http://www.fs.fed.us/research/
New Mexico
Forest Service Research and Development (FS R&D) employs 14 permanent research personnel in New
Mexico through the Rocky Mountain Research Station (RMRS), headquartered in Fort Collins, Colorado and
through the Albuquerque Forestry Sciences Laboratory located in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
FY 2013
Enacted ($)
FY 2014
Enacted ($)
Albuquerque Forestry Sciences Laboratory
$1,015,000
$1,095,000
$1,012,000
NEW MEXICO TOTAL
$1,015,000
$1,095,000
$1,012,000
New Mexico Funding History
FY 2015
Budget ($)
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.
FY 2015 Program Changes
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
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 New Mexico
 Published the Review of Climate Change
Impacts on Future Carbon Stores and
Management of Warm Deserts of the United
States, summarizing key aspects of carbon
exchange. A companion manager's version
providing an overview of how management
practices can influence carbon sequestration
for these ecosystems was produced.
 Completed a report on forest resources in New
Mexico analyzing and documenting trends in
New Mexico forests, comparing data from the
current inventory with previous inventories.
 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.
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 New Mexico
The RMRS invests in research and science delivery
specific to issues of local and regional
importance. Examples include:
Species
Vulnerability:
RMRS
researchers
completed a climate change vulnerability
assessment for 117 wildlife species inhabiting the
Middle Rio Grande Valley of New Mexico,
summarizing potential climate effects, the relative
vulnerability of riparian species to climate
change,
and
reviewing
mitigation
and
adaptation options for managers.
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.
Post-Fire Erosion: RMRS scientists partnered with
the USGS and the Nature Conservancy to assess
pre-wildfire risks associated with post-wildfire
debris flows in the Sandia Mountains in central
New Mexico. The study provides information on
watersheds at post-fire risk of serious debris-flows .
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.