A forest in the San Juan range of the Rocky Mountains, with dead Engelmann spruce trees alongside live aspen trees.

Combined bark beetle outbreaks and wildfire spell uncertain future for forests

Feb. 9, 2021

Banner image: A forest in the San Juan range of the Rocky Mountains, with dead Engelmann spruce trees alongside live aspen trees. (Credit: Robert Andrus) Bark beetle outbreaks and wildfire alone are not a death sentence for Colorado’s beloved forests—but when combined, their toll may become more permanent, new CU...

Scorched trees in forest

Tom Veblen: Forests scorched by wildfire unlikely to recover, may convert to grasslands

Aug. 27, 2020

With flames racing across hundreds of square miles throughout Colorado and California this summer and a warming climate projected to boost wildfire activity across the West, residents can’t help but wonder what our beloved forests will look like in a few decades. A new Â鶹ӰԺ-led study offers...

Denver CO skyline

Recognizing and honoring the contributions of Thomas T. Veblen in Biogeography

Feb. 18, 2020

At the American Association of Geographers (AAG) annual conference being held in Denver this year, April 6-10, there will be two paper sessions of Geography Professor Tom Veblen's former students and postdocs titled "The effects of disturbance on Northern and Southern Hemisphere Forests. Recognizing and honoring the contributions of Thomas...

A male elk stands in a forest clearing

Forests bouncing back from beetles, but elk and deer slowing recovery

Feb. 13, 2020

Trees killed by bark beetles remain standing in the southern Rocky Mountains. (Credit: Robert Andrus) Two words, and a tiny little creature, strike fear in the hearts of many Colorado outdoor enthusiasts: bark beetle. But new research from CU Â鶹ӰԺ reveals that even simultaneous bark beetle outbreaks are not a...

Kyle Rodman on Rocky Mountain PBS Colorado Experience

Kyle Rodman and Tom Veblen's work is featured in the Rocky Mountain PBS Colorado Experience episode "Forests of Change"

Jan. 31, 2020

Humans have had a relationship with forests for eons. But today, Colorado’s forests are changing, potentially altering this intrinsic connection. Follow scientists and historians as they work to understand this transformation. Decipher tree rings, analyze aerial imagery, and learn of Colorado’s long history to unroot the causes and consequences of...

Researcher shoveling in the mountain snow

Monitoring changing world at CU Â鶹ӰԺ’s Mountain Research Station

June 1, 2019

From base at 9,500 feet, scientists examine climate to top of tundra Motorists cruising the famed Peak to Peak Highway north of Nederland as they savor the scenery or head out for a visit to Brainard Lake might well sail right past a modest signpost for one of the highest...

University of Wisconsin at Madison

Sarah Hart Accepts Tenure Track Position at UW

July 20, 2018

Sarah Hart (Ph.D., CU Geography 2014) has accepted a new position as a tenure track assistant professor in the Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology at University of Wisconsin at Madison. University of Wisconsin at Madison While at CU Â鶹ӰԺ, Sarah's research interests were broadly based on the impacts of...

Bird sculpture

Monica Rother Accepts Assistant Professorship at UNCW

Feb. 27, 2018

Monica Rother (PhD 2015) is accepting a tenure-track assistant professor position in Environmental Sciences at the University of North Carolina Wilmington . Monica is a forest ecologist with expertise in biogeography, disturbance ecology, global change ecology, and fire history. Her dissertation work addressed spatial and temporal patterns of post-fire conifer...

Group standing on front porch of old house in New Zealand

Interview with Tom Veblen, Distinguished Professor

Dec. 19, 2017

Tom (center) in New Zealand, 1979 I recently interviewed Tom Veblen to discuss being given the University’s highest faculty honor, Distinguished Professor , and learn more about Tom’s exceptional career. I came away with a strong appreciation for his life's work in forest ecology and environmental science. Our Fall 2017...

Cover of the Fall newsletter.

2017 Geography Fall Newsletter Published

Dec. 18, 2017

The 2017 Geography Fall Newsletter has been published and is available to view online now on the Newsletters page . Hardcopies will be available at the commencement ceremony and reception and in the main office. The online version includes navigation links from the table of contents on the cover page...

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