School of Agriculture and Land Resources Management
Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station
The University of Alaska Fairbanks has Alaska's only teaching, research, and outreach capability in forest science and management. In addition, UAF's forestry curriculum is accredited by the Society of American Foresters. The following are brief highlights of forestry research at the Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, the primary research unit of UAF's School of Agriculture and Land Resources Management.
* Research on basic ecological processes of the boreal forest including studies of nutrient cycling, hydrologic cycling, and vegetation succession.
* Research to establish fundamental tables of forest growth, wood fiber yield, and land productivity -- information necessary for sustainable and profitable forest management.
* Research on methods to more efficiently and effectively obtain and utilize information on Alaska's forest resources. These include using geographical information systems and spatial models; using remote sensing data; and developing landscape models of forest regeneration, fire, solar energy flux and water flows.
* Research on criteria for establishing natural areas and on integrating concerns for biodiversity into forest management plans and silvicultural prescriptions.
* Research utilizing sophisticated tree-ring measuring equipment and analysis to expand our knowledge of tree growth and climate, and explore issues of insect outbreaks, fire, and potential climate change.
* Research and analysis of the feasibility and effects of waste-water disposal on forested lands.
* Research on the effects of forests and forest harvest on permafrost and seasonal freezing and thawing of soils, and research on forest harvest and soil erosion.
* Research on forest regeneration following harvest. Studies have included examining the probabilities of successful reforestation by natural and human controlled seed dispersal; assessing the effect of planting time and other variables on seedling survival; and establishing long-term plots of species and spacing.
* Research on developing forest management simulators useful in training forest managers and assessing the economic efficiency of wood fiber production decisions.
Alaska has a wide expanse of forested lands, diversity of terrain and climate, poor access, a sparse biophysical data base for management and a relatively small forest products industry. Yet, Alaska's forest managers must still be able to use high-tech tools, meet environmental rules, and avoid becoming financial fools. These unique conditions establish the context for forestry research in the School of Agriculture and Land Resources Management. Please support Alaska's continued investment in this unique research, teaching, and service capability. [top of page]
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