This month we celebrate conservation and sustainability through this intriguing conversation with Dr. Jerry Griffith, Associate Professor in our Department of Geology and Geography. Dr. Griffith shares his experience tracking timber for the U.S. Forest Service through efforts to engage members of the community in conservation. This citizen science work educates and involves the general public with plant and forest health, and assists with efforts to prevent poaching of valuable woods such as black walnut, much prized for its decorative grain and durability.

Dr. Griffith shares how he engages students at UNCP, and how, through the use of GIS (Geographic Information Systems) and other methods, these efforts keep watch on tree health and development. The conversation showcases how any of us can partner in these activities, which come with the additional benefit of fresh air and exercise.

Born and raised outside Reading, Pennsylvania, Dr. Griffith’s academic pedigree includes a B.S. in Earth Science from Pennsylvania State University, a M.S. in Geography from Oregon State University, a Ph.D. in Environmental Geography from the University of Kansas, and a post-doctoral appointment with the U.S. Geological Survey. Dr. Griffith's work background includes private environmental consulting companies (performing water quality monitoring) and government agencies (such as Oak Ridge National Laboratory, NASA, the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, and USGS) as well as academia.

Dr. Griffith specializes in the area of environmental geography and remote sensing, which is the use of satellite and aerial imagery to study the state and condition of the earth’s surface. His master’s research included a functional assessment of a large, urban wetland in Oregon and his doctoral dissertation analyzed how satellite imagery could be used to assess river and watershed condition in the U.S. Midwest. He focuses his research on land use and land cover change, and its causes as well as its environmental impacts. This includes the relationship of land cover and land cover change to declining populations of American kestrel, stream water quality, and watershed health. In his spare time, Dr. Griffith enjoys traveling (all 50 states covered!), hiking, movies and riding his all-terrain electric scooter.

To Learn More about Citizen Science and Forestry Efforts:

Book Recommendation: “Tree Thieves”

https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/lyndsie-bourgon/tree-thieves/9781549156120/?lens=little-brown

Adventure Scientists: https://www.adventurescientists.org/index.html

Reach the “Timber Tracking” project page by selecting “For Adventurers”-“Current Volunteer Opportunities”-“Timber Tracking”

Citizen science groups in North Carolina:

The NC Museum of Natural History: https://naturalsciences.org/research-collections/citizen-science

Triangle Land Conservancy: https://triangleland.org/explore/citizen-science-projects

North Carolina Wetlands: https://www.ncwetlands.org/research/citizen-science/

NC Wildlife Federation: https://ncwf.org/blog/citizen-science/

US EPA Water Quality Volunteer monitors: https://archive.epa.gov/water/archive/web/html/index-18.html

Photo Caption: Dr. Griffith taking a tree core sample from a black walnut tree in Pennsylvania

Find the episode transcript here

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