A Forest Optimization Tool for Modeling, Mapping, and Managing in Minnesota

A changing climate, changes in Minnesota’s forest products industry and increasing pressure for ecosystem service have and will continue to create challenges to managing Minnesota’s forests. University of Minnesota – Duluth’s Natural Resources Research Institute is developing a spatially-explicit decision tool that integrates forest productivity, ecosystem services, and economic information to help land managers assess the potential costs, benefits and tradeoffs between forest management options at a landscape scale over an 80 year planning period.  This webinar will introduce the tool to participants, provide an overview of LANDIS-II and how the model works followed by discussion of how this tool can be best be used to guide resource management decisions at a landscape scale.