Red spruce (Picea rubens) is a keystone species of the Central Appalachian "sky islands," providing essential habitat for threatened biodiversity. However, these forests have been historically degraded by logging, mining, and pollution, and they remain vulnerable to climate-driven habitat shifts. This project addresses the lack of high resolution spatial data on the occurrence of red spruce that currently hampers conservation and restoration efforts.
The primary deliverable will be a high-resolution (~10 meter or less) spatial dataset detailing the probability of red spruce presence across the region. These maps will inform conservation planning, prioritize restoration areas, and, when integrated with our existing genomic research, identify which specific populations are most at risk from climate change. Ultimately, this project provides a transferable methodology applicable to mapping other Appalachian canopy species while delivering the most detailed distribution data to date.
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