In 2023, forest lands totaling nearly 20 million acres provided $1.48 billion in production for 130,000 mississippi forest landowners and generated more than $13 billion in economic impact

The forest industry supported 67,833 mississippi jobs with a $3.37 billion payroll. The mission of the college of forest resources (CFR) and the forest and wildlife research center (FWRC) is to foster the management, conservation, and sustainable use of forest, wildlife, and aquatic resources to benefit the people of mississippi, the nation, and the world. Through transformative teaching and learning, research and discovery, outreach, and engagement, we prepare future leaders, enhance the restoration and sustainable use of renewable natural resources, and transfer technology into application to solve the grand challenges in forestry, forest products, and wildlife conservation. Our research informs management practices that make our forest landowners more productive, profitable, and ecologically sustainable. The graduate education programs of the CFR train and equip the next generation of natural resources professionals and leaders. Outreach and technology transfer programs facilitate coordination among scientists, agencies, and industry stakeholders. Mississippi forest lands produce myriad forest products including dimensional lumber, veneer, pallets, and paper products. Scientists in the FWRC are developing new sustainable bioproducts including; mass timber engineered wood products, adhesives, preservatives, graphene?based composite materials, and lignin?based nanoparticles. These new value?added wood products will expand markets, support economic development, and increase profitability for forest landowners. FWRC research programs support economic development. As an illustration, software and methodology developed by FWRC are used by the mississippi forestry commission and mississippi development authority to inform siting of sawmills and pellet plants and attract new industries to the state. These tools determine the ideal location to build a facility, based on availability of the resources and access to markets and transportation networks. Emerging carbon markets provide an opportunity for mississippi forest landowners to monetize environmental services that provide a public good. FWRC scientists are developing decision support tools and outreach products to help forest landowners understand these markets and weigh the costs and benefits of harvest deferral for carbon credits. FWRC research on shortrotation woody biomass crops reduces off?site nutrient transport from agricultural lands, sequesters carbon, and provides a carbon?neutral energy feedstock. Emerging wildlife diseases threaten wildlife populations, human health, and associated recreation and economic activity. Mississippi is on the geographic southeastern leading edge of the spreading chronic wasting disease (CWD) epidemic. Scientists in the forest and wildlife research center have partnered with the mississippi department of wildlife, fisheries and parks, and the MSU college of veterinary medicine diagnostic lab system to respond to this new threat with surveillance, diagnostics, research, and policy development. Detection of this epidemic while geographically limited and at low prevalence, provides a unique opportunity to apply a science?based response and proactively get out in front with; development and testing of containment strategies, regulatory policies, hunter education, and human health guidelines. Mcintire?stennis funding in the FWRC/CFR supports 36 individual active M?S projects and 27 graduate students annually. Mcintire? Stennis funding is leveraged with $6.4 million in state appropriated and more than $14 million in extramural funding that collectively support research and education programs to advance management, conservation and utilization of forest resources.