ProForest Director Dr. Jiri Hulcr and Dr. Matias Kirst (University of Florida) were recently featured in the July 2024 issue of The Forestry Source from the Society of American Foresters. This short read addresses the use of genetic diversity in fostering resilience from "unknown unknowns" -- invasive pests and pathogens that unpredictably arrive.

This new study found that most news articles used invasion-militaristic and/or fatalistic language to describe Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) management. Dr. Mysha Clarke and her co-authors recommend that public communications around invasive species should be cautious about using language that evokes militarism and fatalism. Communication around invasive species matters. "Public awareness is considered central to mitigating the spread of invasive species."

PhD candidate Paul Klockow, student advisee of ProForest member Dr. Vogel and colleagues, compared a rapid, independent, broad-scale sampling effort quantifying tree mortality following the 2011 drought in Texas to the Forest Inventory Analysis assessment, and examined how tree mortality from drought and insects and diseases varied throughout a four-year period for key species. Mortality was similar in both assessments and was immediate for most genera but lagged for key genera after the drought potentially because of insects and disease.

Congratulations to ProForest member and UF School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences faculty member Dr. Carlos Silva! Dr. Silva was recently awarded both the UF/IFAS Richard L. Jones Outstanding New Faculty Research Award and the 2024 UF Excellence Award for Assistant Professors!

ProForest is excited to announce the creation of the ProForest PodForest! This podcast features informal conversations with experts in multiple fields pertinent to forest health and resilience. While geared towards the non-industrial private forest landowner, anyone with an interest in forestry or natural resources should listen! You can find it under the Extension tab.

ProForest members Dan Johnson and Eben Broadbent along with their collaborators were awarded a $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation to study why tree mortality is increasing across the U.S.