Maria Janowiak directs the USDA Northern Forests Climate Hub and the Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science, two collaborative efforts led by the USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station.
Maria has more than 15 years of experience in helping natural resource professionals understand and adapt to climate change, with particular emphasis on forest ecosystems in the Midwest and Northeast US. She has led multiple ecoregional vulnerability assessments, created decision-support tools, taught courses, supported the development of real-world adaptation projects, and provided direct outreach to thousands of people. Maria has a B.S. in Forestry and an M.S. in Forest Ecology from Michigan Technological University.
Maria’s portfolio of climate-related work encompasses several efforts focused on climate change adaptation. These activities complement the USDA Climate Hub’s focus on making USDA science and resources more available to diverse audiences.
Featured Work
Programs and efforts:
- The Climate Change Response Framework is a collaborative, cross-boundary approach among scientists, managers, and landowners to incorporate climate change considerations into natural resource management. Resources initially developed through the CCRF have become core NFCH offerings, including the Adaptation Workbook.
- The Adaptive Silviculture for Climate Change (ASCC) Network has established a series of experimental silvicultural trials across different forest ecosystem types throughout the United States. Scientists, land managers, and partners are developing trial sites as part of a multi-region study researching long-term ecosystem responses to a range of climate change adaptation actions.
