Mode of Program Participation
Academic Scholarship
Participation Type
Paper
Presentation #1 Title
A Century Among the Pines: Forest Experiments in Western North Carolina
Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary
Although not widely recognized, western North Carolina was “first in forestry” as home to both the first school of forestry in America and the first USDA National Forest. Foresters associated with the Biltmore Forest School began planting and experimenting with white pine (Pinus Strobus) specimens in the early 20th-century in Bent Creek, NC. These silviculture studies continued in the same region on the same specimens after the federal government’s acquisition of the land in 1916 and the establishment of the Bent Creek Experimental Forest Station within Pisgah National Forest. These planted experimental forests, known as the “Biltmore Plots” have been the focus of a variety of studies throughout the past century: from experiments aimed to increase timber production, to examinations of white pine interactions with modern environmental crises such as acid rain and carbon pollution. This paper examines how experiments on white pines in Bent Creek have changed over the past century. The evolution of these experiments demonstrates that management practices and research questions surrounding the Bent Creek Experimental Forest have changed in response to both the maturation of specimens and new data regarding environmental quality. This intellectual shift also illustrates the USDA Forest Service’s adoption of a systems thinking approach to research, one that allows foresters to incorporate a wider range of ecological factors into the formation of conclusions. Today white pines are no longer understood as a source of timber and income, but rather as a vital component of a complex, interconnected environment. By examining how forest experiments have changed over “a century among the pines,” scholars, students, and activists alike can develop a deeper appreciation for and longitudinal scientific research of our planet’s dynamic system.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1
Savannah Paige Murray is a MA candidate in Appalachian Studies at Appalachian State University. Her research focuses on the history of science and the built environment, nature writing, and ecocriticism.
A Century Among the Pines: Forest Experiments in Western North Carolina
Although not widely recognized, western North Carolina was “first in forestry” as home to both the first school of forestry in America and the first USDA National Forest. Foresters associated with the Biltmore Forest School began planting and experimenting with white pine (Pinus Strobus) specimens in the early 20th-century in Bent Creek, NC. These silviculture studies continued in the same region on the same specimens after the federal government’s acquisition of the land in 1916 and the establishment of the Bent Creek Experimental Forest Station within Pisgah National Forest. These planted experimental forests, known as the “Biltmore Plots” have been the focus of a variety of studies throughout the past century: from experiments aimed to increase timber production, to examinations of white pine interactions with modern environmental crises such as acid rain and carbon pollution. This paper examines how experiments on white pines in Bent Creek have changed over the past century. The evolution of these experiments demonstrates that management practices and research questions surrounding the Bent Creek Experimental Forest have changed in response to both the maturation of specimens and new data regarding environmental quality. This intellectual shift also illustrates the USDA Forest Service’s adoption of a systems thinking approach to research, one that allows foresters to incorporate a wider range of ecological factors into the formation of conclusions. Today white pines are no longer understood as a source of timber and income, but rather as a vital component of a complex, interconnected environment. By examining how forest experiments have changed over “a century among the pines,” scholars, students, and activists alike can develop a deeper appreciation for and longitudinal scientific research of our planet’s dynamic system.
