Alabama a & m university mcintire stennis forestry research program includes evaluating silvicultural practices for regenerating shortleaf pine, detecting rare and endangered wildlife species, using…

The U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded Alabama A & M University $724,054 under the Cooperative Forestry Research program (CFDA 10.202) on October 1, 2025, to conduct forestry research and education in Alabama through December 30, 2027.

Alabama A & M will evaluate silvicultural practices for regenerating shortleaf pine, detect rare and endangered wildlife species, identify tipping points in forest structure and function using an ecological geometry approach, assess effects of forest management on imperiled wetland habitats, study and manage urban forest systems, examine water and carbon cycling in newly established pine plantations, and assess age and growth dynamics of oak species using dendrochronology. The university will quantify the occurrence, characteristics, and management of pine-hardwood forests in North Alabama, determine optimal shortleaf pine density levels for reestablishment in the Central Hardwood Region, and examine how crop trees and seed production impact shortleaf pine natural regeneration. The work includes identifying tipping points in ecological processes such as tree growth, longleaf pine cone production, forest-atmosphere interactions, and the effect of prescribed burning on soil erosion. Alabama A & M will augment a geodatabase of key habitats of interest to support wetland management decisions.

Performance occurs in Normal and Huntsville, Alabama. Research is conducted in collaboration with the USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station, National Forests in Alabama, and the Forest Inventory Analysis program. The McIntire-Stennis program supports forestry research production, utilization, and protection of forestland and trains future forestry scientists. Funds must be expended by September 30, 2027, with carryover provisions allowing up to 50 percent of FY 2025 allocation to carry forward.

Alabama a & m university mcintire stennis forestry research program includes evaluating silvicultural practices for regenerating shortleaf pine, detecting rare and endangered wildlife species, using an ecological geometry approach to identifying tipping points in forest structure and function, effects of forest management on imperiled wetland habitats embedded within a forested landscape matrix, studying and managing urban forest systems, water and carbon cycling in newly established pine plantations, and assessing age and growth dynamics of OAK species in a large forest plot using dendrochronology. Most of our research is conducted in collaboration with the USDA forest service, southern research station, national forests in alabama, and (FIA) forest inventory analysis. We are quantifying the occurrence, characteristics, and management of pine hardwood forests in the north alabama region, assessing their ecological and economic importance. Other objectives include using an ecological geometry approach to identify tipping points in forest structure to understand resilience and functions. The goal is to identify tipping points in ecological processes such as general tree growth and the adaptation to a changing environment, longleaf pine cone production, forest atmosphere interactions, and the effect of prescribed burning on soil erosion. Shortleaf pine's lack of natural regeneration is a forest conservation issue that needs proper attention to restore the species. We expect this project to gather valuable data on the natural regeneration of shortleaf pine in the forests within its geographic range. We will determine optimal shortleaf pine density levels for RE establishment species in the central hardwood region and examine how crop trees and seed production impact shortleaf pine natural regeneration. We are also focused on the effects of forest management on imperiled wetland habitats. Specific objectives are to augment a geodatabase of key habitats of interest, particularly those surrounded by or adjacent to forests in north alabama as well as inventory the presence and/or activities of wildlife and vegetation taxa that have been underrepresented in previous studies in key habitats. Between 2000 and 2020, urban land increased by 14%, with projections suggesting IT will more than double by 2060. Urban sprawl leads to habitat loss, increased pollution, and reduced open space. The long term effects of urbanization on avian communities is poorly understood, and we hope to build on previous studies to investigate the seasonal and daily stopover use of urban forests by migratory birds. Finally, we aim to create a new area of focus for forestry research at aamu by training students in studying and managing urban forest systems. This project will focus on forest management in an urban and wildland interface context. We will build expertise at aamu in a growing field of forestry and natural resource management that impacts a majority of society on a daily basis.