PELLSTON, Mich. — Northern Michigan is part of jack pine country.
Jack pine barrens are imperiled, fire-dependent ecosystems that occur in central and northern Michigan and host numerous rare plant and animal species, including the Kirtland’s warbler.
To bring together the complex community of researchers, forest managers and conservationists focused on jack pine ecosystems, the University of Michigan Biological Station and Northern Pine Plains Partnership will co-host the inaugural Jack Pine Research Symposium.
The free, two-day event is Thursday and Friday, Feb. 19-20, at the University of Michigan Biological Station, located at 9133 Biological Rd. in Pellston.
Registration is required in advance through an online registration form.
“From ornithology to fire ecology, work related to jack pine forests spans a wide scope,” said Adam Schubel, resident biologist at the U-M Biological Station. “It can be tough for active practitioners from different specializations to connect on parallel efforts or emerging innovations happening just over the horizon. This symposium is an opportunity to bring everyone together in an inspiring setting to share knowledge, identify cooperative approaches, build community and chart the future of jack pine research and management in Michigan.”
The symposium will feature speakers and presentations on Thursday, Feb. 19. Discussion and networking will be the focus on Friday, Feb. 20.
Lodging is available at UMBS for a fee of $75 a night, upon request.
Contact Adam Schubel at aschubel@umich.edu with questions about the symposium or to make a housing request.
Contemporary jack pine habitat management is the result of decades of research-driven adaptive management and collaboration.
This effort resulted in successfully emulating many features of a complex ecosystem reconstructed through alternative processes, the recovery of the Kirtland’s Warbler from the brink of extinction, and advanced prescribed fire science.
New ecological questions and management challenges are emerging, in addition to those that have existed for decades.
The Jack Pine Research Symposium aims to discover new collaborative pathways forward and foster new connections.
The University of Michigan Biological Station serves as a gathering place to learn from the natural world, advance research and education, and inspire action. We leverage over a century of research and transformative experiences to drive discoveries and solutions to benefit Michigan and beyond.
Our vast campus engages all of the senses. Its remote, natural setting nurtures deep thought and scientific discovery.
Founded in 1909, UMBS supports long-term research and education through immersive, field-based courses and features state-of-the-art equipment and facilities for data collection and analysis to help any field researcher be productive. It is where students and scientists from across the globe live and work as a community to learn from the place.
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