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What's New?

Northwoods Environmental Scholars Program

Oneida County is known as the region of Wisconsin’s Northwoods, “Where nature lingered longer.” However, despite the nearly 560,000 acres of forestland and 1,100 lakes and streams in the county, youth of the area substantiate the national trend of nature deficit disorder, whereby children are gravitating away from outdoor experiences and towards a virtual, sedentary indoor reality. Along with program managers, pictured below are local high school scholars who were recently awarded for their successful completion of the 3rd Annual Northwoods Environmental Scholars Program, a partnership among the Institute for Applied Ecosystem Studies (IAES), Rhinelander High School (RHS), and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR). The program’s long-term objectives are to: 1) provide high school students with outdoor experiences and opportunities related to science and natural resources; 2) increase environmental awareness and excitement among local youth; and 3) strengthen partnerships between the IAES and the greater Rhinelander community, especially the Rhinelander School District and land management agencies such as the WDNR. The scholars took part in office, lab, and field investigations to discuss natural resource topics including: water quality, wildlife biology, phytotechnologies, renewable energy, energy crop production, climate change, silviculture, tree genetics, and entomology. In addition, the 2011 Scholars conducted two small-scale research studies focused on afforestation and shoreline stabilization on the Willow Flowage located northwest of Rhinelander. Two highlights of the 2011 program were the incorporation of peer mentors (previous scholars that come back to the program) and that scholars received 0.5 high school credits for their participation. Planning for the 2012 Northwoods Environmental Scholars Program is underway.

Read more about our 2011 NES program (pdf) >>>

Carbon Implications of Poplar Energy Crops Throughout the Energy Supply Chain

Principal Investigator
Ron Zalesny, NRS-13

Co-Investigators
Rick Hall, Iowa State University
JY Zhu, Forest Products Laboratory
Robert Froese, Michigan Technological University
Tom Isenhart, Iowa State University
Chris Swanston, NRS-06
Jesse Randall, Iowa State University

Woody production systems and conversion technologies are needed to: maintain healthy forests and ecosystems, create high paying manufacturing jobs, and meet local/regional energy demands. Poplars are dedicated energy crops that can be strategically placed in the landscape to conserve soil and water, recycle nutrients, and sequester carbon. However, key environmental and economic uncertainties preclude broad-scale production of biofuels/bioproducts from poplar wood. Therefore, building on decades of research conducted in Rhinelander and throughout the region, we are evaluating the fate of carbon in soils and woody biomass, soil greenhouse gas emissions, and conversion efficiency barriers throughout the energy supply chain. Our specific objectives are to: 1) evaluate soil carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) during establishment, 2) determine carbon sequestration in aboveground biomass during plantation development, and 3)  identify poplar genotypes with high productivity and low recalcitrance for biochemical conversion. Overall, we seek to synthesize the results within the framework of the energy supply chain. Our multidisciplinary partnership enhances long-standing collaborations among the Northern Research Station, Forest Products Laboratory, Iowa State University, and Michigan Technological University scientists and provides further internal FS R&D linkages between resource management (NRS) and utilization (FPL). Direct benefits include a better understanding of carbon stocks in soils and aboveground biomass, GHG emissions, and selection of favorable poplar genotypes for biochemical conversion. Researchers and resources managers will be able to make informed policy and management decisions, and private landowners will enhance conservation of their natural resources while moving closer to job creation via woody feedstock production.