Cover photo : Tom Iraci
Table of Contents
5 A Message From the PNW Station Director
6 PNW Research Station: The Setting
22 Goal 2: Assess the Status and Trends of Ecosystems and Natural Resources and Their Uses
7 Goal Accomplishments
30 Goal 3: Develop Science-Based Options for Informed Management
8 Goal 1: Develop a Fundamental Understanding of Ecological, Social, and Economic Systems and Their Interactions
54 Goal 4: Communicate Science Findings and Enhance Their Application
67 Publications
78 Finances and Workforce
68 Symposia, Workshops, and Tours
79 Cooperators Who Received Funding for Studies
70 Conservation Education
79 Clients Who Provided Funding for Studies
73 Honors and Awards
80 PNW Research Station Organization
77 Research Context
Bob Szaro
Vision and Mission:
We are highly sought for our scientific leadership and impartial
knowledge. Our mission is to generate and communicate scientific
knowledge that helps people understand and make informed choices
about people, natural resources, and the environment.
SCIENCE 2006 aCCOMPLISHMENTS
John Laurence
STATION DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE
A MESSAGE FROM THE STATION DIRECTOR
S
ince assuming the position of Station Director at the
Pacific Northwest (PNW) Research Station in spring
2006, I have had the pleasure of visiting employees,
partners, customers, and stakeholders. It is apparent to me
that their collective dedication makes possible the high
volume of quality publications, technology, products, and
services that are produced by the Station year after year.
Some highlights for 2006:
➤ The Pacific Northwest is generally well positioned as a
world leader in wood production; challenges include forest
fragmentation, parcelization, and international competition.
➤ Alaska yellow-cedar heartwood, its essential oil, and
compounds from the heartwood prevent reproduction
of the fungus that is responsible for sudden oak death.
➤ Sagebrush habitats are declining rapidly across western
North America, with populations of over 350 associated
plant and animal species at risk of extirpation.
➤ The Coastal Landscape Analysis Modeling Study
(CLAMS) shows that hardwood and vegetation diversity
may decline under current policies.
➤ An incident command tool for protecting drinking water
(ICWater) was made available to all 50 states.
The hard work of scientists at PNW Research Station is
evident in their productivity. Last year they produced 500
publications—255 of which were journal articles. Their
attention to quality and relevancy is what makes this Station
a leader in the scientific community and is reflected in the
demand for their products and services. In 2006, about
6,600 people attended symposia, workshops, field tours,
and conservation education events sponsored by the Station.
Over 120,000 hardcopy publications were distributed and
hundreds of thousands of publications were downloaded.
Truly impressive.
In my visits to the Station’s labs, I have seen that the scientific
workforce of PNW Research Station depends on an administrative support staff to keep our facilities functioning, hire and
support our field crews, administer budgets, process grants
and agreements, oversee the civil rights program, maintain
our fleet of vehicles, and make our safety program the best
it can be. In times of great change for the Forest Service in
most of these areas, I am particularly grateful for the Station’s
excellent administrative support staff.
I look forward to the opportunity to lead an already excellent
Station as we work to reach great heights in the future. For
starters, we will strengthen our partnerships with stakeholders
and customers in the coming year. As this report shows,
partners are enormously important in accomplishing our
work. And the satisfaction of a job well done comes when
we know that our customers are putting our science to use.
From my angle, our future looks bright. It is with this sense
of optimism that I look forward to the year ahead.
Bov Eav
PNW Station Director
January 2007
SCIENCE 2006 aCCOMPLISHMENTS
PNW Research Station: The Setting
➤
11 laboratories and centers in Alaska, Oregon, and
Washington
➤ 11 active experimental areas (watershed, range,
and experimental forests)
➤ Research also conducted in more than 20 research natural areas (RNAs)
➤ Headquarters in Portland, Oregon
➤
PNW is 1 of 5 research stations in the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service
➤ 479 employees (298 permanent, 181 temporary)
A L A S K A
Y
Y
Fairbanks
Anchorage
Laboratory or Center
Y Experimental Forest, Watershed, or Range
Juneau
> Headquarters
Y
Sitka
Y
Seattle
Olympia
Wenatchee
WA S H I N G T O N
Y
Y
> Portland
Corvallis
Y
Y
La Grande
Y
Prineville
Y
O R E G O N
Y