Welcome to the Rocky Mountain Research Station

Recent Postings

News release: Standardized soil monitoring protocol available in Spanish Healthy forests depend on productive soils and sustaining their productivity requires a sound soil disturbance monitoring protocol. A team of USFS scientists met this challenge when they developed and published the Soil Disturbance Monitoring Protocol, and it is now available in Spanish. More »

What's New

May 2013 GSDUpdate Newsletter

The May 2013 issue of the GSDUpdate newsletter (PDF - 2 MB) is titled "Ushering in a New Age of Genetics to Restore Lands and Conserve Species." Plant genetic information provides critical knowledge necessary to mitigate the impacts of climate change through ecological restoration. The first step in restoration is recognizing and delineating genetic boundaries at different taxonomic and spatial hierarchies (e.g., species, subspecies and populations). The second step is an assessment of the genetic diversity found within and among populations of a species. “For many of the plants that occupy western North American, little population genetic information is available,” says RMRS Director Sam Foster, “which can lead to imperfect matches of plants to environments.” These data provide guidance on the health and evolutionary potential of species by understanding the characteristics of their populations, fundamental units of evolution.

Science You Can Use Bulletin: Our Forests in the [Water] Balance

Issue 5: May/June 2013
Our Forests in the [Water] Balance
Issue 5 examines the ways in which climate change affects precipitation patterns, thereby affecting streamflow, wildfire risk, and overall forest health.

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RMRS 2008–2012 National Fire Plan Investments

link to National Fire Plan Investments report

The RMRS 2008–2012 National Fire Plan Investments report (5 MB) highlights selected accomplishments by the USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station’s Wildland Fire and Fuels Research & Development projects in support of the National Fire Plan from 2008 through 2012. These projects are examples of the broad range of knowledge and tools developed by National Fire Plan funding beginning in 2008.

Invasive Species Science Update Newsletter

The March 2013 issue of the Invasive Species Science Update newsletter, covering breaking news related to invasive species issues, includes articles Mussel invasion risk in the West, Biogeography of plant invasions, How will climate change affect invasive plants and their management?, and Climate change, biological control, and spotted knapweed, among others.

The newsletter is produced by the RMRS Invasive Species Working Group, a group of scientists and professionals coordinating outreach of RMRS invasive species science to managers and the public.

2012 – 2013 Research Accomplishments

This 2012-2013 research summary features photos and text of some of our most recent and ongoing studies, along with links to more detailed information.