Research Interests

Overall, my goal as a forest scientist is to provide the best available science for the sustainable management of forests. My primary interests are forest ecology, silviculture and management at the stand and landscape scales.While I am interested in a wide range of issues related to the sustainable management of vegetation, my specific contributions investigate patterns of vegetation structure, and the interactions between these patterns, ecological processes and the full range of ecosystem services.


Currently, I am working on various projects related to the restoration and management of forests in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and Great Lakes region. 

Current Research Projects

Beech bark disease

(Under construction)

Northern hardwood ecology and silviculture

(Under construction)

Utilization of salvaged timber

(Under construction)

Grants

  • 2017 – 2022 US Department of Agriculture, Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Foundational (AFRI) Program Novel timber production systems to protect productivity and sustainability of Northern Hardwoods in the North-Central region - $500,000
    PI on project with Christopher Webster (SFRES, MTU), and Robert Froese (SFRES, MTU) 
  • 2017 – 2019 US Forest Service, Forest Products Lab Effect of silvicultural practices on the physical and mechanical properties of Lake States Hardwoods - $60,333
    Co-PI on project with Xiping Wang (USFS FPL).
  • 2017 American Forest Management, Inc. Evaluation of Strip-Clearcutting on Northern Hardwoods to Regenerate Hard Maple - $7,298
    Co-PI on project with Christopher Webster (SFRES, MTU)
  • 2016 – 2021 National Park Service Great Lakes Northern Forest CESU: Beech Reintroduction at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore and Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore – $492,045
    PI on project with Andrew Storer (SFRES, MTU).
  • 2016 – 2019 2016 Wood Innovations Funding Opportunity, US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service Ensuring salvaged, beetle-killed trees are utilized for the highest and best use through the application of new technologies - $344,277
    PI on project with Robert (Bob) Ross (USFS FPL), Xiping Wang (USFS FPL), John Forsman (SFRES, MTU), Mark Rudnicki (SFRES, MTU). 
  • 2016 American Forest Management, Inc. Evaluation of Strip-Clearcutting on Northern Hardwoods to Regenerate Hard Maple - $6,350
    Co-PI on project with Christopher Webster (SFRES, MTU)
  • 2015 Huron Mountain Wildlife Foundation Restoration of Fire-dependent, mixed-pine forests in upper Michigan: the effect on bird communities, forest structure, and understory vegetation - $2,380
    PI on project with R. Gregory Corace, III (PI, USFWS), P. Charles Goebel (Cooperator, Ohio State University), and Daniel M. Kashian (Cooperator, Wayne State University).
  • 2015  MTU Research Excellence Fund – Infrastructure Enhancement (REF-IE) Remote Data Acquisition from Forests, Streams and Wildlife for Research and Instruction - $45,527  
    Co-PI on project with Andrew Burton (PI, SFRES, MTU) Joseph Wagenbrenner (SFRES, MTU) Amy Marcarelli (Biological Sciences, MTU) and Robert Froese (SFRES, MTU) 
  • 2014 – 2017 McIntire-Stennis program Increasing species diversity and landscape-scale forest complexity of Northern hardwood forests through even- and two-aged management – $28,000
    Sole Investigator.
  • 2014 - 2017 Joint Fire Science Program Assessing factors that influence landscape fuels treatment effectiveness - $337,343
    Co-PI on project with Dr. Chad Hoffman (PI, Colorado State University) and Dr. William ‘Ruddy’ Mell (Co-PI), Dr. Seth Ex (Co-PI) and Dr. Russell Parsons (Co-PI). 
  • 2014 - 2016 Warner College of Natural Resources Cheveron Fellowship 2014 Management of Sudden Aspen Decline (SAD) on Private Land in Piceance Basin, CO - $137,440
    Co-PI on project with Dr. Tony Cheng (PI, Colorado State University) and Dr. Wayne Shepherd (Co-PI, Retired USFS). 
  • 2013 - 2016 Joint Fire Science Program Assessing the effectiveness of spatially heterogeneous fuels reduction restoration treatments - $338,915
    Co-PI on project with Dr. Chad Hoffman (PI, Colorado State University), Dr. Michael Battaglia (Co-PI, USFS), Dr. Anthony Cheng (Co-PI, Colorado State University), and Dr. Fredrick Smith (Co-PI, Retired Colorado State University). 
  • 2007 - 2008 Miss E L Hellaby Grassland Research Trust Spatial patterning of Hieracium invaded short tussock grassland communities - NZ$10,150
    Sole investigator.