The documented decline in bumble bee occurrence across continents has sparked global interest to understand the causes behind these declines and explore potential solutions to prevent further losses. Bumble bees, in many ways, have become indicators of broader trends affecting bee and pollinator populations worldwide. Although extensive research has focused on the relationship between bumble bees and open landscapes like grasslands, meadows, and wetlands, there's a growing acknowledgment of forests' critical role in the life cycle of numerous bumble bee species globally. In this webinar, Dr. Mola discusses how forests can support bumble bee populations through distinctly different interactions with this important pollinator's life history. This webinar presents recent and ongoing research from Dr. Mola’s group's projects on bumble bee overwintering, movement ecology, and population genetics. He will attempt to merge the broad interests of forest ecology with the narrower interests of pollinator conservation and ecology. Common ground between these fields and opportunities for research and management is discussed. Speaker: John M. Mola, Assistant Professor, Colorado State University - Department of Forest and Rangeland Stewardship

Despite growing evidence that harvested forests offer excellent opportunities for pollinator habitat conservation, little is known about effective pollinator-friendly restoration practices within harvested forests. Identifying forest management practices that promote pollinator populations is critical for broad, national pollinator conservation efforts, particularly given the likely listing of several bumble bee species under the Endangered Species Act over the next decade. This webinar will cover techniques for installing floral enhancements in harvested forests. Speaker: Lauren Ponisio, Assistant Professor, University of Oregon

Recommendations for supporting diverse native pollinators usually focus on summer gardens, meadows, and open spaces, but that is only part of the story. Indeed, crops near forest patches often show increased pollinator activity—and even benefits to yield and fruit quality! Research to untangle this paradox has found that one third of bees are fully forest-associated, and another third rely on forests for part of their life cycles. Many forest-associated species are solitary, spring-flying, and rely on healthy forest soils, complex deadwood, resins, saps, and a diverse bouquet of understory, mid-story, and even canopy flowers. This talk introduces forest-bee natural history connections and how you can learn to notice them in your woods. Finally, it connects the health and diversity of these bees to threats to forest health and strategies for forest health stewardship which will in turn support bees. Speaker: Kass Urban-Mead PhD, Mid-Atlantic Pollinator Conservation Biologist and NRCS Partner Biologist, The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation

This webinar highlights key findings from more than a decade of research on pollinators in southeastern U.S. forests. Results from a recent survey of bees, hover flies, and butterflies from nineteen experimental forests across nine southeastern states will be discussed, including the roles ecoregion, landscape context, and seasonality play in shaping pollinator diversity and composition. The webinar also discusses possible causes of observed declines in pollinator diversity within relatively undisturbed forests. It identifies the potential for forest management activities, including prescribed fire, to improve conditions for these critical organisms. Speaker: Michael Ulyshen, Research Entomology, USDA Forest Service

Dr. Cunningham-Minnick recently developed a novel device and technique to passively sample invertebrates immediately above the forest in the canopy-aerospace interface. Experimental applications of this device and how it aids and alters our understanding of forest pollinator ecology will be highlighted in this webinar, including that the role of forests in supporting pollinator communities may be undervalued. However, open-canopy habitat within a forested landscape also provides unique resources for pollinators. This webinar will showcase an opportunity for forest management to play an essential role in maximizing pollinator diversity by optimizing the configuration of forest and other covers in the landscape. Speaker: Michael Cuninngham-Minnick, Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Massachusetts – Amherst

The loss of pollinators is a global concern, and it is unclear whether forest management activities have deleterious or beneficial effects on their abundance and richness. Comparing several regional studies, this webinar will examine how multiple forest restoration treatments with varying objectives impact pollinator communities and their interactions with floral species across different ecosystems. Although findings converge on the interpretation that restoration treatments are likely to benefit pollinators, there are also factors unique to different ecosystems that affect recommended best management practices for pollinator conservation. Speaker: Seth Davis, Associate Professor, Colorado State University

Conifer forests of the Pacific Northwest are renowned for many reasons, including their unparalleled beauty, the biodiversity they house, and the timber they produce. But to what extent do native bees inhabit such forests? In this webinar, we will explore the role that managed conifer forests play in supporting native bee communities, including an overview of two research projects that evaluate how native bees respond to wildfire and timber harvest. Taken in its entirety, this webinar will demonstrate that conifer forests play a key role in supporting native bees and should be considered with ongoing pollinator conservation efforts. Speaker: Dr. Jim Rivers, Associate Professor of Wildlife Ecology, Oregon State University

Forest insect pollinators provide critical ecosystem services in forested landscapes. Yet, their responses to various natural and anthropogenic disturbances are vastly understudied in the southern U.S. forests. This webinar aims to provide a current synthesis of forest attributes (structure and composition) and management activity impacts on wild pollinators. This will allow for adaptive forest management practices that retain economic benefits while also enhancing local floral and faunal biodiversity. Directions for future research and current collaborative efforts on pollinators in the southern U.S. forests will also be discussed. Speaker: Kamal Gandhi, Director, Southern Pine Health Research Cooperative at the University of Georgia 

Leveraging positive interactions among tree species is a potentially powerful tool to sustain forests under climate change. However, experimental validation is only nascent in California. We used Forest Inventory data to investigate the potential of species mixture effects to enhance tree growth, vigor, and survival for major conifers and hardwoods. Presented by Christopher Looney, USFS PSW Research Station at the 2023 SAF National Convention in Sacramento, CA.

Researchers, forest managers, citizen scientists, and non-governmental agencies collaborated on a white oak forest restoration project on the William B. Bankhead National Forest in Alabama, from seed collection to planting seedlings. Presented by Christine Martens, USDA Forest Service at the 2023 SAF National Convention in Sacramento, CA

We monitored woody plant community dynamics and abiotic stand conditions in an upland mixed oak-shortleaf pine stand treated with two prescribed fires following an extended period of fire exclusion. Positive fire effects were initially documented, but continued monitoring will be required to ensure desired management objectives are achieved. Presented by J. Davis Goode, USDA Forest Service, at the 2023 SAF National Convention in Sacramento, CA.

The presented work evaluated the yield and nutritive value of orchardgrass and novel-endophyte tall fescue established in thinned, previously unmanaged hardwood forest. The purpose of this work was to create data-based best management practices to support small beef farmers transitioning a portion of their forestland to silvopasture. Presented by Christine Nieman, USDA-ARS at the 2023 SAF National Convention in Sacramento, CA.

Across the U.S., 41% of the timber removals come from family forests. The factors associated with this wood supply are explored using data from forest inventory plots, landowner surveys, mill surveys, and other data sources. General descriptive results will be presented along with results from bivariate and multivariable analyses. Presented by Brett Butler, USDA Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis at the 2023 SAF National Convention in Sacramento, CA.

The National Woodland Owner Survey science module on landowner values was developed and implemented in order to collect data on economic values not covered by the base NWOS survey, with an aim of bringing us closer to understanding the total economic value (TEV) that landowners derive from their forested land. Presented by Jesse Caputo, US Forest Service at the 2023 SAF National Convention in Sacramento, CA.

The Pacific Coast Temperate Forest carbon partnership completed a regional study detailing current forest and harvested wood product carbon stocks, sequestration, drivers of change, and wood product flows in California, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. Study results provide a consistent baseline for regional monitoring, carbon accounting and climate mitigation policy. Presented by Glenn Christensen, PNW Research Station and Nadia Tase, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection at the 2023 SAF National Convention in Sacramento, CA.

The California Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force created Regional Resource Kits, a set of data and tools to guide regional collaboratives in their efforts to improve the conditions of forested and shrub landscapes. This presentation will offer a tour of the data, analyses, and tools available in the Kits. Presented by John Battles, UC Berkeley; Peter Stine, Climate and Wildfire Institute; and Patricia Manley, USFS Pacific Southwest Research Station at the 2023 SAF National Convention in Sacramento, CA.

Understanding landowner perceptions of incentive programs and how use of incentives impact landowner behavior may provide decisionmakers with essential information related to designing new programs for forest carbon. This study includes a review of the literature on forest incentive programs and landowner behavior, including incentives for carbon. Presented by Tamara Cushing, University of Florida and Stephanie Chizmar, US Forest Service at the 2023 SAF National Convention in Sacramento, CA.

Forest canopy gap dynamics are an important component of stand development in upland forests. In Upper Mississippi River floodplain forests, however, canopy gap dynamics do not appear to follow established patterns in upland forests. Recruitment failures in floodplain forest gaps may ultimately lead to large-scale forest loss. Presented by Andrew Meier, US Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District at the 2023 SAF National Convention in Sacramento, CA.

Riparian areas provide important opportunities to protect one of our most valuable natural resources ­– surface water drinking sources. The Buffering America's Waterways tool is interactive mapping tool for identifying where perennial vegetation could be planted or enhanced to filter water running off cropland to improve drinking water quality. Presented by Matthew Smith, USDA Forest Service - National Agroforestry Center at the 2023 SAF National Convention in Sacramento, CA.

Common Ground-Getting to the Root of Forest Productivity
Forest productivity is directly related to soil productivity. When we take care of our soils, we invest in the long term health of our forest lands. Starting from this place of mutual understanding, Tongass soil scientists have built strong relationships with the Tongass foresters.

Finding Common Ground: How Soil Scientists and Silviculturists Can Develop a Common Understanding of Site Resilience
Understanding how soil forming factors and climatic variables influence site recovery can help address concerns for regeneration and long-term site productivity in a changing climate. By working together, soil scientists and silviculturists can arrive at a common understanding of site resilience. 

Insights, Tips, and Suggestions for Building Relationships Between Soil Scientists and Foresters
Collaboration between professionals specializing in diverse environmental science disciplines improves forest management strategies and our understanding of forest health and productivity. Here, we will specifically focus on the importance of collaboration between soil scientists and foresters, demonstrating advantages for forest health and land practice.

Presented by Jacquie Foss, Tongass National Forest; Erik Anderson, Custer-Gallatin National Forest; and Derek Pierson, Rocky Mountain Research Station, US Forest Service at the 2023 SAF National Convention in Sacramento, CA.