A lot!
Since its inception the Clemson University Forest has been a magnet for faculty, staff, and students researching any number of topics. These researchers have come from every part of campus representing an array of disciplines, interests, and endeavors. Their creative activities have not been constrained to scientific research alone (although forest science has been the dominant theme), but have included projects across the humanities, education, athletics and engineering. For example, Dr. Dan Harding and his architecture students conducted interesting design projects in the Forest that were both beautiful and useful.
The “golden age” of forest science occurred through the 1970s and 80s, when an active forestry faculty conducted numerous projects in the Forest. Numerous topics were tackled including those closely related to the forest economy – loblolly pine silviculture – to basic forest ecology. Researchers such as the legendary Dr. David Van Lear conducted projects in and relative to the Clemson Forest that still stand as seminal contributions to the literature. For example, his exploration of oak regeneration remains a foundation of how managers think about fire.
There are roughly 400 research papers, thesis, and reports generated from the Clemson University Forest, primarily focused on forest ecology and management.
In recent years the topics have broadened as a larger portion of the University’s faculty have become interested in and experienced the Forest. In many instances faculty new to Clemson first experience the forest through outdoor recreation – mountain biking, hiking, and the like. Eventually their minds get to working, and they imagine projects they can do out there. Sooner or later, they get something going.
For example, Dr. Matt Koski in Biological Sciences conducted elegant experiments on pollination of native Trillium discolor in the CU Forest. Dr. Brian Powell in Earth and Environmental Sciences has been attracted to Lake Issaqueena for its rare opportunity to study the temperature-driven fluctuations in chemistry of the water column in a small lake. Also from Biological Sciences, Dr. Michael Childress’ students are investigating behavior and ecology of crayfish. A cross-college collaboration involving Drs. Jason Fridley, Antonino Malacrio, and Nishanth Tharayil is an ongoing study of forest biogeochemistry, the microbiome, and species invasion.
Forestry and Wildlife faculty continue to lead the charge, with numerous projects small and large involving their undergraduate and graduate students. Dr. Don Hagan has numerous projects related to the intersection of forest ecology and management; Drs. David Jachowski and Erin Buchholtz each have studies of forest mammals; Drs. Kyle Barrett’s and Dr, Rob Baldwin’s students have investigated movements and assemblages of amphibian communities; Drs. Brandon Peoples, Luke Bower, and Troy Farmer have numerous investigations of fish in the lake and streams; Drs. Jared Elmore and Theal Hotaling-Hagan are investigating restoration of grasslands for bird and plant communities.
Today, we have 38 ongoing research and scholarly works projects in the CU Forest, spanning 5 of Clemson’s colleges.
