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	US Forest Service 1400 Independence Ave., SW Washington, D.C. 20250-0003 (800) 832-1355

Research & Development - Research Programs

USDA Forest Research is a public agency supported by the U.S. Government. As such, we strive to make sure the information presented is accurate and timely. Our publications are peer reviewed and our forest resource data, must attain vigorous quality control and quality assurance review before being made available through published and electronic media. The reliability of information is a hallmark for Forest Service Research and Development.

We have about 2,300 dedicated and highly skilled employees in USDA Forest Service Research and Development. These professional men and women have a passion for natural resources and are dedicated to serving you. We dedicate ourselves to providing the right information to help our Nation manage, protect, and utilize forest and rangeland ecosystems for public benefit.

Resource Use Sciences:

Provides information on Economics, Forest Product, Urban Forestry and Cultural Heritage, Outdoor Recreation, and Social Sciences Research. more

Environmental Sciences:

The diversity and viability of fish and wildlife populations and communities, the purity or quality of water and air, and the productivity and quality of soils, are all key indicators of the health and sustainability of forest, rangeland and aquatic ecosystems. These attributes also serve as important indicators of the effects of management and other human activities on ecosystems and their component processes and species. Forest Service Research and Development (FS R&D), in this area enhances understanding of organisms, populations, ecosystems, and ecological processes, and provides results and knowledge that are essential to the ability to manage forests and rangelands to sustain air, water and soil quality and biological diversity. Information provided by this research is crucial to the agency's capabilities to comply with requirements of key environmental statutes, including the National Forest Management Act, Endangered Species Act, Clean Water Act, and Clean Air Act. Scientists conducting research in this area work closely with resource managers to synthesize research results, provide knowledge and technology in support of management, and develop the information required both to enhance forest and range non-commodity resource values, and to develop, adapt and evaluate management approaches. Specific focal areas of research include wildlife and fish habitats, with strong emphasis on threatened, endangered and sensitive (TES) species, water quality and quantity, atmospheric science, and soils.
more

Forest Management Sciences:

This area of R&D provides the scientific and technical basis for wise natural resource policies and management decisions to protect the health, diversity, and productivity of the Nation's forest and rangeland resources--while meeting societal needs for recreation, economic stability, forest products, and protection from fire, insects, and diseases. Forest and rangeland vegetative cover and condition determine the health of riparian and aquatic systems, the habitat suitability for T&E species, and the ability of our forests to provide recreation opportunities, fiber, clean water, and other important products. more

Quantitative Sciences:

This staff provides national leadership for inventory and monitoring programs, prepares national reports on forest conditions and trends, and coordinates international R&D activities. Inventory and monitoring activities include the FIA program (more), and remote sensing research about forests. Every five years, national reports are prepared describing current conditions and recent trends in the health, diversity, and productivity of forests and related socio-economic information about forests (more). In addition, reports are prepared that look ahead 50 years and assess future demands, supplies, and resource conditions for renewable natural resources, including forests, rangelands, wildlife and fish, water, and outdoor recreation (more).. International R&D activities include cooperation with overseas partners on issues of global importance, such as forest sustainability and climate change, and supporting the U.S. Department of State in international environmental dialogs.

US Forest Service
Last modified January 03, 2008
http://www.fs.fed.us