Who We Are

Dr. Christopher Keyes, AFMP Director

Chris has served as AFMP Director since 2007. His expertise is in silviculture and forest stand dynamics, with emphasis on natural regeneration ecology and silvicultural applications for restoring degraded forests. Chris holds an appointment as Research Associate Professor of Silviculture in the University of Montana's College of Forestry and Conservation. He previously was Assistant Professor of Silviculture at Humboldt State University in Arcata, California. 

Emily Stark, AFMP Nursery Supervisor

Emily supervises the AFMP Forestry and Conservation Nursery from its base at the University of Montana's Memorial Greenhouse. Emily coordinates all aspects of seedling production, including greenhouse systems oversight and maintenance, seedling propagation and planning, supervision of student workers and volunteers, and management of contracts and public relations.

Kenneth Quick, Nursery Technical Expert

Kenneth applies decades of forestry and nursery experience to help guide seedling propagation practices at the AFMP Forestry and Conservation Nursery. Kenneth previously was a forester for the U.S. Forest Service and oversaw plant propagation at the University of Idaho's Pitkin Forest Nursery.

A native of South Korea, Woongsoon came to Missoula in 2009. His primary interests are in modelling processes of natural regeneration ecology in coniferous forests, from seed production to sapling growth. In his MS work at Seoul National University, he researched the stand structure and spatial patterns of a rare stand of relict Yezo spruce (Picea yezoensis) in Kangwon province, Korea. For the AFMP, Woongsoon is analyzing the impacts of biomass harvesting on the condition and productivity of Montana Rocky Mountain forests. His study is located on the Coram Experimental Forest.

Jeremy Anderson (MS, in progress)

Jeremy joined the University of Montana in 2009. His interest is in the sustainable management of western conifer forests, with emphasis on reforestation methods and forest health. Based at Tenderfoot Creek Experimental Forest, Jeremy's AFMP research analyzes dispersed and aggregagated variable-retention harvesting in lodepole pine stands, and the effects of those silvicultural treatments on stand growth, regeneration, and resistance to bark beetle mortality.

Clarice Pina (MS, in progress)

Clarice began her graduate studies at the University of Montana in 2010. Her primary research interest is in the productivity potential of biochar as a soil amendment. Her master's research for the AFMP addresses the effects of incorporating biochar in nusery propagation media for the propagation of Montana native plants for restoration outplantings.

Kyle Stover (MS, 2010)

Kyle's AFMP research analyzed stand structure, forest fuel distributions, and wildfire threats in old-growth ponderosa pine / mixed conifer stands in western Montana (Flathead and Bitterroot National Forests). His study was designed to help managers understand and better evaluate of restoration treatment effects on fire hazard and spatial heterogeneity in old-growth stands.

Emily Garlough (MS, 2009)

Emily's AFMP research analyzed the physical properties of forest duff that govern smoldering combustion. Her research was designed to help managers understand the potential effects of restoration-based broadcast burning on old-growth ponderosa pine trees, and was performed in a relict old-growth ponderosa pine / mixed stand at Whiskeytown National Recreation Area (California).