We intend to use national, regional, and statewide data to estimate economic impacts related to timber production, recreation, non-timber forest product production, and ecosystem services. Further, engagements with state agencies and relevant stakeholders to evaluate the changes in the project type offered through the IRA funds could offer useful insights for program evaluation. In this study we also aim to document perceived challenges and opportunities in implementing the new FLP project types supported by the IRA investment.

Hurricanes can have devastating impacts to timberlands and local communities; however, damage assessments following major hurricanes and tropical storm systems have generally focused on immediate economic impacts to discrete industries (e.g., timber, infrastructure, construction). Hurricanes can also stimulate some economic industries following immediate disruptions as post-hurricane recovery and rebuilding efforts generate several economic activities in the region such as reconstruction of damaged buildings and infrastructure (Baade et al., 2007) as well as activities associated with the retail and hospitality sectors (Peri et al., 2024). In response to the increased frequency of devastating hurricanes and tropical storm systems, there has been a surge in research and innovative tools in recent years that attempt to forecast and estimate potential impacts. Currently, less is known about the comprehensive effects from simultaneous and sequential impacts, which are connected across industries within the southern regional economy.

Coastal flooding and storm surge can have a direct and significant impact on domestic wood product markets, by driving increased demand for lumber and timber construction. This can come in the form of replacing destroyed properties near coastal areas, as well as driving populations to relocate from areas impacted by such flooding and storm surge, putting increased pressure on residential construction. When there is an increase in residential construction starts, there is typically a corresponding increase in the demand for dimensional lumber, plywood, engineered wood products, and other building materials made from wood. In addition, a sudden increase in demand for wood products driven by a spike in residential construction can lead to price volatility in the wood product markets, as well as important ripple effects through the domestic and global supply chain due to the interconnected nature of wood product markets around the world. This project aims 1) to develop a statistically valid econometrics model to estimate changes in wood product demand as a function of coastal flooding and storm surge related to sea level rise by country, globally, as well as for the United States, and (2) use the estimated model to project new demand for wood products in U.S. and globally under alternate sea level rise scenarios.

Timberlands across the globe are exposed to various types of disturbance events such as extreme weather, wildfire, and pest and disease outbreaks. Major hurricanes, destructive wildfires, and other devastating natural disturbances can lead to tree damage, mortality, and poor forest health, which can cause tree crop loss and negative impacts on the forest-based economy and forest ecosystem functions. Past literature suggests that insurance for standing timber in the US exists, but coverage is extremely limited (Chen et al. 2014; Gan et al. 2014; Zhang & Stenger 2014). However, this information is somewhat dated, and no recent study attempts to fully characterize the market. Understanding the scope and characteristics of standing timber insurance will help us better understand landowner behavior before and after disasters, and develop tools to better assist them

The United States (U.S.) South, 13 southeastern states from Virginia to Texas, has approximately 245 million acres of forestland, covering about 46% of the total land use. Forestry operations, logging, and wood-based manufacturing industries are vital to the rural economy, as the forest product industry is one of the top employers among all manufacturing industries in rural counties. Since early 2020, every sector of the economy throughout the world has grappled with the global COVID-19 Pandemic, and forestry and forest product industry are no exception. The overall goal of this project is to evaluate the impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on forestry and forest product industry in the U.S. South, and identify, develop, and disseminate the strategies to revitalize the southern forest-based rural economy in the post-pandemic era. The specific objectives are to: 1) evaluate the impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on roundwood markets, forest landowners, and forest management in the U.S. South; 2) examine the impacts of the pandemic on forest-based employment and workforce involved in the forestry supply chain in rural southern states; 3) investigate the pandemic impacts on the forest product industry including their corporate social responsibility contribution during the pandemic; and 4) develop and deliver an Extension program in the post-pandemic forest management strategies and rural economic development to promote rural prosperity in forested counties in the U.S. South. Understanding the Pandemic impacts on the forest sector and exploring the possible forest management strategies in the post-pandemic era could help develop public policies and revitalize the forest-based rural county economies in the southern states.

The proposed project aims to conduct detailed life cycle assessment (LCA) of the wood pellets supply chain from the feedstock collection through overseas product shipments. The LCA will mainly focus on assessing the global warming impacts and hence the term carbon footprint analysis can be found used interchangeably. We will evaluate the carbon balance and emissions in each stage of the pellet manufacturing process using various woody feedstock including logging residues, mill residues, and roundwood pulpwood of both pine and hardwood species.

The overarching goal of the project is to understand how Community Forestry (CF) influenced the dynamics of the integrated Socio-Environmental System (iSES) in which CF is a vital part. To achieve this goal, the following major research questions will be addressed: (1) How does community forest governance influence the community social capital and livelihoods of participating households? (2) How does CF interact with rural out-migration? (3) How does CF feedback to land use decision? (4) How COVID-19 influenced the rural people������������������s livelihoods and CF? (5) How has CF influenced on the goods and services the environmental systems provide? The research will be carried out in the Middle Mountains of Nepal, where CF originated. With help from local collaborators and assistants, we will conduct comprehensive community and household surveys in the study area and use remote sensing and ecological models to address these questions. In the final stage of the project, an Integrated Modeling System (IMS) will be developed and used to examine the dynamics of the iSES.

Forest disturbances such as fires, insect damage, drought, etc. are not uncommon events. The extent and intensity of these disturbances, however, can turn them into catastrophic events. Hurricane damage is one such event, often destroying large areas or forestland, with negative consequences to economies and ecosystems. While forest landowners face direct economic loss from tree mortality and damage, hurricane damage can also impact local and neighboring forest industry, by way of timber supply losses to local and neighboring primary wood processing mills. The proposed project aims to develop methodology to rapidly evaluate hurricane impacts to primary mills and, therefore, to economies of affected areas. Work will be directed to identify and quantify impacts to woodsheds of both directly affected and neighboring areas. Impacts to neighboring areas can result from potential shifts in wood procurement by mills in hurricane affected areas.

Land of Sky Regional Council (LOSRC), with funding from the Appalachian Regional Commission���s ARISE initiative and other state and local partners, is seeking qualified firms or teams to support the implementation of regional forest products marketing and supply chain analysis. This effort will help revitalize the Southern Appalachian forest sector by addressing supply chain disruptions, market challenges, and opportunities for innovation. The selected firm will support a multi-state task force in assessing market conditions, mapping supply chain assets, and identifying pathways for industry growth in pulpwood-using product that have positive market growth forecasts, such as paperboard and paperboard packaging, composite board products, biochar,

The North Carolina FDP has supported private forest management on over 1.3 million acres since state legislation established the program in 1977, with funding from a combination of general state appropriations and a tax on harvested wood products in NC (North Carolina Forest Service. This research project will implement a survey of past applicants for FDP that will serve three purposes. First, we will identify factors associated with project cancellation or execution such as landowner income, availability of other incentives, satisfaction with the FDP, and forest management practices. As a result, we will be able to estimate the implications of uncompleted cost-share projects in terms of reforested and improved acres and impacts to the state and regional economies. Second, FDP administrators are interested in evaluating and adapting the program to better meet program goals and objectives, and the survey will elicit information identifying the payment amounts applicants would have been willing to accept rather than canceling or not fully executing forest management practices. Third, we will evaluate landowners' willingness to participate in other programs that promote forest-based ecosystem services, including whether view those other programs as complements or substitutes to the FDP.