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Rocky Mountain Research StationWelcome to the Rocky Mountain Research Station
Welcome from Sam Foster, RMRS Station Director
Welcome to the US Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station's home page. I am very proud of our employees and the work that they do. We are here to serve the American public, and through this website we have provided a host of information that we think will help you understand our natural environment. Our research results help decision makers develop informed choices about the conservation of natural resources. Please explore our website and learn what we have to offer. You will find links to websites for our research programs. The Station's published research is available free of charge through this website.
our welcome video.
Science NowWhat’s Happening to the Western Aspen?
Those who live in the western mountain areas look forward to the spectacular fall coloration of aspen. But some aspen stands are dying here in the West, with many stands being replaced by conifers, prompting researchers to examine the reasons and look for the best restoration methods.
Bark Beetles: Not All Bad?
Bark beetles have taken a toll on the coniferous forests of the west, and it’s not a pretty sight. The beetle outbreaks have left behind acres and acres of dead trees with rust-colored needles. But the outbreaks are not all bad. Tree die-offs affect the scenery and introduce management challenges in high-value areas such as ski areas, campgrounds, and sites managed for forest products. But the bark beetles have a place in ecological processes such as nutrient cycling, providing food and habitat for wildlife.
How Lynx Choose Dens
Finding a suitable home is an important challenge facing Canada lynx, a species listed in 2000 as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. But the specific type of habitat the Canada lynx prefer hasn’t been well defined, which makes managing the ecosystems that affect the lynx difficult. A new study that tracked lynx habitat behavior from 1999 to 2006 helps answer some of the questions about lynx habitat.
Are Wildfires Good for Amphibians?
Boreal toads like it hot. Although wildfires can threaten some sensitive species, a recent study finds that certain amphibians are resistant, and boreal toads might even benefit from wildfires.
Domestic Sheep Bad Company for Bighorn Sheep?
Researchers have long suspected that domestic sheep might be bad neighbors for bighorn sheep. Contact between these species could cause various diseases in bighorn sheep. A new review of studies finds support for this theory, adding another piece to the complicated puzzle of managing bighorn sheep, some of which share space with domestic sheep and goats on National Forest System (NFS) lands.
What's NewMiddle Rio Grande Basin Research Report
The 2008
Middle Rio Grande Basin Research Report
on the
understanding, conserving, and
restoring eouthwestern ecosystems
is available.
An ecosystem is rarely static. A natural system composed of plants, animals, and
microorganisms interacting with an area’s physical factors, an ecosystem is always
fluctuating and evolving. But sometimes, often at the hands of humans, ecosystems
change too much. Such is the case with many of the ecosystems of the Middle Rio
Grande Basin of New Mexico.
Treesearch citation.
Invasive Species Science Update Newsletter
The Invasive Species Science Update newsletter publishes contributions concerning the ecology and management of invasive species. Articles in this second issue include fire effects on invasive species and biological control of invasive plants.
The newsletter will be published three times yearly.
New WFDSS-RAVAR Website Launched
WFDSS-RAVAR — Rapid Assessment of Values-at-Risk
is the primary fire economics tool within the Wildland Fire Decision Support System (WFDSS).
RAVAR identifies the primary resource values threatened by ongoing large fire events.
RAVAR is typically integrated with the FSPro (Fire Spread Probability) model to identify the likelihood of
different resources being impacted in the potential fire path of an ongoing event but can be linked to any
expected fire spread polygon.
Rocky Mountain Riparian Digest
The Rocky Mountain Riparian Digest presents the many facets of riparian research at the station.
Included are articles about protecting the riparian habitat, the social and economic values of riparian environments,
watershed restoration, remote sensing tools, and getting kids interested in the science. This large (12 MB)
24 page document
is available for
download.
Climate Change Resource Center
The Climate Change Resource Center is a reference Web site for resource managers and decision
makers who need information and tools to address climate change in planning and project implementation on
lands in the West. Changing climates have already catalyzed changes in environments throughout the West, and
future effects are expected to be greater. Although future scenarios are daunting, managers can do much to
promote adaptation to climate change and encourage reduction of human effects on climate.
Recent PublicationsVisit RMRS Publications for access to all station publications. Printed copies of all station publications can be ordered free of charge.For externally refereed publications, visit either |
Science Program Areas 
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Rocky Mountain Research Station
Last Modified: Thursday, 8 January 2009 at 13:30:20 EST (Version 1.0.5)