Sustainable working landscapes are critical to the conservation of biodiversity in the American West and its cultures of rural ranching and forestry.

In recent decades, dam removal has emerged as a viable national and international strategy for river restoration.

The project is a collaboration between DensityDesign Lab and ISI... more

Morels are prized edible mushrooms that fruit, sometimes prolifically, in many forest types throughout western North America. They are collected for personal consumption and commercially harvested as valuable special (nontimber) forest products. Large gaps remain, however, in our knowledge about their taxonomy, biology, ecology, cultivation, safety, and how to manage forests and harvesting activities to conserve morel populations and ensure sustainable crops. This publication provides forest managers, policymakers, mycologists, and mushroom harvesters with a synthesis of current knowledge regarding these issues, regional summaries of morel harvesting and management, and a comprehensive review of the literature.

Changes in forest management have detrimentally affected the economic health of small communities in the Blue Mountain region of Oregon over the past few decades. A build-up of small trees threatens the ecological health of these forests and increases wildland fire hazard. Hoping to boost their economies and also restore these forests, local leaders are interested in the economic value of timber that might be available from thinning treatments on these lands.

Increasingly large and severe wildfires threaten millions of forested acres throughout the West. Under certain conditions, mechanical thinning can address these hazardous conditions while providing opportunitiesto create renewable energy and reduce our carbon footprint but how do land managers decide whether thinning is a good idea? How do they decide where to begin, and what to do with the removed trees? Prioritizing treatment areas and determining the most effective techniques for fuel hazard reduction depends on various factors such as owner objectives, forest types, and the availability of processing facilities.

A survey determined that installed dry kiln capacity in Alaska more than doubled to an estimated 220 thousand board feet (mbf) within 4 years (2000-2004). This increased ability to produce dry lumber and value-added products resulted from industry efforts to obtain federal funding to support a dry kiln grant program. This report reviews grantees' progress in implementing grantsupported projects and their impact on the production capabilities of the Alaska lumber drying industry. Data were collected in early 2005 by using a standard set of questions asked of 19 dry kiln owners. Much of the growth in drying and value-added processing capacity has been concentrated in southeast Alaska where there has been the greatest dry kiln investment. During 2004, the estimated volume of lumber dried in Alaska was 813 mbf, whereas potential annual capacity was estimated to be almost 6,600 mbf. This indicates that Alaska producers are drying just over 12 percent of their potential capacity. Factors that will increase the future production of value-added forest products in Alaska include a continuing supply of economically priced timber, the ability of the industry to support a reasonably priced grading service, and the ability of producers to move value-added products to domestic and export markets.

Change is the only constant in forest ecosystems. Quantifying regional-scale forest change is increasingly done with remote sensing, which relies on data sent from digital camera-like sensors mounted to Earth-orbiting satellites. Through remote sensing, changes in forests can be studied comprehensively and uniformly across time and space.

The kitchen cabinet industry has shown significant growth recently, with expanding residential markets, new cabinet styles, and larger kitchens. This industry represents an opportunity for small Alaska wood producers to create high-value secondary products. In response to recent trends in kitchen cabinet manufacturing and the need to identify opportunities for underutilized species, the Alaska Wood Utilization Research and Development Center has conducted numerous studies evaluating consumer preferences for Alaska's primary hardwoods-Alaska birch (Betula papyrifera var. humilis )Reg.) Fern & Raup) and red alder (Alnus rubra Bong.). These studies explored consumer preferences under a range of marketing parameters, cabinet appearances, and regional market locations. This paper summarizes these studies and offers insights into the potential market for Alaska's hardwoods as secondary wood products such as kitchen cabinets.

Morels are prized edible mushrooms that fruit, sometimes prolifically, in many forest types throughout western North America. They are collected for personal consumption and commercially harvested as valuable special (nontimber) forest products. Large gaps remain, however, in our knowledge about their taxonomy, biology, ecology, cultivation, safety, and how to manage forests and harvesting activities to conserve morel populations and ensure sustainable crops. This publication provides forest managers, policymakers, mycologists, and mushroom harvesters with a synthesis of current knowledge regarding these issues, regional summaries of morel harvesting and management, and a comprehensive review of the literature.

Lichens are highly valued ecological indicators known for their sensitivity to a wide variety of environmental stressors like air quality and climate change. This report summarizes baseline results from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Lichen Community Indicator covering the first full cycle of data collection (1998-2001, 2003) for Washington, Oregon, and California. During this period, FIA conducted 972 surveys of epiphytic macrolichen communities for monitoring both spatial and long-term temporal trends in forest health. Major research findings are presented with emphasis on lichen biodiversity as well as bioindication of air quality and climate. Considerable effort is devoted to mapping geographic patterns and defining lichen indicator species suitable for estimating air quality and climate.

Timber markets in the United States are areas where timber prices tend to be uniform because of the continuous interactions of buyers and sellers. These markets are highly competitive, volatile, and change relentlessly. This paper looks at how market interactions in the Pacific Northwest have responded to changes in underlying determinants of market behavior and government actions that have influenced supply or demand. Several messages emerge from timber markets about price reporting and changing definitions of price, long-term price trends, timber as an investment, impacts of market intervention, relations among different markets, and implications for future stewardship. The enduring message is that landowners and managers respond to price signals arising from market interactions, and their actions create the forests inherited by future generations.

This report documents the results from the first “5-year” round of understory responses to the Tongass-Wide Young-Growth Studies (TWYGS) treatments, especially in relation to their effects on food resources for black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus sitkensis). Responses of understory vegetation to precommercial silviculture experiments after their first 4 to 8 years posttreatment were analyzed with the Forage Resource Evaluation System for Habitat (FRESH)-Deer model. The studies were conducted in western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla)-Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) young-growth forests in southeast Alaska. All four TWYGS experiments were studied: (I) planting of red alder (Alnus rubra) within 1- to 5-year-old stands; (II) precommercial thinning at narrow and wide spacings (549 and 331 trees per hectare, respectively) in 15- to 25-year-old stands; (III) precommercial thinning at medium spacing (420 trees per hectare) with and without pruning in 25- to 35-yearold stands; and (IV) precommercial thinning at wide spacing (203 trees per hectare) with and without slash treatment versus thinning by girdling in >35-year-old stands. All experiments also included untreated control stands of identical age. FRESHDeer was used to evaluate the implications for deer habitat in terms of forage resources (species-specific biomass, digestible protein, and digestible dry matter) relative to deer metabolic requirements in summer (at two levels of requirements—maintenance only vs. lactation) and in winter (at six levels of snow depth).

The economic linkages between national forests and surrounding communities have become increasingly important in recent years. One way national forests contribute to the economies of surrounding communities is by attracting recreation visitors who, as part of their trip, spend money in communities on the periphery of the national forest. We use survey data collected from visitors to all units in the National Forest System to estimate the average spending per trip of national forest recreation visitors engaged in various types of recreation trips and activities. Average spending of national forest visitors ranges from about $33 per party per trip for local residents on day trips to more than $983 per party per trip for visitors downhill skiing on national forest land and staying overnight in the local national forest area. We report key parameters to complete economic contribution analysis for individual national forests and for the entire National Forest System.

Sustaining the health, diversity, and productivity of national forests and grasslands is the mission of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service.

Natural resource professionals are often tasked with weighing the benefits and costs of changes in ecosystem services associated with land management alternatives and decisions. In many cases, federal regulations even require land managers and planners to account for these values explicitly. Outdoor recreation is a key ecosystem service provided by national forests and grasslands, and one of significant interest to the public. This report presents the most recent update of the Recreation Use Values Database, based on an exhaustive review of economic studies spanning 1958 to 2015 conducted in the United States and Canada, and provides the most up-to-date recreation economic values available. When combined with data pertaining to recreation activities and the quantity of recreation use, the recreation economic values can be used for estimating the economic benefits of outdoor recreation. The recreation economic value estimates provided in this report, whether from past research literature or from values constructed using our meta-analysis benefit function, are average consumer surplus per person per activity day.

This research models a wood pellet heating system at the Tlingit-Haida Regional Housing Authority in Juneau, Alaska, used to provide thermal energy to a 929-m2 warehouse, as an alternative to a heating system that burns more costly fossil fuels. Research objectives were to evaluate project economics of the pellet system and to conduct cost:benefit analysis on key variables (initial capital cost, fuel oil cost, and wood pellet cost). Economic results of interest included net present value, payback, internal rate of return, and cost:benefit ratio. Monte Carlo simulations were conducted using RETScreen software with the parameters of heating oil cost, wood pellet cost, fuel price escalation, and heating load. Cost:benefit analysis was conducted for capital cost versus wood fuel cost and also versus alternative fuel cost. This research found that economic performance was favorable over a wide range of normal operating conditions, even when paying a relatively high price for wood fuel. A pellet production facility in southeast Alaska could lead to lower wood fuel costs and even more favorable regional economics.

What companies such as Ryanair, easyJet, Jet2, TUI, Virgin, British Airways and Emirates are telling their customers during the coronavirus crisis

Here's how families can still make the most of this Friday's 75 year anniversary of Victory in Europe Day

Boris Johnson is set to unveil his "roadmap" to the nation in a speech on Sunday

NASCAR's return to racing on MAY 17th at DARLINGTON will kick off radio coverage on MOTOR RACING NETWORK and PERFORMANCE RACING NETWORK, with seven races in 11 days. MRN's return to … more

PODCAST MOVEMENT has postponed this year's event in DALLAS from AUGUST to OCTOBER 19-22, 2020. In its newsletter, the event's organizers said, "We feel that AUGUST is too soon to … more

COMPASS BROADCASTING has moved the News-Talk programming of KGED-A (TALK RADIO 1680)/FRESNO to sister KXEX-A as TALK RADIO 1550 KXEX, replacing that station's Spanish Religion … more

Want to get to know your peers a bit better? Maybe you're looking for an insight into someone you'd like to work for -- or are programming against! 10 Questions on ALL ACCESS is where players … more

Welcome to a free and easy way to download new music, and put songs directly on the air ... it's ALL ACCESS DOWNLOADS. Just go to any COOL NEW MUSIC page, where you find ALL ACCESS … more

TIMES-SHAMROCK COMMUNICATIONS Alternative WFUZ (ALT 92.1)/WILKES BARRE-SCRANTON has kicked off MAY with a new weeknight show, "MAJORITY RULES," allowing listeners to control the … more

Almost two months back (NET NEWS 3/2) ACCURADIO, music streaming’s all-human-curated music website, invited radio professionals “dislocated” by restructuring and … more

CUMULUS MEDIA’s WESTWOOD ONE has launched MORNING KOFFY, a new, national Country radio morning show airing MONDAY-FRIDAY from 6 to 10a (ET) featuring PAUL KOFFY, and JASMINE SADRY as … more

Industry veteran JOHN ALEXANDER has resigned from his role as CEO of the crowdfunding and artist development platform BANDTWANGO MUSIC, effective immediately. Concurrently, he has signed a … more

PACIFIC MEDIA GROUP Alternative KPOI (ALT 105.9)/HONOLULU has flipped to AC as THE WAVE 105.9. KPOI had rebranded to ALT 105.9, HAWAII'S REAL ALTERNATIVE almost six years ago. THE WAVE … more

The Friends star said this is the longest time she's being away from Johnny McDaid since first meeting more than seven years ago

Multiple news sources report that TONY ALLEN, the NIGERIAN born drummer and pioneer of Afrobeats has died in PARIS. The cause of death is not known yet. He was 80. He came to fame as Musical … more

REPUBLIC Rockers VOLBEAT are treating their fans to a live stream of their concert film "Live from Beyond Hell/Above Heaven" on their YOUTUBE channel FRIDAY, MAY 8th at 10a (ET). … more

Hip Hop artist EMINEM reportedly confronted and detained an intruder in his DETROIT-area home in early APRIL. The alleged intruder, MATTHEW DAVID HUGHES, had set off a security alarm when he … more

Industry insiders receive ALL ACCESS' exclusive MEDIABASE chart recap analysis in their e-mail box every MONDAY morning. How about you? This week's data from ANTHONY ACAMPORA, Partner … more

HUBBARD RADIO Chairman/CEO GINNY MORRIS released a company-wide memo which ALL ACCESS has obtained, regarding the downsizings. Hello Everyone, Today is a very tough and unprecedented day at … more

Perron-Frobenius theorem and linear algebra have many virtues to extol

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Statement Highlights: While significant improvements have been made in resuscitation and post cardiac arrest resuscitation care, mortality remains high and is mainly attributed to widespread brain injury.Better science is needed to support the ...

AHA COVID-19 newsroom     DALLAS, May 4, 2020 — The American Heart Association, together with 14 cardiovascular societies in North America, today issued joint guidance, “Safe Reintroduction of Cardiovascular Services during the COVID-19 Pandemic:...

Research Highlights: Black immigrants from Africa and from the Caribbean differ from U.S.-born blacks in rates of high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking and overweight/obesity. The research supports a more detailed look at black populations and the...

Was modern physics born in the Inferno? Motion video for an Boston Globe Ideas section about the influence of Dante's Inferno in Galileo Physics

These are stories about a patch of land in Sydney, an infamous acre known as the Block, a place steeped in a rich history of Aboriginal culture, activism and hope. Over time, tragedy, drug abuse and crime crept into the Indigenous-owned housing precinct. In September 2010, the few remaining tenants received notice to vacate their homes. The Aboriginal Housing Company, which owned the crumbling terraces, was keen to redevelop the land. Now vacant, the Block sits on the verge of a new, uncertain rebirth. This virtual time capsule invites you to explore the Block, to witness the events that defined its 40-year history, and to meet the people whose lives it has shaped.

DALLAS, April 14, 2020 – The American Heart Association has extended the deadline for individual scholarships and school grants offered through Kids Heart Challenge and American Heart Challenge to June 30. As schools nationwide moved to remote learning,...

DALLAS, April 23, 2020 — As social distancing keeps families apart, many who care for a parent or loved one with heart failure may be left wondering how to best keep them safe. In the United States, more than 6 million people are living with heart...

DALLAS, May 4, 2020 — Tomorrow, on #GivingTuesdayNow, a global day of philanthropic action to address the COVID-19 pandemic, the American Heart Association – the leading global public health organization devoted to a world of longer healthier lives – is...

It’s a new year, a time of reflection and goal setting. Whether you subscribe to new years resolutions or not, 2020 should be the year you stop neglecting your website. Regardless of how performant your website currently is, it can be do better. You might already know this. You probably realize you should dedicate more […]

The post 10 Ways to Get More From Your Website in 2020 appeared first on Psychology of Web Design | 3.7 Blog.

There has been a lot of talk lately about working from home and maintaining a distributed workforce. Web-based software, like WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal, are taking over the publishing industry and allow you to work from anywhere with an internet connection. Though, even though they can be managed  from home, working from home and maintaining a distributed workforce is not yet broadly acknowledged in society as a successful and efficient alternative to working in an office. Despite working with software that doesn’t need to be tied to one specific workstation, you could still find yourself tied to a desk in cubicle. I work full-time for Automattic and have the pleasure of both working from home and setting my own hours. After all, I only need a browser, an email client, and IRC client, and Skype to do my job. A desk is nice, but there’s no one saying that said desk has to be […]

I shared my work from home setup in a post earlier this month, but I’ve since had to set up…

The workforce of the 21st century is more diverse than before. Over 85% of the total global workforce comprises frontline workers. Frontline workers are essentially the employees that have to be ‘present’ to accomplish their jobs. Unlike knowledge workers who can work from anywhere, frontline workers have to be on the ‘field’ which can be...