Life Sciences Commons^™

Barriers To Use Of Cross-Laminated Timber In Maine, Shane R. O'Neill

Forest Resources Faculty Scholarship

To increase understanding of both the adoption rate and in-state manufacturing of mass timber In Maine, the 131^st Legislature and Governor Mills passed LD 881, a resolve directing a study of the barriers facing cross-laminated timber In Maine and provide recommendations to promote their use in construction. This study was developed in response to the resolve. The study engaged 108 unique participants to define available training, education, and experiences across the stakeholders throughout the building lifecycle process in the state.

From this information, the following five recommendations are proposed:

1. Understand the policies and initiatives of other states to develop …

Timber Harvesting On Fragile Ground And Impacts Of Uncertainties In The Operational Costs, Alex K. George, Anil Raj Kizha, Laura Kenefic

Forest Resources Faculty Scholarship

Forested wetlands with high water tables are sensitive to disruption from harvesting yet support commercially desired tree species like northern white-cedar. Winter harvest was conducted in Maine, USA, to compare operational costs and productivity of cut-to-length harvesting in cedar (fragile soil) and non-cedar stands (mixed wood, sturdy soil), evaluate uncertainties in harvesting costs and influential factors, and forecast time for post-harvest recovery to pre-harvest volumes. Operational costs were calculated using detailed time and motion studies. Operational costs for the cedar stands were higher than non-cedar. Regression models were developed for harvesters, forwarders, and self-loading trucks; number of logs per cycle …

A Double Win: New Pathways To Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions And Improve Water Quality In New Zealand, Mario A. Fernandez, Adam J. Daigneault

Forest Resources Faculty Scholarship

This paper explores potential land-sector policies and practices that could help meet New Zealand’s 2030 Paris Agreement target of reducing their greenhouse gas emissions by 30% from 2005 levels while simultaneous achieving improvements in freshwater quality. We use an integrated model of the country’s agricultural and forestry sectors to explore the economic and environmental outcomes for 21 freshwater and climate change policy alternatives and mitigation target scenarios. The agri-environmental model estimates are then included in a multidimensional decision space framework that incorporates the risk attitude of policy-makers and uses an ordered weighting average model to evaluate potential policy pathways. We …

Valuing The Economic Benefits Of Conservation Land In Downeast Maine, Lesley Lichko, Mindy Crandall, Tora Johnson, Adam Daigneault

Forest Resources Faculty Scholarship

This report uses an ecosystem services approach to calculate the economic value of conservation lands in Downeast Maine, an area composed of Hancock and Washington Counties. This region, roughly bordered by the Atlantic Ocean, the Penobscot River, and Canada, includes extensive coastline, thousands of acres of forestland, areas of agricultural land, mountains, lakes, rivers, and wetlands. The area is known for its recreational and aesthetic resources, and productive offshore areas. Employment centers range from the tourism-dominated area of Bar Harbor in Hancock County, adjacent to Acadia National Park, to the Baileyville tissue mill and Woodland pulp mill area in Washington …

Strategies For Reducing Moisture Content In Forest Residues At The Harvest Site, Anil Raj Kizha, H-S Han, J. Paulson, A. Koirala

Forest Resources Faculty Scholarship

The moisture content (MC) of biomass derived from forest residues can pose a challenge to biomass utilization. It plays a significant role in determining the cost of transportation and subsequent market price. Additionally, emerging biomass conversion technologies, such as gasification, torrefaction, and briquetting, have very narrow specifications for the MC (e.g., <15%) in their feedstocks. The goal of this study was to develop strategies for reducing moisture content by evaluating different arrangement patterns of forest residues and its effect on MC reduction at the harvest site. The study compared four different arrangement patterns including criss-cross, teepees, traditional piling (processor piled), and scattered residues in three different timber harvest units in northern California. Two of the arrangement patterns (criss-cross and processor piled) were also covered with a plastic cover. Samples were collected from each treatment using a transect method and were recorded for 12 months. There was an overall drop of MC from 52% (freshly cut) to 12% between all arrangements over the study period. The cost of construction per pile, averaged $37, $41, and $48 for teepees, criss-cross, and processor piles, respectively. Even though, there was no significant difference in MC reduction between piles (except scattered), each pile arrangement of forest residues directly affected biomass feedstock operations, logistics, and costs.

Policy Recommendation From Stakeholders To Improve Forest Products Transportation: A Qualitative Study, Anil Koirala, Anil Kizha, Sandra De Urioste-Stone

Forest Resources Faculty Scholarship

With recently announced federal funding and subsidies to redevelop vacant mills and the communities they were in, the forest products industry in Maine is poised to gain its momentum once again. One of the important components influencing the cost of delivered forest products is transportation. A recent study in the region has shown that the location and availability of markets along with lack of skilled labor force are the major challenges faced by the forest products transportation sector in Maine. This study was focused on developing a management guideline which included various field level options for improving trucking enterprises in …

Toward Chagas Disease Elimination: Neonatal Screening For Congenital Transmission In Rural Communities, Pamela Marie Pennington, Jose Guillermo Juarez, Margarita Rivera Arrivillaga, Sandra De Urioste-Stone, Katherine Doktor, Joe P. Bryan, Clara Yaseli Escobar, Celia Cordon-Rosales

Forest Resources Faculty Scholarship

Chagas disease is a neglected tropical disease that continues to affect populations living in extreme poverty in Latin America. After successful vector control programs, congenital transmission remains as a challenge to disease elimination. We used the PRECEDE-PROCEED planning model to develop strategies for neonatal screening of congenital Chagas disease in rural communities of Guatemala. These communities have persistent high triatomine infestations and low access to healthcare. We used mixed methods with multiple stakeholders to identify and address maternal-infant health behaviors through semi-structured interviews, participatory group meetings, archival reviews and a cross-sectional survey in high risk communities. From December 2015 to …

Economic Contribution Of Maine’S Forest Products Industry, 2014 And 2016 (Estimated), Mindy Crandall, James L. Anderson Iii

Forest Resources Faculty Scholarship

The total direct employment in the forest product industry of 16,551 jobs supported an additional 22,405 jobs in Maine, for a total of 38,956 jobs associated with the forest products industry. The total direct employment in the forest product industry of 14,562.5 jobs supports an additional 18,975 jobs in Maine, for a total of 33,538 jobs associated with the forest products industry. This is 4.13% of the employment in Maine. That is, just under 1 out of 24 jobs in Maine are associated with the forest product industry.

Public Access To Private Land: Research Summary, Jessica Leahy

Forest Resources Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Resident Perceptions Of Sustainable Tourism In Maine, M Scaccia, Sandra De Urioste-Stone

Forest Resources Faculty Scholarship

Tourism has long played a central role in the economy, culture, and livelihoods of the people of the State of Maine. The long-term sustainability of this industry in the state is crucial for the current and future prosperity of both businesses and residents. Sustainable tourism has emerged as a key concept over the past few decades and its tenets have clear applicability within the state. Research on residents’ perceptions of tourism impacts and development suggest these assessments to be highly important if a community’s tourism industry is to be successful and sustainable in the long term. This study used the …

Extent And Severity Of Caliciopsis Canker In New England, Usa: An Emerging Disease Of Eastern White Pine (Pinus Strobus L.), Isabel A. Munck, William Livingston, Kyle Lombaerd, Thomas Luther, William D. Ostrofsky, Stephen Wyka, Kirk Broders, Jennifer Weimer

Forest Resources Faculty Scholarship

Caliciopsis canker is an emerging problem in Pinus growing regions of Eastern North America. The fungal disease caused by Caliciopsis pinea is associated with overstocked stands and poor sites, but few quantitative data are available. The objective of this study, therefore, was to assess the extent and severity of Caliciopsis canker and to explore environmental variables associated with disease to identify areas at risk of damage. During 2014, 58 sites across New England with >75% P. strobus basal area in public lands were surveyed. Most sites (72%) had Caliciopsis canker signs or symptoms. Caliciopsis pinea was successfully identified with molecular …

Co-Administration In The Zunils Regional Municipal Protected Area, Guatemala, Sandra De Urioste-Stone, William J. Mclaughlin, Nick Sanyal, Ella Inglebret, Karen Guilfoyle

Forest Resources Faculty Scholarship

Co-administration, as a joint protected area governance approach, has increased substantially around the world. In Guatemala, one of the most rapidly growing forms of co-administration is that of protected areas managed by municipal governments in conjunction with central government agencies. There are high expectations for these protected areas coadministered by municipalities to ensure local participation and strengthen the government’s ongoing decentralization and conservation processes. However, little research has been conducted on the outcomes of these types of arrangements. This study presents an in-depth understanding about the co-administration of the Regional Municipal Protected Area of Zunil, from the perspective of different …