Student Focus - Ian Stone
I was born and raised in Louisiana northeast of Baton Rouge. I am from what is known as the Florida Parishes, an area of Louisiana known for its pine timber production. My father owns timberland in the area, so I grew up in and around forestry. In 2009 I completed my forestry degree at Louisiana State University. In 2008 I spent a summer here at UMaine as part of the Forest Bioproducts Research Initiative. That is how I meet Dr. Jeff Benjamin, and I decided to come back as his student. I am originally trained in ecosystem restoration, but I learned quickly that operational constraints can hamper management objectives. To that end, this is where my research is focused. I am attempting to discover issues that create operational constraints here in Maine. Once the issues producing constraints or inefficiencies in operations are identified they can be addressed, producing better forest management as an end result. When I am not working I like to take advantage of the outdoor recreation in the surrounding area, particularly the hunting and fishing.
