A forest ecologist studies the structure, composition, and processes that interact in a forest to provide different habitats for plants and animals.
Curiosity fuels my interest and critical thinking makes sure I don’t jump to the wrong conclusion.
What type of fire is best for restoring fire-dependent forests? Many western forests used to depend on frequent low-intensity wildfire to clear them out and keep them healthy. Most wildfires now, however, are put out. We’ve found that light forest thinning followed by a prescribed fire is best for restoring these fire-dependent forests.
We use a surveyor’s total station that uses a laser, compass and tilt measurement to precisely map tree locations on the Earth’s surface to within two inches. The precise measurements let us understand what tree arrangement is important to wildlife.
I found that truffles (underground mushrooms) are much more abundant in old forests. The flying squirrel eats truffles and in turn the spotted owl eats the squirrels. This may be one of the reason why this rare owl is mostly found in old-growth forests.
I knew I wanted to be a scientist when I was hiking in a burned forest and was fascinated by why some trees were killed and others were thriving.
