Nicholas Skowronski

Title: Research Forester
Unit: Climate, Fire, and Carbon Cycle Sciences
Address: Northern Research Station
Silas Little Experimental Forest
New Lisbon, NJ 08064
Phone: 609-894-0325
E-mail: Contact Nicholas Skowronski

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Education

• Ph.D. Ecology and Evolution, 2011, Rutgers University (New Brunswick, NJ)
• B.S. Environmental Science, 2001, Dickinson College (Carlisle, PA)

Civic & Professional Affiliations

• Ecological Society of America
• International Association of Wildland Fire

Current Research

My current research focuses on the quantification and analysis of the structural characteristics of forest canopies and how this relates to carbon and water cycles. I have recently been using a newly emerging remote sensing technology called LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) which actively characterizes the canopy with a laser beam. My work is split between developing methods for using LiDAR and other remotes sensing techniques for wildfire mitigation and studying how forest functionality changes after disturbance.

Why is This Important

This research is being conducted to provide information that is allows us to map wildfire risks in 3-D across large areas and to use this information to strategically implement fuel reduction treatments. We are also working to apply this work in the wildland urban interface and intermix environments (where homes and forests come together) to help understand how property owners can manage vegetation around their homes to minimize the effects of potential wildfires.

We also use this research to help us quantify how changes in canopy structure from human caused and natural disturbances change an ecosystem's cycling of carbon and water. By further studying these forest dynamics, we can better understand how the forest's ability to sequester carbon changes after different levels of disturbance.

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