Purdue University

Awards Issued Prior to January 20, 2025, Were Funded Under Previous Administrations and May Not Reflect the Priorities and Policies of the Current Administration. Forests Provide Many Benefits, Such as Timber and Fiber Production and Carbon Sequestration, But Their Long-term Sustainability Is Increasingly Threatened by Various Changes Such as Insect Outbreaks, Extreme Weather, Evolving Markets and Land-use Changes. More Detailed and Accurate Information Is Needed to Allow Landowners, Managers and Policymakers to Make Economical and Data-driven Decisions That Will Affect the Delivery, Sustainability and Resilience of Forest Resources. the Goal of the Promoting Economic Resilience and Sustainability of the Eastern U.s. Forests (perseus) Project Is to Provide Sound Science, Outreach and Educational Opportunities That Lay the Foundation for a Major Fundamental Change in Forestry. More Specifically, Perseus Aims to (1) Create a Set of Digital Tools and Wall-to-wall Forest Mapping Products That Will Provide Detailed and Near Real-time Measurements, (2) Build and Apply a Framework to Visually Represent Current and Future Forest Trends, (3) Engage With Stakeholders to Develop Data-driven Management Practices, and (4) Establish Educational and Training Programs That Support Students and Professionals in Understanding and Making Use of Digital Technologies. Perseus Will Provide a Foundation for Redefining Forest Inventory in the United States While Also Providing the Much-needed Ability to Predict Future Forest Conditions. Working With Stakeholders, Perseus Will Provide (1) User-friendly Tools and Programs to Better Measure and Monitor Forests Like Never Before, (2) Sustainable Forest Management Practices, and (3) a Platform to Optimize Regional Efforts in Building Environmentally and Economically Sustainable Forests, Especially on Private Lands in the Rural United States. Moreover, the Project Will Train Cohorts of Students and Professionals to Build a Digitally Competent Workforce. Successful Completion of the Project Will Increase Physical Goods Such as Food, Water, Fuel and Timber Provided by Forest Ecosystems, and Improve Operational Efficiency in Forests Across the Eastern United States. in Particular, Measurement Tools Developed by Perseus Will Modernize and Inform Forest Management by Creating Digital Inventory Tools That Empower Stakeholders to Better Understand the Potential Impacts of Their Decisions on a Local and Regional Scale. the Resulting Framework Will Provide a Digital Bridge, Enabling Landowners and Stakeholders With Practical Tactics and Forest Simulation to Inform Decision- and Policy-making. Complementing This, the Digital Forestry Educational Programs Developed by Perseus Will Generate a Workforce Capable of Carrying and Optimizing These Tools Into the Future.