Forest Science and Health

May 16, 2024

National Forum on Biological Control: A Long Time In Coming

By Bob Simpson, NASF Forest Health and Science Committee Staff Biological control (biocontrol) is the purposeful use of natural enemies of dangerous, damaging and otherwise undesirable pests through parasitoids, predators and pathogens to reduce the risk and damage caused by harmful organisms to acceptable levels. It is not a new science; early uses include ancient [read more]

Montage of photos depicting state forestry agency work in the protection of water quality

February 10, 2022

NASF joins the Source Water Collaborative

The sign-on of the National Association of State Foresters makes 30 members for the Source Water Collaborative. Since its start in 1920, NASF has served as a leading authority on forest management in the United States. NASF’s membership is composed of the directors of forestry agencies in the 50 states, five U.S. territories, three nations [read more]

Stand of conifer trees in winter amidst falling snow

February 2, 2022

What happens to trees in winter?

By Hannah Wagner Happy Groundhog Day! One of the strangest American traditions took place this morning, and the ending wasn’t ideal. A famous groundhog named Phil saw his shadow… What a bummer! While I’m sure you’re disappointed to have to bear six more weeks of winter, have you ever wondered what cold weather means for [read more]

Bringing students to the forest

July 22, 2021

The evolution of Project Learning Tree

By Mikayla Manthiram Young children and teenagers today are growing up amid looming, existential threats, not least of which is a changing climate.  Catastrophic wildfire, drought, and extreme weather events, all exacerbated by climate change, have created a generation of climate conscious young people. Project Learning Tree (PLT) is a program for these students. It [read more]

Two forestry workers

May 24, 2021

How state-to-landowner assistance helps reduce wildfire risk

By Marvin Brown | This blog is a cross-post and will appear in the Summer 2021 edition of the National Woodlands Magazine. Landowner assistance programs are a core function of state forestry agencies. States combine their own funds with support from the USDA Forest Service Stewardship Program to provide landowners with information, education, and plans [read more]

May 6, 2021

You call a forest 'home,' whether you know it or not!

By Keith Wood If you live in a city or town, did you realize you actually live in a forest? It is estimated that 138 million acres of trees comprise the urban forests in cities and towns across the United States. These forests span many ownership boundaries and provide numerous environmental, economic, and social benefits [read more]

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