MFRCs Research Advisory CommitteeUpdate and Status

RAC tasks

1) Conduct a research assessment to ID priority forest resources research needs

2) Develop a strategy to secure funding and promote funding priorities

3) Conduct an annual review of a key topic

4) Promote application of research findings in operational settings

Annual review white paper

Topic: Climate change and forestry

Identify challenges and opportunities associated with climate change for forest management in Minnesota

Written for general audience

Work is being led by Hannah Friesen

Target completion: May 2020

Scoping

Initial decision to do a broad, high-level assessment

Three focal areas:

• Carbon storage and sequestration

• Challenges for forest management

• Adaptation strategies

Target of 3 specific subtopics for each area.

Subtopic list being generated by the RAC

Future conditions will create challenges for winter harvesting

Principles

Effort should not be duplicative

Lake states-centric

Assessment must include feasibility

Tangible options with biggest payoff for Minnesota

Broad stakeholder support

Development of a Regional Research Cooperative for Forest Resources Management

Inception of the effort

Research prioritization assessment Initiated questions on funding to support forest resources research

Northeastern States Research Cooperative Established in 2001

Four focal areas

• Forest Communities

• Ecosystem Health

• Forest Productivity

• Biodiversity

If they did it, why not us??

Lake States Research Coordination

Similar resource base

• Cover types

• Key resources

• Industry and markets

Lake States Research Coordination

Shared challenges

• Modernizing forest management

• Forest health risks

• Existing and future markets

Need for Lake States Research Coordination

Shared research needs

Maintaining forest health, benefits, and resource supply requires coordinated effort

Values of coordination are many

• Prioritized focus / efficiency

• Geographically broad issues

• Maximized resources

Regional Research Cooperative

Principles

• Stakeholder-driven topics and questions

• Applied research to guide operational planning, practice, and policy

• Regionally important issues

• Urgency in terms of potential impact or opportunity

• Research designed with application as a primary objective.

State Federal

Stakeholders(Industry, Conservation orgs., etc.)

Academic and research institutions

Lake StatesRegional Research

Collaborative

Stakeholders – land managers and industry

Where things stand

MFRC’s Applied Research and Monitoring program leading the overall effort

Forest Service Northern Research Station has committed to evaluating the concept – 2 project leads assigned

Multiple stakeholders have been approached about the effort – support generally high

USDA Undersecretary Jim Hubbard at a meeting to discuss MN research initiatives (Nov. 2018)

Next Steps

Obtain unified agreement from stakeholders on need for a coop

- Engagement with individuals and groups (ongoing)

Federal support for introduction of authorizing legislation

- Ongoing with MN delegation

- Broader engagement with WI and MI to come

Acquire federal resources for initial work on coop development

- Work with Undersecretary Hubbard in support of regional cooperative

- Cooperator contributions (in-kind, cash)

Intended outcomes

• Additional federal funds for research

• Greater efficiency and effectiveness

• Coordination on regional issues

• Stakeholder-driven information

• Incorporation of research into practice and policy

• Resilient forests and forest based economies in the lake states

Questions??