The inaugural “Forest Carbon Management in Central Appalachia Conference” took place from September 25 to 27, 2023, at the Morgantown Marriott at Waterfront Place in Morgantown, West Virginia. The conference, sponsored by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and West Virginia University (WVU), attracted a diverse audience of researchers, academics, students, extension agents, foresters, entrepreneurs, non-profit organizations, wood products industry representatives, landowners, and other stakeholders.
This landmark event showcased the significance of effective forest carbon management in Central Appalachia and explored opportunities for collaboration among the attendees. The comprehensive agenda included a series of oral presentation sessions, engaging panel discussions, a productive breakout session, and an enlightening field trip. Attendees shared their insights and evaluationsregarding the current state of forest carbon management while emphasizing priorities for improving forest management practices in the region.
A highlight of the conference was the presentation of sixteen student posters during the poster session and networking cocktail hour. Five students were selected to give five-minute poster lightning presentations, and among them, Corey Foster, an undergraduate student, stood out with his presentation titled “Ecosystem Analysis of Glenville State University’s Campus Trees.”
Corey’s research aimed to provide a comprehensive assessment of the structure, function, and value of Glenville State University’s urban campus forest, shedding light on the myriad benefits offered by each tree. The research evaluated individual tree benefits, including pollution removal in pounds per year, carbon storage in tons, oxygen production in tons per year, avoided water runoff in cubic feet per year, building energy savings in dollars per year, carbon avoided in tons per year, potential impacts from pests, and the overall replacement cost of the trees in dollars, attaching monetary values to these invaluable contributions.
Corey Foster expressed his gratitude, stating, “I am greatly appreciative for the privilege to attend this conference, and I am immensely honored to have been selected to present a lightning talk to a room filled with the leading experts on the subject of forest carbon management. I learned a great deal about the subject from highly intelligent individuals who were also inquisitive about my research as well. I am beyond grateful for all of the advantageous opportunities that Glenville State University has afforded me as a BS in Natural Resource Management student.”
Dr. Rico Gazal, Corey’s advisor, remarked, “I am delighted that Corey could attend this conference where he presented our research on the ecosystem benefits of trees on the GSU campus. This is a valuable experience for him, especially considering that Corey is graduating this coming Spring semester. I am certain that it will open up new opportunities for him after graduation.”
