Faculty in the College of Natural Resources are advancing innovation through cutting-edge research that addresses critical environmental and natural resources challenges.

Each month, faculty secure funding from federal and state agencies as well as nongovernmental organizations, supporting initiatives in ecological restoration, biodiversity conservation and more.

This report highlights the grants awarded in February 2026, showcasing projects that advance scientific understanding and deliver real-world solutions.

Click on the projects listed below to learn more:

• Alternative Eradication Methods for the Asian Longhorned Beetle
• Phase-contrast Tomography of Elongate Hemlock Scale Infested Fir Needles
• Creating a Useful Degree Day Model to Target Vulnerable Stages of Armored Scales

Alternative Eradication Methods for the Asian Longhorned Beetle

PI: Kelly Oten, Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources 
Direct Sponsor Name: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
Awarded Amount: $79,884 

Abstract: This project supports the USDA-APHIS Asian Longhorned Beetle Eradication Program by evaluating a practical alternative to traditional tree removal methods, particularly in natural environments where standard practices are difficult to implement. Researchers’ initial results from the first phase of the project were promising but limited by small sample sizes and inconsistent infestation levels. This phase of the project expands the scope significantly, with 360 trees studied over two years at three sites, including early and late summer felling cycles. The goal is to determine whether this method can effectively reduce Asian longhorned beetle survival in forested areas. If validated, it will provide the program with a viable and flexible management tool for use in diverse environments where traditional methods are impractical.

Phase-contrast Tomography of Elongate Hemlock Scale Infested Fir Needles

PI: Justin Whitehill, Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources
Direct Sponsor Name: North Carolina Christmas Tree Association
Awarded Amount: $5,000

Abstract: This project will use synchrotron µCT imaging to visualize the stylets of elongate hemlock scale, the tiny piercing-sucking mouthparts that the insect uses to feed. Researchers will collaborate with Jussi-Petteri Suuronen at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility in Grenoble, France, to carry out this work. The team will image multiple needles infested with elongate hemlock scale, collected from at least three different Abies species, including Fraser fir.

Using the µCT reconstructions, researchers expect to see exactly where the stylets enter the needle through the stomata, follow the stylet through the needle in three dimensions and identify the type of tissue the insect is feeding on. The results will provide a complete 3D view of the needle’s internal anatomy and may allow comparison of how elongate hemlock scale feeds on different Abies species with varying levels of resistance.

To the researchers’ knowledge, no one has ever used this type of imaging on a piercing-sucking insect. The study will provide unprecedented insight into how fir trees resist elongate hemlock scale.

Creating a Useful Degree Day Model to Target Vulnerable Stages of Armored Scales

PI: Jamie Bookwalter, Extension Forestry
Direct Sponsor Name: Real Christmas Tree Board
Awarded Amount: $19,480

Abstract: This project aims to develop a a robust predictive degree-day model to predict when armored scale insects, Fiorinia externa, are most vulnerable to treatment. Over two years, Bookwalter and other researchers will gather data on the insects’ life stages and create life tables to forecast the best timing for control. They will compare three collection strategies to identify a “biofix” based on the insect’s biology rather than a calendar date. This armored scale causes regulatory problems and currently harms the North Carolina Christmas tree industry.