The purpose of federal mcintire stennis funding provided by USDA/nifa is to increase forestry research in the production, utilization, and protection of forestland; to train future forestry…

The U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded the University of Massachusetts $852,360 under the Cooperative Forestry Research (McIntire-Stennis) program on October 1, 2025, for forestry research and scientist training.

At UMass Amherst, the funds support student employment and operating costs for research-related expenditures including equipment, materials, supplies, and travel by faculty investigators. The Massachusetts Agricultural Experimentation Station, a unit of the Center for Agriculture, Food and the Environment within the College of Natural Sciences, administers the award. Faculty in the Department of Environmental Conservation typically use these funds for investigations focused on forest ecosystems, tree growth, invasive pests, and forest products.

The McIntire-Stennis program funds increase forestry research in production, utilization, and protection of forestland; train future forestry scientists; and involve other disciplines in forestry research. Eligible research topics include reforestation and timber management, watershed and forest protection, rangeland and wildlife habitat management, outdoor recreation, forest protection against fire and pests, wood and forest product utilization, and forest management policy development.

Performance of work takes place in Hadley, Massachusetts, with a period of performance through September 30, 2027. The award is classified as a formula grant. Current program policy permits up to 50 percent of FY 2025 allocation to carry over into FY 2026, with carryover funds fully expended by September 30, 2026, unless a waiver for greater carryover is approved.

The purpose of federal mcintire stennis funding provided by USDA/nifa is to increase forestry research in the production, utilization, and protection of forestland; to train future forestry scientists; and to involve other disciplines in forestry research. The award is used to assist all states in carrying out a program of forestry research and in developing a trained pool of forest scientists capable of conducting needed forestry research under the following research topics: 1) reforestation and management of land for the production of crops of timber and other related products of the forest; 2) management of forest and related watershed lands to improve conditions of water flow and to protect resources against floods and erosion; 3) management of forest and related rangeland for production of forage for domestic livestock and game and improvement of food and habitat for wildlife; 4) management of forest lands for outdoor recreation; 5) protection of forest land and resources against fire, insects, diseases, or other destructive agents; 6) utilization of wood and other forest products; 7) development of sound policies for the management of forest lands and the harvesting and marketing of forest products. At umass amherst, the funds associated with the federal mcintire-stennis award are used to support student employment and to provide operating funds for research related expenditures (research equipment, materials, supplies, and travel) by faculty investigators who employ a variety of methods appropriate to their discipline and specific program of research. The funds are administered by the massachusetts agricultural experimentation station, a unit of the center for agriculture, food and the environment (CAFE), within the umass college of natural sciences and typically used by faculty in the department environmental conservation for investigations focused on forest ecosystems, tree growth, invasive pests and forest products.