SIU forestry- mcintire-stennis abstract - the SIU forestry research program matches mcintire- stennis capacity grant support with state and non- federal funding to primarily support hands-on…

The Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded the Board of Trustees of Southern Illinois University $591,758 under the Cooperative Forestry Research program (CFDA 10.202) on October 1, 2025, for hands-on training of undergraduate and graduate students as future forestry scientists and land managers while conducting regional forestry research aligned with McIntire-Stennis Cooperative Forestry Research priorities.

Research activities at Southern Illinois University Carbondale address water quality and wildlife habitat enhancement, forest regeneration and sustainable management, outdoor recreation access, and land use policy improvement through four specific projects: assessing management practice outcomes and impacts on bottomland forest habitat; determining long-term effectiveness and improving design of streamside riparian forest and cane buffers; determining impacts of non-native invasive species on native forest flora and fauna and developing control solutions; and enhancing rare species and habitat. The program matches federal capacity grant support with state and non-federal funding to deliver this research portfolio.

Period of performance runs from October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2027. Work is performed in Carbondale, Illinois. The award is a formula grant, distributed to eligible state-certified institutions as determined by the Governor or designee. McIntire-Stennis funds must be fully expended in the fiscal year of appropriation, though current policy allows 50 percent carryover into the following fiscal year, with full expenditure required by September 30 of the carryover year.

SIU forestry- mcintire-stennis abstract - the SIU forestry research program matches mcintire- stennis capacity grant support with state and non- federal funding to primarily support hands-on training of undergraduate and graduate students as future forestry scientists and land managers while providing solutions to a broad range of regional forestry research needs. This research incorporates core mcintire-stennis forestry topics including enhancing water quality and wildlife habitat, ensuring regeneration and sustainable management of public and private forests, providing accessible and ecologically appropriate outdoor recreation, and improving land use policy and decision making. Specific research at southern illinois university carbondale includes: 1. Assessing outcomes and impacts of management practices on bottomland forest habitat, 2. Determining the long-term effectiveness and improving design of streamside riparian forest and cane buffers, 3. Determining impacts of non-native invasive species on native forest flora and fauna and developing solutions to control their spread, and 4. Enhancing rare species and habitat.