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About the Northern Forests Climate Hub

The USDA Northern Forests Climate Hub provides usable science and technology on climate change impacts, adaptation, and mitigation responses to meet the needs of communities and natural resources professionals across the Midwest and Northeast.

About us

The USDA Northern Forests Climate Hub develops and delivers science-based, region-specific information and technologies to help natural resource managers and woodland owners integrate climate change information into planning, decision-making, and management activities to sustain diverse benefits from forests in a changing climate. The USDA Northern Forests Climate Hub was designed to provide additional forestry-specific expertise to the Midwest and Northeast Climate Hubs. The USDA Northern Forests Climate Hub leverages the expertise of the Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science, a collaborative, multi-institutional partnership led by the USDA Forest Service to meet the complex needs of land managers and woodland owners in the region.

What we do

Provide high-quality information, tools, technical assistance, and training to natural resource professionals and landowners in a 20-state region, and serve diverse federal, state, municipal, tribal, conservation, and private organizations in responding to climate change.

Expand and deepen partnerships with USDA Forest Service, Agricultural Research Station, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and other USDA agencies to address regional vulnerabilities, needs, and opportunities identified in agency Climate Adaptation Plans.

Collaborate with regional partners, including universities and regional science organizations, to pursue scientific research and science synthesis related to climate change impacts, tree and ecosystem responses to a changing climate, adaptation responses, and carbon stewardship.

Help apply NFCH resources (e.g., Adaptation Workbook, training curricula) and other USDA products and tools to serve the needs of woodland owners and managers.

Incubate, test, and pilot innovative approaches to integrate climate adaptation and mitigation strategies into real-world ecosystem planning activities.






Need more information? Contact us!

Director, USDA Northern Forests Climate Hub (acting): Maria Janowiak, USDA Forest Service

Co-lead, Natural Resource Conservation Services (NRCS) : Bethany Muñoz Delgado, NRCS Co-Lead, USDA NRCS Central National Technology Support Center

Co-lead, Agricultural Research Service (ARS): Peter O’Brien, ARS Co-lead, USDA Agricultural Research Service, National Laboratory for Agriculture and The Environment in Ames, IA

Coordinator, USDA Northern Forests Climate Hub: Danielle Shannon, Michigan Technological University, Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science

Fellows, USDA Northern Forests Climate Hub

  • Mattison Brady, University of Vermont, Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science
  • Samantha Myers, University of Vermont, Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science

Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science (NIACS) collaborators

The Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science is a collaborative, multi-institutional partnership led by the USDA Forest Service and comprised of Federal, forest sector, conservation, higher education, and tribal organizations. The NIACS partnership provides integral support to the USDA Northern Forests Hub and serves to bring together partners with diverse perspectives to achieve shared goals.

  • Hannah Abbotts, Michigan Technological University, Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science.
  • Madeline Baroli, Michigan Technological University, Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science.
  • Katie Frerker, USDA Forest Service Eastern Region, Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science National Forest System and Region 9. Google Scholar link.
  • Stephen Handler, USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station, Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science. Google Scholar link.
  • Adrienne Keller, Michigan Technological University, Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science. Google Scholar link.
  • Shawn Klomparens, Michigan Technological University, Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science.
  • Patricia Leopold, USDA Forest Service Eastern Region State, Private, and Tribal Forestry, Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science. Google Scholar link.
  • Kailey Marcincowski, Michigan Technological University, Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science.
  • Luke Nave, Michigan Technological University, Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science. Google Scholar link


Please contact us for more information.

Maria Janowiak
Regional Hub, Director

Maria Janowiak

Rebecca Rooney
Regional Hub, Fellow

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