Explore the largest forest research organization in the world alongside scientists studying, questioning, and solving some of today's most compelling forest issues. Through stories, interviews, and special series, learn what’s happening in your forests, and where those forest ecosystems might be headed.
Season 4: Afire
A 360-degree introduction to fire from a scientific standpoint. The story of how fire research shapes our landscapes and our lives.
Season 3: Women of Research
Highlighting women’s perspectives in research over the past 50 years, scientists share stories of mentors and mentorship, motherhood, rural and urban stewardship, passions for science, leadership, and beyond.
Season 2: Backcross
As non-native insects and diseases threaten ash, elm, and chestnut trees, chemicals and biological controls only offer temporary protection. Dive into the double-stranded story of tree species restoration and resistance breeding alongside the scientists working towards a long-term solution, a long-term resistance.
Season 1: Balance & Barrier
More than 450 non-native insects have invaded our forests and urban trees since European settlement. Come explore stories of the Asian longhorned beetle, emerald ash borer, spongy moth, and hemlock woolly adelgid, as well as the scientists studying and combating these pests.
EXTRA: A Window of Resurgence for Red Spruce:
In the 1970s, red spruce was the forest equivalent of a canary in the coal mine, signaling that acid rain was damaging forests and that some species—especially red spruce—ere particularly sensitive to this human induced damage. In the course of studying the lingering effects of acid rain, scientists came up with a surprising result—decades later, the canary is feeling much better.
EXTRA: The Two-Sided Story of Periodical Cicadas:
Two scientists—one who’s tracked the aboveground movements of cicadas, and another who’s unearthed the belowground impact of these insects—take you inside the many mysteries and forgotten elements of these evolutionary enigmas.
EXTRA: Flying the Nuthatch Home:
Once spanning nearly 6 million acres in Missouri's Ozarks, the shortleaf pine and oak woodland ecosystem has dwindled to 100,000 acres today. Along with the loss of this habitat, a bird—the brown-headed nuthatch—disappeared as well. However, after decades of woodland restoration, the brown-headed nuthatch has returned to Missouri—by plane.
Discover more at fs.usda.gov/research/products/multimedia/forestcast
What started as a podcast produced by the Northern Research Station focusing on the Northeast and Midwest has now expanded to cover a wide range of forest topics from across USDA Forest Service Research and Development.
Forestcast is an official USDA Forest Service podcast.
Questions or ideas for the show? Connect with Jon at [email protected]
Afire: The 14th Victim & Missoula Fire Sciences Lab (Mann Gulch 75) When Harry Gisborne, the Forest Service's first fire scientist, died investigating the Mann Gulch Fire in 1949, he became known as its '14th victim.' Through personal stories and historical accounts, we explore how the tragic fire that killed 13 firefighters led to the creation of the Missoula Fire Sciences Lab and revolutionized wildland fire research. Current and former lab leaders, and , share how Mann Gulch's legacy continues to shape firefighter safety and fire science today. Related Research: (2024) (2023) (2023) (2020) (2017) (2014) (2012) (1993) (1977) (1976) (1972) (1959) Forestcast is an official USDA Forest Service podcast, and is produced by . Want more information? Visit us at Questions or ideas for the show? Contact Jon at [email protected]/episode/index/show/forestservice/id/34480605
Afire: The 13th Fire & Mr. Mann Gulch (Mann Gulch 75) On a scorching August afternoon in 1949, a small fire in Montana's Mann Gulch turned catastrophic in just minutes. Through storyteller David Turner, experience this haunting tale that transformed wildland firefighting forever, and discover how this fire claimed the lives of 13 smokejumpers and sparked a revolution in fire safety and science. Join Forestcast as we travel to Helena, Montana to commemorate this monumental moment in Forest Service history, and find out how science is part of this story. Related Research: Forestcast is an official USDA Forest Service podcast, and is produced by . Want more information? Visit us at Questions or ideas for the show? Contact Jon at [email protected]/episode/index/show/forestservice/id/34358075
Afire: A Chief's Perspective on Fire How does research shape a Chief’s decisions about fire? Through personal stories and reflections, shares how scientific discoveries have transformed our agency’s understanding of fire, and explains how research informs decision-making at the highest levels, the role of partnerships in advancing fire science, and the future of fire management across our landscapes. Related Research: Forestcast is an official USDA Forest Service podcast, and is produced by . Want more information? Visit us at Questions or ideas for the show? Contact Jon at [email protected]/episode/index/show/forestservice/id/34183815
Afire: Fire Ignition, Mitigation & Recovery Fire shapes landscapes and lives, but how do humans shape fire? By measuring wildfire ignition, mitigation, and recovery, as well as the wildland-urban interface—where houses meet or intermingle with undeveloped wildland vegetation—scientists are uncovering the complex dynamics between wildfire and human behavior. Research social scientist, , sheds light on the rapidly growing wildland-urban interface and the challenges it poses for fire management and community resilience. Research forester, , delves into private landowners' behavior in central Oregon, and the surprising insights into their awareness of fire risks and the factors influencing their mitigation actions. Kline also investigates the various ways humans cause wildfires across the Pacific Northwest, and what can be done with that data. Related Research: (2024) (2023) (2023) (2022) (2020) (2018) (2018) (2015) (2015) (2008) (1987) (2023) (2022) (2017) (2015) Scientists: , Research Social Scientist, Baltimore, Maryland , Research Forester, Corvallis, Oregon Forestcast is an official USDA Forest Service podcast, and is produced by . Want more information? Visit us at Questions or ideas for the show? Contact Jon at [email protected]/episode/index/show/forestservice/id/31275462
Afire: Fire Effects Above and Belowground Fire affects forests above and belowground. Travel along on a multiscale journey from forest-wide influences to molecular-level changes, unraveling the knowns and unknowns of fire effects on soil, vegetation, and carbon. explains how fire affects tree mortality, tracing the pivotal role of carbohydrates in a tree's post-fire survival. investigates the production and persistence of black carbon in soils, shedding light on its potential climate implications. shares innovative techniques for measuring belowground heat transfer during fires, and unveils the intricate effects on soil nutrients and microbial life. Related Research: (2024) (2024) (2023) (2023) (2016) (2023) (2022) (2008) (2004) Scientists: , Research Ecologist, Missoula, Montana , Research Ecologist, Athens, Georgia , Research Ecologist, Delaware, Ohio Forestcast is an official USDA Forest Service podcast, and is produced by . Want more information? Visit us at Questions or ideas for the show? Contact Jon at [email protected]/episode/index/show/forestservice/id/31089208
Afire: Fire Weather, Wind & Smoke From whipping winds that fan flames to swirling smoke that obscures visibility, fire weather is a complex phenomenon. In Episode 4 of "Afire," hear from three meteorologists at the intersection of the intricate relationships between fire weather, wind, and smoke. explains how large-scale atmospheric patterns, like extended dry periods before a wildfire, may contribute to the development of extreme fire events. discusses WindNinja, a high-resolution wind model that simulates local winds in complex terrain. And investigates the turbulent dynamics of small‑scale surface fires, as well as superfog—dense smoke-enhanced fog that can severely reduce visibility. Related Research: (2022) (2022) (2021) (2016) (2014) (2024) (2019) (2019) (2009) Scientists: , Research Meteorologist, Seattle, Washington , Research Meteorologist, Missoula, Montana , Research Meteorologist, Athens, Georgia Forestcast is an official USDA Forest Service podcast, and is produced by . Want more information? Visit us at Questions or ideas for the show? Contact Jon at [email protected]/episode/index/show/forestservice/id/30946343
Afire: Understanding Different FirePrescribed fire plays a vital role in creating healthy landscapes that better survive natural and human-caused disturbances, while reducing wildfire risk to communities, infrastructure, and natural and cultural resources. Episode 3 of "Afire" highlights three scientists and partnerships that are attempting to better understand and utilize prescribed fire. From Georgia, ecologist explains how researchers and forest managers are forming unique meetings that spark fresh ideas and advancements in prescribed burning across the South. In California, forester begins research into the processes related to pyrolysis to better estimate how prescribed burning affects people. And, in Arkansas, forestry technician recounts a decades-long story of prescribed fire fortifying an ecosystem and an endangered woodpecker. Related Research: (2020) (2022) (2020) (2018) (2015) (2023) (2013) (2010) Scientists: , Research Ecologist, Southern Research Station, Athens, Georgia , Research Forester, Pacific Southwest Research Station, Riverside, California , Forestry Technician, Southern Research Station, Hot Springs, Arkansas Forestcast is an official USDA Forest Service podcast, and is produced by . Want more information? Visit us at Questions or ideas for the show? Contact Jon at [email protected]/episode/index/show/forestservice/id/30893303
Afire: Understanding Fire DifferentlyIndigenous tribes gained their unique understanding of fire, and the role of fire on the landscape, long before European settlers came to what is now called North America. Since then, the relationship between federal fire management and indigenous perspectives has often been one of misunderstanding and mistrust. On Episode 2 of "Afire," join Forest Service scientists, , a tribal descendant, and , a tribal member, as they explain the ways in which Forest Service fire research is collaborating with tribes to jointly strive to better understand and manage fire. Related Research: (2023) (2023) (2023) (2022) (2022) (2022) (2022) (2021) (2021) (2021) (2019) (2019) n (2018) (2017) (2017) Scientists: , Research Ecologist, Pacific Southwest Research Station, Arcata, California , National Program Lead for Tribal Research, Missoula, Montana Forestcast is an official USDA Forest Service podcast, and is produced by . Want more information? Visit us at Questions or ideas for the show? Connect with Jon at [email protected]/episode/index/show/forestservice/id/30805678
Afire: Understanding FireFire is a form all of its own, but a simple way to understand fire is as a swarm. A swarm of bees. Or starlings. Or mosquitos. A spreading fire is a swarm of ignitions, a series of small fires over and over. Season 4 of Forestcast is a series of fires, a series of voices. It’s a 360-degree introduction to fire from a scientific standpoint. The story of how fire research shapes our landscapes, and our lives. Through kaleidoscoping voices from across the country, listeners will be taken inside the largest forest research organization in the world to hear from seventeen scientists on what they know, and don’t know, about one of the most complex elements in nature—fire. In episode one, hear from research mechanical engineer, Sara McAllister, on the process of ignition; spatial fire analyst, Greg Dillon, on the timeline of fire management and research in the Forest Service; and research forester, Dan Dey, on the history of fire: where it was, where it’s been, and what can be done knowing its history? Related Research: (2023) (2023) (2023) (2023) (2022) (2022) Scientists: , Research Mech. Engineer, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Missoula, Montana , Spatial Fire Analyst, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Missoula, Montana , Research Forester, Northern Research Station, Columbia, Missouri Forestcast is an official USDA Forest Service podcast, and is produced by . Want more information? Visit us at Questions or ideas for the show? Connect with Jon at [email protected] This episode, we used the following archival recordings: [National Wildfire Coordinating Group] [C-SPAN] [USDA Forest Service] [USDA Forest Service] [C-SPAN] [AAPB] [AAPB] [U of Montana] [Forest History Society] [Montana PBS] [Wildland Fire LLC] [C-SPAN] [AAPB] [USDA Forest Service] [C-SPAN] /episode/index/show/forestservice/id/30711168
Flying the Nuthatch HomeOnce spanning nearly 6 million acres in Missouri's Ozarks, the shortleaf pine and oak woodland ecosystem has dwindled to 100,000 acres today. Along with the loss of this habitat, a bird—the brown-headed nuthatch—disappeared as well. However, after decades of woodland restoration, the brown-headed nuthatch has returned to Missouri—by plane. Over two summers in 2020 and 2021, a team of scientists successfully captured and flew 102 birds from Arkansas to Missouri, marking the bird’s return to the state after being locally extinct since 1907. Weighing in at a mere one-third of an ounce, approximately the combined weight of a nickel and a quarter, the return of the brown-headed nuthatch is nevertheless a weighty event. Related Research: (2019) (2015) (2014) Scientists: , Research Wildlife Biologist, Northern Research Station, Columbia, Missouri Jody Eberly, Wildlife Biologist/Fire Mgmt. Officer (Retired), Mark Twain National Forest, Rolla, Missouri Angelina Trombley, Wildlife Biologist, Mark Twain National Forest, Doniphan, Missouri We used the following recordings from the at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology: ML180391131 (Milton Hobbs, Georgia, USA), ML225986 (Bob McGuire, Florida, USA) & ML unknown (Andrew Spencer, Florida, USA) Produced by the USDA Forest Service . Want more information? Visit us at Questions or ideas for the show? Connect with Jon at: [email protected]/episode/index/show/forestservice/id/27278166
Women of Research: Our Sustainable Future with Cindi West has over 30 years of experience working across private industry, academia, and federal government in a variety of jobs to ensure sustainability of natural resources. In February 2021 she assumed the position of Director of the and the . She has served in various leadership roles in the Forest Service, including as the Director of the Office of Sustainability & Climate Change, Associate Deputy Chief for R&D, Director for Resource Use Sciences, and Deputy Station Director for Pacific Northwest Research Station. Cindi holds a BS degree in Forestry Management, an MBA in Marketing and Management, and a PhD in Wood Science and Forest Products from Virginia Tech. As a research scientist, she published more than 60 papers and presented at more than 80 conferences on forest sector trade and industry development. Scientist: , Station Director, Northern Research Station, Madison, Wisconsin If you're interested in hearing from more women in the Forest Service, visit the and their . Produced by the USDA Forest Service . Want more information? Visit us at Questions or ideas for the show? Connect with Jon at: [email protected]/episode/index/show/forestservice/id/26522496
Women of Research: Scientific & Ethical Integrity with Maggie Hardy is the program manager of the Rocky Mountain Research Station , a group of scientists that develops and delivers scientific knowledge and management tools for sustaining and restoring the health, biodiversity, productivity, and ecosystem processes of forest and woodland landscapes. Before joining the Rocky Mountain Research Station, Maggie served as Chief Regulatory Scientist and as an Executive Director with the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority. In these roles, Maggie managed areas of policy; regulation and budget; provided strategic stakeholder engagement; and led integrated learning and development initiatives. In previous federal government roles, including with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Ga., Maggie held broad responsibilities for program implementation and regulatory assurance, as well as emergency response and preparedness. Her career has focused on incorporating research in drug discovery, bioterrorism agents, vector-borne diseases, and foodborne, waterborne, and environmental diseases. Related Research: (2017) (2017) (2014) (2013) Scientist: , Forest & Woodland Ecosystems Program Manager, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Flagstaff, Arizona If you're interested in hearing from more women in the Forest Service, visit the and their . Produced by the USDA Forest Service . Want more information? Visit us at Questions or ideas for the show? Connect with Jon at: [email protected]/episode/index/show/forestservice/id/26482365
Women of Research: Changing the World Through Soil with Deb Page-DumroeseResearch soil scientist research interests center around maintaining soil productivity during and after land management activities. As site principal investigator for several plots, Deb is well-versed in the pre- and post-treatment sampling necessary to determine changes in above- and below-ground nutrient properties associated with harvesting, organic matter removal, and biochar additions. In partnership with the Missoula Technology Development Center (Keith Windell) and Dr. Nate Anderson (RMRS) she developed a to easily distribute biochar on forest sites. Related Research: (2022) (2022) (2016) (2009) (2006) Scientist: , Research Soil Scientist, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Moscow, Idaho If you're interested in hearing from more women in the Forest Service, visit the and their . Produced by the USDA Forest Service . Want more information? Visit us at Questions or ideas for the show? Connect with Jon at: [email protected]/episode/index/show/forestservice/id/26462790
Women of Research: A Life of Healthy Forests with Jenny JuzwikResearch plant pathologist, , conducts studies on diseases of trees that impact forest health and productivity. Her career-long interest and passion has been the study of interactions among microorganisms and insects associated with disease occurrence and development. One particular focus has been on the insects responsible for transmission of the oak wilt fungus, Bretziella fagacearum. In 2014 she completed research that involved elucidation of the major biotic determinants of hickory decline and investigation of the role(s) putative pathogens play in the complex. In 2010, she initiated 13 years of investigations of bark and ambrosia beetles associated with eastern black walnut in the Midwestern states and their potential as carriers of the Thousand Cankers Disease fungus, Geosmithia morbida, as well as other pathogenic fungi that may cause symptoms similar to those of thousand cankers disease. Related Research: (2022) (2020) (2016) Scientist: , Research Plant Pathologist, Northern Research Station, St, Paul, Minnesota If you're interested in hearing from more women in the Forest Service, visit the and their . Produced by the USDA Forest Service . Want more information? Visit us at Questions or ideas for the show? Connect with Jon at: [email protected]/episode/index/show/forestservice/id/26422491
Women of Research: The Nature of Stewardship with Lindsay CampbellResearch social scientist, Lindsay Campbell, explores the dynamics of civic stewardship, environmental governance, and sustainability policymaking--with a particular emphasis on issues of social and environmental justice—all from New York City. She is a founding member of the New York City , which was jointly created by the Northern Research Station and the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. The Urban Field Station develops and applies adaptive management and science to improve human well-being and the environment in urban metropolitan areas. She creates transdisciplinary spaces of collaboration between land managers, scientists, artists, and other practitioners. Related Research: (2022) (2021) (2021) (2016) Scientist: , Research Social Scientist, Northern Research Station, New York, New York If you're interested in hearing from more women in the Forest Service, visit the and their . Produced by the USDA Forest Service . Want more information? Visit us at Questions or ideas for the show? Connect with Jon at: [email protected]/episode/index/show/forestservice/id/26385948
Women of Research: Plots to Blocks with Sjana SchanningEcologist Sjana Schanning’s fieldwork has taken her from the Rincon Mountains of Arizona, to the the winter woods of Wisconsin, to the summer shores of Michigan’s Isle Royale. But, she’s recently shifted away from the field towards data analysis, our cities’ trees and the Urban FIA Program. Sjana collects field data and performs data analysis and reporting for the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Program. FIA data provides critical status and trend information to resource managers, policy makers, investors, and the public through a system of annual resource inventory that covers both public and private forest lands across the United States. Related Research: (2022) (2015) Scientist: , Ecologist, Forest Inventory and Analysis, Northern Research Station, Hayward, Wisconsin If you're interested in hearing from more women in the Forest Service, visit the and their . Produced by the USDA Forest Service . Want more information? Visit us at Questions or ideas for the show? Connect with Jon at: [email protected]/episode/index/show/forestservice/id/26335665
Women of Research: Juggling Motherhood & Ornithology with Susannah LermanEcologist Susannah Lerman walks us through her career and life, from falling in love with birds in Israel, to making something more of mowing, to hosting a motherhood workshop, to the mentors that enabled her to create a career out of science. Susannah’s research goal is to improve the sustainability of urban and human-dominated landscapes for birds, bees and other wildlife, and advancing human well-being through strengthening connections between people and nearby nature. Related Research: (2021) (2018) Scientist: , Research Ecologist, Northern Research Station, Amherst, Massachusetts If you're interested in hearing from more women in the Forest Service, visit the and their . Produced by the USDA Forest Service . Want more information? Visit us at Questions or ideas for the show? Connect with Jon at: [email protected]/episode/index/show/forestservice/id/26302572
Women of Research: Watershed Moments & Moms with Chelcy MiniatEcologist Chelcy Miniat shares watershed moments of her career and life, from a spark of science in sixth grade, to her time at the Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory, to her decisions about if and when to have children. Chelcy is the program manager of the Rocky Mountain Research Station Maintaining Resilient Dryland Ecosystems (MRDE) program, a group of scientists that investigates the biology, use, management, and restoration of grasslands, shrublands, and deserts. Her own research is centered on developing a mechanistic understanding of watershed ecosystem function by studying how abiotic and biotic factors (species, environmental variables, disturbances) regulate carbon, nutrient, and water cycling processes. Related Research: (2021) Scientist: , Maintaining Resilient Dryland Ecosystems Program Manager, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Albuquerque, New Mexico If you're interested in hearing from more women in the Forest Service, visit the and their . Produced by the USDA Forest Service . Want more information? Visit us at Questions or ideas for the show? Connect with Jon at: [email protected]/episode/index/show/forestservice/id/26264787
Women of Research: An Ode to Mentors by Sara BrownEcologist takes us through eight chapters of her career and the 10 mentors that made her, from wildland firefighting, to smokejumping, to teaching in New Mexico, to directing the Missoula Fire Science Lab. Sara is a classically trained ecologist, with a focus on fire ecology. Before her return to the Forest Service in 2015, she was an Assistant Professor of Forestry at New Mexico Highlands University. She taught wildfire science and ecology courses, and enjoyed working on research problems in the field with students. Her applied research program provided graduate and undergraduate students with opportunities to work on questions relating to fire effects, fire intensity, fuel treatment effects and understanding fire history as it applies to reintroducing appropriate fire return intervals to a variety of ecosystems. Today, she is the Fire, Fuel & Smoke Program Manager at the Rocky Mountain Research Station in Missoula, Montana. Related Research: (2020) (2018) (2017) Scientist: , Fire, Fuel & Smoke Program Manager, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Missoula, Montana If you're interested in hearing more women in the Forest Service, visit the and their . Produced by the USDA Forest Service . Want more information? Visit us at Questions or ideas for the show? Connect with Jon at: [email protected]/episode/index/show/forestservice/id/26234691
Women of Research: Twenty-Five Years of Mentorship with Laura Kenefic & Susan StoutTo celebrate the immeasurable impact of women in our nation’s history, and to honor the scientists who have inspired others to dream, work, study, serve and succeed, Forecast is kicking off a special 10-episode series highlighting women’s perspectives in research over the past 50 years. Eleven scientists from the Northern Research Station and Rocky Mountain Research Station will share their experiences from before, during and after careers with the USDA Forest Service. Stories of mentors and mentorship, motherhood, rural and urban stewardship, passions for science, leadership, and beyond. To kick things off, a conversation between a mentor and mentee about how they met, the evolution and value of their relationship, their shared diversity research, and where to go from here. Related Research: (2022) (2017) (2015) Scientists: , Research Forester, Northern Research Station, Bradley, Maine , Emeritus Research Forester, Northern Research Station, Irvine, Pennsylvania If you're interested in hearing more women in the Forest Service, visit the and their . Produced by the USDA Forest Service . Want more information? Visit us at Questions or ideas for the show? Connect with Jon at: [email protected]/episode/index/show/forestservice/id/26206677
Backcross: How A Bird Influences Beech Resistance Patterns (BONUS)Beech bark disease has been killing American beech trees in eastern North America since the late 1890s. In northern New England, New York, and the Maritimes where the disease is most severe, groups of disease resistant trees occasionally occur. Genetic studies reveal that trees in groups are families, and distribution patterns suggest that they were “planted” by blue jays. Related Research: (1983) (1983) (1985) (2005) (2010) (2020) (2020) Scientists: , Research Biologist, Northern Research Station, Delaware, Ohio , Research Forester, Northern Research Station, Bradley, Maine Dave Houston, Principal Plant Pathologist (Retired), Northern Research Station, Hamden, Connecticut In this episode, we used the following recording from the Macaulay Library at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology: (Kendrick DeBoer, Alberta, Canada) Produced by the USDA Forest Service . Want more information? Visit us at Questions or ideas for the show? Connect with Jon at: [email protected]/episode/index/show/forestservice/id/25846737
Backcross: Will Ash be the Blueprint for Tree Restoration?The number one way you can stop an insect invasion or pathogen from spreading is by stopping it from ever starting. Who says geneticists and ecologists can’t act in the same way—taking action before a tree is ever in danger? With ash, proactive and collaborative breeding is already taking place, and it could be a roadmap for the future of combating tree species restorations. Related Research: (NRS) (2017) (2020) (2020) (2022) [Oregon Dept. of Forestry] Scientists: , Research Biologist, Northern Research Station, Delaware, Ohio , Research Ecologist, Northern Research Station, Delaware, Ohio , Center Geneticist, Dorena Genetic Resource Center, Cottage Grove, Oregon Produced by the USDA Forest Service . Want more information? Visit us at Questions or ideas for the show? Connect with Jon at: [email protected]/episode/index/show/forestservice/id/22276244
Backcross: A Return to Elm StreetDutch elm disease (DED) is one of the most commonly known and destructive tree diseases in the world. The disease was first observed in Ohio in 1930, and by 1976, only 34 million of the estimated 77 million elms present in U.S. urban locations remained. Research on American elm from the 1970s to the present has focused in large part on the identification of American elm individuals that can withstand the DED pathogen. To increase American elm’s long-term recovery as a canopy tree, it is crucial to increase the genetic variation of tolerant elms available for planting in urban and rural settings. Related Research: (1996) (2005) (2016) (2017) Scientists: , Research Biologist, Northern Research Station, Delaware, Ohio , Research Ecologist, Northern Research Station, Delaware, Ohio , Research Geneticist (Retired), USDA ARS, U.S. National Arboretum, Washington, D.C. , Farmer, Lesser Farms and Orchard, Dexter, Michigan Produced by the USDA Forest Service . Want more information? Visit us at Questions or ideas for the show? Connect with Jon at: [email protected]/episode/index/show/forestservice/id/22294010
Backcross: The Past, Present and Future of American ChestnutA hundred years ago, the American chestnut was the redwood of the East. It was big, and it was everywhere, especially in the southern Appalachians. But, today, it’s just a shrub and is, functionally, extinct. With chestnuts having gone through such a dramatic decline, restoration has been a priority, and it’s been a restoration effort unlike many others. It’s been one of the most passionate efforts an American tree has ever seen. Related Research: (2009) (NRS) (2014) (2014) (2017) (2020) Scientists: , Research Ecologist, Northern Research Station, Delaware, Ohio , American Chestnut Oral History Project, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga , American Chestnut Oral History Project, Letcher County, Kentucky , American Chestnut Oral History Project, Letcher County, Kentucky , American Chestnut Oral History Project, Dickenson County, Virginia Produced by the USDA Forest Service . Want more information? Visit us at Questions or ideas for the show? Connect with Jon at: [email protected]/episode/index/show/forestservice/id/22272176
Backcross: How Do You Breed Better Trees?Tree species restoration—especially with species that are threatened with extinction—isn't even on the table unless you have resistant planting stock. But, trees live on another timescale than humans—a much longer one. And, to be a geneticist, to breed, your job is to infiltrate that timeline, and to understand it. By understanding that timeline, you can begin to fiddle with it, fiddle with time, and with the future. The future of that plant, but also the future of our planet. Genetics allow us to make better trees, make a better world, and do it all by fooling our forests. Related Research: (2015) (2017) (2017) (2020) (2021) (2021) Scientists: , Research Biologist, Northern Research Station, Delaware, Ohio Produced by the USDA Forest Service . Want more information? Visit us at Questions or ideas for the show? Connect with Jon at: [email protected]/episode/index/show/forestservice/id/22265876
Backcross: Tree Species Restoration & Resistance BreedingIn season one of Forestcast, entomologists showed us the ways we slow insects from attacking and killing trees. This season, we’ll meet another set of scientists, scientists who have been attacking the issue of non-native invasive insects and pathogens from a different angle. Chemicals and biological control can buy trees time, but they cannot completely control the non-native insects that are attacking trees that have never experienced these insects before. We need something on top of those controls, and these scientists, they’ve been working towards a solution — a long-term resistance. What is it? Well, it’s simple. At least, a simple idea: use trees. Related Research: (2020) Scientists: , Research Biologist, Northern Research Station, Delaware, Ohio , Research Ecologist, Northern Research Station, Delaware, Ohio , Research Ecologist, Northern Research Station, Delaware, Ohio , Research Ecologist, Northern Research Station, Delaware, Ohio Produced by the USDA Forest Service . Want more information? Visit us at Questions or ideas for the show? Connect with Jon at: [email protected]/episode/index/show/forestservice/id/22264781
Searching for Cicadas in the ChattahoocheeMac Callaham, a research ecologist, goes searching alone in Georgia’s Chattahoochee National Forest for one of Brood X’s most-southern cicada emergences. Scientist: , Research Ecologist, Southern Research Station, Athens, Georgia Produced by the USDA Forest Service . Questions or ideas for the show? Connect with Jon at: [email protected]/episode/index/show/forestservice/id/19814438
The Two-Sided Story of Periodical CicadasAny day now, periodical cicadas will emerge across 15 states stretching from Illinois to New York and northern Georgia. Two scientists, one who’s tracked the aboveground movements of these cicadas, and another who’s unearthed the belowground impact of these insects, take you inside the many mysteries and forgotten elements of these evolutionary enigmas. Related Research: (2021) (2019) (2018) (2013) (2005) (2001) (2001) (2016) (1907) Scientists: , Research Entomologist, Northern Research Station, Morgantown, West Virginia , Research Ecologist, Southern Research Station, Athens, Georgia Hey listeners! We're looking for cicada recordings! To be a part of an upcoming episode of Forestcast, record cicadas chorusing around you. In the recording, tell us where you are and who you are. Just record the cicadas on your phone and send the recording to [email protected]. Produced by the USDA Forest Service . Want more information? Visit us at Questions or ideas for the show? Connect with Jon at: [email protected]/episode/index/show/forestservice/id/18958613
A Window of Resurgence for Red SpruceIn the 1970s, red spruce was the forest equivalent of a canary in the coal mine, signaling that acid rain was damaging forests and that some species – especially red spruce – were particularly sensitive to this human induced damage. In the course of studying the lingering effects of acid rain, scientists came up with a surprising result – decades later, the canary is feeling much better. Related Research: “” (2018) “” (2013) “” (2011) “” (2010) “” (1999) "" (1992) Scientists: , Research Soil Scientist, Morgantown, West Virginia , Research Plant Physiologist, Burlington, Vermont Produced by the USDA Forest Service . Want more information? Visit us at Questions or ideas for the show? Connect with Jon at: [email protected]/episode/index/show/forestservice/id/14407832
Balance & Barrier: The Future of Forest ThreatsIn addition to studying and monitoring the non-native insects already here, scientists are monitoring pests that have potential to become problems if they ever do arrive, whether from overseas or from other parts of North America. Related Research: “” (2015) “” (2018) “” (2019) Scientists: , Research Biologist, Northern Research Station, St. Paul, Minnesota , Research Entomologist, Northern Research Station, Hamden, Connecticut Produced by the USDA Forest Service . Want more information? Visit us at Questions or ideas for the show? Connect with Jon at: [email protected]/episode/index/show/forestservice/id/13281866
