INSPIRES Annual Reports
NSF Award #1920908
- New inter-jurisdictional synthesis research on complex interactions between forest canopy cover and snow cover dynamics by a multi-disciplinary network of team members from INSPIRES and beyond.
- The Northeast Snow Survey Feasibility Study was initiated under the leadership of UNH faculty members Elizabeth Burakowski and Alix Contosta. AMC project partner Sarah Nelson coordinated the initial regionwide surveys and hosted virtual and in-person interest holder workshops.
- INSPIRES PI Weiskittel developed and was awarded an NSF EPSCoR RII e-RISE project (OIA- 2416915) that advances the AI innovations initiated on this Track-2 award.
- Solidified a strategic partnership with the Alabama Agricultural & Mechanical University (AAMU), an Historically Black College and University (HBCU), through several new projects that will continue into the coming years. AAMU’s long-term research field site at Paint Rock has become a key area of collaboration and was the focus of INSPIRES field campaigns in June and July 2024.
Highlights
* New inter-jurisdictional research on cold-air pooling and managing for the cold supported by a multidisciplinary network of team members from INSPIRES and beyond, including the University of Michigan; US Fish and Wildlife; Vermont Forests, Parks and Recreation; Vermont Fish and Wildlife Conservation, and Bartlett Experimental Forest (US Forest Service). This project is led by UVM post-doc Melissa Pastore and AMC project partner, Sarah Nelson.
* Federal budget provisions to the Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA) for the Sno-Tel network of automated of 900 data collection sites in western states includes a $1M provision to study the expansion of Sno-Tel to the eastern U.S., because of appropriations requests from Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire, initiated by INSPIRES leadership.
* A direct outcome of INSPIRES is an NSF EPSCoR RII Track-1 proposal in development by UMaine which, if awarded, would sustainably and effectively manage resilient forests in the face of financial challenges to this industry sector, grow a forest-based economy that enhances the utilization of renewable forest goods and services, use AI to provide better information on Maine’s forest, and leverage the growing advanced bioproducts sector in Maine.
* This is the second year of a strategic partnership with the Alabama Agricultural & Mechanical University (AAMU), an Historically Black College and University (HBCU). AAMU’s long-term research field site at Paint Rock is a key focal area of collaboration. Student and faculty exchanges between UMaine, UNH, and AAMU occurred throughout Year 4.
Year 3 (report pdf)
Key Achievements
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- The primary goals for Year 3 were to continue visiting field research sites, strategically deploying wireless sensors for climate data acquisition across the four jurisdictions, targeting remote sensing acquisitions, completing ecological model parameterization and
calibration for predicting regional forest dynamics, and refining mentoring and student participation. Project leaders continue to directly engage stakeholders and project partners to gain input and feedback on research objectives, to identify opportunities for leveraging existing long-term data collections, and to develop collaborative relationships around the four INSPIRES research themes. - In addition, an important focus of Year 3 was strategically evaluating project sustainability efforts and assessing key project wrap-up needs, particularly potential synthesis outcomes. This was mostly centered around focused efforts on synthesis publications, future proposals, and stakeholder engagement.
- The INSPIRES team began a strategic partnership with the Alabama Agricultural & Mechanical University (AAMU), an Historically Black College and University (HBCU). AAMU’s long-term research field site at Paint Rock will be a key focal area of collaboration and leverage numerous ongoing INSPIRES efforts and has already led to a new collaborative proposal submitted to NSF.
- In Year 3 (through May 2022), 8 research proposals requesting $23,733,100 were submitted with 2
awarded ($818,197) and $22,714,987 pending. Outcomes include 12 (8 published; 3 in press; 1 under review) peer-reviewed articles, 1 conference proceedings, 3 data/model/technology products, and 10 presentations (3 by early-career faculty, 2 by trainees).
- The primary goals for Year 3 were to continue visiting field research sites, strategically deploying wireless sensors for climate data acquisition across the four jurisdictions, targeting remote sensing acquisitions, completing ecological model parameterization and
Year 2 (report pdf)
Highlights
- First-wave deployment of Mayfly-based sensor suites at 5 locations
- Collection of field data for physiological variables needed to parameters models
- Data Sharing Subcommittee (DSS) established
- 21 (16 published; 3 in press; 2 under review) peer-reviewed articles, 14 presentations, 3 data/model/technology products, and 14 presentations (7 by early-career faculty, 2 by trainees)
- In Year 2 (through March 2021), research proposals requesting $41,132,273 were submitted with 12 awarded ($11,035,918) and $35,043,997 pending
- Preliminary completion of an integrated ecological model resulting from the merger of the PnET-CN and LANDIS models
- Established regular graduate student meetings with early career faculty and mentors
- Establishment of Twitter and Instagram accounts to share and highlight team news and project developments
- Eight high school teachers in Maine and nine teachers in Vermont were selected to participate in the project with active recruitment for additional teachers in New Hampshire ongoing
Year 1 (report pdf)
Highlights
- INSPIRES website created and launched in partnership with the New England Sustainability Consortium (NEST)
- Project kick-off meeting in September 2019
- Development and completion of project implementation plan, which included a project governance agreement, evaluation plan, communications strategy, strategic assessment, and identification of key stakeholders
- Financial and communications support team established
- Theme 1 prototype of wireless low power soil moisture sensor ready for calibration
- Recruitment and hiring of 2 Post-docs, 8 graduate students, and 3 undergraduate students across the three institutions
- Development of living document for project jargon and acronym dictionary
- Engagement with wide range of regional stakeholders on project objectives and potential applications to regional forest conservation issues
- New interjurisdictional collaborations initiated through INSPIRES led to new collaborative proposals for future work
