Forest Health and Ecological Restoration

Biology and Ecology of wintercreeper (Euonymus fortunei), an exotic invasive plant species

Euonymus fortunei is an evergreen liana endemic to Asia and introduced to North America in the early 20th Century. It has since become a widespread and ecologically destructive invader, especially in the central Bluegrass where it limits the recruitment and growth of native plant species. Read more.

Formulating an expanding-gap regeneration system for oak dominated stands

Although Femelschlag systems are used throughout Europe, few documented examples of these expanding-gap shelterwood practices exist in North American oak forests. In 2012, a replicated study...Read more.

Integration of landscape ecology and ecosystem service assessment for spatially-explicit appraisal of surface mining reclamation benefits in eastern Kentucky

Surface mining has impacted a large portion (> 10,000 ha) of eastern Kentucky’s land. These lands are important parts of the Appalachian forest landscape, providing invaluable ecological goods and services (EGS) to the human society. Read more.

Long-term Response of an Upland Oak Forest to Repeated Prescribed Fire

Our understanding that fire of mostly anthropogenic origin has been an important disturbance agent in upland oak ecosystems in the Central Hardwood and Central Appalachian regions prehistorically has led to increased interest in the use of prescribed fire by contemporary forest managers. Read more.

Landscape heterogeneity of ecological resistance and resilience to the changes of climate and wildfire disturbance regime in Eurasian boreal forest

Ecological resistance and resilience are classical concepts, yet now receiving a revived attention as we are actively deciphering the consequences of the rapid climate changes and associated disturbance regime shift. Read more.

Modeling long-term stand density, growth, and recruitment relationships in upland oak stands of central hardwood forest region

This study utilizes four USDA Forest Service thinning experiments established more than 50 years ago in Kentucky and Ohio. Read more.

Effect of grading technique on forest productivity of high-value tree species in reforested surface mine lands

In 1997, the University of Kentucky began research on the Starfire Mine in Perry County, Kentucky in order to test the effects of surface grading technique and organic soil...Read more.