Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

As a preamble, I will say that we did not receive funding for this meeting from NIMSS, or rather it arrived nearly two months after the meeting. I paid for my attendance with other funding, while Carney was unable to attend. I am unsure if other institutions had a similar issue but attendance was low from the group. If meetings can only be held during the narrow timeframe (Mid Nov-Mid-May) that this funding is apparently available, the group will need to adjust future meetings.  

The overarching theme of the meeting was trying to find ways to initiate or support long-term research. This topic fell under the umbrella of the "Existing networks for forest health and resilience research and information sharing" area of the overarching proposal.

1) Vogel provided an overview of a community survey on long-term research needs and barriers from the scientific community. He illustrated what he identified as need from the perspective of Forest Health and Soil Health

2) Linda Nagel used the Adaptive Silviculture for Climate Change study to illustrate her perspectives on how to create and sustain a long-term researh network of sites with minimal funding.  

3) Lauren-Pile Knapp illustrated how 'resurrected' studies can be used to facilitate mentoring relationships and the establishment of long-term research.

4) Reed Van Beveren highlighted how new funding mechanisms and technology can be used to establish networks and mentor incoming scientists.  

A post-presentation discussion was held that focused on barriers to creating long-term research networks. Participants identified successess as being primarily the results of individual efforts (Tim Martin). Others noted that new funding opportunities would help keep university forests open to research networks (Markewitz). The group discussed how to end research sites so that they do not consume resources. Vogel discussed the onlinle library that is being developed to store study information for the southeastern United States with the intent that it could be used to create new networks.  

Short-term Outcomes: 

Developed a working plan for a silviculture online library focused on the southeastern United States. The purpose of this library will be to facilitate collaboration and shared learning across the region.  The effort was also focused on recruitment of new members to the mult-state effort.   

Outputs:

Four presentations on long-term research and creating networks were conducted by the panelists (Nagel, Pile-Knapp, Van Bremen) and Vogel.

Activities:

Organized Session at the Society of American Forester's meeting in Loveland, CO focused on network building and long-term research. Collected information from participants  

Milestones:

Connected with new potential members. Gained feedback from the community on how to move forward with library.  

Eicholtz, M, Smith, J., and Vogel, J.G. 2024. Redbay (Persea borbonia Spreng) Seedling and Sapling Growth and Recruitment Near Trees with and without Putative Resistance to Laurel Wilt Disease. Forests. 15(5), 817. DOI:10.3390/f15050817.

Vaney, V. and Vogel, J.G. 2024 Biochar as an Additive in Forest Systems. Florid Land Steward. 13(2):1-3.