David Auty

David Auty is an Associate Professor and Executive Director in the School of Forestry at Northern Arizona University. His research focuses on wood properties, forest management practices, and innovative applications of LiDAR technology in forestry. He leads projects investigating the impact of environmental factors on tree physiology, wood quality, and forest dynamics. Notable contributions include developing the sgsR toolbox for LiDAR-based forest inventories and studying radial profiles of specific gravity in conifers.

His work bridges ecological and engineering disciplines, addressing challenges in sustainable forestry and climate resilience. Collaborations include international studies on wildfire impacts, carbon modeling, and wood mechanics. David actively contributes to datasets on tree growth dynamics and has authored over 45 scholarly works, emphasizing practical solutions for forest management and conservation.

• Key Focus Areas: Forest Management, Wood Quality, Remote Sensing, Climate Adaptation
• Tools & Innovations: sgsR LiDAR Toolbox, Acoustic Wood Testing, Stand Dynamics Models
• Collaborations: Global networks studying boreal forests, wildfire impacts, and conifer physiology

David’s research highlights the interplay between ecological processes and industrial forestry needs, with implications for bioenergy, carbon sequestration, and resilient forest systems.