The Appalachian Hardwood Center (AHC) was established in 1987 by the West Virginia Legislature in recognition of the need for technical and research support for the State's growing wood products industry. The Center, first and foremost, provides industry with ready access to a staff of technical support personnel with expertise in areas related to the wood products industry. The mission of the AHC evolves as the wood products industry in West Virginia continues to prosper and as emerging problems and issues require new solutions. These challenges are addressed in several ways: training; technical assistance; forest resource and industry data; compliance assistance; research; and communication. For additional information, please contact Dr. Curt Hassler.

1996 marked the 10-year anniversary of the West Virginia Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at West Virginia University. A cooperative agreement between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, West Virginia University, and the Wildlife Management Institute became effective on 1 July 1986. The Unit, housed within the Division of Forestry, College of Agriculture, Forestry and Consumer Sciences in Percival Hall, was fully staffed by September 1987. Environmental impacts at the ecosystem level represent the main thrust of the Unit's research program. Some current and past research topics include timber harvesting effects on birds, wildlife in early successional habitats, acid rain effects on macroinvertebrates, hydropower development and flood control effects on in-stream flows, habitat requirements for larval fish in navigable rivers, gypsy moth spraying effects, global change, and others. Graduate education remains an important mission of the Unit, as does serving the research and technical assistance needs of our cooperators. For additional information, please contact Dr. Petra Bohall Wood.

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