OLRC Hosts a PhD Student from the University of Maine to Present Forest Ecology Research and Innovations

On Wednesday, November 19th, Fryeburg Academy hosted a truly interdisciplinary event. We welcomed special guest, Tyler Everett, a PhD student in the School of Forest Resources at the University of Maine. Everett's presentation on innovative forestry management was not limited to the sciences but also reached out to classes in the humanities and arts. This unique event, held at the Outdoor Learning and Research Center, was made possible as part of a grant-sponsored outreach initiative organized by faculty member Greg Huang-Dale. 

Everett, a citizen of the Mi'kmaq Nation, is not just a researcher but a collaborator. His research, which prioritizes methodologies that result in Tribal science, is a joint effort with Tribal Nation partners. As a PhD student in the School of Forest Resources at the University of Maine, his current focus is on the impacts of emerald ash borer (EAB) on Tribal ash resources. He is dedicated to identifying innovative management and mitigation strategies for this forest health issue that Tribal Nation partners support and are interested in better understanding. His work, which includes developing a Tribal-supported integrated pest management strategy for EAB that considers silviculture and other adaptive management strategies, climate change, and, most importantly, Tribal cultural values, is a testament to the power of collaboration. Tyler's research interests generally focus on forest entomology, forest ecology, and silviculture.