Research
Faculty and students are inspired by the large tract of land so close to campus. Hundreds of research projects, theses, dissertations and published papers have originated in the Clemson Experimental Forest. Many projects focus on the forest management work being demonstrated in the Forest. Others reflect applied research questions in ecology, conservation biology, wildlife management and environmental sciences.
Basic research in evolutionary biology, physics, and geology is also conducted in the Forest. Even psychology is studied there, for example, the interactions of people with local natural areas and how they affect health and wellness.
Archaeological investigations are ongoing in relation to Native American, African American, and European settlements. In addition to the sciences, humanities projects are conducted throughout the Forest in architecture and design, photography, and creative writing. Projects are funded by a diverse array of sources, including federal and state grant programs, private gifts and endowments and industry.
The Forest itself maintains a continuous 60-year dataset on forest inventory and GIS databases available to researchers. The Forest has an extensive historical archive of maps and documents. The Forest staff assists researchers in using these data, building new projects, finding and maintaining suitable research sites and maintaining research infrastructure.
Clemson researchers study feral hog movements in the Experimental Forest to better understand the impact of this invasive species, which causes significant ecological damage through rooting and habitat disruption.
Conservation
From its earliest days in the 1930s, the Clemson Experimental Forest has been a demonstration of how to restore and conserve the landscape. Following decades of soil degradation, Forest Managers used scientific techniques to control erosion and re-establish forests. Today, the rich and varied forests of the Forest are a testament to their efforts while forming the heart of a valuable “core area” of conserved land in the midst of the rapidly developing Upstate.
Increasingly, remaining patches of forestland are becoming islands in a sea of roads and housing. The Forest provides a large corridor of North-South connectivity along the richly biodiverse upper Savannah River drainage covering portions of two ecoregions. Plant and animal communities represent both Blue Ridge and Piedmont geography, while nearly 100 miles of shoreline remain undeveloped. Varied successional stages resulting from forest management provide habitat heterogeneity needed to maintain high species richness.
Beyond our borders, the Forest serves as a regional hub for conservation, working with diverse public and private interests to inform and build a network of conserved parcels that allow passage of wildlife, protect viewsheds, maintain access for outdoor recreation, and preserve the character of the Upstate. This remains the Forest's role in the land grant mission – to use the Forest to demonstrate best practices even when the conditions change. From restoring soils to protecting open land, the Forest has been a leader for nearly 100 years.
A King rail spotted in the Clemson Experimental Forest highlights the Forest’s conservation value and rich biodiversity—made possible by its diverse, interconnected habitats including wetlands, forests and waterways.
