Research in a diversity of areas leads to the development of appropriate management and policy decisions in the context of climate change; these areas include fire, invasive species, bioenergy, genetics, silviculture, and fish and wildlife.

Within the Forest Service, R&D works closely with the Office of the Climate Change Advisor to provide research support to the National Forest System as it develops management strategies for forests and rangelands that will be resilient to climate change.

At the national level, the Forest Service Global Change Research Program coordinates much of its climate change research with other federal government research organizations through the U.S. Global Change Research Program. Likewise, within the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service R&D works closely with the USDA Climate Change Program Office. Coordination with other federal land management agencies occurs through a variety avenues, including interagency working groups, the newly formed U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Landscape Conservation Cooperatives, and the U.S. Department of Interior’s Climate Science Centers.

Working Groups

Forest Service Washington Office R&D staff participates in numerous Forest Service, USDA, and interagency efforts. Some of these groups and the primary Washington Office R&D contacts are:

Office of the Climate Change Advisor

USDA Climate Change Program Office

US Global Change Research Program

Council on Environmental Quality

Infrastructures Supporting the Global Change Research Program

Examples of infrastructures supporting the Forest Service Global Change Research Program include:

• Experimental Forests & Ranges
• Climate Tower Network
• Houghton Mesocosm Facility