Center for Systems Integration and Sustainability

This integrated project takes a systems approach to integrate ecology and economics for a managed forest landscape in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula that has been experiencing low tree regeneration due to overabundant white-tailed deer, and declines in habitat for songbirds of conservation concern due to deer impacts and timber harvesting.

To achieve this goal, our objectives are to:

1. develop and validate a systems ecological-economic model
2. conduct simulation experiments and test hypotheses using the model
3. use research products for education and extension.

The comprehensive model incorporates a variety of information on plants, wildlife, market and non-market values, and management activities. It will be a powerful simulation tool for addressing many fundamental questions that have important implications for management.

The information and methods generated from this project will also be applicable to sustainable management in many other similar landscapes of the Great Lakes region and eastern North America impacted by abundant deer and timber harvesting.

This project was funded by the United States Department of Agriculture.