http://www.fs.fed.us/research/
Minnesota
Forest Service Research and Development (FS R&D) delivers research to Minnesota through the Northern
Research Station (NRS) and its field offices in St. Paul and Grand Rapids. Seventy-seven employees collect
and analyze forest inventory data, create greater understanding of plant diseases and northern forest
ecosystems, and deliver social science insights on how people and natural environments influence each
other. Long-term research in Minnesota is conducted on four experimental forests: Big Falls, Cutfoot,
Marcell, and Pike Bay Experimental Forests.
FY 2013
Enacted ($)
Minnesota Funding History
St. Paul - NRS-5 Forest Inventory and Analysis, NRS-9 People
and their Environments, NRS-15 Strategic Foresight Group
and NRS-16 Restoration and Conservation of Urban and Rural
Forests
Grand Rapids - NRS-7 Center for Research on Ecosystem
Change
MINNESOTA TOTAL
FY 2014
Enacted ($)
FY 2015
Budget ($)
$8,627,000
$9,494,000
$9,494,000
2,087,000
2,300,000
2,200,000
$10,714,000
$11,794,000
$11,694,000
The FY 2015 President’s Budget is $50,495,000 of
which $15,718,000 is for annualized Forest
Inventory and Analysis (FIA). In addition,
$2,944,000 is provided for the National Fire Plan
Research. NRS will also receive a competitive
share of the national amount of $6,914,000 for the
Joint Fire Science Program.
Boardwalks to the experimental chambers in
the SPRUCE Experiment under construction
in July 2012. Photo by Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
Northern Research Station Overview
Headquartered at Newtown Square, PA, NRS
develops and delivers leading-edge science and
technology that helps people ensure the longterm health and productivity of rural and urban
landscapes. NRS maintains 24 field locations and
24 experimental forests across 20 states in the
Midwest and Northeast: Connecticut, Delaware,
Illinois,
Indiana,
Iowa,
Maine,
Maryland,
Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri,
New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio,
Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West
Virginia, and Wisconsin.
FY 2015 Program Changes
The President’s Budget includes a station
decrease of $4,126,000 from the FY 2014 Enacted
level. At this level, the NRS will continue to
provide cutting edge research in urban forestry
and forest disturbance processes as well as
develop practical tools to enhance forest
productivity and increase production of clean air
and water. The FIA program will continue to
monitor and inventory the nation’s forests to
better inform forest policy development and
provide valuable data to enhance accelerated
forest restoration. NRS will focus on the highest
priority research by eliminating the Northeastern
States Research Cooperative; research on
mycology, long term soil productivity, and riparian
research critical to water quality; and the invasive
species program in MI and CT.
FY 2013 Key Accomplishments
 Continued construction of the “Spruce and
Peatland Responses under Climatic and
Environmental Change Experiment” (SPRUCE)
ecosystem warming experiment at Marcell
Experimental Forest in northern Minnesota.
 Linked forest inventory and satellite data to
predict water quality measured in river mouths
on Lakes Superior and Michigan, making it
possible to easily rank and prioritize watersheds
for restoration investments.
 Implemented an operational-scale experiment
in northern Minnesota to emulate Emerald Ash
Borer (EAB) mortality in healthy black ash forests
and to test various replacement tree species for
survival and growth in EAB impacted stands.
 In a 10-city study that included Minneapolis,
found that urban trees remove tons of
particulate matter annually, improving human
health and reducing human mortality.
Priority Research in Minnesota
Forest Service R&D priority research areas build on
existing local and regional research to solve issues
important to the American people. Priority
research activities in Minnesota include:
Forest Disturbance: Management of forest
ecosystems to sustain desired benefits requires
knowledge of how forests change over time in
response
to
natural
disturbances
and
management activities. In Minnesota, forest
managers have a better understanding of shortand long-term ecosystem responses to natural
disturbances and forest management practices,
helping them maintain and enhance the longterm health and productivity of all ecosystems.
Minnesota forest managers can access current
tree and bird distribution maps and habitat
projections under different climate change
scenarios.
Urban Natural Resources Stewardship: With most
people living in urban areas, an emphasis on
science and technology transfer is paramount to
ensure the proper care of natural resources and
the advancement of ecosystem services in urban
and urbanizing landscapes. Communities in
Minnesota have improved tools for assessing,
protecting, and managing urban natural
resources through i-Tree software.
Bioenergy and Biobased Products: America’s
forest resources contribute significantly to energy
security, environmental quality, and economic
opportunity. Minnesota’s potential for poplar
energy plantations has been field tested and the
data is currently being evaluated.
Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA): The NRS FIA
program conducts an updated annual inventory
of Minnesota’s forest resources in cooperation
with the State Forester and other state
organizations. FIA provides the science-based
information needed by the nation’s leaders to
make sound forest policy decisions and to better
understand forest processes and associated
threats to ecosystem health.
Localized Needs Research in Minnesota
Focusing on critical regional and local research
issues, NRS provides research results and tools and
technologies including:
Restoration after Fire: NRS scientists quantified the
immediate aftereffects of the Pagami Creek Fire
in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness,
generating useful information for forest managers
on how a forest regenerates after fire and how
current forest conditions affect fire behavior.
Forest Industry: NRS scientists developed revised
management guidelines for riparian areas,
enabling forest managers and communities to
protect water quality and ecosystems while
helping forest industries remain competitive.
FOREST SERVICE RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT (FS R&D) is a world leader in innovative science for sustaining global forest resources for future
generations. Research findings and products benefit forest and rangeland managers, and everyone who uses goods or services from
forests. We operate five research stations that encompass all 50 states, the Forest Products Laboratory located in Madison, Wisconsin, and
the International Institute of Tropical Forestry located in Puerto Rico. Our researchers and support personnel are located at 67 field sites
throughout the United States. We also maintain 80 experimental forests and ranges across the Nation. Our unique ability to integrate
science and decision making and to work across boundaries between public, private, and tribal lands through strong partnerships
advances the Agency’s three core themes of restoration, communities, and fire.
The FS R&D program has two components: Priority Research Areas and Strategic Program Areas. The Priority Research Areas address
urgent needs in seven areas: Forest Disturbance, Forest Inventory and Analysis, Watershed Management and Restoration, Bioenergy and
Biobased Products, Urban Natural Resources Stewardship, Nanotechnology, and Localized Needs Research (region-specific needs). The
Strategic Program Areas (SPAs) are the long-term programs from which Priority Research Areas are funded. The seven SPAs are: Wildland
Fire and Fuels; Invasive Species; Recreation; Resource Management and Use; Water, Air, and Soil; Wildlife and Fish; and Inventory and
Monitoring.
The FY 2015 President’s Budget includes $275,315,000 for Forest and Rangeland Research, $19,795,000 for the FS R&D National Fire Plan, and
$6,914,000 for the Joint Fire Science Program.