http://www.fs.fed.us/research/
Alaska
Forest Service Research and Development (FS R&D) funds research and employs over 40 people in Alaska
through its Pacific Northwest Research Station (PNW). Staffs are located in four locations: Anchorage,
Fairbanks, Juneau, and Sitka. PNW research informs the management of Alaska’s large and diverse forest
resource which ranges from temperate coastal rain forests in the southeast to boreal forests in the north.
Long term research in Alaska is conducted on three experimental forests (EFs) and one research watershed
(RW): Bonanza Creek EF, Héen Latinee EF, Maybeso EF, and Caribou-Poker Creeks RW.
Alaska Funding History
Anchorage Forestry Sciences Laboratory. Programs include
Resource Monitoring and Assessment, and Threat
Characterization and Management.
Fairbanks (Boreal Ecology Cooperative Research Unit). Program is
Ecological Process and Function.
Juneau Forestry Sciences Laboratory. Programs include
Ecological Process and Function; Land and Watershed
Management; Goods, Services, and Values; Focused Science
Delivery; and Threat Characterization and Management.
Sitka (Alaska Wood Utilization Research and Development
Center). Program is Goods, Services, and Values.
ALASKA TOTAL
FY 2013
Enacted ($)
FY 2014
Enacted ($)
FY 2015
Budget ($)
$4,768,831
$5,035,697
$4,771,456
574,996
607,173
575,313
1,986,731
2,097,909
1,987,824
979,028
1,033,815
979,567
$8,309,586
$8,774,594
$8,314,160
The FY 2015 President’s Budget is $38,173,000 of
which $13,107,000 is for annualized Forest
Inventory and Analysis. In addition, $4,082,000 is
provided for National Fire Plan research. PNW will
also receive a competitive share of the national
amount of $6,914,000 for the Joint Fire Science
Program.
FY 2015 Program Changes
The President’s Budget includes a station
decrease of $2,114,000 from the FY 2014
Enacted. The proposed level will sustain many of
the current programs.
Attendees install one of two traditional house posts
during the dedication ceremony for the new Juneau
Forestry Sciences Laboratory. Photo by Cindy Miner.
Pacific Northwest Research Station Overview
Headquartered in Portland, Oregon, PNW’s
mission is to generate and communicate
scientific knowledge that helps solve problems
and inform choices about challenging natural
resource management issues.
The station is
organized into five science programs with
personnel in the three Pacific Northwest states we
serve. In collaboration with a suite of partners, we
deliver interdisciplinary solutions to critical natural
resource problems.
FY 2013 Key Accomplishments:
 Carbon is captured through CO2 uptake by
trees and is stored in forests and wood
products. Forest management opportunities
are being evaluated as climate change
mitigation options. PNW scientists used forest
inventory measurements to develop the first
estimates of aboveground carbon flux and
storage in trees within Alaska’s national
forests. The Chugach National Forest uses
these results in its forest assessment.
 The increase of Alaska’s tourism industry has
led to commercialization of some outdoor
recreation experiences, such as cruise


excursions. PNW scientists have determined
that trades-offs result from this changed
tourism pattern.
Commercialization of
recreation can broaden the accessibility of
outdoor experiences, resulting in a more
diverse visitor profile, but can reduce flexibility
in recreation experiences.
A PNW partnership with the Central Council of
the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska,
the FS Alaska Region, and the University of
Alaska paved the way for collaborative
management
of
the
Héen
Latinee
Experimental Forest (HLEF) near Juneau. The
HLEF will provide research opportunities and
educational programs to introduce Native
youth to careers in natural resources.
PNW officially opened its Juneau laboratory.
The new space provides a collaborative
environment for FS scientists to interact with
university faculty, students, and key regional
stakeholders. Energy-efficient features and
regionally sourced building materials feature
prominently in the facility.
Priority Research in Alaska
Forest Service R&D priority research areas build on
existing local and regional research to solve
problems important to the American people.
Priority research activities in Alaska 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. Research on trends in
forest composition in southeastern and southcentral Alaska revealed an 8-percent increase in
live-tree biomass at higher elevations over a 13year period. Individual species within the rain
forest, however, differed—western red cedar
biomass increased by 4 percent, while shore pine
declined by almost 5 percent. These trends
indicate that warmer growing seasons associated
with a changing climate alter growing conditions
in temperate rain forests.
Bioenergy and Biobased Products: America’s
forest resources contribute significantly to energy
security, environmental quality, and economic
opportunity. In southeast Alaska, energy issues are
critical to the economic viability and sustainability
of many communities. PNW scientists found that
biomass and other renewable energy sources
could play an integral role in Sitka, Alaska’s
energy planning. Scientists identified opportunities
for Sitka to increase its energy security through
community energy management strategies.
Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA):
The FIA
program provides current conditions and recent
trends for public and private forest land in the
United States. Forest inventory allows America to
see how its forests are changing over time. PNW
will continue the annual inventory work on
coastal forest lands in Alaska.
Localized Needs Research in Alaska
Focusing on critical regional and local research
issues,
PNW Needs
provides research results and tools
Research
and technologies including:
Wildlife Habitat: Wood decay fungi are
particularly important habitat components in
coastal Alaska rain forests. The softened wood
and cavities in live trees produced by decay
fungi serve as essential mammal and bird habitat.
PNW researchers identified several management
activities that can significantly speed the
development of these cavity structures. The
Tongass National Forest uses this information to
decide how to best manage forests for multiple
benefits.
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.