Over the past 30 years a global network of forest monitoring sites has been established by strategic partnerships between the Smithsonian Institution and universities and forestry departments. This ‘Forest-Geo’ network currently monitors 6 million trees, and 10,000 tree species in 63 plots and 23 countries. Plots in the network are censused every five years using a detailed shared protocol generating data on forest productivity and dynamics that is directly comparable across sites. The goal of this project is to establish Trelease Woods, a 24 ha old growth deciduous forest, and a university-managed natural area, as the next site in the Forest-Geo network.

Key desired outcomes of the project are:

(1) Complete a full census of Trelease Woods expanding knowledge of current forest composition and carbon storage, and contributing to a larger dataset on midwestern deciduous forests via ForestGeo

(2) Provide experiential learning opportunities for a large number of undergraduate students from both ACES and LAS in forest ecology/field biology by participating in or leading forest census crews.

(3) Provide a core data base on the location, species identity and size of trees in the Trelease Woods that can be used as source data by at least four undergraduate classes to design and develop group or student-led lab exercises.

(4) Provide data that can be used to reconstruct changes in forest carbon storage at Trelease Woods over the last century (1922-2019).