the output and yield of food staples); access to markets; opportunities to participate in decentralized resource management; and access to microfinance. Such policies not only promote economic growth but also help alleviate urban poverty. A sustainable reduction in poverty calls for the creation of a pro-poor policy environment, and allocation of a greater volume of resources targeted to the poor with greater effectiveness. This needs to be complemented by better partnership among government, civil society and the private sector so that the poor are empowered to take responsibility for their own development.

Natural Resources Research Institute
About this Resource: The Natural Resources Research Institute is a unique effort to promote economic development of Minnesota's natural resources in an environmentally sound manner to foster private sector employment. The Institute seeks to achieve a balanced approach between economic development and a sustainable environment. The site provides information about the Institute, including links to divisions; its services and facilities, and its projects.

Canadian International Development Agency
About this Resource: The Canadian Government, through the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) supports sustainable development for countries that are in a rapid state of transition and growth. Working with private and public sectors within the Canadian economy, along with international agencies, the CIDA Home Page presents details about the agency and its' work in foreign aid development. The Home Page identifies "global issues", key CIDA resources, along with quick links and features. The website is a source for full-text publications, new releases and speeches relevant to CIDA and its' work.

An Introduction to the Wind Erosion Prediction System (WEPS)
About this Resource: The Wind Erosion Prediction System (WEPS) was developed by a multi-disciplinary team of USDA scientists in collaboration with other agencies and private cooperators in response to customer requests, primarily USDA-NRCS, for improved wind erosion prediction technology. WEPS is designed to provide estimates of soil loss by wind from cultivated, agricultural fields. It is intended to replace the predominately empirical Wind Erosion Equation (WEQ) as a prediction tool for those who plan soil conservation systems, conduct environmental planning, or assess offsite impacts caused by wind erosion. WEPS also has capabilities for other land management situations where wind affected soil movement is a problem. WEPS 1.0 consists of the computer implementation of the WEPS science model with a graphical user interface designed to provide easy-to-use methods of entering inputs to the model and obtaining output reports. WEPS is a process-based, daily time-step, wind erosion simulation model. As such, WEPS simulates not only the basic wind erosion processes, but also the processes that modify a soil's susceptibility to wind erosion. The structure of WEPS is modular and consists of a user interface, a science model including seven submodels, and four databases. The user interface is used to create input files using information from user inputs and the databases. In a practical application, new input files will usually be created using previous input files as templates modified within the user-interface.

Washington Forest Law Center
About this Resource: Founded in 1996, the Washington Law Center is a 501(c)3 public interest law firm providing legal sevices for forest cases within the state of Washington. The Center specializes in timber harvest and public resource issues that involve state and private lands. The website offers background on the Center, comments on its strategic goals and points to both news stories and active cases, germane to Washington state and the Center's activities.

Modeling the length and shape of the R&D lag: an application to UK agricultural productivity
About this Resource: This article updates total factor productivity (TFP) growth in UK agriculture from 1953-2005 and shows that public and private research and returns to scale explain TFP. Cointegration and causality tests are used to investigate the validity of attempts to explain UK agricultural productivity with R&D and related technology variables. Then, the length and shape of the lag structures are modeled and compared with the structures that are commonly imposed on the data. The rates of return (ROR) to R&D using the data determined lags differ considerably from those obtained by imposing lag shapes. These comparisons show that the ROR to public R&D are sensitive to the lag shape as well as its length and that the omission of other technology variables, such as mechanical and chemical patents pertaining to agriculture and farm size can bias the ROR.

Successful Adaptive Management - The Integration of Research and Management.
About this Resource: Adaptive management is a way for managers to do their jobs in the face of uncertainty and learn by doing. Managers gain greater knowledge of their systems by testing different strategies during the management process. The term “adaptive management” is used often, but there is confusion about exactly what adaptive management is, and managers are hard-pressed to find any clear guidelines for implementing it. As a result, they can find the process of moving from the concept of adaptive management to the actual practice intimidating; they need a clear understanding of adaptive management before they can begin to use it. Luckily, adaptive management is not as complicated as the literature sometimes makes it appear. The process of adaptive management involves formulating questions, selecting alternative techniques to test these questions, and testing these techniques on the landscape. Care is taken to measure those system responses that best tell whether the system is moving toward site objectives, and results are fed back into the decision process. We argue that there are 2 strategies that can be used to improve the success of adaptive management. The first is to start with a simple adaptive management plan and then add complexity over time. The second is to include researchers in all stages of the process to benefit from their expertise in ecology, experimental design, and data analysis. Although adaptive management takes time, rewards include increased understanding of the system, a management program that is scientifically valid, and a management strategy tailored to a particular site. In this paper we briefly explain adaptive management and then offer a step-by-step process for developing and implementing adaptive management in small reserves or on private lands. We believe increased understanding of adaptive management will lead to its widespread use and will ensure that more people benefit from its strengths.

What does it take to get family forest owners to enroll in a forest stewardship-type program
About this Resource: We estimated the probability of enrollment and factors influencing participation in a forest stewardship-type program, Minnesota's Sustainable Forest Incentives Act, using data from a mail survey of over 1000 randomly-selected Minnesota family forest owners. Of the 15 variables tested, only five were significant predictors of a landowner's interest in enrolling in the program: compensation amount, intention to obtain a forest management plan, opposition to the program's land covenant, prior awareness of the program, and total acres of forest land owned. The estimated median minimum compensation required was approximately $24 per acre per year. One-fourth of the survey respondents were undecided about whether they would participate in the stewardship program, suggesting there may be potential to capture additional interest and participation. Marketing efforts to raise program awareness, increasing annual stewardship payments, and eliminating the land covenant are likely to be effective strategies for increasing program participation.

Missoula Technology & Development Center | USDA-FS
About this Resource: A link to information on the Missoula Technology & Development Center (MTDC), from a USDA server with the Forest Service. The Missoula Technology & Development Center works with federal and state agencies, universities, private corporate agencies and research groups. MTDC assists these institutions so that resource managers can improve public lands. An index from this page accesses web resources devoted to: research and development; forest health production; recreation; environmental engineering; reforestation; remote sensing; watershed management. The website points to: historical photographs and video streaming as well as key publications.

Whatever happened to GOSSYM?
About this Resource: It took about 20 years to develop GOSSYM, the mechanistic cotton crop simulation model. By late 1980s, it had become a success story, especially when coupled with its expert system component, COMAX. Its popularity and widespread use across the US Cotton belt has caused the development of an extension unit known as the GOSSYM-COMAX Information Unit (GCIU). This was effected by concerns of the USDA-ARS administrators that the scientists associated with the project were being pulled away from their primary duties of conducting research. With this move, GOSSYM underwent further improvement to make it user-friendly, with the incorporation of a graphical user interface (GUI). By 1994, more than 600 registered producers, researchers and extension agents were using GOSSYM to monitor field cotton crop production. Then a business decision was made to privatize GCIU and, for the first time, GOSSYM was sold as a cotton simulation model. It took barely two years for the company to close due to a combination of lack of both customers and technical support for users' problems. However, research work continues to further improve the simulation of physiological processes in GOSSYM. Studies conducted at Mississippi State University (MSU) over the years have kept GOSSYM further updated to include the effects of temperature and CO2 enhancements in anticipation of global climate change. This current version of GOSSYM-- coupled with geographic information system--has been used both at Texas A&M university and at Mississippi State University as a component of their precision agriculture research. What does this version of GOSSYM look like? One version is called WINGOS, the C version, which was jointly developed with French scientists from CIRAD in Montpellier. The other version, the developmental version still maintained at MSU, is in FORTRAN. This version has been used in global climate change studies and has also served as an educational tool. However, this version is not user-friendly and needs a GUI. The USDA-ARS Alternate Crops and Systems Laboratory in Beltsville, MD, has developed an all-purpose GUI for crop models, called GUICS (url: www.arsusda.gov/acsl/current.html). It requires that all inputs and outputs be written in free formats and defined in script files. These script files, together with the executable file, are added in the GUICS software literally and the corresponding directory trees are created within the GUICS system. The input files can then be created within the system. Furthermore, GUICS can display the results/outputs in tabular form, reports or graphical form. This paper will present this new GUICS-GOSSYM.

Tree Farmer Magazine
About this Resource: Tree Farmer, the Practical Guide to Sustainable Forestry is the official magazine of the American Tree Farm System. Tree Farmer is the landowner's guide to practical forestry techniques. At this website people can access current and past magazine issues in pdf form. A subscription can be obtained to receive the magazine in print form.

Private Crop Insurers and the Reinsurance Fund Allocation Decision
About this Resource: This research investigates the strategic behavior of private crop insurance firms reinsured by the USDA through the Standard Reinsurance Agreement. This arrangement allows the private firm to strategically allocate individual policies into different risk-sharing arrangements. Thus, firm earnings are conditioned upon accurately forecasting policy loss experience. Our analysis begins with models investigating the characteristics explaining the placement of policies into the assigned risk fund. Then a simulation model of the SRA is used to compare the post-SRA returns of actual firm allocations to two alternative allocation strategies based on a aggregate models and a policy-level econometric forecasting model.

Genetic base of upland cotton cultivars released between 1970 and 1990
About this Resource: Most cotton (Gossypium spp.) breeders today, without recourse to critical data, assume that the genetic base in modern New World cotton cultivars is narrow. The objectives of this study were to: (i) determine the average coefficient of parentage for 260 upland cotton (G. hirsutum L.) cultivars released between 1970 and 1990; and (ii) determine the contributions of a number of public and private breeding programs and of various ancestral lines to the genetic diversity of those cultivars. Coefficients of parentage among 260 cultivars showed an average value of 0.07. This estimate suggests substantial remaining diversity. This conclusion must take into account possible bias from widespread reselection of cotton cultivars and the accompanying assumption of a genetic correlation of 0.75 between generations. The most influential breeding programs, in terms of genetic contributions to cultivar development, were Stoneville Pedigreed Seed Company, Coker's Pedigreed Seed Company, and New Mexico Agricultural Experiment Station. Historically, the most influential cultivar is Stoneville 2. The genetic contribution of 54 ancestral lines, including nine introductions, accounted for less than 25% of the total genetic variation among the 260 cultivars. This low value is thought to result from the loss of genetic information through the process of reselection. The genetic base in modern cotton cultivars is not particularly narrow and continue to offer opportunities for cultivar improvement.

Public land, timber harvests, and climate mitigation: Quantifying carbon sequestration potential on U.S. public timberlands
About this Resource: Scientists and policy makers have long recognized the role that forests can play in countering the atmospheric buildup of carbon dioxide (CO₂), a greenhouse gas (GHG). In the United States, terrestrial carbon sequestration in private and public forests offsets approximately 11% of all GHG emissions from all sectors of the economy on an annual basis. Although much of the attention on forest carbon sequestration strategy in the United States has been on the role of private lands, public forests in the United States represent approximately 20% of the U.S. timberland area and also hold a significantly large share (30%) of the U.S. timber volume. With such a large standing timber inventory, these forested lands have considerable impact on the U.S. forest carbon balance. To help decision makers understand the carbon implications of potential changes in public timberland management, we compared a baseline timber harvest scenario with two alternative harvest scenarios and estimated annual carbon stock changes associated with each. Our analysis found that a “no timber harvest” scenario eliminating harvests on public lands would result in an annual increase of 17-29million metric tonnes of carbon (MMTC) per year between 2010 and 2050--as much as a 43% increase over current sequestration levels on public timberlands and would offset up to 1.5% of total U.S. GHG emissions. In contrast, moving to a more intense harvesting policy similar to that which prevailed in the 1980s may result in annual carbon losses of 27-35 MMTC per year between 2010 and 2050. These losses would represent a significant decline (50-80%) in anticipated carbon sequestration associated with the existing timber harvest policies. If carbon sequestration were valued in the marketplace as part of a GHG offset program, the economic value of sequestered carbon on public lands could be substantial relative to timber harvest revenues.

Landowner willingness to participate in a Texas brush reduction program
About this Resource: Because most of Texas consists of privately owned land and the amount of brush cover on rangelands may affect off-site water yields, there has been increasing interest in publicly funded brush clearing programs aimed at increasing water yield. The Pedernales River was selected as 1 of 8 watersheds to determine the feasibility of implementing such a program. A survey questionnaire was mailed to 720 landowners in Blanco and Gillespie County (containing most of the Pedernales watershed) in June 2000 to identify factors that influence their interest in participating in a brush reduction program. The sample consisted of equal numbers of landowners with 4-20, 21-202, and > 202 ha of land. Fifty eight percent of the survey participants responded, 82% of whom answered questions about their willingness to enroll at least part of their land in a brush reduction program. Property size and income from wildlife were found to be significant positive determinants and level of satisfaction with brush a significant negative determinant of respondents' willingness to enroll. To optimize public investments, it may be preferable to maximize the area enrolled in a brush removal program by targeting larger landowners who appear to be willing to enroll larger portions of their land without requiring compensation that exceeds their net cost of enrollment. Because land in the Edwards Plateau is being subdivided and purchased by people who do not depend on land-based income and who may be more tolerant of brush, public funds required to encourage landowner participation may increase over time.

North Carolina Division of Forest Resources
About this Resource: The Division of Forest Resources' primary purpose is to ensure adequate and quality forest resources for the state by providing forest management assistance to private landowners and aiding with reforestation, forest fire prevention and suppression, and insect and disease control. Their website provides information about starting a forest, urban forestry, fire, forest health, and water quality. They also provide access to information about careers, publications, forms and grants. There are links to burning permits, fire weather updates, wildfire updates, and a list of educational state forests.

National Biological Information Infrastructure
About this Resource: The National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII) engages a number of partners in a collaborative program to provide increased access to data and information on the nation's biological resources. The NBII links diverse, high-quality biological databases, information products, and analytical tools maintained by NBII partners and other contributors in government agencies, academic institutions, non-government organizations, and private industry. NBII partners and collaborators also work on new standards, tools, and technologies that make it easier to find, integrate, and apply biological resources information. Maintained by the U.S. Geological Survey (the Center for Biological Informatics).

Evaluation of physical barriers to prevent prairie dog colony expansion
About this Resource: Expansion of black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) colonies on public and private lands can result in damage to property. Physical barriers to prairie dogs can be used to minimize human-wildlife confl icts. We evaluated 17 existing barriers in the Fort Collins and Boulder, Colorado, areas. Most barriers were made of a single row of vinyl material; these barriers sustained high levels of damage, primarily from wind, and were frequently breached by prairie dogs digging underneath them. Barriers that included a vegetation and a vinyl barrier or a double-vinyl barrier were wind damaged and breached less frequently than the singlevinyl barriers. Sturdy panels of corrugated metal or fiberglass, extending about 76 cm above and 76 cm below the ground surface, were not damaged by wind and were rarely breached by prairie dogs. These barriers were about twice the cost of the single-vinyl barriers, but were much more durable and more effective in preventing prairie dog colony expansion.

From Field to Biorefinery
About this Resource: The successful establishment of bio-based industries will require a stable supply of high-quality biomass feedstocks in large quantities at competitive prices. The preceding article in this energy series discussed efforts underway to develop the supply of biomass feedstocks. This feature examines research to move the biomass from the fi eld to the biorefi nery via harvesting, handling, transport, and storage, also known as the feedstock interface. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is conducting research on the feedstock interface as part of its larger program on feedstock production and works in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and its laboratories and others in academia and the private sector.

Historical disturbance regimes as a reference for forest policy in a multiowner province: a simulation experiment
About this Resource: Using a landscape simulation model, we examined ecological and economic implications of forest policies designed to emulate the historical fire regime across the 2 x 10⁶ ha Oregon Coast Range. Simulated policies included two variants of the current policy and three policies reflecting aspects of the historical fire regime. Policy development was guided by the management intentions of four owner groups: forest industry, nonindustrial private, state, and federal. Fire severity was emulated with green-tree retention standards; fire frequency was emulated with annual harvestable area restrictions; and fire extent was emulated with harvest-unit size regulations. Simulated disturbance-based policies produced age-class distributions closer to the estimated historical range than those created by the current policy. Within 100 years, proportions of younger forests were within the historical range, while older forests moved closer to, but remained below, historical conditions. In the near term, disturbance-based policies produced annual harvest volumes 20%-60% lower than those produced by the current policy. However, relative costs of disturbance-based policies diminished over time. Our results suggest that if expediting a return to historical age-class distributions at a provincial-scale was a goal, then public lands would be needed to provide large patches of old forest. In addition, this experiment illustrated that distributing costs and benefits of conservation policies equitably across multiple private landowners is a significant challenge.

Forest Carbon Dynamics in the Pacific Northwest (USA) and the St. Petersburg Region of Russia: Comparisons and Policy Implications
About this Resource: Forests of the United States and Russia can play a positive role in reducing the extent of global warming caused by greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide. To determine the extent of carbon sequestration, physical, ecological, economic, and social issues need to be considered, including different forest management objectives across major forest ownership groups. Private timberlands in the U.S. Pacific Northwest are relatively young, well stocked, and sequestering carbon at relatively high rates. Forests in northwestern Russia are generally less productive than those in the Northwestern U.S. but cover extensive areas. A large increase in carbon storage per hectare in live tree biomass is projected on National Forest timberlands in the U.S. Pacific Northwest for all selected scenarios, with an increase of between 157-175 Mg by 2050 and a near doubling of 1970s levels. On private timberlands in the Pacific Northwest, average carbon in live tree biomass per hectare has been declining historically but began to level off near 65 Mg in 2000; projected levels by 2050 are roughly what they were in 1970 at approximately 80 Mg. In the St. Petersburg region, average carbon stores were similar to those on private lands in the Pacific Northwest: 57 Mg per hectare in 2000 and ranging from 40 to 64 Mg by 2050. Although the projected futures reflect a broad range of policy options, larger differences in projected carbon stores result from the starting conditions determined by ownership, regional environmental conditions, and past changes in forest management. However, an important change of forest management objective, such as the end of all timber harvest on National Forests in the Pacific Northwest or complete elimination of mature timber in the St. Petersburg region, can lead to substantial change in carbon stores over the next 50 years.

Northeastern Area State & Private Forestry | USDA Forest Service
About this Resource: A Unit of USDA's Forest Service that provides assistance to twenty midwest states, the northeast section of the U.S. and the District of Columbia. Works with state forestry agencies - in influencing the wise management, protection and sustainability of U.S. natural resources. The website features: a staff directory, a publications page (with access to the FS Publications Database); topic coverage is devoted to: conservation eduaction; the site includes: resources for children, teachers and students. A source for : forest stewardship, forest leagcy, watershed programs, land use planning, forest sustainability, fire and avaiation management and urban and community development.

Rice Germplasm Evaluation and Enhancement in India: Issues, Status, Options, and Future Plan of Action
About this Resource: The Indian subcontinent has very rich diversity in rice germplasm which includes land races, wild Oryza species, related genera, natural hybrids between the cultigen and wild relatives, and the germplasm resources generated in the breeding programs. Through the various exploration missions, about 66,000 accessions have been collected. The large-scale spread of modern, high-yielding varieties and changes in cultural practices is leading to narrowing of the genetic base of rice agriculture. Wild species of rice are threatened with extinction as a result of environmental degradation. The value of collected and conserved rice germplasm in terms of useful economic traits has been demonstrated in many screening tests. A network project launched in the country has evaluated more than 12,000 accessions and identified accessions possessing tolerance/resistance to pests and pathogens and to different abiotic stresses. Germplasm characterization and evaluation, complemented by biosystematic studies using the wild species and also molecular fingerprinting studies of genetic diversity, is generating the information base for more efficient use of these valuable resources. Prebreeding or genetic enhancement has become a necessary and planned part of all rice breeding activities. However, a large number of germplasm accessions are awaiting proper evaluation and characterization. A decentralized yet integrated, harmonized, and well-organized systematic evaluation and enhancement is to be conducted in a time-bound mission- mode manner, with the participation and partnership of all the stakeholders to develop durable and stable varieties with multiple resistances/tolerances. Breaking the yield ceiling through genetic improvement becomes the priority in rice research. Exploitation of heterosis through hybrid rice breeding provides a bright opportunity for increasing the rice yield potential in tropics. Hybrids between elite tropical indica varieties and the new plant type of tropical japonicas are being developed. The ideotype approach to plant breeding, using physiological attributes as selection criteria, is also required. Improving the productivity of rice cultivation shall involve screening of available germplasm for tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses, and intensification of research on the genetics and physiological mechanisms of tolerance to these stresses would be important. To meet the diversified needs, consumer compatible varieties on a time scale would be desired. The collected and evaluated germplasm shall only be used if there is a proper documentation system to consolidate and disseminate the generated information. In addition, in view of the existing and fast emerging stringent IPR regimes, it is essential that facilitated access to genetic resources for uninterrupted varietal improvement is ensured. In a benefit-based IPR regime, access may not be facilitated unless there is fair and equitable benefit sharing on account of materials used in products developed and benefit accruing thereof from their commercialization. To fully use the diversity, the germplasm centers should have a Genetic Resources Unit (GRU) where the accessions are maintained and genetically enhanced, and provided to the breeders. Molecular characterization of released varieties and the elite genetic stocks is also to be taken up in a phased manner. Biotechnology-led rice germplasm enhancement offers an avenue for partnership between the public and private sector with proportionate benefit sharing. Ecological risks, however, would always need to be evaluated on a case-to-case basis to understand the possible potential and likely problems, if any.

Washington State Pest Management Resource Service
About this Resource: A link that will access a Home Page for the Washington State Pest Management Resource Service (WSPRS). The Service offers research-based information on pest management choices - involving both home and commercial applications. The web site features details on both chemical and alternative controls. External links, at the top of the page, point to the: "Pesticide Information Center On-Line" and the "Pesticide Notification Network". Links on the left side of the web page provide access to details on pre-licensing training for professional applicators; biological and cultural pest controls for particular crops; Washington's State's crop profiles and pest management strategic plans for specific crops; pointers to documents on specific plant diseases; pointers for home garderners; integrated pest management, and weed management, resources.

Reflection on the history, coordination, and funding trends for U.S. public meat research: information to enhance resource allocation
About this Resource: A study was conducted to analyze resource allocation for public meat research in the United States and characterize the portfolio of meat research investments. Trends in the amount of public resources provided for meat research (beef, pork, lamb, and poultry) were analyzed for fiscal years 1980, 1985, 1990, 1995, and 1997. An in-depth analysis was conducted for data from fiscal year 1998 to characterize the profile of the research portfolio. Funding levels and scientist-year equivalents were aggregated to represent the measures of resource allocation for three mutually exclusive research categories: 1) meat quality, 2) food safety, and 3) product development and processing. Data for the 1998 profile analysis were derived from a computer search based on the combination of key words and research classification codes to avoid duplication and cluster research projects. Individual research projects were individually reviewed and a percentage was assigned to four mutually exclusive research categories: 1) meat quality, 2) food safety, 3) product development and processing, and 4) marketing. As meat research evolved over the past century, considerable efforts were expended by researchers and administrators to ensure the coordination of research and program relevance. This is demonstrated by the establishment of numerous multistate research committees. Total funding for meat science increased only modestly when adjusted for inflation during the two decades of this study; however, notable changes occurred in the distribution of resources in the portfolio. Funding for meat quality and product development and processing remained virtually unchanged when adjusted for inflation, whereas funding for food safety increased considerably. The total number of scientists conducting meat research remained virtually unchanged during the period, but the proportion allocated to food safety research increased substantially. The federal portion of total funding decreased from 61.3% to 51.6% between 1980 and 1997, whereas the percentage from both state appropriations and private sources increased. Modifications in research emphasis were influenced by industry problems such as meat quality, public perceptions about food safety, the availability of research funding, scientific advances occurring in molecular biology and genetic manipulation, and the changing meat industry. The information in this paper provides administrators and researchers the opportunity to make better informed decisions about resource allocation for meat research.

California Rare Fruit Growers
About this Resource: Established in 1968, the California Rare Fruit Growers (CRFG) now includes an international membership. CFRG's membership seeks to share its' knowledge to include home growers of fruit and anyone with an interest in edible cultivars. This web service is a mechanism to reach that objective. Signifigant services include bibliographic details (to CFRG's publications); full-text access on individual fruits (with botanical/plant decriptions and cultivar information); plant and tree descriptions; and a listing of CRFG member nurseries and fruit sources. Fruit specialists are available to answer inquiries from members; calls are invited from the public as time and resources allow. Seed bank data and resources are also available to members. A number of small, full-text publications, address an array of topics related to the above.

Food Marketing Policy Center : University of Connecticut
About this Resource: The Food Marketing Policy Center website conducts research on food and agricultural marketing and related policy questions. The general intent is to provide information that can contribute to improved performance of the food production and marketing system. The Policy Center is primarily an economic research organization, yet it conducts interdisciplinary research when appropriate, and it communicates results to the public. Key users include farmer and consumer organizations, agribusiness firms, public agencies, state legislatures, and the U.S. Congress. The Center serves as the core research group for Regional Research Project NE-165: Private Strategies, Public Policies, and Food System Performance.

Bureau of Reclamation | Department of Interior
About this Resource: The United States Department of Interior, through the Bureau of Reclamation, assists the western regional United States in meeting increasing water demands while protecting the environment and the public's investment in these efforts. The Bureau places emphasis on fulfilling water delivery obligations, water conservation, water recycling and reuse, and developing partnerships with the Bureau's customers, with the states, and Indian Tribes, and in finding ways to bring together a variety of interests to address the competing needs for the nation's limited water resources. The Bureau's website features several useful databases: Dataweb, Agrimet and Hydromet. The Bureau of Reclamation Library can be accessed from this Home Page. The Library provides a full range of services and materials to Bureau of Reclamation employees. Other government organizations, private institutions and the general public also have access to library materials; limited services are available. The Library's collection includes more than 900 journal titles, some 70,000 books and reports including several thousand conference proceedings. Most of the collection pertains to water resources management and emphasizes such subjects as hydroelectric power, planning, weather modification, irrigation, materials testing, biological sciences, desalination, ecology and environmental sciences. Other information in the collection includes energy development, agriculture, geology, chemistry, physics, and many engineering related subjects.

Corn response to late-spring nitrogen management in the Walnut Creek watershed.
About this Resource: A 400-ha subbasin study within the Walnut Creek watershed near Ames, IA, confirmed that using late-spring soil nitrate nitrogen (NO3-N) test (LSNT) fertilizer recommendations could significantly reduce NO3-N loss in drainage water, but detailed crop response was not reported. Herein we summarize corn (Zea mays L.) response to the LSNT program when implemented across the Clarion-Nicollet-Webster soil association. The LSNT was used to determine the recommended N fertilizer rate that was applied uniformly across each field except on check strips where zero or nonlimiting (>220 kg N ha(-1)) sidedress N was applied. Leaf chlorophyll (SPAD) readings, end-of-season stalk nitrate concentrations, and grain yield and quality (protein, starch, and oil content) showed significant year, field, soil map unit and N rate response. Average grain yield with the LSNT program was significantly lower than the nonlimiting rate in 1997 and 1998 but not in 1999 or 2000. This suggests that although watershed-scale implementation of the LSNT can reduce nitrate loss through drainage water, it may also increase producer risk, especially when above-normal rainfall occurs shortly after the sidedress N fertilizer is applied. To encourage adoption of the LSNT program for its water quality benefits, we suggest that federal, state, or private agencies develop affordable risk insurance or some other financial incentives to help producers minimize the potential crop risk associated with this program.

Crop and soil productivity response to corn residue removal: a literature review
About this Resource: Society is facing three related issues: overreliance on imported fuel, increasing levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, and producing sufficient food for a growing world population. The U.S. Department of Energy and private enterprise are developing technology necessary to use high-cellulose feedstock, such as crop residues, for ethanol production. Corn (Zea mays L.) residue can provide about 1.7 times more C than barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), oat (Avena sativa L.), sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench], soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.], sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.), and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) residues based on production levels. Removal of crop residue from the field must be balanced against impacting the environment (soil erosion), maintaining soil organic matter levels, and preserving or enhancing productivity. Our objective is to summarize published works for potential impacts of wide-scale, corn stover collection on corn production capacity in Corn Belt soils. We address the issue of crop yield (sustainability) and related soil processes directly. However, scarcity of data requires us to deal with the issue of greenhouse gases indirectly and by inference. All ramifications of new management practices and crop uses must be explored and evaluated fully before an industry is established. Our conclusion is that within limits, corn stover can be harvested for ethanol production to provide a renewable, domestic source of energy that reduces greenhouse gases. Recommendation for removal rates will vary based on regional yield, climatic conditions, and cultural practices. Agronomists are challenged to develop a procedure (tool) for recommending maximum permissible removal rates that ensure sustained soil productivity.

Genetic progress from 50 years of smooth bromegrass breeding.
About this Resource: Since its introduction from Eurasia, smooth bromegrass (Bromus inermis Leyss.) has become an important cool-season forage grass in North America. The objective of this study was to document breeding progress in smooth bromegrass between 1942 and 1995 in North America. Thirty cultivars or experimental populations were tested at up to seven sites in the eastern and central USA, with a range of soil types and climates. There have been small genetic changes in forage yield, brown leafspot resistance [caused by Pyrenophora bromi (Died) Drechs.], in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD), and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) concentration. Brown leafspot resistance increased gradually, averaging 0.21 units decade(-1). Mean forage yield did not change for cultivars developed after 1942, but was 0.54 Mg ha(-1) (7.2%) higher for the post-1942 group than in 'Lincoln', a direct representative of smooth bromegrass introduced into North America. Selection for increased IVDMD led to an average increase in IVDMD of 9 g kg(-1) (1.4%), an increase in forage yield of 0.33 Mg ha(-1) (5.0%), and a decrease in NDF of -8 g kg(-1) (-1.2%) in the post-1942 group. The slow rate of progress for smooth bromegrass forage yield is due to its complex polypoid inheritance, emphasis on traits other than forage yield, and relatively little concentrated attention from public and private breeders.