http://www.fs.fed.us/research/
North Dakota
Forest Service Research and Development (FS R&D) conducts research relevant to North Dakota through
the Rocky Mountain Research Station (RMRS), headquartered in Fort Collins, Colorado.
share of the national amount of $6,914,000 for the
Joint Fire Science Program.
FY 2015 Program Changes
The FY 2015 President's Budget includes a station
decrease of $3,038,000 from the FY 2014 Enacted.
The proposed funding will enable RMRS to
continue producing the scientific information and
tools needed to sustain and restore the
productivity and resilience of western ecosystems.
It will allow RMRS to sustain investment in high
priority research established in its 2014 Strategic
Business Plan, by deferring investments in less
urgent research priorities.
FY 2013 Key Accomplishments in North Dakota
Rocky Mountain Research Station
The RMRS mission is to develop and deliver
scientific information and technology to sustain
the health and productivity of the nation’s forest,
rangeland, grassland, and desert ecosystems
throughout the Interior West. RMRS research
provides the scientific foundation to understand
and adapt to the dynamic conditions associated
with ecosystem health and sustainability: human
use of land and resources, climate change,
wildland fire and fuels management, native and
non-native insects and diseases, and watershed
productivity and resilience.
The RMRS is organized into seven science
programs with research labs in nine of the twelve
states within its territory. The RMRS conducts
research and delivers science products in
collaboration with a variety of partners to
maximize the relevance and reach of RMRS
science.
The FY 2015 President’s Budget for RMRS is
$37,687,000, of which $13,142,000 is for annualized
Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA). In addition,
$6,911,000 is provided for National Fire Plan
research. RMRS will also receive a competitive
 Analyzed the genetic characteristics of aspen
across its North American range, finding that
aspen diploids are capable of reproducing by
seed, whereas triploids are generally infertile.
This research will help guide land management
decisions in the aspen ecosystem restoration.
 Helped develop modeling methods to produce
the National Land Cover Dataset Tree Canopy
Cover layer for the conterminous US -- the
baseline tree canopy cover information for the
nation.
 Developed methods to integrate forest
inventory data with observations and models of
historic forest disturbance trends from Landsat
time series, providing essential information for
designing more resilient landscapes.
 Contributed to the publication, A Technical
Guide for Monitoring Wildlife Habitat, which
provides guidance in the design and
implementation of wildlife habitat monitoring in
national forest plans.
 Identified
species
at
risk
of
habitat
fragmentation, as well as the sufficiency of
protected to inform conservation, restoration,
and mitigation strategies.
Priority Research
Forest Service R&D Priority Research Areas build
on local and regional research to solve issues
important to the American people. Examples of
priority research conducted by the RMRS include:
Forest Disturbance: Managing forests to sustain
ecosystem health requires knowledge of how
forests change over time in response to natural
disturbances and management actions. RMRS
scientists developed geospatial tools to help land
managers anticipate future conditions, spot
ecological
trends,
and
design
effective
management strategies.
Watershed
Management
and
Restoration: Sustaining healthy watersheds is
fundamental to ensure a safe and reliable water
supply. RMRS scientists developed the GRAIP tool,
a data driven road inventory method and model
which assesses the risks to aquatic resources from
road related sediment discharge. This tool
enables land managers to prioritize road
mitigation actions. This research was cited in the
Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) rule to
regulate runoff from forest roads, and figured
prominently in the U.S. Supreme Court's decision
to uphold the EPA's policy on forest roads as
nonpoint sources.
Bioenergy and Bio-Based Products: RMRS
researchers are exploring biomass utilization by
mobile fast-pyrolysis to convert residual forest
biomass into biochar and biofuel near harvest
sites. Returning carbon-rich biochar to the soil
adds nutrients, supplements soil carbon pools,
and improves water retention, microbial biomass,
and nutrient cycling.
Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA):
The FIA
program provides data on conditions and trends
for public and private forest lands in the United
States. The RMRS Inventory & Monitoring program
completed the first-ever high-resolution analysis of
climatic patterns using tree-ring data from the FIA
plot grid. This technique will enable fine-scale
reconstruction of El Nino-Southern Oscillation
(ENSO) influence on forest growth across large
areas.
Localized Needs Research in North Dakota
The RMRS invests in research and science delivery
specific to issues of local and regional
importance. Examples include:
Aquatic Conservation: In collaboration with the
Southern Rockies Landscape Conservation
Cooperative (LCC), the RMRS is conducting a
review of aquatic species and habitat
vulnerability to climate change in the Interior
West. Scientists will develop a decision support
framework
to
increase
land
managers’
understanding of vulnerabilities and adaptation
options for forest and project-level planning.
Invasive Plant Prevention: RMRS researchers, in
collaboration with the Nebraska National Forest
and Grasslands, and South Dakota State
University are developing management models
that will help land managers prevent the
introduction and spread of a newly introduced
non-native plant species, Falcaria vulgaris, in the
Northern Great Plains Grasslands.
Sage Grouse: RMRS scientists, several state
agencies, and BLM are using genetic data to
create a map for use in managing connectivity
among sage grouse leks. The results will help
state and federal partners determine leks
essential for connectivity among core breeding
areas.
FOREST SERVICE RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT (FS R&D) is a world leader in innovative science for sustaining global forest resources for future
generations. Research findings and products benefit forest and rangeland managers, and everyone who uses goods or services from
forests. We operate five research stations that encompass all 50 states, the Forest Products Laboratory located in Madison, Wisconsin, and
the International Institute of Tropical Forestry located in Puerto Rico. Our researchers and support personnel are located at 67 field sites
throughout the United States. We also maintain 80 experimental forests and ranges across the Nation. Our unique ability to integrate
science and decision making and to work across boundaries between public, private, and tribal lands through strong partnerships
advances the Agency’s three core themes of restoration, communities, and fire.
The FS R&D program has two components: Priority Research Areas and Strategic Program Areas. The Priority Research Areas address
urgent needs in seven areas: Forest Disturbance, Forest Inventory and Analysis, Watershed Management and Restoration, Bioenergy and
Biobased Products, Urban Natural Resources Stewardship, Nanotechnology, and Localized Needs Research (region-specific needs). The
Strategic Program Areas (SPAs) are the long-term programs from which Priority Research Areas are funded. The seven SPAs are: Wildland
Fire and Fuels; Invasive Species; Recreation; Resource Management and Use; Water, Air, and Soil; Wildlife and Fish; and Inventory and
Monitoring.
The FY 2015 President’s Budget includes $275,315,000 for Forest and Rangeland Research, $19,795,000 for the FS R&D National Fire Plan, and
$6,914,000 for the Joint Fire Science Program.