Expanding the Geographic Scope of REGEN3 in Support of Forecasting Hardwood and Oak Restoration Potential Across the Eastern Hardwood Forest (Indiana, Virginia, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania)

Agreement Narrative: Expanding the Geographic Scope of REGEN3 in Support of Forecasting Hardwood and Oak Restoration Potential Across the Eastern Hardwood Forest 

Primary Funder: USDA Forest Service– Southern Research Station 

Location: Indiana, West Virginia, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania  

Innovation: U.S. Forest Service researchers are in the process of expanding the scale and scope of a hardwood regeneration model, REGEN3, to areas beyond the current modeling footprint. This model is particularly useful for forecasting the success of natural oak seedling development after commercial timber harvests. This can be used to improve the outcomes of managing desired tree species and young forest conditions on private, state, and federal lands. The management of hardwood forests in the eastern US, with a particular focus on oak, is of mutual interest to RGS and the Forest Service. Expanding the scale and scope of REGEN3 beyond the current southern hardwood footprint will make provide RGS working in areas of Region 9 with a decision support tool that will aid in planning and implementation of active forest management projects on private, state, and federal forestland. 

This project will also function internally for RGS & AWS as a Southern Appalachian conservation team staff retreat and training opportunity to build our regional specialists’ skills and experience in forest inventory and decision-support tools for their jobs.  

Impact:  This will broaden the scope of our collaborative work with the Forest Service and position us as a leading conservation organization utilizing REGEN3 in the Appalachian with applications across multiple National Forest units where we partner.  

Partners and Chapter Contributions: We will collaborate closely with the USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station and the individual National Forest units where we’re completing the inventories.  

A specific logo is not needed to recognize funders or partners.  

Ongoing Deliverables: