Gan appointed to national forestry advisory council

Jianbang Gan, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology in the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, has been appointed to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forestry Research Advisory Council.

USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack appointed Gan to the three-year position. The council, facilitated by the USDA and U.S. Forest Service, is responsible for regional and national forestry research planning and coordination with federal and state agencies, forestry schools, industry stakeholders and non-governmental organizations. Council membership consists of 16-20 members representing a wide range of stakeholders including researchers, industry representatives and landowners from around the nation.

Gan said he was humbled and honored by his appointment to the council.

“I am thrilled to serve on the council because forestry is so important but something many of us may take for granted,” he said. “Forestry is very complex and important to so many aspects of life. I hope serving on this council will allow me to better understand the wide spectrum of perspectives and ultimately benefit the future of our forest resources and related communities.”

Forestry advisory council focused on solutions

Gan said the council helps plan and coordinate research priorities and emphasis areas that address both short- and long-term needs within forestry. The council might provide knowledge and expertise on a range of research subjects from recreation, wildfire and invasive insects to climate change and human health.   

Gan said the council plays an important role in guiding sustainable policy and action plans that benefit stakeholders. Forests provide products, but research increasingly shows forests also provide a range of services in undeveloped and urban areas.

“We understand now how much broader the impact of environmental changes like drought or invasive species can be on forests, but also how forests impact our environment and health whether it’s biodiversity and ecological balance or carbon sequestration, air quality and our mental and physical well-being,” he said. “Most people think of timber as a commodity, but what forests do for us goes far beyond timber.”

Gan said the council represents a platform for stakeholders in various ecoregions across the country to educate other members about local challenges and opportunities. He views his appointment as a learning opportunity as much as a position to guide forestry research, policies and outcomes.

Understanding the range of challenges and opportunities, whether localized, regional or national, will open new perspectives for research, he said. 

“We have to provide solutions that allow forests and forest-related resources and services to be adaptive to changes, whether that is land-use changes, invasive species, pest infestations, wildfire risks, climate change or more demand for recreational opportunities,” he said. “It is a good thing when all stakeholders and different interest groups have a place at the table when it comes to such a complex natural resource.”

The council is required by the Agriculture and Food Act of 1981 to provide advice to the Secretary of Agriculture on accomplishing efficiently the purposes of the McIntire-Stennis Act of 1962. The act authorizes the USDA to support states in carrying out a forestry research program through land-grant institutions, agricultural experiment stations and other state-supported colleges and universities that offer graduate training in sciences related to forestry.

The council also provides advice related to the U.S. Forest Service research program, authorized by the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Research Act of 1978.