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What is bioenergy? “Bio-” is related to living or once living things. Bioenergy is a source of energy that uses living or once living things. It is not used as much as it once was. However, the scientists in this journal explore how bioenergy may be used in the future as source of energy.

What will happen to trees if climate change continues? The scientists in this study conducted an experiment to see how much carbon is stored in a tree’s roots versus its leaves. This research is a starting point for scientists as they discuss this very important topic.

Learn about soils and the amount of salmon-derived nutrients (SDN) in Southeast Alaska! Salmon-derived nutrients are nutrients in the soils that are from decomposing salmon. The scientists looked at how alluvial soil affected the role of SDN in the North Pacific coastal rainforests of southeast Alaska.

In this Natural Inquirer Freshwater edition, you will learn many new things about Earth’s freshwater. As you read each article, think about your daily water use. You use clean freshwater for drinking, bathing, and cooking. Did you know that up to 60 percent of your body weight is water? Water not only keeps you healthy, it keeps the planet healthy!

The Natural Inquirer Scientist & Engineer Card Series highlights 250+ USDA Forest Service scientists and engineers. Share these with students, and help inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers!

This edition is full of new information on the natural environment that we call the Rocky Mountains. In this Natural Inquirer, you will learn how father owls feed their young, the dangers that songbirds sometimes face, and how beetles stay warm during the winter. Find out how avalanches are formed, whether trout always pick the same place to swim in a stream, and how a computer can be used to predict soil erosion!

This journal focuses on how scientists build models to help understand possible future outcomes and then how land managers can use this information to help protect native populations and ecosystems while still providing other benefits to the public.

Big-leaf mahogany is a tree species known for its beautiful wood. Over time, humans have cut down many big-leaf mahogany trees for use in furniture and other products. Because of this regular human use, big-leaf mahogany is considered vulnerable. To ensure that big-leaf mahogany harvesting is sustainable, scientists and land managers must know the conditions in which mahogany grows.

Enjoy a journey to the tropics! In the Natural Inquirer Tropical edition, readers will learn about the plants and animals that make the tropics special. The tropics are the home of a variety of biomes, or regions with different kinds of vegetation and other life. Tropical biomes are largely defined by the amount of rainfall they get. In the tropics, you might find rain forests, dry forests, shrub lands, tropical plains called savannahs, and deserts. Scientists working in the International Instit

This journal focuses on wildland fire. Wildland fire is any fire occurring in vegetation areas regardless of how it was started. In this edition, you will learn about different types of wildland fires, including uncontrolled wildfires and fires purposely set and controlled by foresters to provide benefits to a natural area.