Environmental education programs seek to foster an appreciation for the natural world while introducing students to scientific thinking. Citizen science engages non-scientists in the systematic collection and analysis of data. The Betts Forest Landscape Ecology Lab combines both goals by inviting teachers in Corvallis, Oregon, and surrounding areas to participate...
Cross-laminated timber (CLT) is a massive engineered wood product made of orthogonally bonded layers of solid-sawn lumber, and is intended for roof, floor, or wall applications. Although it was developed in Europe in the early 90s, CLT is relatively new to North America.
CLT products must be certified for structural...
The spatial distribution of forest disturbance is commonly calculated using a satellite imagery-driven bi- or tri-temporal change analysis. Working in Colombia’s Cordillera de los Picachos National Natural Park – a region of consistent cloud cover and dramatic topographic relief – a change assessment with such infrequent observations cannot capture long-term...
Earth’s atmosphere is unequivocally warming due to CO₂ and other greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from human activities and this is having widespread impacts on forest ecosystems that provide important services to human societies. Forest ecosystems help regulate atmospheric CO2 concentrations by sequestering carbon in tree biomass and soils, which is...
Snags provide critical habitat for nearly one-third of wildlife species in forests of the Pacific Northwest, so historic declines in snags are thought to have had a strong impact on biodiversity. Resource managers often create snags to mitigate the scarcity of snags within managed forests, but information regarding the function...
Quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx) is a species with high phenotypic plasticity and a broad distribution that, in the last decade, has experienced climate stress-induced mortality called Sudden Aspen Decline (SAD). In order to help mitigate the effects of SAD in the future, we need a better understanding of aspen’s...
Wildland fires are an increasingly extensive, expensive, and frequent occurrence in dry forests of the western United States. Fuel reduction treatments are designed to reduce extreme fire behavior, promote resilient forest structure, and facilitate fire control efforts. Although there is widespread recognition that repeated treatments are needed to maintain desired...
Designation of areas as marine wilderness has been proposed as a strategy for managing the increasing threats facing the world’s oceans. Although social factors influence marine protected area success, the human dimensions of marine wilderness remain minimally explored. This thesis examines views of marine wilderness expressed by a representative sample...
The goal of this project is to contribute to the development of design values for cross-laminated timber (CLT) diaphragms in the seismic load-resisting system for buildings. Monotonic and cyclic tests to determine strength and stiffness characteristics of 2.44 m (8 ft) long shear connections with common self-tapping screws were performed....
Effective management of urban forests is vital to society due to the numerous ecological, economic, and social benefits they provide. In many cities, management efforts are commonly supported by citizen advisory groups, which are often generically referred to as “tree boards” within the urban forestry context. Very little is known...