Centers & Cooperatives
Aspen and Larch Genetics Project and
Cooperative
The University of Minnesota/Institute of Paper Science and
Technology Aspen/Larch Genetics Project is located at the
University's North Central Research and Outreach Center in
Grand Rapids. Fast-growing plant materials are expected to
play a significant role in meeting the burgeoning demand for
aspen and more generally to insure ample timber for regional
economic development. Scientists address tree improvement,
specifically hybrid and improved aspen and larch seed production,
mass propagation methods, and plantation establishment techniques.
The Cooperative represents important industry and governmental
action to maintain Minnesota's future timber supply.
Andrew David directs this Cooperative.
Center for Changing
Landscapes
In response to widespread landscape change, members of the
College of Architecture and Landscape Architecture and the
College of Natural Resources, both at the University of Minnesota,
created the Center for Changing Landscapes (CCL). The Center
links innovative landscape planning and design with technical
expertise in natural resource management and geospatial analysis
and modeling. The goal of the Center is to address issues
of sustainability for changing rural, urban, and urbanizing
landscapes, within and beyond the University of Minnesota.
To do so, the Center uses remote sensing, geographic information
systems, modeling for predicting landscape change, and landscape
and urban design-focused approaches to generate alternative
design scenarios at various landscape levels including regional,
subregional, district, neighborhood, and site levels.
Alan Ek directs efforts of this Center for the College
of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences. http://ccl.gis.umn.edu.
Center for Environment
and Natural Resource Policy
The Center was established in 1984 to facilitate interdisciplinary
studies on the issues associated with natural resource management.
The Center shares its collective ideas through conferences,
symposia and seminars, in book and journal formats, and through
the Center's Working Papers. Additionally, Center faculty
serve in an advising/consultative role for government and
industry on policy issues and process as appropriate.
Michael Kilgore directs this Center.
Center for Hardwood
Ecology
The Center for Hardwood Ecology is a cooperative unit
between the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource
Sciences (Department of Forest Resources and Department of
Wildlife Ecology) and College of Biological Sciences (Department
of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior). Hardwood forests dominated
by maple and oak were an important and widespread native ecosystem
that attracted settlement and development in Minnesota and
elsewhere in the region. Major problems such as fragmentation,
changes in disturbance regime, especially fire suppression,
increased grazing of plants by deer, potential climate change
and invasion of exotic species, threaten the existence of
these ecosystems and limit the potential for their renewed
regeneration and restoration in the region. The Center for
Hardwood Ecology brings together an interdisciplinary group
of ecologists to study ecological processes at the physiological,
community and landscape levels, and to apply findings to management
initiatives.
Lee E. Frelich (disturbance ecology), Margaret B. Davis
(paleoecology), and
Peter B. Reich (physiological ecology) direct the center.
The center is partly funded by a permanent endowment with
the University of Minnesota Foundation, and by grants from
NSF and other agencies. http://cfhe.cfans.umn.edu/
Center for Integrated Natural Resource
and Agricultural Management
Since its initiation in July 1995, the Center for Integrated
Natural Resources and Agricultural Management (CINRAM) has
brought together diverse groups to catalyze the development
and large-scale adoption of integrated land use systems. The
Center established many effective linkages within the University
and with many county, state, and federal agencies and organizations
outside the University that are active in natural resources
and agricultural management. CINRAM will continue to coordinate
the activities of the Minnesota Agroforestry Coalition and
raise awareness statewide of the need for integrated land
use systems.
Kenneth Brooks and
Dean Current direct CINRAM efforts for the College of
Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences. http://www.cinram.umn.edu
Cloquet
Forestry Center
The Cloquet Forestry Center is the University’s primary
research and education forest. The Center serves the research,
teaching, and education needs of the natural resources community.
It is also home to Extension’s Cloquet Regional office.
The Center includes 3,400 acres that support broad areas of
research and education. Meeting facilities and classrooms
can accommodate up to 140 people, with onsite lodging and
food service. Explore our website at: http://cfc.cfans.umn.edu/index.html
Cooperative Park Studies Program
The University of Minnesota Cooperative Park Studies Program
(MN-CPSP) was created in a cooperative arrangement between
the University of Minnesota and the National Park Service
(NPS) in 1989. In the fall of 1996, the MN-CPSP became a part
of the Biological Research Division (BRD) of the United States
Geologic Survey. The unit provides scientifically based knowledge
for the management of federal lands and their natural resources,
and transfers such information to other agencies and the public
to assure careful stewardship of the nation's natural resources.
Dorothy
H. Anderson directs this Cooperative. Additional information
on the MN-CPSP is available on the World Wide Web at: http://cpsp.cfans.umn.edu
Great Lakes Northern Forests Cooperative
Ecosystem Studies Unit
The Great Lakes Northern Forests Cooperative Ecosystem
Studies Unit (GLNF CESU) was formally authorized in August
2002. It is part of a national network of CESUs and stretches
from Minnesota to Maine including all or part of 13 states.
The mission of the GLNF CESU is to conduct a program of research,
technical assistance, and education that involves the biological,
physical, social, and cultural sciences needed to address,
manage and preserve Great Lakes Northern Forest ecosystems
in a rapidly changing social, economic and environmental landscape.
In addition to the host university-the University of Minnesota-
GLNF CESU has 16 university partners, 9 nongovernmental organization
partners, and 6 federal partners. Dorothy Anderson is the
coordinator for the GLNF CESU. Additional information on the
GLNF CESU can be found at: http://www.cesu.umn.edu
Interagency Information Cooperative
The Interagency Information Cooperative (IIC) is a partnership
between the Minnesota Forest Resources Council, Minnesota
Association of County Land Commissioners, Minnesota Department
of Natural Resources, Minnesota Land Management Information
Center, University of Minnesota, and the USDA Forest Service.
This Cooperative and its site maintains a vast amount of information
on Minnesota's forest and related natural resources.
http://iic.gis.umn.edu
Minnesota Forest Resources Information
Cooperative
The Minnesota Forest Resource Information Cooperative (MFRIC)
is a joint venture by the Department of Forest Resources,
College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences,
University of Minnesota; the Minnesota Forest Resources Council;
and the USDA Forest Service, Northeastern Area, State &
Private Forestry.
Minnesota Tree
Improvement Cooperative
The Minnesota Tree Improvement Cooperative was formed in 1981
to increase the use of genetic principles in regional forestry
practices. It is housed at the Cloquet Forestry Center. The
primary goal of the cooperative is to increase the quantity
and quality of timber yields in the region. This goal is accomplished
by selecting and breeding trees which grow faster, have better
form, and are more disease resistant than those which currently
exist. The Cooperative is also involved in research and development
of genetic resistance to white pine
blister rust, production of white spruce that will grow
25 percent faster than wild trees, and production of genetically
improved seeds.
Andrew David oversees this Cooperative with operations
managed by Carrie
Pike.
Remote Sensing and Geospatial Analysis
Laboratory
Established in 1995 to develop a unified computing environment
for research on spatial analysis and modeling of natural resources
and environment. The RSGL operates a large network connecting
more than 30 workstations and advanced graphics storage and
capability plus wide-ranging applications software, including
ArcGIS, ERDAS Imagine, MySQL, and S-Plus. The RSGL provides
state-of-the-art capabilities for image processing, mapping,
modeling, statistics, and visualization. The RSGL also
includes a wide array of input-output devices including digitizers,
image scanners, printers, and large format plotters.
http://rsgl.gis.umn.edu
Tourism Center
Part of the University of Minnesota Extension Service, the
Center operates in partnership with various academic units,
government agencies, and industry associations on a variety
of instructional, consulting, and research projects. Current
research topics include customer behavior, community and development
issues, and the economic impacts of tourism in Minnesota,
nationally, and internationally. Ingrid Schneider directs
the Tourism Center. http://www.tourism.umn.edu
The Wilderness Research
Center
The Wilderness Research Center operates from Ely, Minnesota,
and has been financed by the Wilderness Research Foundation
and a private donor for more than 30 years. The College of
Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences has been
closely involved with the programs of the Center.
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