University of Wisconsin-Green Bay
IN-2: Innovation 2

The Wabikon Forest Dynamics Plot is part of a new international network of research sites coordinated by the Smithsonian Institution's Global Earth Observatory program, involving faculty, staff and students from more than 75 academic institutions and resource management agencies worldwide. The network is designed to coordinate long-term, large-scale research on forests around the world in order to increase scientific understanding of forest ecosystems, guide sustainable forest management and natural resource policy, monitor the impacts of climate change, and build capacity in forest science. The Wabikon plot was established by UW - Green Bay professors Amy Wolf and Robert Howe of the Department of Natural and Applied Sciences and Cofrin Center for Biodiversity and Gary Fewless, Curator of the UW - Green Bay Herbarium. To the first census was conducted in October 2009, producing a database of 58,658 records representing 48,849 lived trees in the 25.2 ha (62 acre) plot. Although in the very early stages of the long-term study, at least six publications and student theses have been produced from this field data. In addition the plat has provided field research experience for at least 33 UW - Green Bay students and part-time employment for 22 of these. Science course at UW-Green Bay have used data from the plot for laboratory exercies and classroom projects.