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Family Forest Research Center

Focusing on Families to Conserve Forests

Who We Are

ffrc_group

Check out this short video about who we are and what we do. Created by Morgan Bowler, FFRC Research Associate

https://www.familyforestresearchcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/FFRC-Intro-Video-V.2.mp4

FFRC Staff

Brett Butler Expand

Dr. Brett Butler is a national and international expert on forest ownership who has authored over 100 articles and reports on this subject. As part of the U.S. Forest Service, Northern Research Station, Forest Inventory and Analysis program, he coordinates the National Woodland Owner Survey and co-directs the Family Forest Research Center. He is an adjunct professor in the University of Massachusetts, Department of Environmental Conservation and the Editor-in-Chief for the journal Small-scale Forestry. He earned his Ph.D. from Oregon State University and his B.S from the University of Connecticut.

Sarah M Butler Expand

Sarah Butler is a Research Fellow at the University of Massachusetts Department of Environmental Conservation/ USDA Forest Service’s Family Forest Research Center (FFRC). She works on the Timber Products Output survey (TPO) as well as the National Woodland Owner Survey (NWOS). She uses NWOS data to explore various topics related to family forest owner characteristics, behaviours and attitudes. Her work also includes the Tools for Engaging Landowners Effectively (TELE) project and various other projects related to family forest owners.

Sarah received a B.S. from Indiana University in Environmental Science with a concentration in ecological systems and a M.S. from the University of Maine in Forest Ecology.

Jesse Caputo Expand

USDA Forest Service, Research Forester

https://www.fs.fed.us/research/people/jcaputo

 

Paul Catanzaro Expand

Paul Catanzaro70% of Massachusetts’ forests are family forests. As extension faculty, my work integrates research and outreach to family forest owners. The goal of this integrated approach is to learn about family forest owners in order to better inform their decisions. A main focus of my work is to help landowners decide the future of their land through conservation based estate planning. I am also interested in silvicultural approaches to increasing forest resiliency. My outreach methods focus heavily on peer learning, social networks, and internet based tools. I am the co-director of the Family Forest Research Center.  I also serve on the board of the MA Land Trust Coalition and am the Chair of the MA Forester Licensing Board.

 

Kristin Floress Expand

Research Social Scientist USFS

https://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/people/kfloress

Vance Harris Expand

Vance is a Research Fellow at the University of Massachusetts Department of Environmental Conservation/ USDA Forest Service’s Family Forest Research Center (FFRC). He specializes in geospatial data analytics focused on environmental datasets, geospatial programing & automation, and geostatisitics. HIs areas of interests include natural resource modelling and conservation. HIs work focuses on mapping forest ownership patterns across the US and linking it to the National Woodland Owner Survey (NWOS) in efforts to better understand trends at small scale areal units.

Vance received a B.S. from the University of Florida in Geography and a M.S. from the University of Colorado Denver in Environmental Science with a focus in Geospatial Science.

Emily S Huff Expand

Michigan State University - Assistant Professor

https://www.canr.msu.edu/people/emily_huff

David B. Kittredge Expand

Retired UMASS Professor & Extension Forester

http://eco.umass.edu/people/faculty/kittredge-david-b/

Marla Markowski-Lindsay Expand

Marla Lindsay is a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Massachusetts Department of Environmental Conservation/ USDA Forest Service’s Family Forest Research Center (FFRC). As a natural resource economist, her work involves conducting forest owner research related to current public policy topics and issues related to land use change.

As a member of the FFRC, she seeks to increase our understanding of family and other private forest owners in the context of topical policy and land use issues. Her main focus areas include exploring forest owners’ intentions and decisions related to conservation-based estate planning, specifically that related to land use change, and interdisciplinary collaboration to better understand the landscape impacts of invasive forest insect pests on privately-owned forest land. She is interested in developing a better understanding of the social and economic impacts of regional land conservation efforts, and recently has been exploring USDA Forest Inventory & Analysis data to understand forest ownership changes over time. In the past, she has assisted in the analysis of the USFS Forest Stewardship Program, conducted analyses of the USDA Forest Service’s National Woodland Owner Survey to understand forest owner decisions and intentions, and conducted primary research related to the social and economic dimensions of carbon sequestration and biomass harvesting by family forest owners.

Marla earned a B.A. from Smith College in Mathematics and an M.S. from the University of Maryland, College Park, in Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics under mentorship of Dr. Nancy E. Bockstael. Before coming to UMass, Marla worked as a Senior Associate at Industrial Economics, Incorporated in Cambridge, MA for 15 years. In this capacity she conducted economic policy research for a variety of Federal and State agencies, as well as private entities; her analyses evaluated environmental management decisions, estimated ecosystem values, informed policy choices, and supported litigation efforts.

Amanda Robillard Expand

Amanda Robillard is a Research Fellow at the Family Forest Research Center, a collaboration between the USDA Forest Service and the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She focuses on the implementation of the NWOS, undergrad wrangling and general operations of the FFRC. She is also working on the minority landowner project and efforts to increase response rate for the NWOS and UNLS.
She received a B.S. in Fisheries Biology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and her M.S. in Fisheries Science from Oregon State University. In her free time, she enjoys strongman, birding, and baking.

Emma Sass Expand

Emma Sass

Emma Sass is a Research Fellow at the University of Massachusetts Department of Environmental Conservation/ USDA Forest Service’s Family Forest Research Center (FFRC). Her primary interests are forest management and conservation and how identity influences our relationship to forests. Her work focuses on the implementation and analysis of the National Woodland Owner Survey (NWOS), including a survey of large, corporate forestland owners and a survey for woodland owners in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Other projects include research on how landowners in the eastern and central U.S. feel about oak forests and their management as part of American Forest Foundation’s White Oak Initiative.

Emma received a B.S. from Tufts University in Biology and Environmental Studies and a M.S. from the University of Vermont in Natural Resources with a concentration in Forest Science.

Stephanie Snyder Expand

USFS - Operations Research Analyst

https://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/people/Snyder

Graduate Students

Morgan Bowler - University of Massachusetts Amherst  B.S. 2021

Morgan is a master's student in the Department of Environmental Conservation at UMass Amherst. She is currently pursuing a master's degree in sustainability science. Morgan works with the FFRC on the implementation of the NWOS survey, as well as conducting a NWOS literature review and analyzing the access to forest landowner assistance programs based on socio-economic demographics. . Morgan graduated from UMass in 2021 with a B.S. in Natural Resources Conservation. In her free time, Morgan likes to spend time with her family, friends, and dogs. She also enjoys hiking and trying new foods.

 

Ian Kennedy - University of Massachusetts Amherst  B.S. 2021

Ian is a master’s student in the Department of Geosciences (GIST) at UMass Amherst. As a part of his master’s program, Ian is continuing his work with the FFRC on implementation and data analysis relating to the Timber Products Output (TPO) Survey.  Specifically, he is engaged in research to address data lapses and biases inherent to the survey’s sample-frame. Additionally, he is working on projects that provide a geographic lens through which to interpret TPO data.

Ian graduated in 2021 with a B.S. in Environmental Science & Earth Systems, along with a certificate in GIST, from UMass Amherst. In his free time he enjoys walking, hiking, golfing, and catching up with friends/family!

Lina Clifford - State University of New York at Geneseo BA 2020

Lina is a master’s student in the Department of Environmental Conservation at UMass Amherst. Working with Paul Catanzaro in the FFRC, Lina’s research focuses on New England landowner attitudes toward forever wild conservation easements. She is also interested in applied geographic information systems. Lina received a B.A from State University of New York at Geneseo in Geography with minors in Environmental Studies and History. She then worked two years at Genesee Valley Conservancy—a regional land trust in western New York. In her free time, Lina enjoys cooking, spending time outdoors, and playing and listening to bluegrass music.

Samantha Myers - Washington University in St Louis BA 2019

Samantha is a master’s student in the Department of Environmental Conservation at UMass Amherst. Working with Paul Catanzaro in the FFRC and Malcolm Itter in the Applied Forest Ecology lab at UMass, Sam’s research focuses on how forest landowners can implement forest management strategies to achieve multiple goals including carbon storage and resiliency to climate change.

In her free time, Sam likes to cook, play guitar, and explore New England on foot or bike. Before starting graduate school, Sam studied Environmental Biology at Washington University in St. Louis and then worked with The Nature Conservancy’s land management team back in her home state of Maryland as part of a year-long service program.

Logan Miller - Clemson University 2021

Logan is a master’s student in the Environmental Conservation department at UMass Amherst. Working with Brett Butler in the FFRC, Logan is researching the attitudes and behaviors of family forest owners towards climate change. He graduated from Clemson University in 2021 with a B.S. in Conservation Biology and a minor in Sustainability. Outside of work, Logan enjoys doing any outdoor activity (especially anything new), going to coffee shops, music, and spending time with friends.

Graduates!

Jackie Dias

- M.S. University of Massachusetts Amherst 2022

- Jackie is a fellow with National Park Service working on Wild and Scenic Rivers Program

Margaret Harrington

- M.S. University of Massachusetts Amherst 2021

- Meg is currently employed with U.S. Fish & Wildlife as a wildlife biologist.

Olivia Lukacic

- M.S. University of Massachusetts Amherst 2021

- Olivia currently holds a position as a Conservation Specialist with the Trustees of Reservations

Helena Murray

- M.S. University of Massachusetts Amherst 2019

- Helena has graduated and moved on to a permanent job with USFS in California.

  • About Us
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  • Presentations
  • Landowners
  • Who We Are
  • Contact Us
  • IUFRO
  • 2024 – 2028 NWOS Modules
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