Alabama Consortium on Forestry Education and Research

The Alabama Consortium on Forestry Education and Research was established in 1992 to enhance the environmental, social, and economic benefits from the forest resources of Alabama through expanded education of undergraduate and graduate students, collaborative research programs, and technology transfer.  The consortium is a collaborative effort of:  (1) the three university forestry programs in the state of Alabama, Tuskegee University, Alabama A&M University, and Auburn University; (2) two branches of the USDA Forest Service, the Southern Research Station and the National Forests in Alabama; and (3) the state forestry agency, the Alabama Forestry Commission.

One of the primary goals of the consortium has been to establish a program of social and economic research on minority and limited resource landowners.  Research focuses on three areas:

1. Understanding the characteristics and needs of minority and limited resource landowners, including (a) descriptive and spatial data on land ownership, forest uses, and forest values; (b) the relationships between National Forests and adjacent communities; (c) landowner participation in conservation extension programs and financial assistance programs; and (d) the social and economic importance of forest industries.
2. Understanding the changing role of southern forests in farming systems and rural economies in a globalizing economy, and developing new strategies for forest-related rural development.  Promising avenues for development include value added production, small diameter woods, small scale forestry, secondary manufacturing, specialty forest products, hunting, and forest recreation.
3. Understanding how changes in national forest management affect minority and limited resource communities and landowners.

For more information on the Alabama Consortium for Forestry Education and Research, contact:
John Schelhas, Research Forester
Southern Research Station
USDA Forest Service
112 Campbell Hall
Tuskegee University
Tuskegee, AL 36088
Phone 334-727-8131
E-mail:  jschelhas@fs.fed.us

Available through USDA/Forest Service:  General Technical Report SRS-49, “Activities of the Alabama Consortium on Forestry Education and Research 1993-1999.”