Welcome to the Eastern Forest Environmental Threat Assessment Center!
Eastern forests are vulnerable to stresses from insects and disease, wildland loss, invasive species, uncharacteristic fire, and climate change. As new threats emerge and old threats resurface, the Eastern Forest Environmental Threat Assessment Center (EFETAC) is an interdisciplinary resource that is actively developing new technology and tools to anticipate and respond to emerging eastern forest threats. Center researchers work with other scientists nationally as well as with a variety of Federal, State, and local government agencies, universities, and non-governmental partners to address these threats. More...
Message from the Director... Dr. Danny C. Lee
Welcome to the Eastern Forest Environmental Threat Assessment Center’s Web site – a resource for cutting edge research, technology, and tools addressing emerging forest threats. Our site is intended to be a user-friendly, reliable, and timely source of information for anyone interested in environmental threats.
EFETAC is addressing a variety of complex issues that demand cross-disciplinary integration, collaboration, and creativity. Our work complements ongoing efforts within and outside the Forest Service and builds on a wealth of existing information. Our scientists collaborate with an extensive national and international research community and focus on research that is relevant to rural and urban forest threat issues. More...
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Featured Forest Threat
Fuel Buildup
What is fuel buildup? Where fire was once a frequent visitor and served to keep forests open, growing and uncrowded, decades of fire suppression have created conditions far denser than they ought to be, making forests more vulnerable to catastrophic fire. For example, nearly 2/3 of National Forest System lands have missed one or more expected fire cycles, resulting in elevated fire risk and a forest health concern for millions of acres.
Why is fuel buildup a concern? Vulnerable forest types are concentrated at lower elevations, where most people live, work, and play. Decades of fuel buildup have led to fires that burn out of control with uncharacteristic intensity, unprecedented damage to ecosystems and communities, and high suppression costs.
Why is fuel buildup a concern? Vulnerable forest types are concentrated at lower elevations, where most people live, work, and play. Decades of fuel buildup have led to fires that burn out of control with uncharacteristic intensity, unprecedented damage to ecosystems and communities, and high suppression costs.
