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Adams recognized for research contributions to the field of forestry

Mary Beth Adams wearing an I love soil shirt

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The Society of American Foresters recently honored Mary Beth Adams, visiting research faculty in the West Virginia University Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design, with its 2019 Barrington Moore Memorial Award.

The award recognizes outstanding achievement in biological research leading to the advancement of forestry.

As a research soil scientist for the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Northern Research Station, Adams’ work includes understanding how water and nutrients move through forest ecosystems in response to various stressors and using that understanding to sustain the productivity of forest ecosystems.

Much of her work has been conducted at the Fernow Experimental Forest near Parsons where she served as research project leader and scientist in charge for 20 years.

During that time, she designed, implemented and managed a long-term project studying the effects of acidic deposition in the forest’s watersheds. The research is often recognized as one of the premiere studies of forest ecosystem processes in the world – and many scientists have adapted their research based on this pioneering work.

Adams specializes in large, long-term experiments, and has been the principle investigator or co-PI on grants totaling more than $3 million that have facilitated collaboration with leading scientists throughout the U.S., and around the world.

The Seymour, Indiana, native is a two-time graduate of Purdue University where she received both her bachelor’s and master’s in forestry. She went on to earn a doctorate from North Carolina State University and did her post-doctorate work at Oak Ridge National Lab in Tennessee studying the carbon economy of plants.

-WVU-

law/11/21/19

CONTACT: Lindsay Willey
Interim Director of Marketing and Communications
Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design
304-293-2381; Lindsay.Willey@mail.wvu.edu