Jesse Kreye

Jesse K. Kreye, Ph.D., is an Associate Research Professor in the Department of Ecosystem Science and Management at Pennsylvania State University, specializing in fire and natural resources management. He holds a Ph.D. in Forest Resources and Conservation from the University of Florida (2012), an M.S. in Natural Resources (Forestry) from Humboldt State University (2008), and a B.S. in Forestry (Wildland Fire Management) from Humboldt State University (2004). Kreye's research centers on fire ecology, fire behavior, and effects, exploring critical topics such as multivariate litter traits influencing moisture and flammability in northeastern North American tree species, forest landowner demand for prescribed fire in Pennsylvania, restoration of fire-dependent ecosystems to mitigate ticks and tick-borne diseases, stump sprouting in eastern hardwoods, litter flammability along mesophication gradients, prescribed fire impacts on mid-Atlantic oak forests, radiant heating effects on fuel moisture, duff smoldering in longleaf pine ecosystems, long-term masticated fuelbed changes, pyrogenic flowering post-fire exclusion, solar heating on litter moisture dynamics, and mechanical mastication as a fuels treatment. His work addresses fuel dynamics, fire regimes, and management strategies in fire-prone and fire-excluded forests across eastern North America.

Kreye has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications advancing fire science and forest management. Key contributions include 'Multivariate roles of litter traits on moisture and flammability of temperate northeastern North American tree species' (Fire Ecology, 2023), 'Forest landowner demand for prescribed fire as an ecological tool in Pennsylvania, USA' (Forest Policy and Economics, 2023), 'Can restoration of fire-dependent ecosystems reduce ticks and tick-borne disease prevalence in the eastern United States?' (Ecological Applications, 2022), 'Mesophication of oak landscapes: evidence, knowledge gaps, and future research' (BioScience, 2021), 'The Fire and Tree Mortality Database, for empirical modeling of individual tree mortality after fire' (Scientific Data, 2020), and 'Radiant heating rapidly increases litter flammability through impacts on fuel moisture' (Fire Ecology, 2020). With an h-index of 18 and over 1,100 citations, his research informs prescribed fire practices, invasive species management, and biodiversity conservation. Kreye contributes to extension education, wildland fire training courses, and advises the Penn State Student Association for Fire Ecology.

Professional Email: juk1097@psu.edu