Fostering growth in forests and research
Dr. Michael Goerndt leads collaborative efforts to fuel efficient forestry.
Visualize a tree. It grows larger over time. If surrounded by many other large trees, the branches will slowly converge.
This reduces the amount of sunlight hitting the ground. If left in such a condition for too long without disturbance, important tree species cannot regenerate.
“Forest management is intentional, planned disturbance,” Goerndt said. “When forestland is managed for multiple objectives, we can effectively grow better trees and companion crops and maintain diverse habitats.”
Designing the future of forests
Goerndt specializes in forest biometrics focusing on measurements and data analysis for forests.