SAES-422 Multistate Research Activity Accomplishments Report
Sections
Status: Approved
Basic Information
- Project No. and Title: NE1601 : Eastern White Pine Health and Responses to Environmental Changes
- Period Covered: 06/07/2019 to 12/08/2020
- Date of Report: 01/04/2021
- Annual Meeting Dates: 12/08/2020 to 12/08/2020
Participants
Aaron Bergdahl Maine Forest Service Alicyn Smart Umaine Cooperative Extension, Plant Disease Diagnostic Laboratory Amber Roth School of Forest Resources, University of Maine Angela Mech School of Biology & Ecology, University of Maine Bill Livingston School of Forest Resources, University of Maine Brad Hutnik Wisconsin DNR Brittany Barnes University of Georgia Bruce Breitmeyer SUNY-ESF C. Jonathan Jamelle USDA Forest Service, Durham, NH Cameron Mcintire USDA Forest Service Durham, NH Don Eggen Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry Erin Simons-Legaard University of Maine Glen Stanoxz University of Wisconsin Greg Edge Wisconsin DNR Heidi Asbjornsen Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of New Hampshire Isabel Munck USDA Forest Service Durham, NH James Jacobs USDA Forest Service, St. Paul, MN Jay Wason University of Maine Jeff Garnas University of New Hampshire Jen Weimer New Hampshire Division of Forests and Lands, Forest Health Section Jill Rose Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry John Daigle University of Maine Julia Burton SUNY-ESF Kamal Gandhi Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia Lacey Hankin NRES Department, University of Nevada - Reno Laura Kenefic Northern Station, USFS Luben Dimov Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Vermont Mark Faulkenberry Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry Michelle Cram USDA Forest Service Athens, GA Mike Federice SUNY ESF Monique Sakalidis Dept. Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences, Michigan State University Nick Brazee UMass Cooperative Extension Parinaz Rahimzadeh-Bajgiran University of Maine René Germain Dept. Forest and Nat. Res. Mgt, SUNY-ESF Robert Cole New York State DEC Sarah Johnson Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry Savannah Ferreira Vermont Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation Shane O'Neill University of Maine Steve Eisenhaure UNH Office of Woodlands and Natural Areas Steve Voelker SUNY-ESF Steven Roberge UNH Cooperative Extension Tom Doak Maine Woodland Owners Association Zach Olinger Virginia Department of Forestry, Matthews State Forest
Bill Livingston welcomed the group to the virtual meeting. People in attendance who haven’t yet registered as a NE 1601 member were encouraged to go to http://www.nimss.org/, and click “New User?” in the upper, right corner.
NE 1601 Multi-state Research Project is a USDA program for Land Grant Experiment Stations to facilitate multi-state collaborations. NE 1601 started in 2016 and has had meetings in Maine, Georgia, and Massachusetts. An informal “Eastern White Pine Alliance” was formed in 2019 to submit a Letter of Intent to the USDA SAS program.
EWPA/NE1601 “Mission Statement”: To improve the resilience, value, and services from eastern white pine (EWP) forests.
The Mailing List of members and collaborators includes 80 names from 18 states. People work at 10 universities, 7 USDA Forest Service offices, and 12 state agencies.
Minutes from 2019 were approved.
Election of officers:
Chair: Bill Livingston
Chair-elect: Kamal Gandhi
Secretary: Isabel Munck
EWPA/NE 1601 Activities since June 2019.
- 2019 Letter of Intent for USDA Sustainable Agricultural Systems program
- 2020 (April) Proposal to USDA AFRI Sustainable Agroecosystems program
- 2020 Proposal to USDA RREA funds (Cooperative Extension grant)
- 2020 Proposal to USDA Forest Service Landscape Scale Restoration Funds
Today’s Goals: Consider collaborating on future proposals, specifically with writing a Letter of Intent for USDA Sustainable Agricultural Systems proposal (5 yr, $10 million). Speakers presented information on:
- Pathogenic Fungi: Cameron McIntyre (USFS Durham NH), Isabel Munck (USFS Durham NH), Jeff Garnas (Univ. NH), Monique Sakalidis (Michigan State Univ.)
- Pine Bast Scale: Kamal Gandhi - Georgia
- Ecosystem Services: Birds and Xylophytic Insects – Amber Roth and Angela Mech (Univ. Maine); Plants – Julia Burton (SUNY-ESF)
- Tree Physiology: Heidi Asbjornsen (Univ NH)
- Remote Sensing: Parinaz Rahimzadeh (Univ. Maine)
Accomplishments
Short-term Outcomes:
The focus has been on getting state agencies to support the effort to improve eastern white pine managment. The following state foresters supported the Lanscape Scale Restoration fund request which would have their states begin demonstrations on how to improve eastern white pine management: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia.
Outputs. Primary outputs were research proposals (next section) and publications (see below).
Activities: In February 2020, Livingston and Munck visited Jessica Canelliere and Robert Cole in New York State to review eastern white pine health and promote participation in NE 1601. The two-day visit involved observations on 4 different stands and a committment to continue eastern white pine work by the NY Department of Environmental Conservation. COVID-19 restrictions prevented other meetings and planned activities.
Milestone Accomplishments: Development of a research proposal by project members will occur over a multi-year time frame.
2019 Letter of Intent to Submit an Application, AFRI Sustainable Agricultural Systems Program
Project Director: William H. Livingston. 23 Collaborating Investigators and 10 Cooperators.
Overall hypothesis or goal: Effective management of the EWP forest type as a larger sustainable agricultural system will increase value and utilization as changes occur in the environment, and targeted outreach/education will increase social acceptance of these management practices.
Submission of full proposal not recommended
2020 (April) Proposal to USDA AFRI Sustainable Agroecosystems program
Co-Pi’s: William Livingston, Aaron Weiskittel, Amber Roth, Jay Wason, Angela Mech, Julia Burton Collaborators: Heidi Asbjornsen, Isabella Munck, Keith Kanoti, Tom Doak, Jessica Cancelliere, Malcolm Itter, Kyle Lombard
Long Term Goal: Develop management practices for mitigating emerging health threats to EWP while enhancing ecosystem services
Supporting Objectives:
Use precommercial thinning treatments to increase the resilience of EWP to stresses associated with climate change.
Increase stem flow and photosynthesis in EWP by reducing competition for water and by increasing sunlight resulting from PCT.
Use silviculture management to improve Ecosystem Services
Demonstrate consistent responses across a range of site conditions and locations in EWP’s range in the northeastern U.S.
Not funded, received Medium Priority rating.
2020 Proposal to USDA Renewable Resources Extension Act Funds
Co-Pi’s Steve Roberge, Bill Livingston, Nick Brazee
The proposal will engage landowners and natural resource professionals to address concerns on forest health and local economies.
Long Term Goal: Public utilizes management practices for mitigating emerging health threats to EWP while enhancing productivity.
Proposed activities:
- Eastern White Pine Management Institute for New England
- Symposium on “Developing Priorities for Eastern White Pine Health and Management”
- Field Manual for Management of EWP
- Fact Sheets
- Field Workshops
- Webinars
- Videos
Funded, starting January 2021
2020 Proposal to USDA Forest Service Landscape Scale Restoration Funds
State agencies and universities in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia
Endorsed by State Foresters in each state
Would establish a network of 1 to 2 demonstration forests in each state that utilize best practices in forest management
Expand effort of White Pine Management Institute to more states
Engage foresters and forest owners to utilize management for improving EWP sustainability across the landscape
Ranked # 15 of 48 by the Eastern Region. Funding decision by March 2021
Impacts
- State foresters in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia agreed to support development of demonstration forests in their states to promote the health and better management of eastern white pine.
- A proposal to the USDA Renewable Resources Extension Act Funds was funded for $100,000. Co-Pi’s Steve Roberge, Bill Livingston, Nick Brazee. The proposal will engage landowners and natural resource professionals to address concerns on forest health and local economies.
Publications
- Long-term structural and biomass dynamics of virgin Tsuga canadensis—Pinus strobus forests after hurricane disturbance by Anthony W. D'Amato; David A. Orwig; David R. Foster; Audrey Barker Plotkin; Peter K. Schoonmaker; Maggie R. Wagner. Ecology (Durham), 03/2017, Volume 98, Issue 3
- Dendrochronological Analyses and Whole-Tree Dissections Reveal Caliciopsis Canker (Caliciopsis pinea) Damage Associated with the Declining Growth and Climatic Stressors of Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus) by Costanza, Kara K.L; Livingston, William H; Fraver, Shawn; Munck, Isabel A. Forests, 03/2020, Volume 11, Issue 3
- Assessing the ecological impacts of biomass harvesting along a disturbance severity gradient by Kurth, Valerie J; D'Amato, Anthony W; Bradford, John B; Palik, Brian J; Looney, Christopher E. Ecological applications, 12/2019, Volume 30, Issue 2