Department of Forestry Natural Resource Economics and Social Sciences

Ongoing Activities 

• Webinar series: Building forest carbon and market decision support
• Growing Biochar Network
• Logger, consultant forester, and mill Survey
• Advisor, Great Lake Biochar Network (GLBN)

Recently Competed Activities 

• Workshop: Advanced and technical themes related to forest carbon science, policy, and management
• Workshop: Fundamental and key concepts of forest carbon science, policy, and management
• Webinar Series: State and Tribal Capacity Building on Forest Carbon
• Workshop: Economics of Energy Production: Towards Fair Comparisons
• Tour: Bioenergy and Wood Products of Michigan
• Webinar series: Insights and Opportunities Across Transatlantic Forest Research
• Forest Carbon Analysis and Knowledge Transfer in Northern United States
• Woodshed Mapping for Lake States
• Treasurer, Michigan Forest Association (MFA)
• 2022 International Society of Forest Resource Economics (ISFRE) Meeting
• Assessment of biomass availability for a biopower production in Michigan
• Economic Impacts of potential mass timber production facility in Michigan
• Potential supply of  biomass, production of Biochar, and demand for land application in Michigan. 

Click here to learn about Workshops and Webinars

Reports and Publications (last five years)

1. Pokharel, R., Allohverdi, T., Latta, G., Poudel, P., Huff, E., and Gc S. 2023. Feedstock availability for Filer City powerplant and its economic impact to the state. May 2023, Report by MSU Forestry for NorthStar Clean Energy™, Michigan.
2. Pokharel, R., Gc S., Clay K., Papa, C. 2022. Economic Tradeoffs in Timber Products Under Various Carbon Management Strategies for Maryland. December 2022, Draft Report by MSU Forestry and MSU FCCP for Penn Soil RD&C Council, USDA Forest Service, MD DNR (Final Report pending) 
3. Pokharel, R., Gc S., Clay K., Papa, C. 2022. Economic Tradeoffs in Timber Products Under Various Carbon Management Strategies for Pennsylvania. December 2022, Draft Report by MSU Forestry and MSU FCCP for Penn Soil RD&C Council, USDA Forest Service, PA DCNR (Final Report pending) 
4. Pokharel, R., Khanal, N. 2022. Analysis of location, softwood sawlog availability, and economic contributions of a mass timber manufacturing plant in Michigan. August 2022, Report by MSU Forestry and Mass timber at MSU for Michigan DNR.
5. Miesel J., Pokharel R., Safron C. & Ahmed^* N. (2023). Determining opportunities and challenges for incorporating biochar into a sustainable regional bioeconomy. Project GREEEN, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan.

In the News:

• King M. (2024. September). Wisconsin’s Wooden Skyscrapers In Belt Magazine. https://beltmag.com/wisconsins-wooden-skyscrapers. 
• Saunders D. (2024. April). Researchers at Michigan Tech Want to Create a High-Tech Wood Product Called Cross-Laminated Timber From the State’s Hardwood Trees Inside Climate News. https://insideclimatenews.org/. 
• Falinski, J . (2023. December). Exploring Michigan’s Emerging Mass Timber Market. Spartan Magazine - Winter 2024. MSU Alumni. East Lansing, MI. 
• Falinski, J . (2023. December). MSU researchers explore emerging market for mass timber in Michigan. AgBioResearch, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI. 
• Noel, L. (2023, September). MSU Forestry Partnership in Finland. The Forestry Source (Page 8), Society of American Foresters, Washington DC.
• Medina, A. (2022, September). Public policy and social research teams receive up to $30,000 in funding. The State News, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI.
• Michigan DNR (2022, January). Webinar series from Michigan-Maine-Finland partnership examines forest ecology, economics. DNR News, Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Lansing, MI.
• Watts, A. (2020, August). How Five Natural-Resources Professionals work with CO₂. The Forestry Source (Page 8), Society of American Foresters, Washington DC.
• Lewis, K. C. (2017, March). EYESORE or OPPORTUNITY? Logging Residues Could Serve as an Energy Resource. Mississippi Landmarks Volume 13 Number 1 (Page 20). Division of Agriculture, Forestry, and Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State. MS.