Grand Teton Forest Dynamics Plot: Monitoring local forest health and contributing to the Smithsonian Forest Global Earth Observatory

Sara Germain is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Botany at the University of Wyoming. Her primary research blends tree-ring science with field studies of forest health to understand how mechanisms of individual tree mortality give rise to forest change, particularly in response to climate and climate-altered disturbances. Dr. Germain is particularly interested in tracking the effects of forest insects and diseases in the Rocky Mountains to help managers conserve forests for recreation, wildlife, and wildfire resilience.

Tucker Furniss is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Ecosystem Science and Management at the University of Wyoming. His research focuses on forest demography, tree mortality, and disturbance ecology of western forests at scales ranging from individual trees to entire landscapes. He uses a combination of field-based longitudinal datasets, remote sensing, and process-based simulation models to understand how climate, land use, and disturbance processes are shaping landscapes and transforming our forests. He strives to balance research that advances a basic understanding of ecological processes while also maintaining strong relevance to science-based management of our public lands.