RAMPS: Restoration Assessment & Monitoring Program for the Southwest
National Seed Strategy Support
Progress reports showcase efforts to advance seed-based restoration
The Restoration Assessment and Monitoring Program for the Southwest (RAMPS) seeks to assist U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) and other land management agencies in developing successful techniques for improving land condition in dryland ecosystems of the southwestern United States. Invasion by non-native species, wildfire, drought, and other disturbances are growing rapidly in extent and frequency, creating novel ecosystem conditions that can outpace the knowledge base of local land managers. These growing problems often cross administrative boundaries, requiring agencies to proactively work together. In light of these challenges, managers can benefit from collaborative, innovative, and dynamic approaches to sharing information. To meet this need, RAMPS has created a hub for science-based information and tools to help managers identify effective and resource-efficient strategies to successfully restore degraded areas.
RAMPS Newsletters
RestoreNet - Guidance for revegetation in the SW
National Seed Strategy Progress Report
RAMPS SOLUTIONS FOR MANAGING CHALLENGING DRYLAND ECOSYSTEMS
Stakeholder engagement
PROBLEM: The importance of knowledge sharing and collaboration is well-understood. However, managers and scientists are often time-limited and intentions to build partnerships suffers as a result.
SOLUTION: RAMPS projects are multi-disciplinary, collaborative, and co-created. RAMPS identifies gaps in restoration knowledge and develops projects and creative solutions that create new insight using scientific research. Through these solutions, RAMPS increases skills, knowledge, and expertise needed to manage public lands across the Southwest.
EXAMPLES: Symposia and meetings, peer-to-peer knowledge sharing, facilitation and collaboration, training and education
Research
PROBLEM: Several obstacles prevent land managers from implementing successful land treatments, including a lack of: information on costs relative to outcomes, post-treatment monitoring data, and science-informed innovation.
SOLUTION: RAMPS uses state-of-the-art scientific analysis and tools to increase the efficacy of land treatments across water-limited ecosystems and finds innovative approaches to mitigate large disturbances. Through these solutions, RAMPS ensures progress in planning and implementing projects, and provides guidance and support for monitoring and adaptive management.
EXAMPLES: Data synthesis and integration, cost-benefit analysis, site re-visits, experimentation, energy development and reclamation best management practices, invasive species management, wildfire recovery
Decision support
PROBLEM: Scientific advancements can be difficult for land managers to access and incorporate into their project planning.
SOLUTION: RAMPS provides decision support via tools, protocols, and science delivery portals. This support distills scientific findings into readily accessible information on when, where, and how to restore. Through these solutions, RAMPS helps bridge the science-land management gap.
EXAMPLES:RAMPS news and information, decision-support tools, newsletters and social media, information briefs, guidance on restoration techniques, and monitoring guidance
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
RestoreNet: Distributed Field Trial Network for Dryland Restoration
Supporting energy and mineral development through successful reclamation
The Gemini Solar Project
Plant responses to drought in the southwestern United States
Colorado Plateau Extreme Drought in Grassland Experiment (EDGE)
Chronic Drought Impacts on Colorado Plateau Ecosystems (Rain-Out Experiment)
Informing seed transfer guidelines and native plant materials development
Drought Adaptation Strategies for Arid Grasslands
Biological Soil Crust ("Biocrust") Science
Desert Tortoise Ecology and Renewable Energy Development
Well Pad Reclamation and Research
Drylands are highly vulnerable to climate and land use changes: what ecosystem changes are in store?
RestoreNet: Distributed Field Trial Network for Dryland Restoration
RAMPS is publishing papers relevant to land management and improving the condition of ecosystems in the Southwest and seed-based restoration across the U.S.
Bridging theory and practice to inform seed selection for restoration Bridging theory and practice to inform seed selection for restoration
Natural resource management confronts the growing scale and severity of ecosystem responses to drought and wildfire Natural resource management confronts the growing scale and severity of ecosystem responses to drought and wildfire
Intraspecific trait variability in wild populations predicts neither variability nor performance in a common garden Intraspecific trait variability in wild populations predicts neither variability nor performance in a common garden
Dryland soil recovery after disturbance across soil and climate gradients of the Colorado Plateau Dryland soil recovery after disturbance across soil and climate gradients of the Colorado Plateau
Non-native plant invasion after fire in western USA varies by functional type and with climate Non-native plant invasion after fire in western USA varies by functional type and with climate
Sharing knowledge to improve ecological restoration outcomes Sharing knowledge to improve ecological restoration outcomes
Matching existing and future native plant materials to disturbance-driven restoration needs Matching existing and future native plant materials to disturbance-driven restoration needs
Rangeland pitting for revegetation and annual weed control Rangeland pitting for revegetation and annual weed control
Soil surface treatments and precipitation timing determine seedling development across southwestern US restoration sites Soil surface treatments and precipitation timing determine seedling development across southwestern US restoration sites
Do nurse plant effects strengthen over time? Results from 12 years of desert habitat restoration Do nurse plant effects strengthen over time? Results from 12 years of desert habitat restoration
Effectiveness of a decade of treatments to reduce invasive buffelgrass (Pennisetum ciliare) Effectiveness of a decade of treatments to reduce invasive buffelgrass (Pennisetum ciliare)
Functional composition of plant communities mediates biomass effects on ecosystem service recovery across an experimental dryland restoration network Functional composition of plant communities mediates biomass effects on ecosystem service recovery across an experimental dryland restoration network
Management and environmental factors associated with simulated restoration seeding barriers in sagebrush steppe Management and environmental factors associated with simulated restoration seeding barriers in sagebrush steppe
The Restoration Assessment and Monitoring Program for the Southwest (RAMPS) supports land management by offering the latest science relevant that can be incorporated into decision making today.
Below are partners associated with this project.
The Restoration Assessment and Monitoring Program for the Southwest (RAMPS) seeks to assist U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) and other land management agencies in developing successful techniques for improving land condition in dryland ecosystems of the southwestern United States. Invasion by non-native species, wildfire, drought, and other disturbances are growing rapidly in extent and frequency, creating novel ecosystem conditions that can outpace the knowledge base of local land managers. These growing problems often cross administrative boundaries, requiring agencies to proactively work together. In light of these challenges, managers can benefit from collaborative, innovative, and dynamic approaches to sharing information. To meet this need, RAMPS has created a hub for science-based information and tools to help managers identify effective and resource-efficient strategies to successfully restore degraded areas.
RAMPS Newsletters
RestoreNet - Guidance for revegetation in the SW
National Seed Strategy Progress Report
RAMPS SOLUTIONS FOR MANAGING CHALLENGING DRYLAND ECOSYSTEMS
Stakeholder engagement
PROBLEM: The importance of knowledge sharing and collaboration is well-understood. However, managers and scientists are often time-limited and intentions to build partnerships suffers as a result.
SOLUTION: RAMPS projects are multi-disciplinary, collaborative, and co-created. RAMPS identifies gaps in restoration knowledge and develops projects and creative solutions that create new insight using scientific research. Through these solutions, RAMPS increases skills, knowledge, and expertise needed to manage public lands across the Southwest.
EXAMPLES: Symposia and meetings, peer-to-peer knowledge sharing, facilitation and collaboration, training and education
Research
PROBLEM: Several obstacles prevent land managers from implementing successful land treatments, including a lack of: information on costs relative to outcomes, post-treatment monitoring data, and science-informed innovation.
SOLUTION: RAMPS uses state-of-the-art scientific analysis and tools to increase the efficacy of land treatments across water-limited ecosystems and finds innovative approaches to mitigate large disturbances. Through these solutions, RAMPS ensures progress in planning and implementing projects, and provides guidance and support for monitoring and adaptive management.
EXAMPLES: Data synthesis and integration, cost-benefit analysis, site re-visits, experimentation, energy development and reclamation best management practices, invasive species management, wildfire recovery
Decision support
PROBLEM: Scientific advancements can be difficult for land managers to access and incorporate into their project planning.
SOLUTION: RAMPS provides decision support via tools, protocols, and science delivery portals. This support distills scientific findings into readily accessible information on when, where, and how to restore. Through these solutions, RAMPS helps bridge the science-land management gap.
EXAMPLES:RAMPS news and information, decision-support tools, newsletters and social media, information briefs, guidance on restoration techniques, and monitoring guidance
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
RestoreNet: Distributed Field Trial Network for Dryland Restoration
Supporting energy and mineral development through successful reclamation
The Gemini Solar Project
Plant responses to drought in the southwestern United States
Colorado Plateau Extreme Drought in Grassland Experiment (EDGE)
Chronic Drought Impacts on Colorado Plateau Ecosystems (Rain-Out Experiment)
Informing seed transfer guidelines and native plant materials development
Drought Adaptation Strategies for Arid Grasslands
Biological Soil Crust ("Biocrust") Science
Desert Tortoise Ecology and Renewable Energy Development
Well Pad Reclamation and Research
Drylands are highly vulnerable to climate and land use changes: what ecosystem changes are in store?
RestoreNet: Distributed Field Trial Network for Dryland Restoration
RAMPS is publishing papers relevant to land management and improving the condition of ecosystems in the Southwest and seed-based restoration across the U.S.
Bridging theory and practice to inform seed selection for restoration Bridging theory and practice to inform seed selection for restoration
Natural resource management confronts the growing scale and severity of ecosystem responses to drought and wildfire Natural resource management confronts the growing scale and severity of ecosystem responses to drought and wildfire
Intraspecific trait variability in wild populations predicts neither variability nor performance in a common garden Intraspecific trait variability in wild populations predicts neither variability nor performance in a common garden
Dryland soil recovery after disturbance across soil and climate gradients of the Colorado Plateau Dryland soil recovery after disturbance across soil and climate gradients of the Colorado Plateau
Non-native plant invasion after fire in western USA varies by functional type and with climate Non-native plant invasion after fire in western USA varies by functional type and with climate
Sharing knowledge to improve ecological restoration outcomes Sharing knowledge to improve ecological restoration outcomes
Matching existing and future native plant materials to disturbance-driven restoration needs Matching existing and future native plant materials to disturbance-driven restoration needs
Rangeland pitting for revegetation and annual weed control Rangeland pitting for revegetation and annual weed control
Soil surface treatments and precipitation timing determine seedling development across southwestern US restoration sites Soil surface treatments and precipitation timing determine seedling development across southwestern US restoration sites
Do nurse plant effects strengthen over time? Results from 12 years of desert habitat restoration Do nurse plant effects strengthen over time? Results from 12 years of desert habitat restoration
Effectiveness of a decade of treatments to reduce invasive buffelgrass (Pennisetum ciliare) Effectiveness of a decade of treatments to reduce invasive buffelgrass (Pennisetum ciliare)
Functional composition of plant communities mediates biomass effects on ecosystem service recovery across an experimental dryland restoration network Functional composition of plant communities mediates biomass effects on ecosystem service recovery across an experimental dryland restoration network
Management and environmental factors associated with simulated restoration seeding barriers in sagebrush steppe Management and environmental factors associated with simulated restoration seeding barriers in sagebrush steppe
The Restoration Assessment and Monitoring Program for the Southwest (RAMPS) supports land management by offering the latest science relevant that can be incorporated into decision making today.
Below are partners associated with this project.