Pacific Northwest Research Station

The Pacific Northwest Research Station is a leader in the scientific study of natural resources. We generate and communicate impartial knowledge to help people understand and make informed choices about natural resource management and sustainability.

Who We Are

The Pacific Northwest (PNW) Research Station is one of seven research centers that are part of the USDA Forest Service. We develop and

deliver knowledge and innovative technology to improve the health and use of the Nation’s forests and rangelands—both public and private. Since 1925, the PNW Research Station has been dedicated to understanding forests and rangelands. We believe that resilient forests are a promise to generations to come—a promise to replenish the air we breathe and the water we drink and use to grow food. Forest trees store carbon from the roots to the tops. Trees supply wood for homes, biomass for fuel, and fiber for paper. From remote mountains to bustling cities, forests provide habitat for fish and wildlife. Wherever they grow, forests are places of beauty, renewal, and solace.

Land managers understand more than ever just how important forests are to people from every walk of life. The PNW Research Station is in the unique position to offer scientific knowledge—built on decades of research—that can be used now to assure future generations enjoy the same benefits from forests that we do today. As part of the USDA Forest Service, Research and Development, the station has access to national forests and an experimental forest system that hold the keys to new understanding of forests and rangelands.

The PNW Research Station has strong partnerships with universities, national forests, state agencies, nonprofits, private industry, and other federal agencies. With these partners, we address key questions associated with climate change, imperiled species, human health and well-being, and other topics. We have the honor of bringing science to the table as people make often difficult choices about managing land.

Contributions to Society
- The success of the PNW Research Station lies in its ability to serve society by providing high-quality, timely information about natural resource management. Our scientists deliver science and technical applications that can be readily used by land managers and decisionmakers to improve the quality of life for people in the Pacific Northwest, the Nation, and the world. Following are key areas on which the station is currently focusing significant investment and knowhow.
  
  Climate change. Managing a landscape, an ecosystem, or a forest stand in a changing climate can be daunting given the inherent complexities. Anticipating the effects of climate change requires a holistic understanding of the multiple interactions within and among physical, biological, economic, and social systems. Modeling efforts by station scientists produce likely climate change scenarios for carbon sequestration, forest conditions, water resources, wildlife and fish habitat, and more. Based on this information, our scientists are working with national forest personnel to develop adaptation strategies to reduce negative impacts to key ecosystem functions and social benefits.
  
  Fire. Fire-related research at the station is used by land and fire managers before, during, and after wildfires. The station is helping natural resource managers and community planners reduce risk of fire to communities and ecosystems. We are helping to find ways to reduce fuels across large landscapes by using methods that integrate fire management with objectives such as wildlife conservation. We are looking at the interaction between fire and other threats, such as bark beetle outbreaks. Station scientists help develop strategies to restore ecosystem resiliency to landscapes after fire.
  
  Watershed health and resilience. A watershed approach to management requires understanding the connections between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems in the upper and lower reaches of a drainage. Station scientists are working with land managers to find ways to establish and maintain the watershed conditions that people desire. This includes developing strategies to conserve aquatic-riparian resources that provide vital habitat for salmon. Scientists are also assessing and predicting how climate change will affect waterflows.
  
  Other areas of focus for the PNW Research Station are:
  
  Community sustainability (integrating ecological and rural community sustainability, predicting land use change, bioenergy alternatives, and
  other topics).
  
  Landscape assessment, modeling, and management (tool development; assessment across fire, insects, and other threats; restoration strategies; and other topics).
  
  Delivery of science and technology (Web and social media, extension and adult education techniques, awareness of climate change science, and demonstrating landscape-level management techniques).

Defining Our Work
- The quality of our science is paramount. The PNW Research Station has a system for assuring that all scientific publications are peer reviewed. We deliver services and products in the safest and most cost-efficient manner possible. We work to support the efforts of our stakeholders, in large part, by assuring that our information and products are relevant. Our relationships with stakeholders are important to us, and we strive to include them in decisions about the science we do. We want our stakeholders to support our work, partner with us in conducting research, assure the use of the science and tools we generate, and enjoy the benefit of resilient, productive forests. How we accomplish our work is just as important as what we accomplish. The station is working to create a “best place to work” environment by promoting a culture of safety and health, a diverse workforce, and a workplace that energizes employees and encourages their development. Part of this includes developing awareness about our personal impact on the environment. We are working hard to reduce the environmental footprint of the station.

Research Programs
- The station conducts research in five core programs. The programs address current and future natural resource issues, reflect key capabilities, and guide the development of shortterm priorities or focus areas. These programs range from the fundamental science of ecological processes to applied research that produces tools that are of use to on-the-ground natural resource specialists and others.
  Ecological Process and Function
  
  Goods, Services, and Values
  
  Land and Watershed Management
  
  Resource Monitoring and Assessment
  
  Threat Characterization and Management

Science for Use
- Serving society is very important to the station. For this reason, our services extend beyond the peerreviewed and published research. We continue working to ensure the science is accessible to those who are making land management decisions that affect current and future generations. The station has three units to assure innovations are used.
  Communiations and Applications Group
  
  Focused Science Delivery
  
  Western Wildland Environmental Threat Assessment Center