The latest edition of the INSPIRED research report—produced and distributed by the New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station—highlights research into the Granite State’s forests and forest ecosystems, exploring the science behind new management practices that incorporate cutting-edge technologies, offer greater economic advantage, and prepare for climate change and the northern New England forests of the future.
“For 60 years, the New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station has supported research that helps New Hampshire manage forest land that provides the state and region with wood to build and improve infrastructure, heating fuel, homes for a diverse wildlife population, add beauty to landscapes and enable communities to share this beauty with visitors,” said Anton Bekkerman, director of the NHAES. “Today, Station scientists continue the strong tradition of developing research to inform producers on how best to manage forests in the face of rapidly changing climatic and economic conditions and take advantage of existing opportunities, as well as to pioneer innovations that enable New Hampshire’s forestry sector to lead long-term economic resilience and the environmental sustainability of our state.”
The research briefs in this report cover a diverse set of issues and exciting opportunities for managing forests in the Granite State and northern New England. Topics include:
- Exploring strategies to best integrate agricultural and forestry practices.
- Examining beech bark disease and its propagation.
- Assessing the viability of producing alternative syrups.
- Using new aerial technologies to more cost-effectively measure changes in forested lands.
- Investigating the resiliency of regional forest ecosystems and tree species to drought.
- Evaluating the economic desirability of regional tree species.
The authors of the 2023 INSPIRED Forestry Research Report include NH Agricultural Experiment Station scientists and UNH College of Life Sciences and Agriculture faculty, staff, students and alumni, UNH Extension staff, and agricultural researchers from other extensions and academic institutions.
About the NHAES: Founded in 1887, the NH Agricultural Experiment Station at the UNH College of Life Sciences and Agriculture is UNH’s first research center and an elemental component of New Hampshire's land-grant university heritage and mission. We steward federal and state funding, including support from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, to provide unbiased and objective research concerning diverse aspects of sustainable agriculture and foods, aquaculture, forest management, and related wildlife, natural resources, and rural community topics.
