News Release – February 8, 2010
For Immediate Release
Contact: Tilla Fearn 919.513.4644 or tilla_fearn@ncsu.edu
On January 28, 2010 Dr. Joseph P. Roise, professor of forestry in the NC State University Department of Forestry & Environmental Resources, received the Appalachian Society of American Foresters’ (APSAF) 2009 Distinguished Service to Forestry award at the society's annual meeting in Greenville, NC.
APSAF recognized Dr. Roise for his contributions to the evolution of forestry as it is practiced today – starting with his early experiences harvesting maple syrup in Vermont, through his work with both industry and the U.S. Forest Service, his research into computer modeling of forests and most importantly, his impact in passing on his knowledge and passion for forests and the outdoors to countless students during his years as a professor of forestry.
Dr. Roise, on the faculty at NC State since 1985, conducts research in woody biomass harvesting and utilization, management science and process optimization, and integrated planning. He teaches numerous courses, primarily in the areas of forest operations and management, ecosystem analysis, and planning.
“Dr. Roise teaches our forestry students key courses that are critical to their professional development.” says Dr. Barry Goldfarb, head of the NC State department of Forestry & Environmental Resources. “His dedication to the students and the profession is what distinguishes him among professors in the region and the reason he was chosen from among many for this award. He goes above and beyond what is expected of faculty in volunteering to organize and lead trips to conferences and wilderness leadership expeditions for students (often in association with the Society of American Foresters annual meeting), contributing greatly to the students' camaraderie and professionalism.”
In recent years the wilderness expeditions have included canoeing the Suwannee River, and backpacking in Yosemite, the Olympic Peninsula and Mt Robson Provincial Park BC. This year the plans are for the Pecos Wilderness.
(View photos of the NCSU SAF 2009 Wilderness Trip and National Convention)
Dr. Roise’s current research activities focus on the developing woody biomass energy industry. His research on biomass harvesting of hazardous wildfire fuels is opening up a new energy resource while enhancing public safety while providing the opportunity to restore severely degraded ecosystems. He holds degrees from Southern Connecticut State University, Colorado State University and the University of Washington.
Also recognized at the APSAF 89th meeting were NC State Natural Resources alumni Charles W. Brinkley, Wallace G. Cawthorne, James Pridgen and R. Scott Wallinger, who were each recognized as Golden Members – signifying 50 years of membership in the Society for American Foresters.
About Forestry & Environmental Resources at NC State University (FER)
NC State’s Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources (FER) is one of the oldest and largest programs of its kind in America. At the forefront of forestry and natural resource management for over 75 years, FER is committed to promoting the science and practice of modern forestry as well as state-of-the-art environmental resource management. Distinguished by a long history of innovation, the department has graduated many of today's most prominent forestry and environmental policy makers, researchers, scientists, executives, field experts and academic leaders; has been responsible for many of the most important forestry and natural resource research breakthroughs of the past century; and is dedicated to disseminating knowledge to the people and communities of North Carolina and beyond through outreach programs covering forestry practices, wildlife management, fisheries and aquatics, natural resource management and environmental sciences.
Nyeema Harris, Ph.D. candidate in the Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences Program at NC State, will be presented with the Emerging Conservation Leader Award at the Philadelphia Zoo Global Conservation Gala on March 18, 2010. Now studying carnivore/parasite population dynamics for her dissertation, Nyeema began her passion for wildlife conservation during an apprenticeship at the zoo.
Dr. Elizabeth Nichols
Next, the NCSU crew established camp at the University of Witwatersrand’s Rural Facility outside of Kruger National Park (KNP) in the Limpopo Province. We helped Dr. Tony Swemmer at the South African Environmental Observation Network identify sampling strategies for mopane tree/shrub density estimation and fuel wood collection. For reasons unknown to scientists, mopane dominates the shrub-savanna landscape of central KNP where the soil consists of basalt. Dr. Swemmer is monitoring the distribution of mopane trees/shrubs to learn if the plant moves southward in response to global climate change and out competes other native species. Our task was to determine which plot size yields the least variation in mopane density counts. For at least half a day, we set up many 20 x 20 nested plots in Kruger National Park and busied ourselves with tree/shrub identification and stem counting. It was quite thrilling knowing that Godfrey, an armed game warden for Kruger, was strolling the woods making sure all of the park’s spectacular but dangerous animals maintained a safe distance from us. As for the fuel wood collection study, we mostly helped Dr. Swemmer establish long-term monitoring plots. For each plot we collected baseline information (diversity of tree/shrub species represented, number of individuals per species, and stem density). Photo (left): Davis Murphy and Marta Pongor assisting SAEON researchers with plant sampling in Kruger National Park.
The fuel wood collection study was the most intellectually challenging. Many villagers of Bushbuckridge harvest tree limbs to heat their homes, cook food, and sell at street side markets. Dr. Swemmer wants to learn how such activity is impacting the growth and regeneration of the harvested trees/shrubs. Ideally, Dr. Swemmer would like to know how much fuel wood is collected for an individual household and for what purposes. Additionally, Dr. Swemmer wants to collect certain measurements so it can assess how much biomass is removed from an individual tree/shrub. However, the villagers wander a vast area in search of fuel wood and rarely at the same time from one day to the next. How can Dr. Swemmer’s scientists and volunteers monitor the activity of each household? We believe the answer lies in participatory research; get the villagers involved in the project. For instance, Dr. Swemmer already employs a few villagers to assist with data collection projects. Dr. Swemmer could expand that model to train more villagers on specific fuel wood data collection needs. Each volunteer could be assigned to a certain number of households, always accompanying the household members on their fuel wood collection treks. Photo (right): Bushbuckridge villager carrying a head-load of fuelwood
On the next day, we initiated our 24-hour home stay with a Venda family. We got to interact with several of the same children, learning their games and dances and teaching them some of America’s games and dances. The adults of the village were eager to spend a large part of the day and night dancing to the music of drum beating and an accordion player. Part of the home stay also incorporated daily homecare activities: cooking pap (cornmeal bread), mopane worms (a spiny caterpillar and main source of protein for the villagers), collecting water, washing dishes, and sweeping the patio. Photo (left): Davis Murphy interacting with Venda children during our home stay in the Venda Village, Hamakuya.
