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CNR Internal Resources

Research Awards and Grants (June 2023)

July 5, 2023

Each month College of Natural Resources faculty receive awards and grants from various federal, state, and nongovernmental agencies in support of their research. This report recognizes the faculty who received funding in June 2023.

Southern Forest Resource Assessment Consortium (SOFAC) Membership, Large forestland owner/manager level

  • PI: Baker, Justin Scott
  • Direct Sponsor Name: PotlatchDeltic Corporation
  • Awarded Amount: $   60,000.00 
  • Abstract:  The Southern Forest Resource Assessment Consortium (SOFAC) will develop forest sector market models for application to forest resource assessments in the South, U.S., and the World.  SOFAC will integrate currently available forest resource data from the USDA Forest Service, Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program and economic theory to model timber supply and demand in the South by local area.  SOFAC economic models will allow use of exogenous or endogenous inputs about supply, demand, land use change, and landowner behavior in the analysis of timber and forest land markets and management.  SOFAC modelers and members will be able to use the SOFAC suite of models and research to simultaneously project timber inventory, supply, and prices for a variety of regions and a variety of timber products across the South, the U.S., and the World.  SOFAC will foster discussion among modelers and members about the appropriate inputs and assumptions in forest projection models and employ these in building timber supply models and timber supply scenarios that represent likely conditions.  SOFAC will continue cooperative university-industry-public agency cooperation in southern and national forest sector economic modeling.  SOFAC will enhance graduate instruction in forest economics and modeling in the South. 

Membership in Southern Forest Resource Assessment Consortium (SOFAC), Forestry Association level

  • PI: Baker, Justin Scott
  • Direct Sponsor Name: Southern Group of State Foresters
  • Awarded Amount: $   46,000.00 
  • Abstract:  The Southern Forest Resource Assessment Consortium (SOFAC) will develop forest sector market models for application to forest resource assessments in the South, U.S., and the World.  SOFAC will integrate currently available forest resource data from the USDA Forest Service, Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program and economic theory to model timber supply and demand in the South by local area.  SOFAC economic models will allow use of exogenous or endogenous inputs about supply, demand, land use change, and landowner behavior in the analysis of timber and forest land markets and management.  SOFAC modelers and members will be able to use the SOFAC suite of models and research to simultaneously project timber inventory, supply, and prices for a variety of regions and a variety of timber products across the South, the U.S., and the World.  SOFAC will foster discussion among modelers and members about the appropriate inputs and assumptions in forest projection models and employ these in building timber supply models and timber supply scenarios that represent likely conditions.  SOFAC will continue cooperative university-industry-public agency cooperation in southern and national forest sector economic modeling.  SOFAC will enhance graduate instruction in forest economics and modeling in the South. 

Southern Forest Resource Assessment Consortium (SOFAC)Membership, Large Forest products firm level

  • PI: Baker, Justin Scott
  • Direct Sponsor Name: Enviva, LP
  • Amount Awarded: $   82,000.00 
  • Abstract: The Southern Forest Resource Assessment Consortium (SOFAC) will develop forest sector market models for application to forest resource assessments in the South, U.S., and the World.  SOFAC will integrate currently available forest resource data from the USDA Forest Service, Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program and economic theory to model timber supply and demand in the South by local area.  SOFAC economic models will allow use of exogenous or endogenous inputs about supply, demand, land use change, and landowner behavior in the analysis of timber and forest land markets and management.  SOFAC modelers and members will be able to use the SOFAC suite of models and research to simultaneously project timber inventory, supply, and prices for a variety of regions and a variety of timber products across the South, the U.S., and the World.  SOFAC will foster discussion among modelers and members about the appropriate inputs and assumptions in forest projection models and employ these in building timber supply models and timber supply scenarios that represent likely conditions.  SOFAC will continue cooperative university-industry-public agency cooperation in southern and national forest sector economic modeling.  SOFAC will enhance graduate instruction in forest economics and modeling in the South. 

Southern Forest Resource Assessment Consortium (SOFAC) Membership, Forestry consulting firm level

  • PI: Baker, Justin Scott
  • Direct Sponsor Name: Forest2Market, Inc. 
  • Awarded Amount: $   33,000.00 
  • Abstract: The Southern Forest Resource Assessment Consortium (SOFAC) will develop forest sector market models for application to forest resource assessments in the South, U.S., and the World.  SOFAC will integrate currently available forest resource data from the USDA Forest Service, Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program and economic theory to model timber supply and demand in the South by local area.  SOFAC economic models will allow use of exogenous or endogenous inputs about supply, demand, land use change, and landowner behavior in the analysis of timber and forest land markets and management.  SOFAC modelers and members will be able to use the SOFAC suite of models and research to simultaneously project timber inventory, supply, and prices for a variety of regions and a variety of timber products across the South, the U.S., and the World.  SOFAC will foster discussion among modelers and members about the appropriate inputs and assumptions in forest projection models and employ these in building timber supply models and timber supply scenarios that represent likely conditions.  SOFAC will continue cooperative university-industry-public agency cooperation in southern and national forest sector economic modeling.  SOFAC will enhance graduate instruction in forest economics and modeling in the South. 

Membership in Southern Forest Resource Assessment Consortium (SOFAC), Forestry Consulting Firm level

  • PI: Baker, Justin Scott
  • Direct Sponsor Name: ArborGen, Inc.
  • Awarded Amount: $   39,000.00 
  • Abstract: The Southern Forest Resource Assessment Consortium (SOFAC) will develop forest sector market models for application to forest resource assessments in the South, U.S., and the World.  SOFAC will integrate currently available forest resource data from the USDA Forest Service, Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program and economic theory to model timber supply and demand in the South by local area.  SOFAC economic models will allow use of exogenous or endogenous inputs about supply, demand, land use change, and landowner behavior in the analysis of timber and forest land markets and management.  SOFAC modelers and members will be able to use the SOFAC suite of models and research to simultaneously project timber inventory, supply, and prices for a variety of regions and a variety of timber products across the South, the U.S., and the World.  SOFAC will foster discussion among modelers and members about the appropriate inputs and assumptions in forest projection models and employ these in building timber supply models and timber supply scenarios that represent likely conditions.  SOFAC will continue cooperative university-industry-public agency cooperation in southern and national forest sector economic modeling.  SOFAC will enhance graduate instruction in forest economics and modeling in the South. 

Recruiting, Developing, and Empowering a Diverse Workforce in Wildland Fire Sciences

  • PI: Bryant, Jennifer Richmond
  • Direct Sponsor Name: US Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service
  • Amount Awarded: $ 100,000.00 
  • Abstract: We propose a scalable program to provide specialized training and development in fire sciences closely related to forest management among current undergraduate students, selected directly from partner-Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and participating HBCU students interested in graduate studies in fire-related disciplines. We propose a Summer Research and Training Fellowship (SRTF) at the undergraduate level that is tied directly to USFS Research and Development (R&D) Southern Research Station (SRS) work units. The program will be designed and implemented through a partnership among the USFS SRS, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (NC A&T), Southern University (SU), and North Carolina State University (NCSU).  We will hold the eight-week SRTF program for 10 rising seniors from undergraduate programs in fields such as Forestry, Natural Resources, and Environmental Sciences to gain specialized training in wildfire-specific forest management, with a special focus on fire management for urban forestry impacting vulnerable communities. Training modules will include pre- and post-burn biomass assessment, hydrologic and water quality impacts of fire, air quality impacts of fire, the impact of fire on ecosystem health, geospatial analytics application to prescribed burn planning and wildland fire impact assessment, and community engagement to help vulnerable communities manage fire impacts. During the SRTF program, the students will be introduced to several pathways for a career in the USFS, including entry at the undergraduate level and careers for fire scientists with graduate degrees. The students will have an opportunity for field immersion to explore a pathway to USFS work after graduation. The participants will also receive some exposure to fire management field research and prescribed fire/fuels management plans to obtain hands-on experience and exposure to research by working with NC A&T, SU, NCSU, and USFS SRS research scientists. Participants will be brought to field sites to perform a variety of fire planning assignments and to collect data on biomass fuel assessment ahead of prescribed burns. They will then learn to analyze these data to determine the presence or absence of hazardous fuels and to predict outcomes of the burn events.  The Public Land Corps (PLC) can place students with partner organizations for 640 hours of paid on-the-job training that will provide participants who complete the program with a certificate that can be used to apply for USFS positions under a 2-year non-competitive hiring authority  for entry-level USFS positions (GS-3/4/5)  To facilitate this path for interested SRTF participants, representatives from partner organizations (e.g., Conservation Legacy) will interface with the participants, who will be mentored on how to procure paid fire management internships through these organizations and will have an opportunity to shadow existing interns in the field.   Training will occur on the campus of NCSU, cooperating experimental forest (Hill Forest, Bahama, NC), and the National Forests of North Carolina (e.g., Unharried National Forest), which is managed by the USFS. Mentorship sessions will be held throughout the program to give each student individual advisement on their career development strategies. Community-building activities for the student cohort in the program will develop bonds and form close friendships that will enhance both their professional and personal trajectories into adulthood. The SRTF program is expected to solidify the HBCU students plans for a career related to forest management and fire impacts. 

FLOODWISE – Connecting Water Quality and Flood Reduction for Farms and Communities in Eastern North Carolina

  • PI: Cubbage, Frederick W.
  • Direct Sponsor Name: NC Department of Justice (NCDOJ)
  • Awarded Amount: $ 200,000.00 
  • Abstract: North Carolina has developed an innovative and successful environmental enhancement program over the last two decades based on measures to improve water quality throughout the state.  In addition to continued water quality issues, the state is increasingly beset with vast problems of flooding and excess water quantities during major storm events.  This project will focus on assessing means to use the existing practices and projects that have been employed by the North Carolina Environmental Enhancement Grant Program (EEG) and other state and federal conservation agencies and grants organizations can be used to provide co-benefits of water quantity and flood reduction or amelioration.  Lead Partners for this project include NC State University College of Natural Resources (CNR) and College of Design (CoD), Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), and the NC Foundation for Soil and Water Conservation (S&W). The Project Partners will assess green infrastructure and natural resource mitigation solutions to determine if they can provide valuable co-benefits of flood reduction and disaster resilience, and cooperate with government and nongovernment organizations, agricultural producers, and community stakeholders to design and implement programs. FloodWise will help develop programs for farms and agricultural communities in Eastern North Carolina (ENC), including Farm Demonstrations of best management practices for water quality and flood mitigation. 

Monitoring the Structural and Compositional Development of Mid-Rotation Hardwood Forests Regenerated Via Past Clearcutting in the Southern Appalachian Mountains

  • PI: Forrester, Jodi A.
  • Direct Sponsor Name: US Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service
  • Awarded Amount: $   65,000.00 
  • Abstract: We plan to inventory mid-rotation southern Appalachian hardwood forests harvested approximately 50 years ago via clearcutting. The harvests were conducted as part of a study, providing baseline and early response measurements as points of comparison. By examining how species composition has changed over time and across environmental gradients, we can identify locations on the landscape where there are opportunities to use silvicultural treatments to promote oak and hickory and conserve diversity.

NSF Engines Development Award: Advancing Carbon-Neutral Crop Technologies to Develop Sustainable Consumer Goods

  • PI: Gonzalez, Ronalds Wilfredo
  • Direct Sponsor Name: Hudson Alpha Institute for Biotechnology
  • Awarded Amount: $   46,420.00 
  • Abstract: NC State University will lead the planning area for early assessment for techno economics and life cycle assessment for emerging technologies and materials.

Membership in Consortium on Sustainable and Alternative Fibers Initiative (SAFI), Full Member

  • PI: Gonzalez, Ronalds Wilfredo
  • Direct Sponsor Name: Kimberly Clark Corporation
  • Awarded Amount: $ 126,000.00 
  • Abstract: The purpose of the Consortium on Sustainable and Alternative Fibers Initiative (SAFI) is to develop fundamental and applied research on the use of alternative and sustainable fibers for the manufacturing of market pulp, hygiene products and nonwovens. The idea for SAFI has grown out of societal needs for alternative yet sustainable materials. SAFI will study the potential of alternative fibers based on technical (performance), sustainable and economic principles. 

Evaluating the Fraser Fir Ecosystem: Assessing Current Status, Mortality Patterns, and Underlying Causes

  • PI: Jetton, Robert M
  • Direct Sponsor Name: US Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service
  • Awarded Amount: $   21,841.00 
  • Abstract: During the mid-1950s, nearly 70% of mature Fraser fir in natural stands was lost due to impacts of the invasive insect balsam woolly adelgid. Since the 1980s, there has been substantial regeneration and recovery in most Fraser fir stands across its native range. Recently, a new wave of mortality has been noted in several of these stands. The purpose of the proposed research is to document the extent of new Fraser fir mortality across its range, determine what age cohort (mature versus regenerated) is being affected, and identify potential factors underlying the observed mortality.

A Grid that’s Risk-Aware for Clean Electricity – GRACE

  • PI: Kern, Jordan 
  • Direct Sponsor Name: Duke University
  • Awarded Amount: $ 345,444.00 
  • Abstract: We will develop a framework for characterizing the uncertainty on the performance of electric power system assets and for using that uncertainty characterization in the operations of electricity markets (including scheduling, dispatch, pricing, and settlement). We will focus on the uncertainty of bulk renewables (wind farms, solar PV farms, and hydropower) w/o energy storage systems, but will also consider smaller scale renewables in the system that are either directly participating in wholesale markets, or behind-the meter, impacting load.

Regional Synthesis of Threats to Forest Carbon and Water Cycling Across the US Southeast

  • PI: King, John S
  • Direct Sponsor Name: US Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service
  • Awarded Amount: $ 124,640.00 
  • Abstract: The southern US is host to ~130 million hectares of forestland distributed (approximately) as 37 % upland hardwoods, 15 % bottomland hardwoods, 14 % mixed oak-pine, 18 % natural pine and 15 % intensively managed pine.  In recent decades, this forest estate has becoming increasingly vulnerable to an array of threats.  As the pace of climate change increases and the South becomes increasingly urbanized, the extent to which forest ecosystem services provisioning is compromised remains poorly quantified. Yet through existing networks of forest monitoring programs, process-based ecosystem and landscape models, and remote sensing resources, we have the capacity to develop synthetic understanding of current regional forest conditions across the South.  The proposed project will perform a region-wide synthesis of existing data on forest carbon (C) and water cycling using data from the USDA Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program to quantify current forest C storage of the major forest types distributed across the region.  We will pair the forest C inventory data with long-term data on forest C and water cycling (GPP, NEP/NEE, NPP, ET, hydrology) from the Ameri flux Program, of which we are long-term members.  A subset of research sites that host both inventory plots and eddy-covariance towers will be used to parameterize and validate ecosystem models to faithfully simulate forest C and water cycling of major forest types across the region.  Newly developed remote sensing tools, combined with MODIS/Landsat, will then be used to provide detailed distributions of the major forest types across the region, and will be used to directly link RS observations to tower-based fluxes.  Finally, we will develop geospatial modeling tools (e.g., GPP = f (forest type, climate, DEM, fire, drought, etc.), tested against tower-model fusion, to scale results and identify the main drivers and threats affecting forest ecosystem services in a spatially-explicit manner across the entire region.  

NC State Parks Visitor Use Study

  • PI: Larson, Lincoln Ray
  • Direct Sponsor Name: NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
  • Awarded Amount: $ 196,865.00 
  • Abstract: Research team will work with RRS and NC State Parks to collect visitor use and count data for the State Parks Vehicle Study that occurs every five years. We will augment this data with intercept surveys in selected state parks to paint a more holistic picture of state park-based visitation and recreation outcomes.

ANT-MICI: Antarctic Tourism: Developing Knowledge and Tools to Minimize Cumulative Impacts on Biodiversity and Wilderness Values in Antarctica

PI: Leung, Yu-Fai 

Direct Sponsor Name: The Dutch Research Council (NWO)

Awarded Amount: $ 232,857.00 

Abstract: In the past thirty years, the number of tourists visiting Antarctica increased from almost 6,500 in the 1991-1992 season to almost 75,000 for the 2019-20 season. It is expected that numbers will rise strongly again in the postCOVID-19 period. For several reasons this growth of Antarctic tourism constitutes concerns for Antarctic biodiversity and wilderness values: cumulative impacts are not systematically assessed, there is no systematic monitoring in Antarctica, and there are only few regulatory restrictions in place regarding total visitor numbers and the spatial distribution of tourism. In light of these concerns, this program aims to generate new knowledge for policy makers and the tourist sector to minimize cumulative impacts on Antarctic biodiversity and wilderness values. More specifically, this program will develop; i. a forecast of Antarctic tourism development, focused on growth and spatial distribution; ii. knowledge and maps of the geographical distribution of Antarctica biodiversity and wilderness values, differentiating between the current state and expectations with changing climate and human activity; iii. an inventory of (risks of) cumulative impacts of tourism visitation by comparing the tourism forecast (ad i) and the spatial distribution of biodiversity and wilderness values (ad ii); iv. a monitoring framework for measuring changes in biodiversity and wilderness values, and v. an identification of strategies and regulatory tools to prevent or minimize future cumulative impacts on Antarctica biodiversity and wilderness values. This knowledge will be produced through intensive cooperation between experts in polar ecology, climate change, geographical mapping, tourism management and law, and with close involvement of key consortium partners and stakeholders. Different forms of cooperation aim at improving Antarctic governance in general and the regulation and management of Antarctic tourism in particular, to ensure positive contributions toward minimizing cumulative impacts on, and thereby providing more effective protection to, Antarctic biodiversity and wilderness values.

Probing the Fundamental Parameters in Cellulose Crystal Self-Assembly leading to Structural Chromism

  • PI: Lucia, Lucian 
  • Direct Sponsor Name: PepsiCo, Inc.
  • Awarded Amount: $ 393,959.00 
  • Abstract: In year 1 of our project, we will explore the nature of cholesteric phases in cellulose crystal tactoids by controlling a series of ambient parameters to allow us to probe how the chiral nematic pitch changes over time, as a function of aspect ratio relative to Debye-Huckel lengths (ionic strength modulation), and DNA templating.

A Multi-Scale Decision Support Tool to Quantify Forest Benefits on Water Quantity and Quality in the Southern United States

  • PI: Martin, Katherine Lee
  • Direct Sponsor Name: US Forest Service
  • Awarded Amount: $ 331,510.00 
  • Abstract: Forests and water are inextricably linked, and people are dependent on forested lands to provide clean, reliable water supplies for drinking and to support local economies. As more than 90% of the forested land in the South is privately owned, water supplies in the region are at risk of degradation from continued fragmentation and conversion of forests to other land uses to support a growing population. Given the variety of threats to surface water, it will be increasingly important for forest managers to highlight the value of forests for maintaining clean and abundant supplies of drinking water in the region. A key component of maintaining this green forest infrastructure is ensuring that healthy forests are maintained on the landscape and managed using science-based sustainable forest management practices.  Our objectives are to 1) Develop a multi-scale modeling approach that is capable of quantifying forest water quantity and quality indicators, 2) Develop and provide and economic valuation of forest water related ecosystem services, and 3) Develop a public-facing web application that links water resource values to forests and forest management options.

Capacity Building Phase XI: Increasing the Pool for the Development of a Multicultural Workforce and Connection to Under Served Communities Across the US

  • PI: Nelson, Stacy A.
  • Direct Sponsor Name: US Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service
  • Awarded Amount: $   50,000.00 
  • Abstract: This project builds upon and expands the Forest Service Partnership Outreach and Capacity Building, and the Multicultural Workforce Strategic Initiative Programs, and is an initiative that represents an opportunity for substantial collaboration between Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI), the 1862 land grant institutions, the Puerto Rico Commonwealth environmental and educational agencies, and the public served by the consortium/partnership.

Development of Biorefinery Technology for the Simultaneous Production of Functional Food/Cosmetic Ingredients and Bio composites Using Domestic Biomass

  • PI: Park, Sunkyu 
  • Direct Sponsor Name: Korean Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT)
  • Awarded Amount: $ 125,556.00 
  • Abstract: Techno-economic analysis of biorefinery process to produce functional food/cosmetic ingredients and bio composites. 

Characterization of Residual Xylan in Dissolving Pulps

  • PI: Park, Sunkyu 
  • Direct Sponsor Name: Eastman Chemical Company
  • Amount Awarded: $ 760,869.00 
  • Abstract: The differences in compositional and molecular weight of insoluble gel particles during the acetylation of cellulose have a negative impact on the downstream manufacturing process and final product quality. It is generally agreed that the residual hemicelluloses present in dissolving pulp play a role in the formation of these insoluble gel particles. However, a detailed understanding of the effects of hemicellulose composition, branching, and molecular weight on the presence of insoluble gel particles has not been clearly elucidated. To address this issue, it is important to understand the relationship between the composition of insoluble gel particles and their solubility in a common solvent such as acetone.

Toward Improved Ecological Drought Indices for Forest Ecosystems Across the South

  • PI: Scheller, Robert 
  • Direct Sponsor Name: US Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service
  • Amount Awarded: $ 196,887.00 
  • Abstract: We will build on prior efforts to develop a spatiotemporal statistical model for the 2011 Texas drought that relates forest conditions measured from FIA data to the SPEI or a similar drought measure. The model will account for trends in drought and mortality over time and space, as well as variations in drought effects based on forest species composition, drought tolerance of tree species, soil moisture, and other climatic, biophysical, and environmental correlates.  

Forecasting Prescribed Fire Smoke within Vulnerable Communities in Southern Appalachia

  • PI: Scheller, Robert 
  • Direct Sponsor Name: Bureau of Land Management
  • Amount Awarded: $   25,000.00 
  • Abstract: While managers continue to set goals for increasing prescribed fire in the southern Appalachians, population density is also increasing and WUI communities are expanding. Locations of existing communities and future WUI development strongly influence locations and timing for implementing prescribed burns. Little work has been published that addresses cumulative smoke exposure from prescribed fire in southern Appalachian communities, with specific consideration for existing community vulnerabilities. The proposed research responds to the issues of smoke exposure, community vulnerability, and expanding WUI development using a long-term modeling approach. Landscape change, including dynamic fuels and fire emissions, is linked to VSMOKE to model multi-decadal smoke dispersal from priority burn sites in western North Carolina. Modeled emissions and smoke dispersal will be spatially overlain with social vulnerability indices and hypothetical WUI development, such that managers can more readily analyze and understand community characteristics adjacent to prescribed fire locations. 

Rocky Mountain National Park Assessment of Fire-Effects Monitoring

  • PI: Vukomanovic, Jelena 
  • Direct Sponsor Name: US National Park Service
  • Amount Awarded: $   59,621.00 
  • Abstract: This project will assess the status and trends of long-term fire-effects plot data and develop a sustainable tool that will display these status and trends to assist park staff in management decisions.  These data are currently housed in a national database (Feat-Firemon Integrated) that has limited accessibility. Yet, these data are used in assessing effectiveness of completed treatments and prioritizing and planning forest fire effect management actions. Annual assessments of the long-term monitoring plots are performed to determine effectiveness and prioritize where work is required.  Therefore, the data currently is downloaded and analyzed as needed to answer these management questions. The completion of this project would provide a comprehensive look at these data, assess the current status and trends of the long-term data collected, and allow park staff to determine where and what work needs to be completed in the future. This project will allow the park Fire Program and staff to access and interact with this important dataset, providing information used in various management decisions, such as deciding where and when to burn or treat fuels, determining if burn or fuels treatment objectives are being met, how often treatments need to occur, and if any unanticipated/undesirable outcomes are occurring following treatment (e.g. increase in non-native species). Through the development of this tool, the current long-term monitoring data will be assessed, and the tool will allow for continued analysis and assessment to be performed systematically by updating the associated datasets. This will minimize and standardize the analysis and assessment of these data for park management decision making practices.

Somatic Embryogenesis, Cryopreservation, and Plant Regeneration of Sugar Pine (Pinus Lambertiana)

  • PI: Whitehill, Justin 
  • Direct Sponsor Name: US Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service
  • Amount Awarded: $ 120,000.00 
  • Abstract: Coniferous giants are some of the most majestic, yet vulnerable tree species on Earth. Long life cycles and slow generation times limit our ability to improve and deploy genetically elite trees across the landscape. The cascading impacts of accelerated climate change threaten existing elite genetic resources as forest fires become more frequent and intense. To ensure the long-term preservation of elite germplasm and facilitate the rapid deployment of genetically improved individual genotypes requires the development of novel tools that offer solutions to these new challenges. Here we propose to initiate somatic embryogenic (SE) cultures of elite sugar pine (Pinus lambertiana) germplasm. SE is an alternative and synergistic approach used to preserve important coniferous genetic material. Ultimately, we plan to facilitate rapid deployment of improved conifers through clonal propagation of elite germplasm.

The Christmas Tree Genome Project to Rapidly Advance Genetic Improvement

  • PI: Whitehill, Justin 
  • Direct Sponsor Name: Christmas Tree Promotion Board
  • Awarded Amount: $   50,000.00 
  • Abstract: I am proposing to request funds to support a post-doc and sequencing costs associated with genome sequencing of Fraser fir.