Established 2007 · Phase IV Launch 2026
Science for Forests, People, and Products
The preeminent national research network advancing forest health through collaborative science across four universities and multiple forest industry partners.
The preeminent national research network advancing forest health through collaborative science across four universities and multiple forest industry partners.
Advancing Forest Science Since 2007
Leading the transformation of America's forest sector by uniting the best science, technology, and talent across universities and industry to ensure forests thrive for generations.
Delivering breakthrough forest science that bridges species, regions, and disciplines to equip the next generation of forest professionals with tools and knowledge that drive real decisions on real landscapes.
CAFS brings together leading scientists, forest managers, and technology innovators around 21st century challenges that matter most.
Understanding how forests grow, respond to management, and adapt to changing conditions. From genetics and silviculture to forest health and carbon storage, our research strengthens the science of sustaining productive, resilient forests.
Building the workforce the forest sector needs. CAFS connects students with mentors and employers, produces graduates ready for leadership, and sustains a network of over 500 professionals collaborating across regions and disciplines.
Turning research into tools practitioners actually use. Our growth models, digital soil maps, species distribution platforms, and decision support systems are in daily operational use by forest managers across the country.
At the intersection of precision management and advanced bioproducts lies the future we're building together.
From the Pacific Northwest to the Southeast, CAFS research addresses forest management challenges across diverse ecosystems, climates, and ownership types. Our university partners and industry members represent the full breadth of American forestry.
Across four phases and 17 years, CAFS has engaged 10 universities and dozens of industry partners in collaborative research that bridges regional boundaries.
Improving model transferability by integrating 3D NAIP, lidar terrain, digital soils, and climate products across regions and ownerships.
Using multi-temporal 3DEP lidar and 3D NAIP point clouds to compute periodic height growth for automated site productivity mapping.
Extending high-resolution digital soil and site mapping to the coastal Pacific Northwest and Lower Piedmont at 20m resolution.
Developing a model-agnostic framework producing stand-level uncertainty estimates from machine-learning-based inventory maps.
Building a containerized, version-controlled FVS web API with user-friendly clients for operational planning and carbon applications.
Combining tree-ring stable isotopes, growth data, and remote sensing to develop region-specific density management guidelines.
Testing hyperspectral chemotyping approaches to detect and quantify disease incidence and severity in tree improvement collections.
CAFS integrates use inspired science, technology translation, workforce development, and cross regional collaboration into an advanced forest system that delivers precision tools for the 21st century forest sector.
CAFS research spans the full spectrum of forest management science, from individual tree physiology and genetics to landscape scale ecosystem modeling and remote sensing. Each project is designed around the practical needs identified by our Industry Advisory Board.
Our Phase IV portfolio represents the most ambitious research agenda in CAFS history, with seven projects tackling forest growth prediction, digital soil mapping, pest and disease risk, and data driven silviculture.
CAFS launched its first independent phase with seven research projects selected by the Industry Advisory Board, spanning growth modeling, digital soils, and forest health.
Members gathered in Hawaii for the annual in-person IAB meeting featuring field tours, project presentations, and strategic planning for Phase IV priorities.
After 15 years as an NSF Industry/University Cooperative Research Center, CAFS successfully transitioned to a self-sustaining, member-driven model.
From our founding as an NSF Industry/University Cooperative Research Center to an independent, member driven consortium.
Join our network of universities, industry leaders, and cooperatives advancing forest science together.
Learn About Membership
CAFS operates at the intersection of university research, industry application, and federal science. Our cooperative model ensures that research priorities are shaped by the people who will use the results, creating a feedback loop between discovery and practice.
This cross discipline approach connects forest biometrics, remote sensing, soil science, genetics, and data science into integrated solutions for the forest sector.
“CAFS gave me the research exposure and industry connections that launched my career. The mentorship and collaborative environment are truly unique in forest science.”
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Roseburg Forest Products
“The graduate training and network I gained through CAFS were instrumental in shaping my approach to forest analytics and data science.”
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Arbor Analytics
“CAFS bridges the gap between academic research and practical forestry. The tools and talent coming out of this program are exactly what the industry needs.”
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The CAFS cooperative model, its research impact, and the role of industry partnership in advancing forest science were documented in a peer reviewed article published in the Journal of Forestry.
The article details how CAFS has produced over 100 graduate degrees, generated hundreds of publications, and built tools used by 81% of USFS growth and yield programs, demonstrating the power of sustained university industry collaboration.
Download the Article →
CAFS operates within the broader landscape of forest research cooperatives that have driven silvicultural innovation in North America for decades. These cooperatives represent the primary mechanism through which long term, applied forest research is funded and conducted.
As one of the few national, multi species cooperatives, CAFS fills a unique niche by addressing cross regional questions that no single state or species cooperative can tackle alone.
CAFS membership connects you to collaborative research, decision support tools, and the next generation of forest professionals.
