Growth Platforms

Forest Service Research & Development Mission Area

Overview

As the world’s preeminent natural resources science organization, the Forest Service Research and Development (R&D) program seeks to increase national awareness of its valuable accomplishments in the field of forestry and natural resource management and make strategic investments in critical arenas of research. With decades of ground breaking scientific research, the Forest Service is well-positioned to achieve significant results from an investment in these growth platforms. Our proven track record has produced many revolutionary and valuable outcomes, including the following:

• Understanding of the value of forest and grassland ecosystems in mitigating climate change through the efforts of Forest Service scientists with the Nobel Prize-winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change as one example.


• The Forest Product Lab developed self-adhesive postage stamps, oriented strand board, and Southern pine plywood, revolutionizing the housing industry.


• Scientists documented the population viability of two species (West Virginia northern flying squirrel and northern goshawk) so they did not require formal protection under the Endangered Species Act.


• Fire researchers developed the Incident Command System, used globally to manage wildland fires, and established the scientific basis for protecting homes from wildland fires. Other prominent contributions include regular inventory and analysis of forests across all landownerships in the United States, tools to improve the efficiency of wildfire suppression, and management guides to address damaging invasive species.


• To apply current expertise to strengthen the link between environmental health and community well-being, the Forest Service R&D seeks to emphasize a program of two foundational elements and configure five growth platforms to address emerging issues.

R&D Growth Platforms

The growth platforms rest on a science foundation structured around R&D’s Strategic Program Areas that reflect the scope of Forest Service research capabilities. The growth platforms set priorities for the next 3 to 5 years. R&D will continue to build upon our core programs, which include the Strategic Programs Areas—Wildlife and fish, Fire, and Recreation research to name a few.

The five growth platforms are:

1. Climate Change: Adaptation research to improve the resiliency of forests, rangelands and aquatic areas and mitigating the adverse impacts of climate change through trees, forests and forest ecosystems.
2. Biomass and Bioenergy: Alternative energy sources and new markets that contribute to energy security and independence while reducing greenhouse gases.
3. Urban Natural Resources Stewardship: The management, protection and stewardship of urban natural resources to improve people’s lives.
4. Nanotechnology: Leading-edge innovations in the development of wood products.
5. Water Management and Restoration: Best management practices designed to protect and restore watersheds that enhance water quantity and quality.

"Foundations" of the Growth Platforms

The success of the growth platforms relies on two foundational elements: an expanded Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) and a network of Experimental Forests and Ranges (EFR) and a comp-limentary set of Urban Long-Term Research Areas (ULTRAs). These foundational elements provide the infrastructure to sustain and grow the platforms. Specifically, the foundational elements are:

1. Forest Inventory and Analysis: A congressionally mandated census of all U.S. forests currently active in all 50 states.
2. Experimental Forests and Rangelands and Urban Long-Term Research Areas: An integrated network of long-term research locations addressing continental-scale environmental change issues in both rural and urban areas. The EFR network marks its 100th anniversary this year; the ULTRA network is just beginning.

These foundational elements require continued investment to support a broad science program proposed in the growth platforms.

The platforms demonstrate R&D’s commitment to remaining an interactive, vibrant and visionary partner in solving today’s critical problems with science and technology. This science and leadership service is a highly important investment for a world struggling with environmental change.

US Forest Service
Last modified February 06, 2009
http://www.fs.fed.us