University of Idaho Forest Regeneration
PEOPLE
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Dr. Andrew S. Nelson
Dr. Andrew Nelson is the Tom A. Alberg & Judith Beck Edowed Chair of Native Plant Regeneration and Director of the Center for Nursery and Seedling Research and Franklin H. Pitkin Forest Nursery at the University of Idaho. His research includes natural regeneration ecology, nursery propagation, and silviculture.
He received his Ph.D. and M.S. in forestry at the University of Maine and his B.S. in Conservation and Resources Studies from the University of California, Berkeley.
He has worked in forests across the United States, including California mixed conifer and coastal forests, mixed-species Acadian forests in Maine, southern pine-hardwood forests in Arkansas, and mixed-conifer forests of the Northern Rockies.
Current Lab Members
Dr. Hsin-Wu Hsu
Post-doc
Dr. Hsu is studying physiological responses of interior Douglas-fir and other native conifers to drought intensity, timing, and duration over the first two years of growth. His project is in collaboration with the USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station.
Alexander Hoffman
Ph.D. Candidate
Alex has B.A. from Augustana University and a M.S. from the University of Arkansas-Monticello. Alex's research will examine mechanisms of dormancy in loblolly pine seedlings
David Akowuah
Ph.D. Candidate
David is studying the effects of competition intensity on growth, survival, and physiology of interior Douglas-fir and western larch seedlings
Shayla Williams
M.S. student
Nicole Mutchler
M.S. student
Shayla is studying distributional range shifts in common tree species in the Northern Rockies
Nicole is examining the effects of thinning in whitebark pine stands on blister rust severity and forest development
Jacob Kleimann
M.S. student
Jacob is examining genotypic responses of full-sib interior Douglas-fir families to cold and drought
Former Lab Members
Postdoctoral Fellows
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Dr. Ehren Reid von Moler. 2020-2022. Dr. Moler's research focused on physiological and morphological responses of different provenances of western larch seedlings to drought intensity. His research was part of a collaborative project that examined drought responses of western larch, coastal Douglas-fir, and black walnut seedlings in collaboration with Purdue University and Oregon State University. His research was supported by USDA-NIFA and NSF. Dr. Moler is currently an Assistant Professor at James Madison University.
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Dr. Jessie Godfrey. 2020. Dr. Godfrey's research examined physiological and non-structural carbohydrate responses of ponderosa pine and western redcedar seedlings in response to drought and drought recovery. Her research was supported by the USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. Dr. Godfrey is currently an Environmental Horticulture and Water Resources Management Advisor at the University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources Cooperative Extension.
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Dr. Cen Chen. 2019-2021. Dr. Chen's research focused on modeling planted seedling performance across the Inland Northwest and tree responses to fertilization. His research was supported by NSF.
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Dr. Chenchen Shen. 2017-2018. Dr. Shen's research focused on modeling natural regeneration process across the Northern Rockies using FIA data.
Graduate Students
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Dr. Vovener de Verlands Edmond. Ph.D. in Natural Resources, University of Idaho. 2025. Dr. Edmond's research examined biochemical, physiological, and morphological responses of interior Douglas-fir seedlings to different drought intensities and timings. His research was supported by the University of Idaho, USDA-NIFA, and NSF. Dr. Edmond is currently an instructor of forestry at Central Oregon Community College in Oregon.
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Keegan Berndsen. M.S. in Environmental Science, University of Idaho. 2024. Mr. Berndsen's research examined floristic diversity in disturbed and restored floodplains along the White River in Indianapolis, Indiana. He is currently an Environmental Scientists at Burgess & Niple Civil Engineering in Indiana.
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Aaron Daughetee. M.S. in Natural Resources, University of Idaho. 2024. Mr. Daughetee's research examined Crepis acuminata and Sphaeralcea ambigua seedling response to different forms of nitrogen fertilizer and biochar concentrations. He is currently a nursery grower at Fourth Corner Nurseries in Washington state.
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Michael Gilgunn. M.S. in Natural Resources, University of Idaho. 2024. Mr. Gilgunn's research examined ponderosa pine seedling responses to paper-wrapped pots in air-pruning trays during the first year of seedling propagation. He is currently a Conservation Easement Forester with the Washington Department of Natural Resources in Washington state.
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Lauren King. M.S. in Natural Resources, University of Idaho. 2024. Mrs. King's project developed a extension short-course focused on building private nursery businesses. She is currently an Extension Educator in Benewah County with University of Idaho Extension.
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Joshua Mullane. M.S. Natural Resources, University of Idaho. 2021. Mr. Mullane's research examined the effects of post-planting selective forb control on the growth and survival of western larch and Douglas-fir seedlings in recently established forest plantations. He is currently a Forester on the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest in Idaho.
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Meghan Foard. Ph.D. in Natural Resources, University of Idaho. 2020. Dr. Foard's research examined long-term responses of various trees to precommercial thinning in the moist mixed-conifer forests of northern Idaho. She is currently a Senior Ecology Instructor in the Department of Forest, Rangeland, and Fire Sciences at the University of Idaho.
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Brooke Durnin. M.S. in Natural Resources, University of Idaho. 2020. Ms. Durnin's research examined patterns of understory floristics in older western white pine plantations in northern Idaho. She is currently a Forester at American Forest Management in Washington state.
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Kelsie Hedlund. M.S. in Natural Resources, University of Idaho. 2019. Mrs. Hedlund's research examined growth and physiology of elite half-sib western larch families in northern Idaho. She is currently the Tree Improvement Manager at the USDA Forest Service Coeur d'Alene Nursery in Idaho.
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Jonathan Cherico. M.S. in Natural Resources, University of Idaho. 2018. Mr. Cherico's research examined multidecadal effects of different mechanical and chemical site preparation treatments on growth of western white pine and interior Douglas-fir in northern Idaho. He is currently a Scientific Database Analyst at Weyerhaeuser Company in Oregon.
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Jacob Reely. M.S. in Natural Resources, University of Idaho. 2018. Mr. Reely's research examined the effects of root growth potential on the outplanting performance of interior Douglas-fir, western larch, and grand fir on contrasting site conditions in northern Idaho. He is currently a forester with American Forest Management in Texas.
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Geoffrey Williams. M.S. in Natural Resources, University of Idaho. 2017. Dr. William's research examined vertical and horizontal leaf area distribution in individual juvenile western larch trees. After graduation, he went on to complete a Ph.D. at Purdue University. He is currently a Research Scientist at Michigan State University.