For nearly a century, the Forest Service Research & Development has investigated important stressors on the Nation’s forests and rangelands and developed practices to manage for healthy, sustainable, productive, and resilient ecosystems. Over the last two decades, our research has specifically improved the understanding of climate change impacts on our Nation’s forests, rangelands, and urban areas. We have also examined how forests and forest management can reduce emissions or increase carbon sequestration to help mitigate climate change by reducing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Forest Service R&D has over 150 scientists studying many aspects of climate change across five research stations, two threat centers, the Forest Products Laboratory, and the International Institute of Tropical Forestry.
The Forest Service Global Change Research Strategy and Implementation Plan (42MB) balance research across a range of management, science, and science-delivery actions aimed at developing adaptation and mitigation approaches to sustain healthy ecosystems. The following broad research elements serve as our organizing themes:
- Adaptation — research to enhance ecosystem sustainability
- Mitigation — research to increase carbon sequestration
- Decision Support & Technology Transfer
- Collaboration — shared research needs
Climate Change Research Throughout the U.S.
Click on an area of (or tab through) the map to view Forest Service climate change research in that region.