Rocky Mountain Research Station facts for kids
The Rocky Mountain Research Station (RMRS) is one of five regional units that make up the United States Forest Service Research and Development organization — the most extensive natural resources research organization in the world. The station headquarters are located in Fort Collins, Colorado. Research is structured within eight science program areas. The Station employs over 400 permanent full-time employees, including roughly 100 research scientists.
The station is dedicated to advancing the understanding and sustainable management of the nation's forests and grasslands through cutting-edge scientific research. With a focus on improving ecosystem health, resilience, and the utilization of natural resources, the RMRS plays a crucial role in addressing the challenges posed by climate change, natural disturbances, and human impact on the environment.
One of the key areas of research at the RMRS is the study of wildfire and resilient landscapes. Through the development of new tools and detailed analyses, the station aims to enhance the ability to predict, prevent, and manage wildfires, ultimately contributing to the creation of more resilient landscapes. In addition, the RMRS conducts interdisciplinary research to increase understanding of Great Basin ecosystems and develop approaches to restore and sustain ecosystem services in the face of rapid ecological change.
The station's work extends to the study of climate and its impact on forest and grassland ecosystems. By investigating the structural and functional relationships between past and present climate, natural disturbance regimes, and anthropogenic history, the RMRS seeks to provide valuable insights into the complex interactions that shape these environments.
In addition, the RMRS is actively involved in identifying threats to properly functioning environments in grassland, shrubland, and desert ecosystems. The RMRS collaborates with various research facilities and institutions to conduct national and international cutting-edge work in wildland fire research. The Fire, Fuel, and Smoke Science Program, managed by the RMRS, conducting research that informs fire management practices and contributes to the understanding of fire, fuel, and smoke dynamics in natural environments.
Research program areas
- Air, Water and Aquatic Environments
- Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute
- Fire, Fuel, and Smoke Science
- Forests and Woodlands Ecosystems Research
- Grassland, Shrubland and Desert Ecosystem
- Human Dimensions
- Inventory, Monitoring and Analysis Science
- Wildlife and Terrestrial Ecosystems
Laboratories
- Forestry Sciences Laboratory, Albuquerque, NM
- Forestry Sciences Laboratory, Bozeman, MT
- Fire Sciences Laboratory, Missoula, MT
- Aquatic Sciences Laboratory, Boise, ID
- Forestry Sciences Laboratory, Flagstaff, AZ
- Headquarters, Fort Collins, CO
- Forestry Sciences Laboratory, Logan, UT
- Forestry Sciences Laboratory, Missoula, MT
- Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute, Missoula, MT
- Forestry Sciences Laboratory, Moscow, ID
- Ogden Service Center, Ogden, UT
- Forestry Sciences Laboratory, Ogden, UT
- Shrub Sciences Laboratory, Provo, UT
- Forestry Sciences Laboratory, Rapid City, SD
- Forestry Sciences Laboratory, University of Nevada, Reno NV
Experimental forests and ranges
- Black Hills Experimental Forest
- Boise Basin Experimental Forest
- Coram Experimental Forest
- Deception Creek Experimental Forest
- Desert Experimental Range
- Fort Valley Experimental Forest
- Fraser Experimental Forest
- Glacier Lakes Ecosystem Experiments Site (GLEES)
- Great Basin Experimental Range
- Long Valley Experimental Forest
- Manitou Experimental Forest
- Priest River Experimental Forest
- Sierra Ancha Experimental Forest
- Tenderfoot Creek Experimental Forest
