Dr. Alexandra (Ali) Kosiba recently joined University of Vermont (UVM) Extension as its new forestry specialist. She will be based in the Extension office in South Burlington.

Kosiba, a licensed Vermont forester, brings expertise to the job in a number of forestry-related fields including climate-adaptive forest management, forest carbon science and management, tree physiology and forest ecology and health. Although her target audience is landowners, foresters and municipalities, she also will partner with state agencies, members of the forest economy, including loggers and producers, and organizations such as Vermont Coverts and the Vermont Woodlands Association.

In addition, she will continue some of the work she started in her previous position as the climate forester for the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation. This will entail leading the Vermont Forest Carbon Inventory and serving as the state's point person for foresters and landowners on forest carbon and carbon offset markets.

The U. S. Forest Service recently awarded her a grant through its Landscape Scale Restoration grant program. One of the goals of this project is to determine what landowners, foresters and others need in order to include climate resilience in forest decisions and management. With collaborators, she will develop resources to help Vermont's forests and forest supply chain adapt to a changing climate. 

The Amherst, Massachusetts, native earned her Ph.D. and master's degree in forest science from UVM's Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources. Previous employment included staff scientist at the Forest Ecosystem Monitoring Cooperative and a brief teaching stint in the forestry department at UVM. She is currently a member and chair of the Green Mountain Division of the Society of American Foresters and a member of the Forest Stewards Guild.

Kosiba lives in West Bolton on 10 acres of forestland in a house that she built with her husband. They manage their land for recreation and climate resilience as well as harvest firewood and saw timber. Kosiba also raises chickens for meat and eggs and is an avid gardener and outdoors person.

 She may be contacted at (802) 651-8343, ext. 504, or by email at alexandra.kosiba@uvm.edu.