Dr. Matt Betts
Professor, Ruth H. Spaniol Chair of Renewable Resources, Oregon State University, Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society
PI: Prof. Helene Wagner
December 6, 2024
12 to 1 PM
IB 140 & Zoom
Principal Investigator, H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest
Adjunct Professor, Dept. of Fisheries and Wildlife, OSU
Courtesy Faculty, Geosciences, OSU
Honorary Research Associate, Faculty of Forestry and Environmental Management, University of New Brunswick
Title: Can we have our cake and eat it too? Conserving forest biodiversity in the age of humans
Abstract: Global wood demand is expected to increase by 50% by 2050. The footprint of managed forests already covers 75% of global forest area and is expanding to meet this demand. Are there any approaches that conserve biodiversity and the climate in the face of rising demand? I’ll begin by reporting on a long-term study focused on impacts of intensive wood production on biodiversity. Second, I will present some recent research on how forestry practices in eastern Canada have affected bird populations and carbon storage. Finally, I will discuss some landscape and global-scale options for reducing tradeoffs between wood production with biodiversity conservation.
Background: Dr. Betts has extensive education in environmental science, holding degrees from Queen’s University, University of New Brunswick, University of Waterloo, and Dartmouth College. His research focuses on landscape and wildlife ecology, studying animal movement, population dynamics, ecological thresholds, and sustainable forestry. Key interests include the effects of landscape structure on animal populations, species distribution modeling, and socio-political solutions for conservation.
Visit the Betts Forest Landscape Ecology Lab webpage to learn more about Matt!