Over the past two centuries, the southern sprucefir stands have been decimated by logging, pollution, and an infestation of invasive insects.

Research focuses on informing policy and land management decisions and includes addressing invasive insects, degraded river ecosystems, or sustainable ways to harvest forest products.

His approach to control invasive insects and diseases has been criticized as a scorched earth approach, eliminating pests without regard to the environment or to economic losses to growers.