Great Lakes Northern Forest Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit

Great Lakes Northern Forest CESU logo

The Great Lakes Northern Forest (GLNF) Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) is a regional network of faculty, specialists, managers, and staff from leading academic institutions, conservation organizations, and federal agencies. All units transcend political and institutional boundaries to improve the scientific base for managing public lands. They provide resource managers with high quality scientific research, technical assistance, and education. The GLNF CESU seeks to resolve resource problems at multiple scales using interdisciplinary ecosystem studies involving the biological, physical, social, and cultural sciences. The GLNF CESU has been hosted by the University of Minnesota’s Department of Forest Resources since 2002.

 

Join the GLNF CESU

2022-2027 Master Agreement

 

Genetic characterization of introduced European frogbit and water soldier to support management and biological control development

The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) announces an opportunity to enter into a cooperative agreement for genetic characterization of populations of European frogbit and water soldier (Hydrocharis morsus-ranae and Stratiotes aloides), two invasive aquatic weeds in North America, from populations in their invasive and native ranges. This information will be used to direct future foreign exploration by identifying areas likely to have agents pre-adapted to the genotype of invasive North American populations.

Phase I Deadline: July 03, 2023, at 12:00 noon Central Time (CT).

Investigation of water quality trigger points for Didymo Blooms in the Saint Marys Rapids, Lake Superior

US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) seeks applications for a cooperative agreement to develop a collaborative water quality monitoring program for the purpose of identifying the physiochemical parameters that may cause the onset of Didymo blooms in the St. Marys River Rapids adjacent to the Soo Lock and Dam. Initial data from the program will be used by ERDC and the CESU institution to design and conduct laboratory and field tests aimed to control and/or manipulate Didymo growth.

Deadline: 26 June, 2023, at 13:00 Central Time (CT)

Determining drivers of floodplain forest regeneration success and failure on the Upper Mississippi River in Minnesota and Wisconsin

Proactive management actions can aid in reducing the chance of future forest loss, but there is limited research or institutional knowledge along the Upper Mississippi available on the mechanisms driving regeneration of key floodplain forest tree species and, therefore, management actions to promote regeneration of trees often result in failure.

The current study aims to identify key drivers of regeneration for a handful of currently widespread floodplain forest tree species and to test a set of management techniques to promote the establishment of regeneration from seed. This information is critical for developing management strategies to ensure long-term viability of Upper Mississippi River (UMR) Floodplain Forests.