Smart Forests Technology at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest
The Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest (HBEF) is world renowned for its research on hydrology and forest ecosystem dynamics. Located within the White Mountain National Forest in central New Hampshire, the site was established in 1955 as a center for hydrologic research in New England. Abundant small watersheds serve as a natural laboratory for research on water yield and quality in response to natural and human disturbances.
Streamflow, stream temperature, and electrical conductivity are recorded from nine small watersheds in the Hubbard Brook valley, continuously throughout the year at 5-minute intervals. Meteorologic data, including air temperature, precipitation, relative humidity, and wind speed, is recorded at six weather stations distributed across the valley at 15-minute intervals. Three web cams, perched at high points in the valley, provide visual ‘windows on the watersheds’ and data for monitoring canopy phenology and ice cover of nearby Mirror Lake.
