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Randall Morin

Randall Morin
Research Forester
Northern Research Station
Forest Inventory & Analysis
3460 Industrial Drive
York, PA 17402
United States
0000-0001-8854-6240
Email
Current Research
I am a Research Forester in the Northern Research Station's Forest Inventory and Analysis (NRS-FIA) group. The NRS-FIA unit is one of four such units that make up the national Forest Inventory and Analysis program, which is responsible for conducting a comprehensive and consistent inventory of our Nation's forests. The inventory is based on a network of permanent ground plots where timber attributes are sampled, with a spatial sampling intensity of one plot per approximately 6,000 acres. My current research focuses on landscape-level influences of forest insects, diseases, invasive species, and other biotic and abiotic disturbances on forests. Additionally, I serve as the lead analyst for the West Virginia, New Hampshire, and Vermont inventories and the Product Line lead for the tree crown condition and damage indicators. My analyst responsibilities include the core-reporting requirements of State-level reports for the three states and contributing results from crown health, tree damage, and pest impact analyses to other state, regional, and national reports.
Research Interest

My research time is currently allocated between conducting forest health research and being the lead analyst for West Virginia, New Hampshire, and Vermont. My research objectives are

 

  1. FIA forest health indicator analysis,
  2. effects of disturbances on forests,
  3. insect and disease spread models
  4. mapping risk of forest disturbances
Why This Research Is Important
The mission of the NRS-FIA program is to “improve the understanding and stewardship of northern forests through scientifically credible inventories and analyses of the status and trends in forest condition, use, and productivity, and by transferring timely resource information and new technology to the public.” My research fills critical information needs on forest ecosystems to the general public, resource managers, scientists, policy-makers, economists, and a wide range of other natural resource specialists. Success in this mission is crucial to assessing the condition, health, and sustainability of not only forest ecosystems in the north but also our Nation's forests. The outputs will also provide Forest Service customers and clients with crucial information and provide improved techniques for application to a range of resource inventory and monitoring needs. Human and other impacts on forest composition, structure, condition, and process have been identified as critical reporting needs for northern forests. I am responsible for developing indicators, analytical frameworks, and reports that elucidate impacts and resultant forest conditions in a timely manner. I also serve as the lead analyst for the National Inventory and Monitoring Applications Center (NIMAC). This position requires me to work to provide relevant inventory information to all 18 national forests in the region and developing tools for monitoring planning. The national forests cover nearly 15 million acres with many different ecosystems, forest types, and management objectives. Other duties required for this task include coordinating issues and helping with adaptive plan management, attending meetings regarding planning of special studies, delegating information requests, and tracking reporting and analysis progress on national forest lands.
Education
  • West Virginia University, M.S., Forestry, 2002
  • West Virginia University, B.S., Forest Resource Management, 1997
Professional Organizations
  • Northern Region Rep, Forest Science & Technology Board,  Society of American Foresters (SAF),  2017 - Current
    (1) Board Member, Society of American Foresters, 2015-present (2) Chair, SAF Forest Science and Technology Board, 2015-2017 (3) SAF Forest Science and Technology Board, 2013-present (4) Chair, Valley Forge SAF Chapter, 2015-present (5) Member of Program Committee for 2015 SAF Convention (6) Member of Program Committee for 2015 SAF Convention (7) SAF Science Fund Committee member, 2011-present (8) Chair of Society of American Foresters A2 Remote Sensing and Geospatial Applications Working Group, 2010-2012 (9) Vice-Chair of Society of American Foresters A2 Remote Sensing and Geospatial Applications Working Group, 2009-2010 (10) Secretary of Society of American Foresters A4 GIS Working Group
  • Resource Modeling Association,  2003 - 2008
    Programming Committee Member for the Resource Modeling Association’s 2007 meeting
Awards & Recognition
  • Northern Research Station FIA Award, 2013
    For serving as Chair of the 2012 FIA Science Symposium. Activities included planning the agenda, inviting plenary speakers, and editing the conference proceedings.
  • Northern Research Station Certificate of Appreciation, 2010
    For the service and support as a member of the Newtown Square Civil Rights Outreach Team. Activities included presenting seminars and local elementary and middle schools and hosting environmental education field trips.
  • Director’s Award for FIA Excellence, 2010
    For the successful development and delivery of FIA user tools and customer assistance including forest certification, invasive tracking, urban inventory, and identifying value added through inventory intensification.
  • Northern Research Station Multicultural Achievement Award, 2008
    For participating in events related to education for under-served youth in multicultural urban communities.
  • Northern Research Station FIA Extra Effort Award, 2006
    For organizing a joint meeting between FIA and NFS to improve utility of FIA data by NFS for planning.
Featured Publications
Other Publications
Research Highlights

Collaboration seeks to preserve Chesapeake Bay Watershed health in the face of hemlock decline

Year: 2017
Few studies have examined how insect outbreaks affect landscape-level hydrologic processes. Anticipating hydrologic impacts resulting from the decline of hemlock trees in watersheds infested with hemlock wooly adelgid, Forest Service scientists are partnering with state and federal conservation agen...

Nonnative Invasive Insects and Diseases Decreasing Carbon Stored in U.S. Forests

Year: 2019
Photosynthesis feeds trees and has a significant benefit for people, too, namely the removal of carbon from the atmosphere and into live tree biomass through a process called “sequestration.” But USDA Forest Service scientists and a colleague found that increased tree mortality from the impacts of n...

Potential to Increase Carbon Sequestration with Tree Planting

Year: 2020
Almost one-third of Earth’s total land area is comprised of forest, which is also the largest terrestrial carbon sink. A Northern Research Station scientist and his partners have established that fully stocking the Nation’s understocked forests could increase carbon sequestration by about 20 percent...
https://www.fs.usda.gov/research/about/people/rsmorin