The UMaine Forest operations lab is a diverse, interactive, and collaborative group of graduate and undergraduate students under the supervision of Dr. Anil Raj Kizha, Associate Professor of Forest Operations and Forestry Program Leader, School of Forest Resources at the University of Maine, Orono. The focus of the lab is primarily on research and education in the fields of timber harvesting, silviculture, logistics, biomass, and bioenergy. The recent research topics from the lab include production economics of various silvicultural prescriptions and harvesting systems, costing of small-diameter trees based on existing market conditions, harvesting on sensitive grounds, residual stand damage, and logistics of trucking in Maine.
Lab members have been actively participating in regional, national, and international conferences and conventions which provides ample opportunities to present their results in front of diverse professionals in forestry from different parts of the world. Our lab has been actively involved in collaborations with the industrial forestry organizations in the northeastern United States.
The courses taught by Dr. Kizha include Forest Measurement & Statistics, Forest Operations Winter Camp, and Timber Harvesting (SFR 401/502; 4 Credits; Fall) all of which are field-oriented and provides hands-on experience and interaction with foresters in the field.