The Forest Response Program: Research on the Effects of Acidic Deposition and Ozone

Excerpts from the report Introduction: Approximately one-third of the land area of the United States, 737 million acres, is forested. Forests and associated range, wildlife, water, and recreation resources make substantial contributions to the national economy and to American life. The concern that harmful airborne pollutants, resulting primarily from human activity, could be affecting the health of the Nation's forests has become a major environmental, political, and scientific issue. Acidic deposition as an environmental problem can be traced back to Scandinavia in the mid-1950's, where studies focused on acidification of precipitation and surface waters. When findings began to indicate that many different stressors were interacting to cause declines, the research outlook had to be broadened beyond acid rain. Associated pollutants, such as ozone, were included in the research, along with a closer look at the role of drought, insects, and pathogens. The Forest Response Program (FRP) was formed in 1985 to study the effects of acidic deposition and ozone on threatened forests throughout the United States. This bulletin summarizes the accomplishments of the 5-year FRP.