Forestry and the Environment

Mainebiz reports on $10M grant for jet fuel and fish feed research

Mainebiz reported on a $10 million federal grant awarded to University of Maine researchers and their colleges to investigate using low-value wood to make sustainable jet fuel and fish feed. In partnership with UMass Lowell, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Arbiom, researchers aim to turn wood waste into valuable products and improve forest management.

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University of Maine to host Maine Forest Biomaterials Week

The University of Maine will host Maine Forest Biomaterials Week from Aug. 27–29 at Wells Conference Center in Orono. The event will highlight the latest innovations and research in forest biomaterials, bringing together industry leaders, researchers and students to explore the future of sustainable materials derived from Maine’s abundant forest resources. Hosted by the University […]

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Jackson Hole News & Guide highlight tree study co-authored by McGill

Jackson Hole News & Guide reported on a study co-authored by Brian McGill, a professor of ecological modeling at the University of Maine, that reveals how trees that adapted to cold climates, like the western limber pine, may have greater heat resilience than previously thought. They compared trees’ “realized niches” in the wild with their […]

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USDA backs research into making sustainable jet fuel and fish feed from wood

Millions of pounds of low-value wood, such as small diameter trees and branches, have been left behind in Maine’s forests due to the decline in pulp and paper production, stymied by drought, fire suppression and dropping demand. While there are very few existing market opportunities for this low-quality woody biomass, University of Maine researchers believe […]

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Pest predictor identifies ingredients for ecological recipe for destruction

If you’ve felt the familiar itch of browntail moth rash, seen the grayish-green needles of an infested hemlock or watched as woodpeckers bore into ash trees for a meal hidden beneath the surface, you’ve experienced the devastating effects of non-native pests. Browntail moth, hemlock wooly adelgid and emerald ash borer are only three of the […]

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A photo of a foggy forest in fall

Forest-based economy, jobs focus of new university-nonprofit partnership

A $7 million grant from the National Science Foundation will fund a four-year statewide collaborative project led by the University of Maine to foster resilient forest communities in Maine.   Maine-FOREST, or Forest-based Opportunities for Resilient Economy, Sustainability and Technology, will expand the state’s research and educational capacity to connect human and ecosystem focused innovations and […]

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Weiskittel discusses forest research on Maine Science Podcast

Aaron Weiskittel, a professor of forest biometrics and modeling at the University of Maine, was featured in a segment of the Maine Science podcast, produced by the Maine Discovery Museum, for his research into regional forest structure and composition. The podcast focused on the research attempts by Weiskittel, who is also the director of the […]

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