ABSTRACT
Science-based management can blend the perspectives on the biosphere, near-surface sediment and rocks, and hydrosphere with a firm grounding in the history of the landscape. Erika, a scientist who had built a career on studies of the northern spotted owl, silently surveyed a tall, old-growth forest in the Oregon Cascade Mountains. The earth sciences began to take a prominent role in ecosystem research at Andrews Forest during experimental watershed studies initiated in the 1950s. In these studies, hydrologists and soil scientists teamed with ecologists studying plant communities and nutrient cycling to examine effects of forest cutting and road construction on stream flow, water quality, and soil erosion. In research at the Andrews Forest, it has been important to balance persistence in sustained long-term studies with attention to major science and societal issues of the day. Good, long-term data are extremely valuable and can be used to address new questions with new techniques.
