Pacific Southwest Research Station

Giving you access to more than 50,000 online USDA Forest Service Research publications.

Keep in Touch

PSW on Twitter

Tweets by @usfs_psw

In The News

• California May Need More Fire to Fix its Wildfire Problem - The Pew Charitable Trusts (Sept. 18, 2020)
• Tahoe Conservancy grants over $500K for forest health, wildfire programs - Tahoe Daily Tribune (Sept. 17, 2020)
• California Forests 80%-600% Denser Than 150 Years Ago, UC Researcher Says Biomass Is One of the Answers - GV Wire (Sept. 15, 2020)
• 150 million dead trees could fuel unprecedented firestorms in the Sierra Nevada - Los Angeles Times (Sept. 13, 2020)

Recent News Releases

• Thinning and prescribed fire treatments reduce tree mortality
  (Oct. 14, 2020)

PSW Publications List

• August 2020
• May 2020
• Subscribe

More About Us

• Staff Directory
• Research Programs & Projects
• Faces of Research

• News: Thinning and prescribed fire treatments reduce tree mortality
• The 2019 PSW Research Spotlight is now available
• New Research Station Director for California and Hawaii
• Mitigating negative consequences of rising temperatures for valley oak
• Traditional American Indian approaches to fire management

A recent Pacific Southwest Research Station (PSW) study addresses the benefits of a high variability thinning method to mitigate the risks overstocked forests.

Pacific Southwest Research Station's 2019 Science Spotlight is now available on our publications page and highlights some of our station's latest research, discoveries and tools.

U.S. Forest Service Chief Victoria Christiansen recently announced Richard Barhydt as the new station director for the Pacific Southwest Research Station.

By identifying genotypes with faster growth rates under warmer temperatures, research presents an approach to mitigate negative consequences of rising temperatures for valley oak.

A new study in collaboration with the Yurok and Karuk tribes found that incorporating traditional techniques into fire suppression practices can also help revitalize American Indian communities.

Science that makes a difference.

The Pacific Southwest Research Station is a world leader in natural resources research through our scientific excellence and responsiveness to the needs of current and future generations.

We represent the research and development branch of the USDA Forest Service in the states of California and Hawaii and the U.S. affiliated Pacific Islands. Our mission is to develop and communicate science needed to sustain forest ecosystems and their benefits to society.

Monitoring urban trees

Trees that line city streets and grow in front yards provide beauty, color, shade and a multitude of other benefits to urban areas, but their health and longevity depend heavily on the urban foresters, citizen scientists and volunteers who monitor and take care of them.

Researchers from Pacific Southwest Research Station and Northern Research Station partnered to author two publications and have produced companion videos that serve as guides for monitoring urban trees and helping ensure viability of urban forests over the long run.

Urban tree monitoring: a field guide

Urban tree monitoring: a resource guide

Urban Tree Monitoring: A Resource Guide

(GTR-PSW-266)

Guidelines in this report were developed and refined over many years to address the need for standardized urban tree monitoring protocols and provides in-depth guidance for urban forest managers.

Innovative strategies to reduce the costs of effective wildlife overpasses

(GTR-PSW-267)

Wildlife crossing structures have been one of the most effective means of reducing animal-vehicle collisions. Yet widespread implementation has been hindered by perceived and actual expense.

Proceedings of the seventh sudden oak death science and management symposium: healthy plants in a world with Phytophthora

(GTR-PSW-268)

Current research concerning sudden oak death caused by the exotic, quarantine pathogen, Phytophthora ramorum.