Scientists & Staff
Nicholas Skowronski
News Releases
Current Research
My current research focuses on the quantification and analysis of the structural characteristics of forest canopies and how this relates to carbon and water cycles. I have recently been using a newly emerging remote sensing technology called LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) which actively characterizes the canopy with a laser beam. My work is split between developing methods for using LiDAR and other remotes sensing techniques for wildfire mitigation and studying how forest functionality changes after disturbance.Why This Research is Important
This research is being conducted to provide information that is allows us to map wildfire risks in 3-D across large areas and to use this information to strategically implement fuel reduction treatments. We are also working to apply this work in the wildland urban interface and intermix environments (where homes and forests come together) to help understand how property owners can manage vegetation around their homes to minimize the effects of potential wildfires.We also use this research to help us quantify how changes in canopy structure from human caused and natural disturbances change an ecosystem's cycling of carbon and water. By further studying these forest dynamics, we can better understand how the forest's ability to sequester carbon changes after different levels of disturbance.
Education
- Rutgers University (New Brunswick, NJ), Ph.D. Ecology and Evolution, 2011
- Dickinson College (Carlisle, PA), B.S. Environmental Science, 2001
Professional Experience
- Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Geology & Geography, West Virginia University 2014 - Current
- Research Technician, USDA Forest Service Northeast Research Station 2003 - 2009
- Forester, Ft. Dix, NJ 2001 - 2003
Professional Organizations
- Association for Fire Ecology (2013 - Current)
- International Association of Wildland Fire (2007 - Current)
- Ecological Society of America (2004 - Current)
Featured Publications & Products
- Skowronski, Nicholas S.; Clark, Kenneth L.; Duveneck, Matthew; Hom, John. 2011. Three-dimensional canopy fuel loading predicted using upward and downward sensing LiDAR systems. Remote Sensing of Environment. 115: 703-714.
- Clark, Kenneth L.; Skowronski, Nicholas; Hom, John. 2010. Invasive insects impact forest carbon dynamics. Global Change Biology. 16: 88-101.
- Schafer, Karina V.; Clark, Kenneth L.; Skowronski, Nicholas; Hamerklynck, Erik P. 2010. Impact of insect defoliation on forest carbon balance as assessed with a canopy assimilation model. Global Change Biology. 16: 546-560.
- Clark, Kenneth L.; Skowronski, Nicholas; Hom, John; Duveneck, Matthew; Pan, Yude; Van Tuyl, Stephen; Cole, Jason; Patterson, Matthew; Maurer, Stephen. 2009. Decision support tools to improve the effectiveness of hazardous fuel reduction treatments in the New Jersey Pine Barrens. International Journal ofWildland Fire. 18: 268-277.
- Skowronski, Nicholas; Clark, Kenneth; Nelson, Ross; Hom, John; Patterson, Matt. 2007. Remotely sensed measurements of forest structure and fuel loads in the Pinelands of New Jersey. Remote Sensing of Environment. 108: 123-129.
Publications & Products
- Campbell-Lochrie, Zakary ; Walker-Ravena, Carlos ; Gallagher, Michael ; Skowronski, Nicholas ; Mueller, Eric V; Hadden, Rory M. 2022. Effect of Fuel Bed Structure on the Controlling Heat Transfer Mechanisms in Quiescent Porous Flame Spread. In: Viegas, D.X.; Ribeiro, L.M., eds. Advances in Forest Fire Research 2022. Proceedings of the IX International Conference on Forest Fire Research: 1443-1448.
- Gallagher, Michael R.; Kreye, Jesse K.; Machtinger, Erika T.; Everland, Alexis ; Schmidt, Nathaniel ; Skowronski, Nicholas S. 2022. Can restoration of fire‐dependent ecosystems reduce ticks and tick‐borne disease prevalence in the eastern United States?. Ecological Applications
- Kane, Jeffrey M.; Gallagher, Michael R.; Varner, J. Morgan; Skowronski, Nicholas S. 2022. Evidence of local adaptation in litter flammability of a widespread fire‐adaptive pine. Journal of Ecology
- Kiefer, Michael T.; Heilman, Warren E.; Zhong, Shiyuan ; Charney, Joseph J.; Bian, Xindi ; Skowronski, Nicholas S.; Clark, Kenneth L.; Gallagher, Michael R.; Hom, John L.; Patterson, Matthew. 2022. Representing low-intensity fire sensible heat output in a mesoscale atmospheric model with a canopy submodel: a case study with ARPS-CANOPY (version 5.2.12). Geoscientific Model Development
- Loudermilk, E. Louise; O'Brien, Joseph J.; Goodrick, Scott L.; Linn, Rodman R.; Skowronski, Nicholas S.; Hiers, J. Kevin. 2022. Vegetation's influence on fire behavior goes beyond just being fuel. Fire Ecology
- Mueller, Eric V; Campbell-Lochrie, Zakary ; Walker-Ravena, C.arlos ; Patterson, Matt ; Cole, Jason ; Gallagher, Michael R.; Clark, Kenneth L.; Skowronski, Nicholas S.; Hadden, Rory M. 2022. Flame spread and combustion dynamics in pine litter under unsteady wind conditions. In: Viegas, D.X.; Ribeiro, L.M., eds. Advances in Forest Fire Research 2022. Proceedings of the IX International Conference on Forest Fire Research: 1469-1474.
- Mueller, Eric V; Gallagher, Michael R.; Skowronski, Nicholas ; Hadden, Rory M. 2022. Convective heat transfer in pine forest litter beds. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer
- Ross, C. Wade; Loudermilk, E. Louise; Skowronski, Nicholas ; Pokswinski, Scott ; Hiers, J. Kevin; O'Brien, Joseph. 2022. LiDAR Voxel-Size Optimization for Canopy Gap Estimation. Remote Sensing
- Warner, Timothy A.; Miller, Tricia A.; La Puma, Inga P.; Nolan, Lee Ann; Skowronski, Nicholas S.; Maxwell, Aaron E. 2022. Exploring golden eagle habitat preference using lidar-based canopy bulk density. Remote Sensing Letters
- Belcher, Claire M.; New, Stacey L.; Gallagher, Michael R.; Grosvenor, Mark J.; Clark, Kenneth ; Skowronski, Nicholas S. 2021. Bark charcoal reflectance may have the potential to estimate the heat delivered to tree boles by wildland fires. International Journal of Wildland Fire
- Bonner, Sophie R.; Hoffman, Chad M.; Kane, Jeffrey M.; Varner, J. Morgan; Hiers, J. Kevin; O'Brien, Joseph J.; Rickard, Heather D.; Tinkham, Wade T.; Linn, Rodman R.; Skowronski, Nicholas ; Parsons, Russell A.; Sieg, Carolyn H. 2021. Invigorating prescribed fire science through improved reporting practices. Frontiers in Forests and Global Change. 4: 750699.
- Campbell-Lochrie, Zakary ; Walker-Ravena, Carlos ; Gallagher, Michael ; Skowronski, Nicholas ; Mueller, Eric V; Hadden, Rory M. 2021. Investigation of the role of bulk properties and in-bed structure in the flow regime of buoyancy-dominated flame spread in porous fuel beds. Fire Safety Journal
- Cristina, Giovanni Di; Skowronski, Nicholas S.; Simeoni, Albert ; Rangwala, Ali S.; Im, Seong-kyun. 2021. Flame spread predictions over linear discrete fuel arrays using an empirical B-number model and stagnation point flow. Combustion and Flame
- Di Cristina, Giovanni ; Kozhumal, Shijin ; Simeoni, Albert ; Skowronski, Nicholas ; Rangwala, Ali ; Im, Seong-kyun. 2021. Forced convection fire spread along wooden dowel array. Fire Safety Journal
- Di Cristina, Giovanni ; Skowronski, Nicholas S.; Simeoni, Albert ; Rangwala, Ali S.; Im, Seong-kyun. 2021. Flame spread behavior characterization of discrete fuel array under a forced flow. Proceedings of the Combustion Institute
- Gallagher, Michael R.; Cope, Zachary ; Giron, Daniel Rosales; Skowronski, Nicholas S.; Raynor, Trevor ; Gerber, Thomas ; Linn, Rodman R.; Hiers, John Kevin. 2021. Reconstruction of the Spring Hill Wildfire and Exploration of Alternate Management Scenarios Using QUIC-Fire. Fire
- Gallagher, Michael R.; Maxwell, Aaron E.; Guillén, Luis Andrés; Everland, Alexis ; Loudermilk, E. Louise; Skowronski, Nicholas S. 2021. Estimation of Plot-Level Burn Severity Using Terrestrial Laser Scanning. Remote Sensing
- Heilman, Warren E.; Clark, Kenneth L.; Bian, Xindi ; Charney, Joseph J.; Zhong, Shiyuan ; Skowronski, Nicholas S.; Gallagher, Michael R.; Patterson, Matthew. 2021. Turbulent Momentum Flux Behavior above a Fire Front in an Open-Canopied Forest. Atmosphere
- Mueller, Eric V; Gallagher, Michael R.; Skowronski, Nicholas ; Hadden, Rory M. 2021. Approaches to Modeling Bed Drag in Pine Forest Litter for Wildland Fire Applications. Transport in Porous Media
- Pokwinski, Scott; Gallagher, Michael; Skowronski, Nicholas; Loudermilk, E. Louise; Hawley, Christie; Wallace, Derek; Everland, Alexis; Wallace, Jon; Hiers, J. Kevin. 2021. A simplified and affordable approach to forest monitoring using single terrestrial laser scans and transect sampling. MethodsX
- Schneider, Leo ; Betting, Benjamin ; Patterson, Matthew ; Skowronski, Nicholas ; Simeoni, Albert. 2021. Experimental study of fire spread through discontinuous fuels without flame contact. Fire Safety Journal
- Skowronski, Nicholas ; Butler, Bret ; Hiers, J. Kevin; O'Brien, Joseph ; Varner, J. Morgan. 2021. The Prescribed Fire Science Consortium. Fire Management Today. 79(1): 10-11.
- Thomas, Jan C.; Mueller, Eric V; Gallagher, Michael R.; Clark, Kenneth L.; Skowronski, Nicholas ; Simeoni, Albert ; Hadden, Rory M. 2021. Coupled Assessment of Fire Behavior and Firebrand Dynamics. Frontiers in Mechanical Engineering
- Zen, Simone ; Thomas, Jan C.; Mueller, Eric V; Dhurandher, Bhisham ; Gallagher, Michael ; Skowronski, Nicholas ; Hadden, Rory M. 2021. Development of a Field Deployable Firebrand Flux and Condition Measurement System. Fire Technology
- Bebieva, Yana ; Oliveto, Julia ; Quaife, Bryan ; Skowronski, Nicholas S.; Heilman, Warren E.; Speer, Kevin. 2020. Role of Horizontal Eddy Diffusivity within the Canopy on Fire Spread. Atmosphere
- Clark, Kenneth L.; Heilman, Warren E.; Skowronski, Nicholas S.; Gallagher, Michael R.; Mueller, Eric ; Hadden, Rory M.; Simeoni, Albert. 2020. Fire Behavior, Fuel Consumption, and Turbulence and Energy Exchange during Prescribed Fires in Pitch Pine Forests. Atmosphere
- Gallagher, Michael R.; Skowronski, Nicholas S.; Lathrop, Richard G.; McWilliams, Timothy ; Green, Edwin J. 2020. An Improved Approach for Selecting and Validating Burn Severity Indices in Forested Landscapes. Canadian Journal of Remote Sensing
- Hiers, J. Kevin; O'Brien, Joseph J.; Varner, J. Morgan; Butler, Bret W.; Dickinson, Matthew ; Furman, James ; Gallagher, Michael ; Godwin, David ; Goodrick, Scott L.; Hood, Sharon M.; Hudak, Andrew ; Kobziar, Leda N.; Linn, Rodman ; Loudermilk, E. Louise; McCaffrey, Sarah ; Robertson, Kevin ; Rowell, Eric M.; Skowronski, Nicholas ; Watts, Adam C.; Yedinak, Kara M. 2020. Prescribed fire science: the case for a refined research agenda. Fire Ecology
- Mueller, Eric V; Skowronski, Nicholas S.; Clark, Kenneth L.; Gallagher, Michael R.; Mell, William E.; Simeoni, Albert ; Hadden, Rory M. 2020. Detailed physical modeling of wildland fire dynamics at field scale - An experimentally informed evaluation. Fire Safety Journal
- Pokswinski, Scott ; Gallagher, Michael R.; Skowronski, Nicholas S.; Loudermilk, E. Louise; O'Brien, Joseph J.; Hiers, J. Kevin. 2020. Diurnal pine bark structure dynamics affect properties relevant to firebrand generation. Fire. 3(4): 55. 9 p.
- Skowronski, Nicholas S.; Gallagher, Michael R.; Warner, Timothy A. 2020. Decomposing the Interactions between Fire Severity and Canopy Fuel Structure Using Multi-Temporal, Active, and Passive Remote Sensing Approaches. Fire
- Warner, Timothy A.; Skowronski, Nicholas S.; La Puma, Inga. 2020. The influence of prescribed burning and wildfire on lidar-estimated forest structure of the New Jersey Pinelands National Reserve. International Journal of Wildland Fire
- Charney, Joseph J.; Kiefer, Michael T.; Zhong, Shiyuan ; Heilman, Warren E.; Nikolic, Jovanka ; Bian, Xindi ; Hom, John L.; Clark, Kenneth L.; Skowronski, Nicholas S.; Gallagher, Michael R.; Patterson, Matthew ; Liu, Yongqiang ; Hawley, Christie. 2019. Assessing Forest Canopy Impacts on Smoke Concentrations Using a Coupled Numerical Model. Atmosphere
- Clark, Kenneth ; Gallagher, Michael ; Skowronski, Nick ; Patterson, Matthew ; Heilman, Warren E.; Bian, Xindi ; Charney, Joseph J.; Hom, John ; Mueller, Eric ; Hadden, Rory ; Campbell-Lockrie, Zakary ; Walker-Ravena, Carlos ; Kremens, Robert. 2019. Intermediate-scale fire behavior measurements in the field: Bridging the gap between laboratory experiments and management-scale prescribed fires. In: Proceedings of the 6th Fire Behavior and Fuels Conference, April 29 - May 3, 2019, Albuquerque, New Mexico USA. Missoula, MT: International Association of Wildland Fire: 615-620.
- Butler-Leopold, Patricia R.; Iverson, Louis R.; Thompson, Frank R.; Brandt, Leslie A.; Handler, Stephen D.; Janowiak, Maria K.; Shannon, P. Danielle; Swanston, Christopher W.; Bearer, Scott ; Bryan, Alexander M.; Clark, Kenneth L.; Czarnecki, Greg ; DeSenze, Philip ; Dijak, William D.; Fraser, Jacob S.; Gugger, Paul F.; Hille, Andrea ; Hynicka, Justin ; Jantz, Claire A.; Kelly, Matthew C.; Krause, Katrina M.; La Puma, Inga Parker; Landau, Deborah ; Lathrop, Richard G.; Leites, Laura P.; Madlinger, Evan ; Matthews, Stephen N.; Ozbay, Gulnihal ; Peters, Matthew P.; Prasad, Anantha ; Schmit, David A.; Shephard, Collin ; Shirer, Rebecca ; Skowronski, Nicholas S.; Steele, Al ; Stout, Susan ; Thomas-Van Gundy, Melissa ; Thompson, John ; Turcotte, Richard M.; Weinstein, David A.; Yáñez, Alfonso. 2018. Mid-Atlantic forest ecosystem vulnerability assessment and synthesis: a report from the Mid-Atlantic Climate Change Response Framework project. Gen. Tech. Rep. NRS-181. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station. 294 p.
- Clark, Kenneth L.; Renninger, Heidi J.; Skowronski, Nicholas; Gallagher, Michael; Schäfer, Karina V.R. . 2018. Decadal-Scale Reduction in Forest Net Ecosystem Production Following Insect Defoliation Contrasts with Short-Term Impacts of Prescribed Fires. Forests
- Mueller, Eric V; Skowronski, Nicholas ; Thomas, Jan C.; Clark, Kenneth ; Gallagher, Michael R.; Hadden, Rory ; Mell, William ; Simeoni, Albert. 2018. Local measurements of wildland fire dynamics in a field-scale experiment. Combustion and Flame
- Skowronski, Nicholas S.; Gallagher, Michael R. 2018. Fuels characterization techniques. In: Manzello, S., ed. Encyclopedia of wildfires and wildland-urban interface (WUI) fires. Cham: Springer. 10 p.
- Heilman, Warren E.; Bian, Xindi; Clark, Kenneth L.; Skowronski, Nicholas S.; Hom, John L.; Gallagher, Michael R. 2017. Atmospheric turbulence observations in the vicinity of surface fires in forested environments. Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology. 56(12): 3133-3150.
- Mueller, Eric V.; Skowronski, Nicholas; Clark, Kenneth; Gallagher, Michael; Kremens, Robert; Thomas, Jan C.; El Houssami, Mohamad; Filkov, Alexander; Hadden, Rory M.; Mell, William; Simeoni, Albert. 2017. Utilization of remote sensing techniques for the quantification of fire behavior in two pine stands. Fire Safety Journal
- Simeoni, Albert; Owens, Zachary C.; Christiansen, Erik W.; Kemal, Abid; Gallagher, Michael; Clark, Kenneth L.; Skowronski, Nicholas; Mueller, Eric V.; Thomas, Jan C.; Santamaria, Simon; Hadden, Rory M. 2017. A preliminary study of wildland fire pattern indicator reliability following an experimental fire. Journal of Fire Sciences
- Thomas, Jan C.; Mueller, Eric V.; Santamaria, Simon; Gallagher, Michael; El Houssami, Mohamad; Filkov, Alexander; Clark, Kenneth; Skowronski, Nicholas; Hadden, Rory M.; Mell, William; Simeoni, Albert. 2017. Investigation of firebrand generation from an experimental fire: Development of a reliable data collection methodology. Fire Safety Journal
- Warner, Timothy A.; Skowronski, Nicholas S.; Gallagher, Michael R. 2017. High spatial resolution burn severity mapping of the New Jersey Pine Barrens with WorldView-3 near-infrared and shortwave infrared imagery. International Journal of Remote Sensing
- Clark, Kenneth L.; Gallagher, Michael; Heilman, Warren E.; Skowronski, Nicholas; Mueller, Eric; Simeoni, Albert. 2017. Relationships between firing pattern, fuel consumption, and turbulence and energy exchange during prescribed fires. In: Proceedings for the 5th international fire behavior and fuels conference; 2016 April 11-15; Portland OR. Missoula, MT: International Association of Wildland Fire: 144-149.
- El Houssami, Mohamad; Mueller, Eric; Filkov, Alexander; Thomas, Jan C; Skowronski, Nicholas; Gallagher, Michael R; Clark, Ken; Kremens, Robert; Simeoni, Albert. 2016. Experimental procedures characterizing firebrand generation in wildland fires. Fire Technology. 52(3): 731-751.
- Leland, Caroline; Hom, John; Skowronski, Nicholas; Ledig, F. Thomas; Krusic, Paul J.; Cook, Edward R.; Martin-Benito, Dario; Martin-Fernandez, Javier; Pederson, Neil; Gomory, Dusan. 2016. Missing Rings, Synchronous Growth, and Ecological Disturbance in a 36-Year Pitch Pine (Pinus rigida) Provenance Study. PLOS ONE. 11(5): e0154730-.
- Skowronski, Nicholas S.; Haag, Scott ; Trimble, Jim ; Clark, Kenneth L.; Gallagher, Michael R.; Lathrop, Richard G. 2016. Structure-level fuel load assessment in the wildland-urban interface: a fusion of airborne laser scanning and spectral remote-sensing methodologies. International Journal of Wildland Fire
- Clark, Kenneth L.; Skowronski, Nicholas; Gallagher, Michael. 2015. Fire management and carbon sequestration in Pine Barren Forests. Journal of Sustainable Forestry. 34(1-2): 125-146.
- Heilman, Warren E.; Clements, Craig B.; Seto, Daisuke; Bian, Xindi; Clark, Kenneth L.; Skowronski, Nicholas S.; Hom, John L. 2015. Observations of fire-induced turbulence regimes during low-intensity wildland fires in forested environments: implications for smoke dispersion. Atmospheric Science Letters. doi: 10.1002/asl.581.
- Mueller, Eric; Skowronski, Nicholas; Clark, Kenneth; Kremens, Robert; Gallagher, Michael; Thomas, Jan; El Houssami, Mohamad; Filkod, Alexander; Butler, Bret; Hom, John; Mell, William; Simeoni, Albert. 2015. Initial results from a field experiment to support the assessment of fuel treatment effectiveness in reducing wildfire intensity and spread rate. In: Keane, Robert E.; Jolly, Matt; Parsons, Russell; Riley, Karin. Proceedings of the large wildland fires conference; May 19-23, 2014; Missoula, MT. Proc. RMRS-P-73. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. p. 305-308.
- Clark, K.L.; Skowronski, N.S.; Gallagher, M.R.; Renninger, H.; Schäfer, K.V.R. 2014. Contrasting effects of invasive insects and fire on ecosystem water use efficiency. Biogeosciences. 11(23): 6509-6523.
- Clark, Kenneth L.; Skowronski, Nicholas; Gallagher, Michael. 2014. The fire research program at the Silas Little Experimental Forest, New Lisbon, New Jersey. In: Hayes, D.C.; Stout, S.L.; Crawford, R.H.; Hoover, A.P., eds. USDA Forest Service experimental forests and ranges research for the long term. New York, NY: Springer: 515-534. Chapter 22.
- Clark, Kenneth L.; Skowronski, Nicholas; Renninger, Heidi; Scheller, Robert. 2014. Climate change and fire management in the mid-Atlantic region. Forest Ecology and Management. 327: 306-315.
- Kiefer, Michael T.; Heilman, Warren E.; Zhong, Shiyuan; Charney, Joseph J.; Bian, Xindi; Skowronski, Nicholas S.; Hom, John L.; Clark, Kenneth L.; Patterson, Matthew; Gallagher, Michael R. 2014. Multiscale simulation of a prescribed fire event in the New Jersey Pine Barrens using ARPS-CANOPY. Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology. 53: 793-812.
- Mueller, Eric; Skowronski, Nicholas; Simeoni, Albert; Clark, Kenneth; Kremens, Robert; Mell, William; Gallagher, Michael; Thomas, Jan; Filkov, Alexander; Houssami, Mohamad El; Hom, John; Butler, Bret. 2014. Fuel treatment effectiveness in reducing fire intensity and spread rate - An experimental overview. In: Wade, Dale D.; Fox, Rebekah L., eds; Robinson, Mikel L., comp. Proceedings of 4th Fire Behavior and Fuels Conference; 18-22 February 2013, Raleigh, NC; and 1-4 July 2013, St. Petersburg, Russia. Missoula, MT: International Association of Wildland Fire. p. 360-362.
- Skowronski, Nicholas S.; Clark, Kenneth L.; Gallagher, Michael; Birdsey, Richard A.; Hom, John L. 2014. Airborne laser scanner-assisted estimation of aboveground biomass change in a temperate oak-pine forest. Remote Sensing of Environment. 151: 166-174.
- Cole, Jason A.; Johnson, Kristopher D.; Birdsey, Richard A.; Pan, Yude; Wayson, Craig A.; McCullough, Kevin; Hoover, Coeli M.; Hollinger, David Y.; Bradford, John B.; Ryan, Michael G.; Kolka, Randall K.; Wieshampel, Peter; Clark, Kenneth L.; Skowronski, Nicholas S.; Hom, John; Ollinger, Scott V.; McNulty, Steven G.; Gavazzi, Michael J. 2013. Database for landscape-scale carbon monitoring sites. Gen. Tech. Rep. NRS-119. Newtown square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station. 12 p.
- Medvigy, David; Jeong, Su-Jong; Clark, Kenneth L.; Skowronski, Nicholas S.; Schäfer, Karina V. R. 2013. Effects of seasonal variation of photosynthetic capacity on the carbon fluxes of a temperate deciduous forest. Journal of Geophysical Research Biogeosciences. 118(4): 1703-1714.
- Renninger, Heidi J.; Clark, Kenneth L.; Skowronski, Nicholas; Schäfer, Karina V.R. 2013. Effects of a prescribed fire on water use and photosynthetic capacity of pitch pines. Trees 27(4): 1115-1127.
- Clark, Kenneth L.; Skowronski, Nicholas; Gallagher, Michael; Renninger, Hedi; Schafer, Karina. 2012. Effects of invasive insects and fire on energy exchange and evapotranspiration in the New Jersey pine lands. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology. 166-167: 50-61.
- Medvigy, D.; Clark, K.L.; Skowronski, N.S.; Schäfer, K.V.R. 2012. Simulated impacts of insect defoliation on forest carbon dynamics. Environmental Research Letters. 7(4): 045703.
- Skowronski, Nicholas S.; Lister, Andrew J. 2012. Utility of LiDAR for large area forest inventory applications. In: Morin, Randall S.; Liknes, Greg C., comps. Moving from status to trends: Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) symposium 2012; 2012 December 4-6; Baltimore, MD. Gen. Tech. Rep. NRS-P-105. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station. [CD-ROM]: 410-413.
- Kiefer, Michael T.; Heilman, Warren E.; Zhong, Shiyuan; Charney, Joseph J.; Bian, X.; Shadbolt, Ryan P.; Hom, John; Clark, Kenneth; Skowronski, Nicholas; Gallagher, Michael; Patterson, Matthew. 2011. Development of a fine scale smoke dispersion modeling system. Part II: Case study of a prescribed burn in the New Jersey Pine Barrens. In: Ninth symposium on fire and forest meteorology; 17-20 October 2011; Palm Springs, CA. Boston, MA: American Meteorological Society. 5 p.
- Miao, Zewei; Lathrop, Richard G.; Xu, Ming; La Puma, Inga P.; Clark, Kenneth L.; Hom, John; Skowronski, Nicholas; Van Tuyl, Steve. 2011. Simulation and sensitivity analysis of carbon storage and fluxes in the New Jersey Pinelands. Environmental Modelling & Software. 26(9): 1112-1122.
- Clark, Ken; Skowronski, Nicholas; Michael, Gallagher; Heilman, Warren E.; Hom, John. 2010. Fuel consumption and particulate emissions during fires in the New Jersey Pinelands. In: Proceedings of the 3rd fire behavior and fuels conference; 2010 October 25-29; Spokane, WA. Birmingham AL: International Association of Wildland Fire. 19 p. [On CD-ROM].
- Clark, Kenneth; Skowronski, Nick; Pan, Yude; Van Tuyl, Steve; Heilman, Warren. 2006. Fire research in the pine barrens of New Jersey. In: Dickinson, Matthew B., ed. 2006. Fire in eastern oak forests: delivering science to land managers, proceedings of a conference; 2005 November 15-17; Columbus, OH. Gen. Tech. Rep. NRS-P-1. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station: 271.
Research Datasets
- Skowronski, Nicholas S.; Simeoni, Albert A.; Clark, Kenneth L.; Mell, William E.; Hadden, Rory M.; Gallagher, Michael R.; Mueller, Eric V.; Kremens, Robert L.; El Houssami, Mohamad; Filkov, Alexander I.; Thomas, Jan Christian. 2018. New Jersey fuel treatment effects: Leaf-off airborne LiDAR data. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2017-0059.
- Kremens, Robert L.; Skowronski, Nicholas S.; Simeoni, Albert A.; Clark, Kenneth L.; Mell, William E.; Hadden, Rory M.; Gallagher, Michael R.; Mueller, Eric V.; El Houssami, Mohamad; Filkov, Alexander I.; Thomas, Jan Christian. 2017. New Jersey fuel treatment effects: Wildfire Airborne Sensor Program - orthorectified long-wave infrared and visible data images. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2017-0063.
- Skowronski, Nicholas S.; Simeoni, Albert A.; Clark, Kenneth L.; Mell, William E.; Hadden, Rory M.; Gallagher, Michael R.; Mueller, Eric V.; Kremens, Robert L.; El Houssami, Mohamad; Filkov, Alexander I.; Thomas, Jan Christian. 2017. New Jersey treatment effects: Burn units. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2017-0062.
- Gallagher, Michael R.; Clark, Kenneth L.; Thomas, Jan Christian; Mell, William E.; Hadden, Rory M.; Mueller, Eric V.; Kremens, Robert L.; El Houssami, Mohamad; Filkov, Alexander I.; Simeoni, Albert A.; Skowronski, Nicholas S. 2017. New Jersey fuel treatment effects: Pre- and post-burn biometric data. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2017-0061.
- Clark, Kenneth L.; Skowronski, Nicholas S.; Simeoni, Albert A.; Mell, William E.; Hadden, Rory M.; Gallagher, Michael R.; Mueller, Eric V.; Kremens, Robert L.; El Houssami, Mohamad; Filkov, Alexander I.; Thomas, Jan Christian. 2017. New Jersey fuel treatment effects: 3-dimensional turbulence and temperature data. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2017-0060.
National Research Highlights
Understanding Wind Gusts During Fire can Help Fire and Smoke Managers
Year: 2018
Wind fields in the vicinity of wildland fires can be highly variable or turbulent, exhibiting significant gusts that can lead to erratic fire behavior and enhanced mixing of smoke into the atmosphere. Northern Research Station scientists are examining the properties of turbulent circulations in forested wildland fire environments to ultimately improve predictive tools for fire and smoke management.
New high resolution infrared data aids in the monitoring of fine scale wildland fire effects
Year: 2017
Wildfires and prescribed fires in the northeastern U.S. are often too small to evaluate using satellite data in the public domain and are too large to adequately evaluate on the ground; but, monitoring these fires provides critical ecological and fire hazard reduction information. Now, the commercial satellite, Worldview3, can be used to generate high-resolution maps of burn severity in pitch pine forests, enabling fire scientists in the region to gather data not previously available.
Fire in Oak: Bringing Together Managers and Scientists for Solutions in the Northeast
Year: 2016
The North Atlantic Fire Science Exchange brings together diverse partners to learn and work together to address the issue of regenerating oak using fire. Through multiple interactive methods of collaboration, progressive discussion and an innovative vision is emerging.
Assessing Fire Risk at the Wildland-urban Interface Using LiDAR
Year: 2015
Assessing wildland fire risk in the wildland–urban interface is difficult because each home and parcel has unique characteristics. Forest Service scientists found that Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) and aerial photography data closely matched fuels estimates made by ground crews.
Fireflux Experiments Improve Safety of Prescribed Burns in the New Jersey Pine Barrens
Year: 2011
Predicting the effects of smoke from low-intensity prescribed fires on local air-quality is being made easier by new tools developed by Forest Service scientists. These tools are now being validated through data collected from fuels, meteorological, and air quality monitoring networks set up near and within prescribed fires in the New Jersey Pine Barrens. The tools and observational data from this project help fire and forest managers in planning for prescribed burns to minimize adverse air-quality impacts in the vicinity of the burns.
Hazardous Fuel Assessments Using LIDAR and Field Measurements
Year: 2010
Lasers, in what is termed Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) systems, are being used by NRS researchers Nicholas Skowronski and Kenneth Clark to measure forest structure and canopy fuel loading at the Silas Little Experimental Forest in the New Jersey Pine Barrens.
Carbon and Water Cycle Recovery Patterns After Disturbance in Forest Ecosystems
Year: 2010
The recovery of carbon and hydrologic cycling following two major disturbances in pine and oak-dominated stands in the New Jersey Pine Barrens---invasive insect defoliation and fire---are being measured by NRS scientists Kenneth Clark and Nicholas Skowronski.