Aspen in the Lake States: A research review

Trembling aspen is a critical component of forests in the Lake States, with important economic and environmental contributions to the region. There is a modest ongoing investment in aspen research, but the research is fragmented and not always closely linked to industry information needs. Closer communication and collaboration between the forest research scientists and industrial forest managers is needed to ensure that limited research funding is allocated to priority topics and that research outputs are relevant to industry managers and can be used to develop strategies to best utilize and sustain this resource. This is particularly important given the changing nature of the forest products industry in the region and for larger-scale issues related to fiber supply, global competitiveness, and the role of forests in carbon sequestration and bioenergy production. This research assessment summarizes the status and trends of aspen in the Lake States, including its economic and environmental contributions, and characterizes current research on management, productivity, and environmental considerations for aspen. It also suggests strategies to help meet industry needs for information and technology transfer and identifies research gaps and areas for potential collaboration.