Research - Forest Science

Advance basic knowledge of forest ecosystems, as well as the physiology, genetics, and growth of hardwood trees, to provide for the health and sustained productivity of the forests of the Central Hardwood Region, both in rural and urban settings.

Faculty
Dr. Songlin Fei
Spatial analysis and pattern recognition, invasive species distribution modeling and forest ecosystem dynamic modeling

Dr. Morgan Furze
Tree physiology and ecology, carbohydrate reserve dynamics, responses to global change

Dr. Matt Ginzel
Chemically mediated host location and colonization behavior of wood-boring insects

Dr. Brady Hardiman
Ecosystem responses to anthropogenic modification including disturbance, management, land-use change associated with urbanization, remote sensing, and ecosystem modeling.

Dr. Douglass Jacobs
Forest tree regeneration including nursery culture, outplanting and early stand management

Dr. Michael Jenkins
Effects of invasive species on ecosystem structure and function, forest ecosystem response to disturbances

Dr. Michael Saunders
Disturbance-based silviculture/ecological forestry, restoration ecology in forested systems

Dr. Patrick Zollner
Behavioral eco​logy of ecological landscapes, forest management in changing landscapes, animal movements

Areas of Specialization

  • Forest Ecology
  • Forest Soils
  • Silviculture
  • Tree Physiology
  • Urban Forestry

Learn More About Our Research

View our nine research areas along with our world-class faculty.

There has been substantial debate in recent months about how to best manage Indiana’s state forests. Unfortunately, some information presented about forest management on the web, in letters to state government, and in op-ed articles to newspapers and other outlets has included statements that are not consistent with results from decades of forest and wildlife research. We believe that the public-policy debate on forest management in Indiana would benefit from clarification of key concepts and what research findings have generally concluded.

Purdue centers seek to support and enhance the research and partnership enterprise at Purdue University. The centers are valued and encouraged at Purdue as they create a venue for faculty to come together to pursue common goals. Forestry and Natural Resources have faculty and staff involved in six centers here at the University.

The Department of Forestry and Natural Resources maintains an impressive collection of state-of-the-art research and education facilities. These labs, green houses, and educational facilities are a fundamental component that enables our faculty and students to learn, make new discoveries, and engage our clients in using these discoveries to sustain our nation’s ecosystems and natural resources.​

The mission of the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources is to develop and disseminate knowledge in the natural resource sciences associated with the protection, management, and sustainable use of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. One way the department accomplishes our mission is by owning and managing 24 properties located throughout the state to provide opportunities for research, extension, and education that achieves sustainable use of our natural resources.

See Our Forest Science Stories

A maple syrup producer at work
Researchers Need Community Participation in Maple Syrup Producers Survey

A survey aimed at gathering insights from Indiana maple syrup producers regarding their...

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Professor emeritus Dr. Bill Hoover speaks at the FNR Centennial in 2013; Hoover at a farm show in 2003; Hoover with his son Sam on an honor flight
Tales From FNR with Professor Emeritus Bill Hoover

Before embarking on a 40-plus year career guiding students and constituents across the state on...

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Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant's Ben Szczygiel with Chuoy the buoy; the Natural Resources Teachers Institute at the Hardwood Ecosystem Experiment; Drs. Bryan Pijanowski and Jingjing Liang with their team doing the can you hear me sign in the forest
FNR Year in Review 2022: The Collaborations

Four research centers and four long-term research projects are housed within the Purdue...

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Dr. Jing Jing Liang with computer servers.
Future of AI in Natural Resource Management: Self-Learning Forest Growth Model

Whether we realize it or not, artificial intelligence—AI—plays a big role in our...

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Mike Saunders with a student on a prescribed fire; Liz Flaherty holding small mammal traps; Paris Collingsworth on a boat
Collingsworth, Flaherty and Saunders Earn Promotions

Purdue FNR congratulates three faculty members on their promotions, which were announced at the...

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A weather station at Martell Forest, an American marten, alumna Zoe Alameida, a long-tailed salamander
FNR Year in Review 2022: The Research and Outreach

In this segment of the FNR 2022 Year in Review, we take a look at the research advances,...

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