{"id":9246,"date":"2020-01-06T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-01-06T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/news\/?p=9246"},"modified":"2023-01-11T17:16:05","modified_gmt":"2023-01-11T22:16:05","slug":"a-forest-runs-through-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/news\/2020\/01\/a-forest-runs-through-it\/","title":{"rendered":"A Forest Runs Through It"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Green spaces such as parks, gardens and\nforests are emerging as essential tools to improve public health and address\nenvironmental challenges in communities worldwide, especially in metro\nareas with extensive urban sprawl. These spaces not only\nfacilitate physical activity but also filter out harmful air pollution\nand provide habitat for wildlife. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In Raleigh, where the population\nhas grown faster than nearly any other major American municipality in the past\ndecade, city dwellers who are weary of the concrete jungle can enjoy more than\n9,000 acres of green space, including NC State\u2019s Carl Alwin Schenck Memorial\nForest. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The forest, which is more commonly known\nas \u201cSchenck,\u201d is a 245-acre property located just 10\nminutes from the university\u2019s main campus and about eight miles from downtown\nRaleigh. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Since its establishment, Schenck has\nbeen managed by the College of Natural Resources as a teaching and research\nsite where students learn about forest management and the associated benefits,\nranging from water quality to wildlife to carbon sequestration. It has also\nbecome a popular recreation spot for Raleigh residents who enjoy its walking\ntrails and picnic areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe Schenck is somewhat of a hidden gem, and it holds a place in the hearts of the faculty, students and neighbors that frequent it,\u201d said Elizabeth Snider, a 2005 Master of Forestry alumna and current Forest Manager at the College of Natural Resources.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Planting the Seeds <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Before it was a popular outdoor\ndestination, the land where Schenck now sits was once part of North Carolina\u2019s\nCamp Polk Prison Farm. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 1937, the state turned over a\nportion of the farm to NC State University, according to Snider. The university\nsubsequently named the property, \u201cRichlands Creek Forest,\u201d and planted 92 acres\nof loblolly pine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Nearly two decades later, the university renamed the forest in memory of Dr. Carl Schenck, the founder of the Biltmore Forest School, the country\u2019s first practical forestry school. Schenck\u2019s ashes were scattered in the forest following his death that year, and a bronze memorial plaque was installed and mounted on a granite boulder near a picnic area. <\/p>\n\n\n<p><iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/maps\/embed?pb=!1m14!1m8!1m3!1d12941.199824653715!2d-78.7263642!3d35.8171156!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x0%3A0xcdadb3a3c827ab4a!2sCarl%20Alwin%20Schenck%20Memorial%20Forest!5e0!3m2!1sen!2sus!4v1576692400511!5m2!1sen!2sus\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" frameborder=\"0\" style=\"border:0;\" allowfullscreen=\"\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Today, Schenck Forest plays a vital\nrole as an outdoor laboratory for a number of academic programs including\nforestry, botany, mycology, ecology, soils, recreation and wildlife biology,\naccording to Snider. The forest hosts multiple classes and active research\nprojects, including tree growth, genetics, hydrology, soils, and wildlife and\nhabitat monitoring. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Schenck, which is open to the public\nduring daylight hours, also features a teaching arboretum and several walking\ntrails that allow the college to educate the public about forest management\npractices. Some trails even pass through sites where a variety of these\npractices can be observed firsthand, including an upcoming timber harvest that\naims to restore one of North Carolina\u2019s most endangered tree species. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Saving a Species <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Beginning next year, the college will\nharvest approximately 23 acres of timber from Schenck, accounting for less than\none-tenth of the forest. It is the first of several operations that the college\nplans to conduct at Schenck in the coming years, including a thinning to\nprevent insect outbreaks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Snider said the upcoming harvests will begin\nto restore the health and balance of the forest habitats, and ultimately\nimprove the diversity of teaching opportunities for students. All proceeds from\nany resulting timber sales will go to support the continued management of the\nforest for education and demonstration purposes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cOnce the\nharvest is complete, the Schenck Forest will remain a quality outdoor\nclassroom, a healthy and thriving habitat for wildlife, and a beautiful place\nto walk in the woods,\u201d Snider said. \u201cIt will also become a refuge to one of\nNorth Carolina\u2019s most endangered forest communities \u2014 the longleaf pine.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>First identified as a species in 1768, longleaf pine \u200b(Pinus palustris) i\u200bs an evergreen conifer with thick, scaly bark and needle-like leaves. The species once covered an estimated 90 million acres across the southern United States but now only covers a fraction of its original range \u2014 4.3 million acres, to be exact. The reason behind this decline involves many factors, including land-use change and fire suppression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2020\/01\/01062020-longleaf-pine-moore-featured.jpg\" data-fullsize=\"1500x844\" data-zoom=\"true\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2020\/01\/01062020-longleaf-pine-moore-featured-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"Longleaf Pine Tree - A Forest Runs Through It - College of Natural Resources News - NC State University\" class=\"wp-image-19227\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2020\/01\/01062020-longleaf-pine-moore-featured-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2020\/01\/01062020-longleaf-pine-moore-featured-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2020\/01\/01062020-longleaf-pine-moore-featured-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2020\/01\/01062020-longleaf-pine-moore-featured.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Longleaf pine is the longest lived of the southern pine species.&nbsp;Throughout most of its range, individual longleaf pines can reach 250 years in age. This photo depicts a juvenile planted several years ago at Schenck Forest. Photo by Andrew Moore, NC State College of Natural Resources.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Snider and other members of the college\u2019s forest management team plan to\nconduct a prescribed burn after the harvest to prepare the site for longleaf pine and to reduce loblolly\nand hardwood competition. They will then plant approximately 17 acres with\nLongleaf pine seedlings in an effort towards restoring this important tree\nspecies. The remaining six acres will be harvested for the regeneration of shortleaf\npine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While there may\nbe some initial disruption to animals in the affected areas, the harvest is\nexpected to enhance wildlife habitat within the first three years of its\ncompletion, according to Snider. In fact, much of Raleigh\u2019s native wildlife\n(whitetail deer, turkey, quail, woodcock, etc.) actually prefer disturbance and\nearly successional forests. These habitats provide forage, shelter and refuge\nfor animals. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe College\nof Natural Resources is excited about the many ways that Schenck Forest will\ncontinue to benefit the community and contribute to the quality education of\nthe next generation of responsible and skilled foresters,\u201d Snider concluded. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For more information about the harvest,\nplease contact NC State\u2019s Forest Assets Management Team at (919) 515-7321 or <a href=\"mailto:cnr_forests@ncsu.edu\">cnr_forests@ncsu.edu<\/a>. <\/p>\n","protected":false,"raw":"<!-- wp:ncst\/dynamic-header -->\n<!-- wp:ncst\/default-post-header \/-->\n<!-- \/wp:ncst\/dynamic-header -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Green spaces such as parks, gardens and\nforests are emerging as essential tools to improve public health and address\nenvironmental challenges in communities worldwide, especially in metro\nareas with extensive urban sprawl. These spaces not only\nfacilitate physical activity but also filter out harmful air pollution\nand provide habitat for wildlife. <\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>In Raleigh, where the population\nhas grown faster than nearly any other major American municipality in the past\ndecade, city dwellers who are weary of the concrete jungle can enjoy more than\n9,000 acres of green space, including NC State\u2019s Carl Alwin Schenck Memorial\nForest. <\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>The forest, which is more commonly known\nas \u201cSchenck,\u201d is a 245-acre property located just 10\nminutes from the university\u2019s main campus and about eight miles from downtown\nRaleigh. <\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Since its establishment, Schenck has\nbeen managed by the College of Natural Resources as a teaching and research\nsite where students learn about forest management and the associated benefits,\nranging from water quality to wildlife to carbon sequestration. It has also\nbecome a popular recreation spot for Raleigh residents who enjoy its walking\ntrails and picnic areas.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cThe Schenck is somewhat of a hidden gem, and it holds a place in the hearts of the faculty, students and neighbors that frequent it,\u201d said Elizabeth Snider, a 2005 Master of Forestry alumna and current Forest Manager at the College of Natural Resources.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading {\"level\":3} -->\n<h3><strong>Planting the Seeds <\/strong><\/h3>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Before it was a popular outdoor\ndestination, the land where Schenck now sits was once part of North Carolina\u2019s\nCamp Polk Prison Farm. <\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>In 1937, the state turned over a\nportion of the farm to NC State University, according to Snider. The university\nsubsequently named the property, \u201cRichlands Creek Forest,\u201d and planted 92 acres\nof loblolly pine. <\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Nearly two decades later, the university renamed the forest in memory of Dr. Carl Schenck, the founder of the Biltmore Forest School, the country\u2019s first practical forestry school. Schenck\u2019s ashes were scattered in the forest following his death that year, and a bronze memorial plaque was installed and mounted on a granite boulder near a picnic area. <\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:shortcode -->\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/maps\/embed?pb=!1m14!1m8!1m3!1d12941.199824653715!2d-78.7263642!3d35.8171156!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x0%3A0xcdadb3a3c827ab4a!2sCarl%20Alwin%20Schenck%20Memorial%20Forest!5e0!3m2!1sen!2sus!4v1576692400511!5m2!1sen!2sus\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" frameborder=\"0\" style=\"border:0;\" allowfullscreen=\"\"><\/iframe>\n<!-- \/wp:shortcode -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Today, Schenck Forest plays a vital\nrole as an outdoor laboratory for a number of academic programs including\nforestry, botany, mycology, ecology, soils, recreation and wildlife biology,\naccording to Snider. The forest hosts multiple classes and active research\nprojects, including tree growth, genetics, hydrology, soils, and wildlife and\nhabitat monitoring. <\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Schenck, which is open to the public\nduring daylight hours, also features a teaching arboretum and several walking\ntrails that allow the college to educate the public about forest management\npractices. Some trails even pass through sites where a variety of these\npractices can be observed firsthand, including an upcoming timber harvest that\naims to restore one of North Carolina\u2019s most endangered tree species. <\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading {\"level\":3} -->\n<h3><strong>Saving a Species <\/strong><\/h3>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Beginning next year, the college will\nharvest approximately 23 acres of timber from Schenck, accounting for less than\none-tenth of the forest. It is the first of several operations that the college\nplans to conduct at Schenck in the coming years, including a thinning to\nprevent insect outbreaks. <\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Snider said the upcoming harvests will begin\nto restore the health and balance of the forest habitats, and ultimately\nimprove the diversity of teaching opportunities for students. All proceeds from\nany resulting timber sales will go to support the continued management of the\nforest for education and demonstration purposes.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cOnce the\nharvest is complete, the Schenck Forest will remain a quality outdoor\nclassroom, a healthy and thriving habitat for wildlife, and a beautiful place\nto walk in the woods,\u201d Snider said. \u201cIt will also become a refuge to one of\nNorth Carolina\u2019s most endangered forest communities \u2014 the longleaf pine.\u201d <\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>First identified as a species in 1768, longleaf pine \u200b(Pinus palustris) i\u200bs an evergreen conifer with thick, scaly bark and needle-like leaves. The species once covered an estimated 90 million acres across the southern United States but now only covers a fraction of its original range \u2014 4.3 million acres, to be exact. The reason behind this decline involves many factors, including land-use change and fire suppression.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:image {\"id\":19227,\"sizeSlug\":\"large\",\"linkDestination\":\"media\"} -->\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2020\/01\/01062020-longleaf-pine-moore-featured.jpg\"><img src=\"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2020\/01\/01062020-longleaf-pine-moore-featured-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"Longleaf Pine Tree - A Forest Runs Through It - College of Natural Resources News - NC State University\" class=\"wp-image-19227\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Longleaf pine is the longest lived of the southern pine species.&nbsp;Throughout most of its range, individual longleaf pines can reach 250 years in age. This photo depicts a juvenile planted several years ago at Schenck Forest. Photo by Andrew Moore, NC State College of Natural Resources.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<!-- \/wp:image -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Snider and other members of the college\u2019s forest management team plan to\nconduct a prescribed burn after the harvest to prepare the site for longleaf pine and to reduce loblolly\nand hardwood competition. They will then plant approximately 17 acres with\nLongleaf pine seedlings in an effort towards restoring this important tree\nspecies. The remaining six acres will be harvested for the regeneration of shortleaf\npine. <\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>While there may\nbe some initial disruption to animals in the affected areas, the harvest is\nexpected to enhance wildlife habitat within the first three years of its\ncompletion, according to Snider. In fact, much of Raleigh\u2019s native wildlife\n(whitetail deer, turkey, quail, woodcock, etc.) actually prefer disturbance and\nearly successional forests. These habitats provide forage, shelter and refuge\nfor animals. <\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cThe College\nof Natural Resources is excited about the many ways that Schenck Forest will\ncontinue to benefit the community and contribute to the quality education of\nthe next generation of responsible and skilled foresters,\u201d Snider concluded. &nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>For more information about the harvest,\nplease contact NC State\u2019s Forest Assets Management Team at (919) 515-7321 or <a href=\"mailto:cnr_forests@ncsu.edu\">cnr_forests@ncsu.edu<\/a>. <\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->"},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Since its establishment, Schenck has been managed as a teaching and research site where students learn about forest management and the associated benefits. It has also become a popular recreation spot for Raleigh residents who enjoy its walking trails and picnic areas.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":171,"featured_media":19226,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"source":"","ncst_custom_author":"","ncst_show_custom_author":false,"ncst_dynamicHeaderBlockName":"ncst\/default-post-header","ncst_dynamicHeaderData":"{\"showAuthor\":true,\"showDate\":true,\"showFeaturedVideo\":false,\"displayCategoryID\":0,\"subtitle\":\"How NC State\u2019s Schenck Forest Became A Source of Research, Recreation and Restoration in the Heart of Raleigh  \",\"caption\":\"Photo by Andrew Moore, NC State College of Natural Resources\"}","ncst_content_audit_freq":"","ncst_content_audit_date":"","ncst_content_audit_display":false,"ncst_backToTopFlag":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[179,1,102,3],"tags":[107,265,59],"_ncst_magazine_issue":[],"class_list":["post-9246","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-impact-and-outreach","category-hidden-news","category-hidden-newswire","category-research-innovation","tag-environmental-education-and-communication","tag-forest-health","tag-forest-management"],"displayCategory":null,"acf":{"ncst_posts_meta_modified_date":null},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9246","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/171"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9246"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9246\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24515,"href":"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9246\/revisions\/24515"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/19226"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9246"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9246"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9246"},{"taxonomy":"_ncst_magazine_issue","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/_ncst_magazine_issue?post=9246"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}