Holt Research Forest Study
Holt Research Forest - in cooperation with Dr. Malcolm Hunter, Dr. Alan White, Ms. Susan Elias Gerken, and Mr. Jack Witham all of the University of Maine:  Since 1983 we have had an interdisciplinary, long-term forest ecosystem study in place at the Holt Research Forest on Arrowsic Island in south, coastal Maine ( see the link from this page ).  This forest is principally occupied by an old field, oak-pine mixture.  The principal species are northern red oak ( Quercus rubra ), eastern white pine ( Pinus strobus ), and red maple ( Acer rubrum ).  These pictures show the severe impact of repeated browsing by whitetail deer on red oak seedlings and the tree shelters we are trying as a deterrent.

Click here to visit the 
Holt Research Forest Website

red oak study
red oak study


Brown Ash Study
Brown Ash Study - in cooperation with Dr. Katherine Carter of the University of Maine and the Maine Indian Basketmaker’s Alliance:  Maine’s Brown Ash ( Fraxinus nigra ) stands are in trouble.  The species is of limited commercial value but of tremendous cultural importance to Maine’s Native Americans who pound and split the wood to make both decorative and utilitarian baskets.  There has been growing concern that a serious shortage of basket quality ash exists throughout Maine.  Pilot studies by both the Maine Forest Service and the University of Maine have documented that the species is in decline and that a similar serious decline probably happened several decades ago.  The first phase of our work has been to establish two small plantations of brown ash to see if planted stands might be able to one day augment the supply of quality basket stock.  Initially the planting stock came from the Lake States.  We plan to explore ways to regenerate native ash trees. brown ash study

brown ash baskets


Red Oak Study
red oak study

red oak study

 Red Oak Study - in cooperation with the MIAL lab of the University of Maine:  Northern red oak ( Quercus rubra ) is near its northern limit in Maine and thus occurs in a spotty pattern in the  north central part of the state.  Here oak is found only along riparian corridors and on south facing slopes.   Northern red oak acorns are a very important fall food for many wildlife species and it is one of the tree species most likely to expand its distribution if global warming continues.
 We have been exploring ways to use satellite imagery to locate and map the current distribution of oak.  Thus far it has been very difficult to differentiate among the several tolerant hardwoods using satellite imagery alone but it may still be possible to combine these data with GIS layers of soils, elevation, and proximity to water to improve the predictive power of the classified images.

Click here to visit the Maine 
Image Analysis Laboratory (MIAL) website

 

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