Research conducted over decades can reveal patterns not visible in short-term studies, and research networks allow for comparisons across large geographic areas and a range of ecosystems. When both approaches are combined, opportunities arise to address ecological questions with conservation and management implications.
The Winter 2025 issue of the Andrews Forest Newsletter is online at https://andrewsforest.oregonstate.edu/publications/newsletter/winter-2025
Andrews Forest graduate students and their work are featured in the Winter 2025 issue of the National Widlife Magazine, in an article written by Marina Richie, titled, “Undaunted, Grad Students Return to the Field After Wildfires: Young researchers see the wildfires that paused their field work in Oregon’s H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest as lessons for the future.”
"Hermit Warblers (Setophaga occidentalis) are an endemic-breeding species in the Pacific Northwest that winters in Mexico and the Central Americas. This species faces threats from mature forest loss and climate change throughout its range, but we know little about its migration ecology. To understand the annual movements of Hermit Warblers, researchers tracked 22 adult male Hermit Warblers.
A major threat to small mammalian carnivore populations is land use change, but conservation and management are inhibited by limited knowledge about the animals' ecology and natural history. To fill a key knowledge
In the last 10 years, David Herasimtschuk has photographed forests across the Pacific Northwest, documenting the inhabitants of these last remaining old-growth ecosystems. From salamanders and salmon to bears and mountain lions, his images illustrate not only the beauty of the forests and their creatures but the symbiotic relationships which are vital to the forests’ health and the planet’s welfare.
Seeking Research Assistants in Forest Ecology – Temperate old-growth forest dynamics
Position Overview: The LaManna lab in the Department of Biological Sciences at Marquette University is currently looking to hire 3 enthusiastic research technicians with experience in forest-survey techniques and/or Pacific Northwest tree and plant identification skills to address questions related to the maintenance of plant species diversity in old-growth forests along a 1,000 m elevational gradient in the Western Cascade Mountains of Oregon. The work will occur at the H. J. Andrews Experimental Forest (https://andrewsforest.oregonstate.edu/), an NSF Long-tern Ecological Research (LTER) site that is located roughly 45 minutes east of Eugene, Oregon. The area is known for its recreational opportunities including hiking and backpacking, scenic volcanoes, and the Three Sisters Wilderness Area. Pay will be commensurate with experience, and apartment-style housing at the H. J. Andrews Forest field station will be provided. Anticipated start date is 6/3/2024.
Duties and Responsibilities: Mapping, measuring, and identifying trees, plants, seedlings and other forest ecology techniques. Assessment of tree health and/or causes of tree mortality. Using GPS, laser rangefinders, and other forest survey equipment. Work outside in a beautiful location.
Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: Must have a university degree in appropriate area of biology. Previous experience working in an outdoor setting, measuring ecological processes and patterns. Enthusiasm is a must.
Preferred Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: Experience identifying trees and herbaceous plants of the Pacific Northwest would be preferred, but is not required.
Application Instructions: All applications for this position must be received through Marquette University’s electronic recruiting system (https://employment.marquette.edu/postings/20840). Please attach a cover letter and resume, as well as the names and contact information for at least two professional references. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until all positions are filled. Please apply as soon as possible, and email Dr. Joe LaManna with any questions. Thank you!
An article in "Vox" explores the nuanced topic of managing old-growth and mature forests and Biden's 2022 executive order to protect old-growth forests. https://www.vox.com/down-to-earth/2024/1/12/24023876/biden-forest-service-proposal-old-growth-forests