Home :: Faculty & Staff :: Directory :: Robert S. Seymour
Robert S. Seymour
Curtis Hutchins Professor of Forest Resources (Quantitative Silviculture)
Degrees:
- B.S. Ohio State Univ., 1974, Natural Resources
- M.F. Yale Univ., 1976, Forest Management
- Ph.D. Yale Univ., 1980, Silviculture
Address: 211 Nutting Hall
Telephone: (207) 581-2860
E-mail: RSeymour@maine.edu
Current Research and Professional Interests:
- Quantitative silviculture of northeastern forests
- Production ecology of conifers (leaf area, stemwood growth efficiency)
- Ecologically based silvicultural systems
- Green certification of forest practices
Honors and Awards:
2005 - G. Peirce and Florence Pitts Webber Outstanding Forestry Teaching
Award.
2003 - College of Natural Sciences, Forestry and Agriculture Outstanding
Public Service Award
1995-97 - Pew Fellow in Conservation and the Environment
2008 - Fellow, Society of American Foresters
Presentations:
Oct. 25, 2007. Ray, D., R. S. Seymour and N. Scott. The Effect of Plantation Density, Site Quality and Commercial Thinning on an Afforestation based CO2 Offset Project: The Case of RGGI in the Northeastern US. SAF National Convention, Portland, OR
October 24, 2007. Seymour, R. S. Natural Disturbance-based Multi-aged silviculture in the Acadian Forest of Northeastern North America. SAF National Convention, Portland, OR. .
June 19, 2007. Seymour, R. S., D. Ray, M. Saunders, M. Olson, R. Wagner. Multi-aged silviculture in the Acadian Forest of northeastern North America – the case for area-based structures. 6th North American Forest Ecology Workshop, Vancouver, B.C. (invited)
October 12, 2007. Seymour, R. S. Ecologically based silviculture in the Acadian forest. Acadian Forest Science Conference, Fredericton, N.B. (invited)
March 27, 2007. Seymour, R. S. Balanced Forestry and the TRIAD – How Expanding Production Forestry Can Also Accomplish Conservation Goals. Improving Timber Productivity in Minnesota, Duluth (invited)
May 25, 2006. Seymour, R.S, and R.W. Wagner. What Bobs believe about thinning in spruce-fir stands. CFRU Biennial Workshop: Research, Results, and the Resource.
May 15, 2006. Ray, David and R. S. Seymour. Stocking Control in Variably Structured Multiaged Stands: Is SDI an Appropriate Tool? IUFRO Conference on Natural Disturbance-based Silviculture: Managing for Complexity. Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec.
April 5,
2006.. Certification and
Silviculture - Has Anything Really Changed? New England SAF Annual
Meeting, Nashua, N.H.
Oct. 11,
2005.. Are We Practicing
Forestry, or Just Harvesting Timber? Reflections on Balance in the Forestry
Profession. Maine Division SAF Fall Meeting, Orono, ME.
Aug. 8,
2005.. Large-scale, Long-term Silvicultural Experiments in the United States IUFRO World
Congress, Brisbane, Australia. (with J. M. Guldin, B.Palik, and D.D. Marshall)
June 14,
2005. Silviculture
Based on Natural Disturbances: Critical Reflections on Its Status and Future in
the Northeastern United States.Invited Keynote,
5th North American Forest Ecology Workshop, Gatineau, Quebec. (with Alan
S. White)
Aug. 18,
2004.
Integrating
natural disturbance parameters into conventional silvicultural systems:
experience from the Acadian forest of NE North America. Invited
Plenary Session, IUFRO International Workshop on Balancing Ecosystem Values:
Innovative Experiments for Sustainable Forestry. Portland, OR.
March
25, 2004
Production
Forestry and Ecological Forestry: Discord or Harmony? Annual Meeting,
New Engl. Soc. Amer. Foresters, Quebec City, Quebec.
Oct 10,
2003. Low-density management of white pine crop
trees: a primer and short-term research results. Managing White
Pine in a New Millennium. Hillsborough NH.
Keynote
Address at the April 22-23, 2003 Great Lakes Silviculture Summit, Houghton, MI.
---The Past,
Present and Future of Silviculture in the US
User’s Guide to the Forest Vegetation Simulator (FVS) and Suppose Interface (Class Handout for FES 409, Forest Ecology and Silviculture Laboratory)
Revised Eastern Spruce-fir Density Management Diagram (reformatted from NJAF 16:48-56)
Book Chapters:
MacLean, D.A. , R.S. Seymour, M.K. Montigny & C. Messier. (in press) Allocation of conservation efforts over the landscape: the TRIAD approach. P. xx In: Setting conservation targets for managed forest landscapes.
Seymour, R.S. and M.L. Hunter, Jr. 1999. Principles of Ecological Forestry. Ch. 2 (p. 22-61) In: Managing Biodiversity in Forest Ecosystems. M.L. Hunter, Jr., editor. Cambridge Univ. Press. 698 p.
Seymour, R.S. 1998. Northeastern spruce-fir forests. p. 191-192. In: Mac, M.J., P.A. Opler, C.E. Puckett Haecker, and P.D. Doran, eds. Status and trends of the nation's biological resources (2 volumes). US Dept. Interior, US Geological Survey, Reston, VA. 964 p.
Seymour, R.S. 1995. The Northeastern Region. p. 31-79 In: Regional Silviculture of the United States, Ed. 3, J.W. Barrett, Ed. Wiley and Sons, N.Y.
Seymour, R.S. 1992. The red spruce-balsam fir forest of Maine: Evolution of silvicultural practice in response to stand development patterns and disturbances. Ch. 12 (p. 217-244) In: Kelty, M.J., Larson, B.C., and Oliver, C.D., eds. The Ecology and Silviculture of Mixed-Species Forests. Kluwer Publishers, Norwell, MA. 287 p.
Seymour, R.S. 1985. Forecasting growth and yield of budworm-infested forests. Part I: Eastern North America. p. 200-213. In: Recent Advances in Spruce Budworm Research: Proc. CANUSA spruce budworms research symposium; Bangor, ME, Sept. 16-20, 1984. Can. For. Serv. Ottawa. 527 p.
Journal Articles, Proceedings, and Research Bulletins:
Ray, D. and R. S. Seymour. (in revision) Stocking control in variably structured multiaged stands: is SDI an appropriate tool? Can. J. For. Res. xx
DeRose, R.J. and R.S. Seymour. (in revision) Leaf area index –relative density relationships in even-aged Abies balsamea – Picea rubens stands in Maine Can. J. For. Res. xx:
Hofmeyer, P.V., R.S. Seymour and L.S. Kenefic. (in review) Leaf area prediction and stemwood growth efficiency of Thuja occidentalis in Maine. Can. J. For. Res. xx
Hofmeyer, P.V., R.S. Seymour and L.S. Kenefic. (in review) Influence of soil site class on growth and decay of northern white-cedar in Maine. North. J. Appl. For. xx
Hofmeyer, P.V., L.S. Kenefic and R.S. Seymour. (in review) Historical early stem development of northern white-cedar (Thuja occidentalis L.) in Maine.
Hofmeyer, P.V., L.S. Kenefic and R.S. Seymour. (in press) Northern white-cedar ecology and silviculture in the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada: a synthesis of knowledge. North. J. Appl. For. xx
Ray, D., M.R. Saunders, and R.S. Seymour. (in press) Making more realistic predictions with the northeastern variant of the Forest Vegetation Simulator. N. J. Appl. Forestry:
Weiskittel, A.R., Kenefic, L.S., Seymour, R.S., and Phillips, L.M. (in press) Long-term effects of precommercial thinning on stem dimensions, form, and branch characteristics of red spruce and balsam fir crop trees. Silva Fennica xx
Weaver, J.K., L.S. Kenefic, R.S Seymour, J.C.Brissette. (in press) Decaying Wood and Tree Regeneration in the Acadian Forest of Maine, USA. Forest Ecology and Management:
DeRose, R.J. and R.S. Seymour. (in press) The effect of site quality on growth efficiency of upper crown class Picea rubens and Abies balsamea in Maine, USA. Can. J. For. Res.
Fraver, S., A.S. White, and R.S. Seymour. (in press) Patterns of natural disturbance in an old-growth landscape of northern Maine, USA. Journal of Ecology:
Moores, A.R., R.S. Seymour, and L.S. Kenefic. 2007. Height development of shade-tolerant conifer saplings in multi-aged Acadian forest stands. Can. J. For. Res. 37:2715-2723.
Seymour, R.S. 2007. Low-density management of white pine crop trees: a primer and short-term research results. Northern Journal of Applied Forestry: 24(4):301-306.
Fraver, S., R.S. Seymour, J.H. Speer, and A.S. White. 2007. Dendrochronological reconstruction of spruce budworm outbreaks in northern Maine, USA. Can. J. For. Res. 37:523-529.
Seymour, R.S., J.Guldin, D.Marshall, and B.Palik 2006. Large-scale, long-term silvicultural experiments in the United States: Historical overview and contemporary examples. Allgemeine Forst-und Jagdzeitung 177:104-112.
Ray, D., Keyser, C., Seymour, R.S., and Brissette, J. 2007. Modeling sapling recruitment following partial cutting in the Acadian Forest type: using long-term observations from the PEF to assess the performance of FVS-NE. Presented at the 3rd Forest Vegetation Simulator Conference, February 13–15, Ft. Collins, Colorado. USDA Forest Service, For. Manage. Ser. Ctr. Available online at: http://www.fs.fed.us/fmsc/fvs/
fvs_conf_presentations.shtml
Seymour, R.S. 2005.
Integrating disturbance parameters into conventional
silvicultural systems: Experience from the Acadian forest of northeastern North
America. P. 41-48 In: Peterson, C.E. and Maguire, D.A., editors. Balancing
ecosystem values: innovating experiments for sustainable forestry. USDA For.
Serv. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-635. 389 p.
Randolph, K.C., R.S. Seymour, and R.G. Wagner. 2005.
Developing optimal commercial thinning prescriptions: A new graphical approach.
Northern Journal of Applied Forestry 22(3):170-174.
Seymour, R.S. 2004. Silviculture: Lessons from our past,
thoughts about the future. P. 5-14 In: Palik, B. and Levy, L. Proc. Great Lakes
Silviculture Summit, Houghton, MI, April 22, 2003 USDA For. Serv.
GTR-NC-254. 49 p.
Seymour,
R.S. 2004. Low-density management of white pine crop trees: a primer and
short-term research results. P. 41-48 In: Proc. Managing White Pine
in a New Millennium. Oct 9-10, 2003
Hillsborough
NH
. 78 p.
Dean, T.J., S.D. Roberts, D.W.
Gilmore, D.A. Maguire, J.N. Long, K.L. O’Hara, and R.S. Seymour. 2002.
An evaluation of the uniform stress hypothesis based on stem geometry in select
North American conifers. Trees 16:559-568.
Seymour, R.S. and L.S. Kenefic.
2002. Influence of age on growth efficiency of Tsuga canadensis and Picea
rubens trees in mixed-species, multi-aged northern conifer stands.
Can. J. For. Res. 32:2032-2042.
Seymour, R.S., A.S. White and P.G.
deMaynadier. 2002. Natural disturbance regimes in northeastern North America –
Evaluating silvicultural systems using natural scales and frequencies. Forest
Ecology and Management 155:357-367.
Seymour,
R. S. and M.A. Fajvan. 2001. Influence
of prior growth suppression and soil on red spruce site index. N. J. Appl. For.
18(2):55-62.
Kenefic, L.S. and R.S. Seymour. 1999. Leaf area prediction models
for Tsuga canadensis. Can. J. For. Res. 29:1574-1582.
Fajvan, M.A. and R.S. Seymour. 1999. Influence of white pine on structure
and yields of mixed northern conifer forests. Journal of Sustainable Forestry
8(1):61-74.
Wilson, D.S., R.S. Seymour, and D.A. Maguire. 1999. Density
management
diagram for northeastern red spruce and balsam fir forests. N. J. Appl. For.
16:48-56.
Seymour, R.S. and L.S. Kenefic. 1998. Balance and sustainability in
multi-aged stands: a northern conifer case study. Journal of Forestry 96(7):12-17.
Gilmore, D.W. and R.S. Seymour. 1997. Crown architecture of Abies balsamea
from four canopy positions in central Maine, USA. Tree Physiol. 17:71-80.
Gilmore, D.W. and R.S. Seymour and D.A. Maguire. 1996. Foliage-sapwood area
relationships for Abies balsamea in central Maine, USA. Can. J. For. Res.
26:2071-2079.
Gilmore, D.W. and R.S. Seymour. 1996. Alternative measures of stem growth
efficiency applied to Abies balsamea from four canopy positions in central Maine, USA.
Forest Ecology and Management 84:209-218.
Seymour, R.S., J. Hrubes and D.
Hammel. 1995. Certifying sustainable forestry: The
evaluator's perspective. J. Forestry. 93(4):26-29.
Gilmore, D.S., R.S. Seymour, W.A. Halteman and M.S. Greenwood. 1995. Canopy dynamics
and the morphological development of Abies balsamea: effects of foliage age on specific
leaf area and secondary vascular development. Tree Physiology. 15:47-55.
Fajvan, M.A., and R.S. Seymour. 1993. Crown stratification, age structure, and
development of multicohort stands of eastern white pine, red spruce, and eastern hemlock.
Can. J. For. Res. 23:1799-1809.
Seymour, R.S., and Malcolm L. Hunter, Jr. 1992. New forestry in eastern spruce-fir
forests: Principles and applications to Maine. Maine Agr. Exp. Sta. Misc. Pub. 716. 36 p.
Meng, X., and R.S. Seymour. 1992. Influence of soil drainage on early development and
biomass production of young, herbicide-released fir-spruce stands in north-central Maine.
Can. J. For. Res. 22:955-967
Seymour, R.S. and D.M. Smith. 1987. A new stocking guide formulation
applied to eastern white pine. For. Sci. 33:469-484.
Graduate Courses Taught:
- FES 536 - Forest Stand Dynamics (alternate years, Spring Semester 2003) Syllabus Sample Lecture
- FES 508 - The Industrial Spruce-Fir Ecosystem (alternate years, Fall Semester 2002) Syllabus Sample Lecture
Service Activities
Maine Division, New England Society of American Foresters, Chair 2006.
Maine Council on Sustainable Forest Management (appointed by Gov. Angus King; 1995-1996)
Associate Editor, Forest Science (1993-1996; responsible for silviculture and stand development manuscripts)
Associate Editor, Northern Journal of Applied Forestry (1992-1996, 2008-present; responsible for silviculture manuscripts)
Editorial Board, New Forests (1988-1997; responsible for early stand development and growth modeling subject areas)
Second North American Forest Ecology Workshop, Field Trip Organizer and Steering Committee member (1998-99)
Society of American Foresters (1974-present)
SAF Silviculture Instructors Subcommittee; member, terminology subcommittee; Host of 1995 Annual Field Tour (below)
SAF Working Groups D2 (Silviculture), C1 (Forest Ecology), A3 (Biometrics)
Baxter Park Scientific Forest Management Area Advisory Committee (1986-Present)
The Nature Conservancy (member, volunteer consultant, and invited participant in science advisory committee)
Maine Division SAF Task Force on Forest Practices (Chair, 1994-1995)
Scientific Advisory Panel, Maine Ecological Reserves working group.
Maine Bureau of Public Lands Silvicultural Advisory Committee (1986-Present)
Maine Forest Service Technical Advisory Committee on Forest Practices Rules (1990-91)
Maine State Board of Licensure for Professional Foresters (Member, 1985-90; Chair, 1987-90; Chair, 2007-present)
Graduate Students Supervised
Current:
Tero, Nal. (M.S. expected, Spring 2010). Topic under development.
Guiterman, Christopher H. (M.S. expected Spring 2009). Long-term stand dynamics and financial analyses of two contrasting silvicultural systems for eastern white pine.
Zellers, Christopher. (M.S. expected Spring, 2009). Growth, lumber yield, and financial maturity of isolated archetype eastern white pine (Pinus strobus L.) trees.
Zellers, Katherine. (M.S. expected Spring, 2009). Patterns of regeneration of eastern white pine (Pinus strobus L.) as influenced by large isolated crop trees and precommercial thinning
Ray, David. (Ph.D. expected Spring, 2008. Application of Ecophysiological Relationships to Growth and Yield Modeling in Acadian Conifers: Addressing Limitations of Existing Empirical Models for Projecting the Development of Novel Stand Structures.
Waskiewicz, Justin. (Ph.D. expected Spring, 2009) Growth and development of mixed red oak-white pine stands in Maine: influence of stand structure and spatial heterogeneity.
Completed:
Graduated:
Hofmeyer, P. (Ph.D. 2008). Ecology and silviculture of northern white-cedar (Thuja occidentalis L.) in northern Maine
DeRose, R. Justin. 2004. Relationships between leaf area and relative density of natural and managed spruce-fir stands in Maine M.S. Thesis. 83 p.
Meyer, Spencer R. 2004. Leaf area as a growth predictor of Picea rubens and Abies balsamea in managed stands in Maine. M.S. Thesis.117 p.
Moores, Andrew. 2003. Understory growth dynamics and mensuration techniques in uneven-aged, mixed-species northern conifer stands.M.S. Thesis. 105 p.
Pace, M.D. 2003. Effect of stand density on behavior of leaf area prediction models for eastern white pine (Pinus strobus L.) in Maine. M.S. Thesis. 69 p.
Phillips, L.M. 2002. Crop-tree growth and quality twenty-five years after precommercial thinning in a northern conifer stand. M.S. Thesis. 87 p.
Kenefic, L. S. 2000. Leaf area, stemwood volume growth, and stand structure in a mixed-species, multi-aged northern conifer forest. Ph. D. Dissertation. 147 p.
Barker, A.A. 1998. Influences of age and canopy position on the growth efficiency of eastern white pine (Pinus strobus L.) M. S. Thesis. 89 p.
McConville, D.J. 1998. Overstory canopy influences on height development of red spruce and balsam fir saplings. M.S. Thesis. 59 p.
Leathers, M. A. 1996. Site index curves and growth efficiency of sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) by habitat type in western Maine. M. S. Thesis. 75 p.
Wilson, D. S. 1996. Theory and application of conifer growth dynamics based on plant allometry. M. S. Thesis. 115 p.
Gilmore, D.W. 1995. Crown structure, stem form development, and foliage-sapwood area relationships for balsam fir in central Maine. Ph.D. Dissert. 137 p.
Moehs, M. 1995. Age structure, disturbance, and development of old-growth spruce-fir stands in northern Maine. M. S. Thesis.
Steinman, J. R. 1992. A comprehensive evaluation of spruce-fir growth and yield in Maine as related to physical and chemical soil properties. Ph. D. Dissert. 124 p.
Gilmore, D. W. 1992. Soil-site relationships for European larch (Larix decidua Miller) in Maine. M. S. Thesis. 143 p. (co-chair with Russell Briggs)
Fajvan, M. A. 1991. Stand dynamics of mixed-species conifer forests in Maine. Ph. D. Dissert., 148 p.
Meng, X. 1991. Influence of soil drainage on tree growth, biomass production, and development of herbicide-released young spruce-fir stands in north central Maine. Ph. D. Dissert. 133 p.
