http://www.fs.fed.us/research/
Vermont
Forest Service Research and Development (FS R&D) delivers research to Vermont through the Northern
Research Station (NRS) and its field office in Burlington, which employs nine people. The research here
focuses on natural resource use and physiological responses to environmental stress and development of
applications for technology dissemination.
Vermont Funding History
Burlington-NRS-2 Sustaining Forests in a Changing Environment,
NRS-7 Center for Research on Ecosystem Change, NRS-9
People and their Environments, and NRS-16 Restoration and
Conservation of Urban and Rural Forests
Northeastern States Research Cooperative (NSRC)
VERMONT TOTAL
FY 2013
Enacted ($)
FY 2014
Enacted ($)
FY 2015
Budget ($)
$2,527,000
$2,551,000
$2,505,000
575,000
575,000
0
$3,102,000
$3,126,000
$2,505,000
share of the national amount of $6,914,000 for the
Joint Fire Science Program.
A recent NRS study showed that old-growth softwood trees like
those shown here stored 25 percent more carbon than oldgrowth hardwoods. Photo by U.S. Forest Service.
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.
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
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
 Found that old-growth softwood forests
measured in Vermont, New Hampshire, and
Maine contained 25 percent more carbon than
old-growth
hardwoods,
but
old-growth
hardwood forests have about the same amount
of carbon as mature second-growth hardwood
sites. This research is important for forest carbon
management.
 NRS researchers worked to develop and
improve methods to help children learn and
remember important information about their
environment.
These
techniques
promote
environmental
literacy
and
ecological
understanding.
 Contributed to designing a nationally consistent,
objective, and transparent method and a
database to monitor the effectiveness of best
management practices for land disturbing
activities on all national forests and grasslands.
Priority Research in Vermont
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 Vermont include:
Forest Disturbance: As climate changes so will our
forests. We need to understand how to manage
our forests to adapt to climate change, including
providing opportunities for new and changing
species mixes, restoring forests and wetlands as
temperatures and rainfall change, controlling
invasive insects and diseases, and reducing
wildfire risk. Vermont 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 delivery of ecosystem services in urban and
urbanizing landscapes. Vermont cities can access
data online on urban natural resource
composition and health.
Watershed Management and Restoration: The
availability of clean water is becoming limited in
many parts of the U.S. It is important to
understand where water shortages will occur,
identify how future climate will affect rainfall and
snowfall, and find ways to reduce water pollution
and effectively manage and protect water
sources.
Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA): The NRS FIA
program conducts an updated annual inventory
of Vermont’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 Vermont
Focusing on critical regional and local research
issues, NRS provides research results and tools and
technologies including:
American Chestnut Restoration: NRS researchers
are helping restore American chestnut to
Vermont’s forests. Recent work tested the cold
hardiness of new hybrid/backcross stock in the
northern portion of the chestnut’s original range.
Climate Change Mitigation: NRS researchers in
Vermont developed an online tool used to
identify and reduce carbon dioxide emissions. The
CarbonPlus Calculator, which has been adapted
by several major cities, provides tips on how to
reduce a carbon footprint and describes the
many benefits trees provide in addition to
absorbing carbon.
Forest Management: NRS researchers have
worked to develop and improve the Northeast
Decision Model (NED), a collection of software
products used by landowners, foresters, and other
resource managers to produce sustainable
management plans for forest properties.
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.