http://www.fs.fed.us/research/
Nebraska
Forest Service Research and Development (FS R&D) conducts research relevant to state of Nebraska
through the Rocky Mountain Research Station (RMRS), headquartered in Fort Collins, Colorado and through
the National Agroforestry Center, headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska.
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 Nebraska

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 share of the
national amount of $6,914,000 for the Joint Fire
Science Program.

Researchers from the Forest Service, ARS and
collaborating universities found that the ability of
plant communities to use water efficiently is
compromised as precipitation patterns become
more extreme. Because of this effect, scientists
expect that grasslands will act as early indicators
of drought-induced losses.
RMRS scientists, in collaboration with the Forest
Service’s Remote Sensing Application Center,
developed modeling methods to produce the
National Land Cover Dataset Tree Canopy
Cover layer for the conterminous US, which is the
baseline tree canopy cover information for the
nation.
In an effort to better estimate forest disturbance
through time, RMRS scientists developed
methods to integrate forest inventory data with
observations and models of historic forest
disturbance trends on Landsat time series. This
research provides essential information for the
design of more resilient landscapes to
disturbances.
Forest Service RMRS researchers are developing
techniques
to
evaluate
wildlife
habitat
connectivity for a substantial number of native
species across large regions.
Researchers
identified
species
at
risk
of
habitat
fragmentation, as well as the sufficiency of
protected habitat. Results will inform and guide
conservation,
restoration,
and
mitigation
strategies.
The RMRS Inventory & Monitoring program
analyzed the genetic characteristics of aspen
across the 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 restoration of declining aspen
ecosystems.
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 adaptive
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 mitigation on open roads and
de-commission
roads
most
at
risk
of
delivering sediment to the stream. 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 road
runoff as a nonpoint source.
Bioenergy
and
Bio-Based
Products:
RMRS
researchers are exploring biomass utilization by
mobile fast-pyrolysis to convert residual forest
biomass into biochar (black carbon) and biofuel
near harvest sites. These carbon-rich biochar
amendments return nutrients to the soil, supplement
long-resident soil carbon pools, and improve 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 Nebraska
The RMRS invests in research and science delivery
specific to issues of local and regional importance.
Examples include:
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.
USDA National Agroforestry Center (NAC): RMRS
scientists, in collaboration with the National
Agroforestry Center and South Dakota State
University are evaluating the potential of applying
silvopasture concepts and techniques. The NAC,
located in Lincoln, Nebraska, is a Forest Service and
Natural Resources Conservation Service partnership.
The NAC works with a national network of
cooperating agencies and universities to develop
and deliver agroforestry science and technology.
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.