http://www.fs.fed.us/research/
South Dakota
Forest Service Research and Development (FS R&D) employs five permanent research personnel through
the Rocky Mountain Research Station (RMRS), headquartered in Fort Collins, Colorado and through the
Rapid City Forestry Sciences Laboratory located in Rapid City, South Dakota. Long-term research in South
Dakota is conducted on the Black Hills Experimental Forest, located on the Black Hills National Forest near
Rapid City.
FY 2013
Enacted ($)
FY 2014
Enacted ($)
FY 2015
Budget ($)
Rapid City Forestry Sciences Laboratory
$824,000
$888,000
$821,000
SOUTH DAKOTA TOTAL
$824,000
$888,000
$821,000
South Dakota Funding History
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.
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
The 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 South Dakota
 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.
 Developed advanced remote sensing analysis
techniques to assess and predict current and
future bark beetle outbreaks, detect bark
beetle-caused tree mortality, and to predict live
and dead tree density of affected forests.
 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 South Dakota
The RMRS invests in research and science delivery
specific to issues of local and regional
importance. Examples include:
Goshawk and Bark Beetles: RMRS researchers are
providing scientific support to the Black Hills
National Forest by assessing northern goshawk
prey and habitat, and serving on the goshawk
scientific committee which informs the national
forest on forest growth and bark beetle impacts.
Black-Backed Woodpecker: RMRS scientists and
the University of Missouri are developing habitatspecific demography and resource selection
models
for
black-backed
woodpeckers
(petitioned for ESA protection) in Black Hills pine
forests.
Wildlife: RMRS scientists and collaborators from
South Dakota Game Fish & Parks are developing
resource selection models for elk, and are
studying mountain lion predation effects on elk
populations.
Livestock
Grazing:
RMRS
scientists,
in
collaboration with South Dakota State University,
Thunder Basin National Grassland, and South
Dakota Game, Fish & Parks are evaluating
relationships between black-tailed prairie dog
burrowing and foraging, livestock grazing, and
vegetation
composition
and
dynamics.
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.