Item No. 1 of 1

INVESTIGATOR: Mock, K.

PERFORMING INSTITUTION:
UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY
LOGAN, UTAH 84322

MANAGING FOR RESILIENCE IN FORESTED ECOSYSTEMS OF THE INTERMOUNTAIN WEST: A MODEL FOR TRAINING FUTURE RESEARCHERS AND MANAGERS

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: Natural resource professionals face ecological changes occurring at unprecedented scales and rates due to a combination of historical extraction/management activities and climate change. In the Interior West, forests appear to be at or near tipping points with respect to ecological integrity, with manifestations such as large scale insect outbreaks, rapid aspen die-offs, and geographically and temporally synchronized severe fires. This situation creates an acute need for a new generation of forest resource managers and scientists skilled in a variety of emerging technologies, able to incorporate rapidly changing research and data into forest management decisions, and able to communicate effectively with a variety of stakeholders. In response to this need, we propose an integrated graduate training program, initiated with two PhD and two MS students, focused on the TESA of Forest Resources, with emphasis on Conservation and Renewable Natural Resources (code C). This training program is directly related to USDA Strategic Goal 6.3. The proposed program will create a cohort of students and faculty mentors focused on forest resources, within an already successful graduate program in natural resources. By comparison to other graduate students at USU, this cohort of students will benefit from coordinated mentoring by an Advisory Board of faculty members who have active research programs in dynamic forested landscapes. Students will be recruited by the Advisory Board for involvement in a complementary set of funded projects. Student mentoring will be centered on a list of defined core competencies and experiences related to forest health/resilience. As a capstone experience, students will be responsible for organizing one of the annual "Restoring the West" conferences for regional natural resource managers, through Utah State University Forestry Extension. The Advisory Board will conduct an annual assessment of student progress and placement, comparing results to an assessment of concurrent graduate students outside of the proposed program. We anticipate that the Advisory Board will be able to demonstrate greater competencies and higher placement rates for students as a direct result of the proposed program.

OBJECTIVES: We propose to recruit and train a small cohort of forestry graduate students (National Needs or NNF fellows) whose research will be linked under the theme "Managing for Resilience in Forested Ecosystems of the Intermountain West". The program developed for these students will become a model for training future cohorts of graduate students at Utah State University (USU). This program will use emerging tools (GIS/remote sensing, statistical modeling, genetic analysis), common coursework, seminars and specific shared extension projects to provide NNF fellows with skills and knowledge necessary for effective science-based input to management decisions about forested landscapes undergoing or threatened with large-scale change. These students and their faculty advisors will share a structured set of experiences, including seminars and discussions on current topics related to management, adaptation and resiliency of forest ecosystems and their components in a changing climate. As a part of their programs of study, these students will be responsible for 1) organizing a "Restoring the West" conference focused on managing forests for resiliency and targeting a broad range of stakeholders, 2) participating in the Utah Envirothon (www.utahenvirothon.org), an environmental science competition for high school students, and 3) preparing articles for Utah Forest News or other stakeholder-focused publications.

APPROACH: Within the framework of an already successful graduate program, we propose to initiate a NNF graduate program in the Department of Wildland Resources, College of Natural Resources, USU. The goal of this program will be to produce graduates with the skills and experience that allow them to become effective natural resource professionals and scientists in a rapidly changing global environment. The The six PIs will form an Advisory Board for NNF fellows at USU. The Advisory Board responsibilities will include identifying research and extension projects that could support NNF fellows, recruiting NNF fellows, with particular emphasis on underrepresented groups, advising, training, and mentoring NNF fellows during their tenure at USU, assisting NNF fellows with career placement, meeting with NNF fellows once per academic semester (semi-annually) to discuss research and progress towards core competencies (see 2.3, below), measuring performance and placement outcomes of NNF fellows, and disseminating outcomes and results of the USU NNF fellow program.

PROGRESS: 2011/01 TO 2016/01
Target Audience:The target audience for this project is group of National Needs Fellows being mentored. The work being done and publishedby these students and their faculty mentors targets future and currentnatural resource professionals. Changes/Problems:The only major change was that the number of students supported increased from a proposed 4 to nine, with no funding increase from NIFA and leveraging funding from other projects to augment student support. Three students have already completed their degrees (one recently accepted a universityfaculty position), four are making excellent progress and are currently supported by non-NIFA funds, and two left the program. Additionally, we had planned to have the students partcipate in the "Envirothon" event targeting high school students, but the timing of this event and the experiences offered for the graduate students were not deemed beneficial. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?One of the primary and most unique accomplishments of this student group was the organization of the Restoring the West Conference 2014: "Change Agents and Managing for Forest Resilience", which they did quite independently. The conference was sponsored by Utah State University Extension. The conference was attended by 152 participants representing universities, state/federal agencies, non-governmental organizations and private landowners, and included 23 speakers (no concurrent sessions). NNF Marcella Windmuller-Campione was the Organizing Committee chairperson and NNF students Justin Britton and Jamie Laatsch were Committee members. NNF affiliate Antra Boca was also a committee member. All were session moderators. The Organizing Committee developed the conference theme, made speaker arrangements, developed the schedule of events, worked with USU Extension to advertise the conference, and coordinated logistics (timing of food, speaker microphones) during the conference. This was a remarkable accomplishment, particularly because the conference date was during the 2014 government "shutdown" which impacted the travel of federal employees. This required extraordinary planning, persistence, and resilience on the part of the NNF students. The conference was a remarkable success, and NNF students felt that the experience helped them make professional connections and feel more comfortable in leadership and speaking roles. A post-conference survey of attendees indicated that: the conference was relevant to their interests the speakers were good the level of the presentations was good the knowledge, skill levels, and management ability of attendees all were increased. 94% of the attendees said that they were somewhat to very likely to attend future RTW conferences approximately 50% had never attended a RTW conference before Students participated in a monthly evening discussion group on current topics in forest resilience, often bringing in faculty authors to lead the discussions. Some of these sessions were dedicated to having students practice talks and posters prior to presentations at scientific conferences. Students attended a course entitledENVS 6150 Conservation Policy for Private Lands, led by Advisor Board member Zhao Ma. Students and Advisory Board members attended a workshop on Genetics in Management and Conservation, presented by Advisory Board Member Karen Mock. Students attended the conference "Utah Bark Beetles and Watersheds Workshop", Salt Lake City Dec. 1st 2011. Students attended the seminar "Getting Started as a Successful Proposal Writer and Academician", presented by Dr. Stephen W. Russell, co-founder of Grant Writers' Seminars & Workshops LLC and member of multiple national review and advisory groups. April 17, 2012. Students organized and attended three multi-day summer field trips: Logan Canyon - tour of past forest treatments and historical sites, led by Advisory Board members Jim Long and Paul Rogers. Great Basin National Park - driving transect across a broad range of ecological/elevational zones, and survey for mountain pine beetle activity, organized and led by Advisory Board member Barbara Bentz. Cedar Mountain, Utah - tour of several forest treatment and research plots, discussion of regeneration ecology and climate change impacts on forests. Led by Advisory Board members Jim Long, Helga VanMiegroet, and Karen Mock, as well as USFS federal collaborator Justin DeRose. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Results have been disseminated through publications, oral presentations, webinars, posters, extension publications (Utah Forest News)and a major regional conference. See products in previous sections. Additionally, students and the Advisory Board have initiated a vibrant monthly discussion that has grown to approximatly 20 people, including undergraduates, graduate students, federal collaborators, and faculty at USU. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

IMPACT: 2011/01 TO 2016/01
What was accomplished under these goals? Accomplishments Our goal was to use a novel approach to mentoring graduate students in a small forestry program at Utah State University. In addition to having a traditional faculty advisor and faculty committee, these graduate students met regularly with other students and their advisors. This group worked together to choose and attend common courses, organize workshops and field trips on common themes, and organize and attend a monthly discussion on current forestry topics. The students and their advisors were connected to each other initially because they were funded with National Needs Fellowships, but the enthusiasm and reputation of the group grew, and additional participants were welcomed into activities. The expanding group included undergraduate students, other graduate students, other faculty, and several federal collaborating scientists. Currently this group has grown to approximately 20, and although NIFA funding for this project has ended, the group continues to meet, grow, and plan activities. Nine graduate students have been fully or partially funded by the NIFA project, and one has fully participated with the group but did not receive financial support. Because of the early unexpected loss of two students from the program, additional students were recruited to the NNF program and other funding was used to supplement their support.One PhD student and 2 MS students have successfully completed their graduate degrees and were quickly hired into forestry-related careers. Post-graduation interviews indicated that the students were extremely satisfied with the educational experience they received at USU and through the NNF program, and felt that the NNF educational cohort and faculty advisory panel model was a tremendous asset to that experience. The status of all these graduate students is described below, including current employment status and graduate dates. Marcella Campione: (PhD completion 2015) Assistant Professor Department of Forest Resources University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota Jamie Laatsch: (MS completion 2014) Conservation and Outreach Coordinator Henry's Fork Foundation in Ashton, Idaho Justin Britton: (MS completion 2015) Regeneration Forester Roseburg Forest Products, Dillard, Oregon Curtis Gray: PhD in progress, Utah State University Anticipated completion 2016 Alex Howe: MS in progress, Utah State University Anticipated completion 2017 Ericka Eidsen: MS in progress, Utah State University Anticipated completion 2017 Antra Boca: Graduate student from Latvia mentored by one of the advisory board faculty; participated fully in the group but not supported by NNF PhD in progress, Utah State University Anticipated completion 2016 Ken Sterling: PhD student, withdrew from the NNF program after the first year due to a family medical situation. Amy Barnhardt: MS student, withdrew from the NNF program after the first year, and is currently working as a research technician at Oregon State University. Specific Products: One of the primary and most unique accomplishments of this student group was the organization of the Restoring the West Conference 2014: "Change Agents and Managing for Forest Resilience", which they did quite independently. The conference was sponsored by Utah State University Extension. The conference was attended by 152 participants representing universities, state/federal agencies, non-governmental organizations and private landowners, and included 23 speakers (no concurrent sessions). NNF Marcella Windmuller-Campione was the Organizing Committee chairperson and NNF students Justin Britton and Jamie Laatsch were Committee members. NNF affiliate Antra Boca was also a committee member. All were session moderators. The Organizing Committee developed the conference theme, made speaker arrangements, developed the schedule of events, worked with USU Extension to advertise the conference, and coordinated logistics (timing of food, speaker microphones) during the conference. This was a remarkable accomplishment, particularly because the conference date was during the 2014 government "shutdown" which impacted the travel of federal employees. This required extraordinary planning, persistence, and resilience on the part of the NNF students. The conference was a remarkable success, and NNF students felt that the experience helped them make professional connections and feel more comfortable in leadership and speaking roles. A post-conference survey of attendees indicated that the conference was extremely valuble to attendees. This group of graduate students has also been remarkably productive in terms of 'products', which are summarized below. 6 Invited Oral Presentations (see Products) 13 Oral Presentations (see Products), incuding the following by a graduate student (Boca)who participated fully with the group and whose advisor (VanMiegroet) was on the Advisory Board,but was not funded by the NIFA grant: Boca A. 2015. The soils under Utah's forests: aspen vs. conifers. Oral presentation. Intermountain Society of American Foresters Annual Spring Meeting. April 3, 2015. Logan, Utah. 10 Poster Presentations (see Products),incuding the following byBoca: Boca A, Van Miegroet H, Gruselle MC. 2013. Linking overstory, soil and climate to explain SOC storage in forest soils - a meta-analysis. Poster Presentation. North American Forest Soils Conference. June 16-20, 2013. Whitefish, Montana. Boca A, Hatten J, Van Miegroet H. 2014. Root contribution to SOC pools in Utah forest soils: Root-specific compound analysis. Poster Presentation. International Union of Forest Research Organizations World Congress. October 6-11, 2014. Salt Lake City, Utah. Boca A, Hatten J, Van Miegroet H. 2015. Relationship of tree above-and belowground C inputs and cutin and suberin presence in soil. Poster Presentation. 5th International Symposium on Soil Organic Matter. September 20-24, 2015. Göttingen, Germany. 8Publications,incuding the following by incuding the following byBoca: Boca A., Van Miegroet H., Gruselle MC. 2014. Forest overstory effect on soil organic carbon storage - a meta-analysis. Soil Science Society of America Journal 78: S35-S47. DOI:10.2136/sssaj2013.08.0332nafsc. 1Publications Submitted: Windmuller-Campione MA, Long J. Structural patterns and attributes of forests across elevationalgradients in the Intermountain West. Canadian Journal of Forest Research, submitted. 3 Publications in Preparation: Long J, Windmuller-Campione MA. A comparison of conventional and alternative silviculturalsystems for lodgepole pine stands in the central Rocky Mountains. In preparation for Journal of Forestry, Special issue: Alternative Silvicultural Systems. Windmuller-Campione MA, Long J. Limber Pine (Pinus flexilis) Forest dynamics across the Intermountain West. In preparation for Ecological Applications. Windmuller-Campione MA, Long J. The high-five: A comparison of forest dynamics of five needlepines in the Intermountain West. In preparation. 3 Completed Theses/Dissertations: Britton JM 2015. Factors influencing the successful regeneration of aspen in southern Utah, USA. MS Thesis, Utah State University. Windmuller-Campione MA. 2015. Structural and compositional patterns in forest communities in the Intermountain West across multiple scales. PhD Dissertation, Utah State University. Laatch J. 2014. USDA Forest Service perspectives on forest management in a changing climate. MS Thesis, Utah State University. Other: State Champion Gamble Oak identified and certified by USU NNF students: http://www.utahurbanforest.org/amazing-trees/big-tree-directory/1645-Oak-Gambel By any metric (student outputs, training quality, post-graduation employment, funding leveraged from other sources, and lasting impact on the institution, this program has been a resounding success!

PUBLICATIONS (not previously reported): 2011/01 TO 2016/01
1. Type: Journal Articles Status: Awaiting Publication Year Published: 2016 Citation: Britton JM, DeRose RJ, Mock KE, Long JN. 2016. Herbivory and advance reproduction influence quaking aspen regeneration response to management in southern Utah, USA. Canadian Journal of Forest Research, in press.
2. Type: Other Status: Awaiting Publication Year Published: 2015 Citation: Britton JM, DeRose RJ. 2015. New insights on western aspen management. Utah State University State University Forestry Extension Fact Sheet.
3. Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Gray CA. 2014. The impact of climate variability on the frequency and severity of ecological disturbances in Great Basin bristlecone pine in sky islands. Proceedings of the IMSAF Annual Meeting, April 11, 2014, Logan, Utah. http://www.usu.edu/saf/ns14-06Proceedings.pdf
4. Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Gray CA, Runyon JB, Jenkins MJ, Guinta AD. 2015. Mountain pine beetles use volatile cues to locate host limber pine and avoid non-host Great Basin bristlecone pine. PloS One 10(9): e0135752. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0135752
5. Type: Journal Articles Status: Awaiting Publication Year Published: 2016 Citation: Laatsch J, Ma Z. 2016. Climate change communication within public natural resource agencies: lessons learned from the U.S. Forest Service. Society & Natural Resources, in press. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08941920.2015.1107790
6. Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Laatsch J, Ma Z. 2015. Strategies for incorporating climate change into public forest management. Journal of Forestry 113(3): 335-342. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5849/jof.14-128
7. Type: Journal Articles Status: Accepted Year Published: 2015 Citation: Windmuller-Campione MA, Long JN. 2015. If long-term resistance to a spruce beetle epidemic is futile, can silvicultural treatments increase resilience in spruce-fir forests in the central Rocky Mountains? Forests, 6, 1157-1178. DOI: 10.3390/f6041157
8. Type: Journal Articles Status: Under Review Year Published: 2016 Citation: Windmuller-Campione MA, Long J. Structural patterns and attributes of forests across elevational gradients in the Intermountain West. Canadian Journal of Forest Research, submitted.
9. Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Laatch J. 2014. USDA Forest Service perspectives on forest management in a changing climate. MS Thesis, Utah State University.
10. Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Britton JM 2015. Factors influencing the successful regeneration of aspen in southern Utah, USA. MS Thesis, Utah State University
11. Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: indmuller-Campione MA. 2015. Structural and compositional patterns in forest communities in the Intermountain West across multiple scales. PhD Dissertation, Utah State University.
12. Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2014 Citation: Laatsch J, Ma, Z. 2014. USDA Forest Service perspectives on forest management in a changing climate. Invited Webinar presented to the North Central Climate Science Center Adaptation and Decision Making Working Group, U.S. Geological Survey, Department of Interior. February 28, 2014.
13. Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2015 Citation: Ma, Z. 2015. Lessons learned from a Forest Service employee survey. Invited Webinar. Region/Station/Area Climate Change Coordinators? Call, USDA Forest Service.
14. Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2015 Citation: Ma, Z. 2015. Incorporating climate change into the management of National Forests: Lessons learned from a Forest Service employee survey. Invited Webinar. NEPA Knowledge Cafe, USDA Forest Service.
15. Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2015 Citation: Ma, Z. 2015. Incorporating climate change into the management of National Forests: Lessons learned from a Forest Service employee survey. Invited Webinar. Sustainable Operations Collective, USDA Forest Service.
16. Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2015 Citation: Ma, Z. 2015. Incorporating climate change into the management of national forests: lessons learned from a Forest Service employee survey. Invited Webinar. North Central Climate Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Department of Interior. February 20, 2015.
17. Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2015 Citation: Windmuller-Campione MA, Long JN. 2015. Building resilience to the spruce beetle in spruce-fir forests in the central Rocky Mountains. Invited Oral Presentation. Intermountain Society of American Forests Annual Meeting. April 3, 2015. Logan, Utah.
18. Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2014 Citation: Britton JM, DeRose RJ, Long JN, Mock KE. 2014. Contemporary silviculture promotes persistence and regeneration of a foundation forest species. Oral Presentation. Intermountain Society of American Foresters Annual Spring Meeting. April 2014. Logan, Utah.
19. Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2015 Citation: Britton JM, DeRose RJ, Long JN, Mock KE. 2015. Factors influencing the successful regeneration of aspen in Southern Utah, USA. Oral Presentation. Landowner Extension Seminar. June 2015. Cedar City, Utah.
20. Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2014 Citation: Britton JM, DeRose RJ, Long JN, Mock KE. Factors influencing the successful regeneration of aspen in Southern Utah, USA. 2014. Oral Presentation. Society of American Foresters National Convention. October 8-11, 2014. Salt Lake City, UT.
21. Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2012 Citation: Campione MA. 2012. Habitat Typing: A useful tool for future forest management. Oral Presentation. Society of American Foresters National Convention. October 24-28, 2012. Spokane, Washington. 2nd place in the Forest Science and Technology Board student presentation competition.
22. Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2014 Citation: Gray, CA. 2014. The impact of climate variability on the frequency and severity of ecological disturbances in Great Basin bristlecone pine in sky islands. Oral Presentation. Intermountain Society of American Foresters Annual Spring Meeting. April 2014. Logan Utah.
23. Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2014 Citation: Long J, Windmuller-Campione MA. 2014. A comparison of conventional and alternative silvicultural systems for lodgepole pine stands in the Central Rocky Mountains. Oral Presentation. Society of American Foresters National Convention. October 8-11, 2014. Salt Lake City, UT.
24. Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2014 Citation: Ma Z, Laatsch J. 2014. Dealing with new challenges using old approaches? Dilemma of managing the National Forests in the face of climate change. Oral Presentation. Society of American Foresters National Convention. October 8-11, 2014. Salt Lake City, UT.
25. Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2014 Citation: Windmuller-Campione MA, Long J. 2014. Limber pine (Pinus flexilis) forest dynamics across the Intermountain West. Oral Presentation. Ecological Society of America National Convention. August 10-15, 2014. Sacramento, California.
26. Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2014 Citation: Gray, CA, Runyon, JB, Jenkins, MJ. 2014. Characterizing Great Basin bristlecone pine tree chemistry. Poster Presentation. International Union of Forest Research Organizations World Congress: Sustaining Forest, Sustaining People. October, 2014. Salt Lake City, Utah.
27. Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2015 Citation: Gray, CA, Runyon, JB, Jenkins, MJ. 2015. Exposure to wildfire smoke alters tree chemistry of high elevation conifers. Poster Presentation. Restoring the West: Restoration and Fire in the Interior West. October 2015. Logan, Utah
28. Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2012 Citation: Jenkins, MJ, Alexander, ME, Page WG, Gray, CA, Toone, C. 2012. Evaluation Monitoring: Funded projects explain relationships between bark beetles, fuels and fire behavior. Poster Presentation. USDA Forest Service Environmental Monitoring Meeting April 2012.
29. Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2013 Citation: Jenkins, MJ, Gray, CA, Runyon JB, Alexander, ME, Page, WG, Toone, C. 2013. Evaluation Monitoring: Funded projects explain relationships between bark beetles, fuels and fire behavior. Poster Presentation. USDA Forest Service Environmental Monitoring Meeting April 2013.
30. Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2015 Citation: Windmuller-Campione MA, Long JN. 2015. Limber pine: The high-five generalist? Poster Presentation. Society of American Foresters National Convention. November 3-7, 2015. Baton Rouge, Louisiana
31. Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2014 Citation: Windmuller-Campione MA, Long JN. 2014. Alternative silvicultural treatments to increase resilience in spruce-fir forests in the Central Rockies. Oral Presentation. Society of American Foresters National Convention. October 8-11, 2014. Salt Lake City, Utah. 2nd place in the Forest Science and Technology Board student presentation competition.

PROGRESS: 2014/01/15 TO 2015/01/14
Target Audience: The target audience for this project is group of National Needs Fellows being mentored. The work being done by these students and their faculty mentors targets forestry professionals. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? The students and Advisory Board also participated in a Genetics workshop conducted by one of the project PIs (Karen Mock) in spring 2014. All students have been working on finishing thier theses and dissertations. All students have been participating in practice presentations with each other and the Advisory Board. All students have been attending (and presenting at) professional meetings during the year. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Results have been disseminated to the professional community at scientific meetings. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? We anticipate recruitment of an additional MS student who will be involved as a NNF for one year of his/her graduate program. We anticipate continued presentations and publications from the current students. We anticipate additional articles for the public on the students' research (Utah Forest News).

IMPACT: 2014/01/15 TO 2015/01/14
What was accomplished under these goals? During this reporting period, the NNF students made several presentations at regional and national meetings (see Products). One student, Jamie Laatsch, graduated with her MS degree in Spring 2014 and is currently employed as a facilitator at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, Illiniois. Another student, Justin Britton, successfully defended his MS thesis and will graduate in December 2014. This student has been offered and has accepted a job starting in January 2014 as a Regeneration Forester in Weed, California, with Roseburg Forest Products. A PhD student, Marcella Campione, is schedule for completion of her degree in Spring 2015, and is being interviewed for a University faculty position in another state.

PUBLICATIONS: 2014/01/15 TO 2015/01/14
1. Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Britton JM, DeRose RJ, . In Preparation. New Insights on western aspen management. Utah State University State University Forestry Extension Fact Sheet.
2. Type: Journal Articles Status: Submitted Year Published: 2015 Citation: Windmuller-Campione, M.A. & Long, J. Alternative Management Strategies for Spruce-Fir Forests in the Central Rockies. Special issue: The 24th IUFRO World Congress: Session 79 Sustainable Management of Spruce Dominated Ecosystems in Response to Climate Change. Forests.In review.

PROGRESS: 2013/01/15 TO 2014/01/14
Target Audience: The target audience is primarily the group of National Needs Fellows; graduate students with interrelated projects and experiences. A secondary audience is the academic community in the Quinney College of Natural Resources at Utah State University. Another secondary audience is the scientific community of landwoners, applied foresters, and forestry researchers. Changes/Problems: MS student Amy Barnhardt was terminated in April 2013, and immediately replaced by Justin Britton, who had already been participating informally in all the NNF group activities over the past 2 years. Appropriate Fellowship entry forms were filed. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? The students have been able to interact with many professionals and other students at the Society of American Foresters conference and the Restoring the West conference. The field trip and paper discussions have also provided many opportunities to discuss current literature and to interact with forest-related researchers and professionals outside the immediate group. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? The Restoring the West Conference proceedings are available online (http://forestry.usu.edu/htm/video/conferences/restoring-the-west-conference-20

IMPACT: 2013/01/15 TO 2014/01/14
What was accomplished under these goals? The NNF students participated in a monthly discussion of current scientific literature during the spring and fall semesters of 2013. These students and their faculty mentors (the Advisory Panel) also organized and participated in a 3-day field trip to visit sites in southern Utah with various geologic and management histories, and read papers describing scientific studies in these areas. The students also organized the Restoring the West conference, performing all major tasks (speaker invitation, session organization and moderating, advertisement, and publication of proceedings). This was a particularly challenging task, as the conference coincided with the government shutdown and many speakers had to be rescheduled at the last minute. Nevertheless, the reviews from participants were extremely positive. Most of the students also attended the Society of American Foresters conference in South Carolina in 2013, and presented either posters or papers.

PUBLICATIONS: 2013/01/15 TO 2014/01/14
Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Britton J., DeRose R.J., Long J.N., Mock K.E. 2013. Evaluation of treatment success in Populus tremuoides: Implication for management. Poster session presented at: Silviculture Matters. Society of American Foresters National Convention; 2013 Oct 23-27; North Charleston, SC. Windmuller-Campione M., Long J.N. Limber Pine Forest Dynamics across the Intermountain West. 2013. Poster session presented at: Silviculture Matters. Society of American Foresters National Convention; 2013 Oct 23-27; North Charleston, SC. Laatsch, J., Ma, Z. 2013. USDA Forest Service's Perspectives on Forest Management in a Changing Climate. Oral presentation, Society of American Foresters National Convention, North Charleston, SC. (received second place in the student presentation competition). Britton J., DeRose R.J., Long J.N., Mock K.E. 2013. 2013. Evaluation of treatment success in Populus tremuoides: Implication for management. R

PROGRESS: 2012/01/15 TO 2013/01/14
OUTPUTS: The Advisory Board and PhD students recruited two new National Needs Fellows (MS), both female, who started their programs in the fall 2012. One of the MS students is studying forest soils and the other is studying human dimensions of forest management. The Advisory Board and graduate students met for evening discussions on a) facilitated migration and climate change, and b) ecosystem resilience. The Advisory board and graduate students participated in a 4-day field trip to Great Basin National Park, and a 1-day field trip to Logan Canyon Research sites (genetics, soils, fire ecology, and forest succession). The Advisory Board and graduate students planned activities for 2013, including workshops on genetics, plant identification, and a discussion on policy. All four National Needs fellows participated in planning the "Restoring the West" conference, to be held in Fall 2013, which is intended to bring researchers, managers and landowners together to discuss forest resilience. Graduate students also participated in an Interdisciplinary Incubator Lunch discussion on Ecology and Economics, sponsored by the USU Ecology Center, and attended a grantwriting workshop "Getting Started as a Successful Proposal Writer and Academician". One of the Fellows, Marcella Campione, won second place in the Forest Science and Technology Board student presentations at the national Society of American Forestry meeting. PARTICIPANTS: Participants included members of the faculty Advisory Board established by the project: Drs. Karen Mock (molecular ecology), Barbara Bentz (forest entomologist), James Long (silviculture), Michael Kuhns (forestry extension), Paul Rogers (Western Aspen Alliance director), and Zhao Ma (human dimensions). Dr. Ron Ryel (plant physiologist) resigned from the Advisory Board for health reasons, and Dr. Michael Jenkins (fire ecologist) has replaced him. The PhD student Ken Sterling resigned from the Fellowship due to family health issues and was replaced by PhD student Curtis Gray. Two additional graduate students, Justin Britton (forest management) and Antra Boca (forest soils) have joined the group and are participating along with the NNFs. These additional students extend the impact of the activities. TARGET AUDIENCES: The target audience for this project is group of National Needs Fellows being mentored. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: There have been two changes in personnel, described under "Participants".

IMPACT: 2012/01/15 TO 2013/01/14
At this stage in the project, outputs and impacts are expected to be directed toward the development of cohesion among the Advisory Board and newly recruited PhD students. Impacts included exposure of PhD fellows to a set of common experiences, and increased understanding of issues related to forest thresholds and human dimensions. As the program progresses and research projects develop, it is expected that the impacts will be increasingly felt outside the group of faculty and students.

PUBLICATIONS: 2012/01/15 TO 2013/01/14
No publications reported this period

PROGRESS: 2011/01/15 TO 2012/01/14
OUTPUTS: As proposed, an Advisory Board consisting of six Utah State University faculty members was established. This Advisory Board met several times to discuss the program and strategies for recruitment. During this first project period, two PhD students have been recruited from a pool of 23 applicants, 12 of which were women. Advertising for these fellowships actively targeted underrepresented groups, and included efforts directed at specific Colleges and Universities, specific professors connected with natural resource programs, and organizations involved with these groups. The two PhD students chosen for the fellowships matriculated in August 2011, and each has an advisor that is on the Advisory Board: Marcella Campione (Advisor James Long) and Ken Sterling (Co-advisors Karen Mock and Barbara Bentz). During the fall semester 2011, both PhD students were served as session chairs for the "Restoring the West" conference, which brought together researchers and landownwers. The students and Advisory Board members also participated in two evening discussions; one on general issues related to thresholds in western forests and one on human dimensions issues in forest management. The PhD students also attended (with Advisory Board faculty) two conferences; one on the impact and management of bark beetle impacts and the other on whitebark pine management. The PhD students were also meeting weekly with their advisors to design research projects. Late in the fall semester, advertisements for two MS students were initiated, with the assistance of the PhD students. Those advertisements are currently out and applicants are being received. PARTICIPANTS: Participants included members of the faculty Advisory Board established by the project: Drs. Karen Mock (molecular ecology), James Long (silviculture), Michael Kuhns (forestry extension), Paul Rogers (Western Aspen Alliance director), Zhao Ma (human dimensions) and Ron Ryel (plant physiologist). NIFA fellows served as session chairs for the annual "Restoring the West" conference sponsored by USU Extension. NIFA fellows and Advisory Board members attended two conferences: "Bark Beetle Infestations and Water Impacts", sponsored by Western Water Assessment, and "Whitebark Pine Science and Management Workshop", sponsored by the Whitebark Pine Ecosystem Foundation. NIFA fellows and Advisory Board members also participated in a discussion on human dimensions research in natural resources, led by Dr. Joanna Endter-Wada (human dimensions and policy faculty member at USU). TARGET AUDIENCES: The target audience at this stage is the NIFA Advisory Board and PhD fellows themselves. The purpose is to provide cohesion and a set of common experiences for the group. The PhD fellows did serve as session chairs for the "Restoring the West" conference sponsored by the USU Office of Extension, which targeted land managers, landowners, and academic researchers. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: One of the Advisory Board faculty members, Dr. Ron Ryel, resigned due to serious health problems during the Summer 2011. The remaining Advisory Board members made the decision not to replace him at this time.

IMPACT: 2011/01/15 TO 2012/01/14
At this stage in the project, outputs and impacts are expected to be directed toward the development of cohesion among the Advisory Board and newly recruited PhD students. Impacts included exposure of PhD fellows to a set of common experiences, and increased understanding of issues related to forest thresholds and human dimensions. As the program progresses, and research projects develop, it is expected that the impacts will be increasingly felt outside the group of faculty and students.

PUBLICATIONS: 2011/01/15 TO 2012/01/14
No publications reported this period