Center for Research on Sustainable Forests

Quick Recap 

The meeting focused on the future of the Center for Advanced Forest Systems (CAFS) after its graduation from NSF funding, discussing potential funding models, membership expansion, and research priorities. Participants explored opportunities for collaboration with various stakeholders, including federal agencies, universities, and industry partners, to address challenges in forestry and leverage new technologies. The group also discussed administrative processes, data sharing agreements, and plans for upcoming conferences and field tours. 

Next steps 

Send out membership request and membership agreements to everyone on the mailing list by May; Update and revise CAFS bylaws to create more flexibility without NSF requirements; Reconnect with Linda Heath and Renata Bush (USFS) to get their thoughts on DC developments; Reconnect with NCASI regarding smaller estimation partnership and forest carbon modeling group; Meet with the Executive Committee of CAFS to ensure important items are being captured; Idaho request to FIA for plot data access for Oregon, Washington, and Idaho states. 

IAB members, site directors, and CAFS researchers are all strongly encouraged to join the final Phase 3 IAB meeting in June.  

DISCUSSION SUMMARY 

CAFS Future Planning and Success 

Aaron Weiskittel (UM) led the discussion on the future of the NSF’s Center for Advanced Forest Systems (CAFS). He highlighted past successes and encouraged participants to think big and beyond the next five years. The CAFS summative (all phases) report and business plan were shared, and participants encouraged to provide input. Aaron acknowledged the contributions of former executive committee chairs and students who have been involved with CAFS. The conversation ended with an open forum for participants to share their thoughts and ideas. 

Evolving Role of Forests and CAFS 

Aaron discussed the evolving role and importance of forests, highlighting new markets, environmental concerns, and technological advancements in forestry. He emphasized the need for a vibrant forest sector despite declining federal investment, as shown by a graph indicating a decrease in funding since 1950, and explains how CAFS has adapted to these challenges by bringing together regional cooperatives, identifying target priorities, and facilitating collaboration between industry and universities. He outlined CAFS’ history, funding sources, and achievements, including student involvement and scientific publications. The presentation concluded with future directions for CAFS, emphasizing the importance of addressing societal challenges and maintaining partnerships with various stakeholders in the forestry sector. 

CAFS Future and Hybrid Model 

Aaron proposed a hybrid model combining university and industry contributions to maintain operations and fund research projects. A tiered membership structure is proposed, with different contribution levels for universities, IAB organizations, and affiliates. The aim is to raise around $150,000-$200,000 annually to support 3-4 projects and administrative costs. The great value of CAFS is as a national consortium that seeks input from members on the proposed model and leadership structure moving forward. He is proposing to continue CAFS with a similar structure to the NSF requirements, including two IAB meetings per year and IAB-approved research. Aaron also discussed the importance of maintaining the low indirect rate structure and the potential for including universities that can contribute in-kind resources rather than financial contributions. 

National Organization Benefits and Partnerships 

Discussion focused on the potential benefits of a national organization that could work across regional cooperatives, emphasizing the importance of telling a consistent national story, highlighting the benefits of such an organization for academia and the potential for increased funding. The positive impact of the new Forest Service chief on the industry was mentioned.  

Expanding CAFS Membership and Research Priorities 

The potential for expanding CAFS membership, including tech companies interested in forest carbon and digital technologies, was raised. Aaron emphasized the need to think big and invite a broad group, and outlined two priorities: digital soils mapping and 3D NAIP imagery, highlighting their various applications in forest management and monitoring. Mark Kimsey (UI)) added that federal members, such as the Forest Service and NRCS, are interested in collaborating on these research projects. The need for an updated survey on forest and forest products R&D capacity to identify synergies and tell a nationally consistent story was raised.  

Leveraging Federal Funds for Initiatives 

In the meeting, Aaron discussed the potential for leveraging federal funds, particularly through the Farm Bill, to support their initiatives. He also mentioned the importance of showcasing the potential of their partnership and the need for a focused approach, proposing a strategy of “conquer and divide” to work together on projects. He also mentioned the need for a new technology roadmap and the importance of cross-fertilization of ideas. Aaron plans to send out membership requests and agreements to everyone on their mailing list by May and hopes to finalize contributions before June. He also mentioned the need to update and revise the bylaws. 

Administrative Processes and Project Updates 

The group discussed ongoing administrative processes and collaborations. Kasey Legaard (UM researcher) offered to share language from their security agreement to help with potential university-related delays. Nathaniel Naumann (CAFS IAB) and Mark review the status of project locations and data transfers, agreeing to revise the Statement of Work (SOW) to reflect recent discussions. The team also addresses NDA challenges with the university, exploring different approaches to expedite the process. Aaron reported positive progress on securing contributions from various partners, estimating a total of around $200,000 to $250,000 for projects. The conversation concluded with updates on personnel changes and potential funding allocations in the USDA. 

Federal Funding for Forest Carbon Projects 

Aaron, Mark, and Nathaniel brought up the potential for federal funding for forest carbon projects. They also discussed the possibility of replicating a successful project in Georgia across the US. Nathaniel suggested reaching out to universities that have forestry programs to join CAFS. Mark mentioned his connections with the new chief and the potential for leveraging these relationships. They also discussed the need for a joint project proposal that meets all members’ needs and the importance of showcasing their data in the growth and yield software modeling system. They also discussed the need for outputs that are beneficial to everyone, not just those using FVS and FPs. 

See video recording for the presentation and detailed discussion.