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Center for Advanced Forestry Systems (CAFS)
 North Carolina State University (Lead)
Virginia Tech
Purdue University
Oregon State University
A National Science Foundation Industry/University Cooperative Research Center since 1999
Engineering trees for production of the future fiber needs of the world.
Center Mission and Rationale
As the world's population increases and as urbanization continues, there will be increased pressure to maximize wood production on limited amounts of forested land. To maintain economically viable, wood-based industries, it is necessary to develop and incorporate technological advances into forest research.
Built on the strengths of four of the top forestry research programs in the United States, the Center for Advanced Forestry Systems (CAFS) was formed in 2007 to create a multi-university, interdisciplinary I/UCRC that works to solve industry-wide problems through multi-faceted approaches. CAFS mission is to optimize genetic and cultural systems to produce high-quality raw forest materials for new and existing products by conducting collaborative research that transcends traditional species, regional, and disciplinary boundaries.
CAFS is comprised of 4 founding sites, representing leading universities and established cooperative research programs.
Research Program
CAFS research increases the competitiveness of forest products industries and forest landowners by solving problems on multiple temporal and spatial scales, and determining fundamental solutions that transcend traditional species, regional, and disciplinary boundaries.
CAFS scientists approach research questions on multiple scales, including the molecular, cellular, individual-tree, stand, and ecosystem levels. This effort includes the participation of scientists with expertise in biological sciences (biotechnology, genomics, ecology, physiology, and soils), and management and processing (silviculture, bioinformatics, modeling, remote sensing, and spatial analysis).
Current projects include:
- Varietal Precision Silvicultural Regimes Based on Crown Ideotype
- Resource Driven Growth and Yield Model
- Effects of Site and Genetics on Douglas-fir Growth, Stem Quality, and Adaptability
- Flowering Control in Fine Hardwood Trees
- Regulation of Heartwood Formation in Black Walnut
- Influence of phyB Genes on Stem Form in Poplar
- Growth and Yield Predictions for Diverse Genotypes and Silvicultural Practices
Our members benefit by becoming knowledgeable about a wide range of technological advances through direct interactions between CAFS scientists and members. The main strength of the CAFS research portfolio is the collaborative nature of the research projects, developed as interdisciplinary projects across at least two participating universities.
CAFS academic partners are four of the country’s leading universities: North Carolina State University (lead institution), Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), Purdue University, and Oregon State University. Each of these institutions is its state’s 1862 land grant university, and each has extensive experience in conducting successful cooperative research programs.
Center Locations
Center Headquarters
CAFS Office
Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources
North Carolina State University
3120 Jordan Hall, Campus Box 8008
Raleigh, NC 27513-8008
Website: http://cnr.ncsu.edu/fer/cafs
Center Director: Dr. Barry Goldfarb
919-515-4471
barry_goldfarb@ncsu.edu
Center Sites
Virginia Tech Site
Site Director: Dr. Thomas Fox
Department of Forestry
228 Cheatham Hall, Mail Code 0324
Blacksburg, VA 24061
540-231-8862
trfox@vt.edu
Purdue University Site
Site Director: Dr. Charles Michler
Department of Forestry and Natural Resources
715 W. State Street
West Lafayette, IN 47907
765-496-6016
michler@purdue.edu
Oregon State University Site
Site Director: Dr. Glenn Howe
Department of Forest Science
334 Richardson Hall
Corvallis, OR 97331-5752
541-737-9001
glenn.howe@oregonstate.edu
North Carolina State University Site
Site Director: Dr. Jose Stape
Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources
3108 Jordan Hall, Campus Box 8008
Raleigh, NC 27513-8008
919-513-4041
jlstape@ncsu.edu
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