Our team of biologists, ecologists, and social scientists focuses on coproducing actionable science products to support natural resource planning and management. Broadly, our research involves working to better understand and bridge the research-management gap through a variety of mechanisms, including coproduction and relationship-building, science synthesis and summary, and identification of priority science needs for public land managers. We strive to develop products that are useful for natural resource planners and managers at key points in their decision processes. To do this, we collaborate with public land managers, planners, and other practitioners to incorporate their knowledge, experience, and perspectives into our work.
Science Synthesis & Summary
Science Synthesis & Summary
Identifying Priority science needs
Identifying Priority science needs
Habitat modeling for Rare plants
Habitat modeling for Rare plants
Land Health
Land Health
Monitoring and Managing Landscapes
Monitoring and Managing Landscapes
Supporting wildlife management
Supporting wildlife management
Coproduction
Coproduction
Highlighted News
Highlighted News
Science Synthesis & Summary
We are working with resource management agencies to develop new types of science synthesis products that can facilitate science use in public lands decisions. We are also developing methods to rapidly identify and characterize the best available science on priority topics for land managers, supporting consistency and defensibility of management decisions.
Comprehensive synthesis products
Comprehensive synthesis products
Rapid response summary products
Rapid response summary products
Media
Sources/Usage: Some content may have restrictions. View Media Details
Identifying Priority Science Needs
In this series of projects, we worked with the BLM and other agencies to identify specific needs for data, science, methods, and mitigation actions that can strengthen the science foundation for resource planning and management decisions on public lands.
Science Strategies for National Conservation Lands
We are working with BLM to develop science strategies to identify priority science needs to support management of resources, objects, and values on BLM National Conservation Lands.
Developing habitat models for rare plants
Developing habitat models for rare plants
Understanding resource managers' use of habitat models
Understanding resource managers' use of habitat models
Fostering greater use of habitat models
Fostering greater use of habitat models
Media
Sources/Usage: Some content may have restrictions. View Media Details
Land Health
We develop methods that integrate remotely sensed data into the Bureau of Land Management's land health process, providing broad spatial and temporal context that supports the Bureau's multi-scale assessment of more than 100 million acres of public rangelands managed for multiple uses—from grazing and wildlife to recreation, mineral extraction, timber harvest, and scenic and cultural values.
Recommendations for landscape assessments
Recommendations for landscape assessments
Strengthening effects analysis
Strengthening effects analysis
Quantifying Ecological Integrity in Terrestrial systems
Quantifying Ecological Integrity in Terrestrial systems
Broad Scale Indicators for Ecosystem Monitoring
Broad Scale Indicators for Ecosystem Monitoring
A landscape approach to resource management
A landscape approach to resource management
Assessing Threats to Conservation Priority Areas
Assessing Threats to Conservation Priority Areas
Pygmy Rabbits in Wyoming
Pygmy Rabbits in Wyoming
Desert Tortoise Habitat Management
Desert Tortoise Habitat Management
Coproduction
Coproduction is a collaborative approach to conducting science that focuses on producing actionable products that are used to inform natural resource management decisions. Our group coproduces many of our projects with public land managers, and we develop tools, trainings and research to assist other groups in implementing coproduction with their research teams.
A coproduction toolkit
A coproduction toolkit
Trainings for coproduction of actionable science
Trainings for coproduction of actionable science
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FORT Science in Action 2026, Part 8: Rapid response science summary products to support natural resource managers FORT Science in Action 2026, Part 8: Rapid response science summary products to support natural resource managers
Natural resource managers often look to summary and synthesis products to find the science they need for decision making. However, decision timelines are often short, so there is a need to produce such products quickly. In 2026, a FORT team developed a process and software, KWICer, to meet that need.
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National Conservation Lands: A hub for scientific discovery National Conservation Lands: A hub for scientific discovery
Last year marked the 25th anniversary of America’s National Conservation Lands, a group of over 900 landscapes managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for cultural, ecological, and scientific values. As part of a special edition of Park Stewardship Forum celebrating this anniversary, USGS and BLM collaborated on a piece highlighting key science opportunities on National Conservation Lands.
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New habitat suitability model to inform decision making and recover rare species in New Mexico New habitat suitability model to inform decision making and recover rare species in New Mexico
In collaboration with multiple land management agencies, FORT scientists developed a new habitat suitability model to inform decision making on public lands and help conserve a rare plant.
Filter Total Items: 27
Synthesis of sage-grouse genetic information to support conservation and land management actions
Sage-grouse, iconic birds of the American West, have experienced dramatic reductions and fragmentation of habitat, resulting in significant conservation concern. Genetic information can help inform priorities for protection and habitat restoration as well as strategies for translocations, but may be difficult for resource managers to find, interpret, and use in their decision making. In this work...
KWIC Science: Rapid response products to meet resource managers’ priority science needs
Federal public land managers in the US are required by law to use science to inform management decisions. However, managers have limited time to identify science for use in decision making. Literature reviews are one tool to efficiently summarize science for use by managers, but are time-consuming to produce. Keyword in Context (KWIC) text analysis is a straightforward method of locating specific...
Developing Science Plans for the Bureau of Land Management’s National Landscape Conservation System
The Bureau of Land Management’s National Landscape Conservation System seeks to conserve, protect, and restore nationally significant landscapes. Science is a critical piece of this effort. The US Geological Survey is working with the Bureau of Land Management to develop Science Plans to help prioritize and support science efforts to better understand and manage resources in these landscapes.
Developing structured science syntheses for use in NEPA analyses and decision making in the Bureau of Land Management
Science information is fundamental to understanding how proposed actions on public lands may impact the environment. However, agencies often have limited time to compile and synthesize existing science. We are working with land management agencies to develop and explore the usability of a new type of science product— structured science syntheses—for facilitating the use of science information in...
Recommendations for conducting landscape assessments to inform decision making on multiple-use public lands
Landscape assessments have been proposed as a mechanism for informing conservation and natural resource management actions at broad scales. We are documenting the process used in a large effort to conduct 14 such assessments across the western United States, and evaluating how the assessments were used in subsequent land use plans. In this project, we seek to identify methods and characteristics...
USGS Science Syntheses for Public Lands Management
Scientific information is fundamental to understanding how proposed actions on public lands may impact the environment. Development of new science is occurring at rates that can make it challenging for biologists, resource managers, decision makers, private landowners, and other stakeholders to ensure they are using up-to-date, high-quality science information to inform their decisions. Further...
Skill-building workshops for researchers on the coproduction of actionable science
Public lands management requires the use of science, but agency staff rarely have time to stay current with all the science on management-relevant topics, especially as articles are published at an ever-increasing rate. In this new series of learning modules, we aim to provide scientists with essential tools, skills, and strategies for coproducing actionable science products with and for federal...
Developing science syntheses to facilitate climate-informed land management decisions and NEPA analyses on rangelands in the sagebrush biome
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires federal public land managers to assess potential environmental impacts of proposed actions. The USGS, Bureau of Land Management, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Colorado State University, and North Central Climate Adaptation Science Center are working together to develop science syntheses that can facilitate considerations of climate change in...
Fostering greater use of habitat models for managing rare and invasive plants on public lands
Habitat models can provide critical information on the current and potential distribution of plant species, as well as help target and support conservation efforts. Despite their potential utility in public land management, model use may be constrained by a variety of factors including staff access to and trust in models. In this project, we seek to bring together model users and model developers...
Identifying priority science needs for strengthening decision making on public lands
Public lands provide many important resources, values, and uses to the American people. For example, many lands offer abundant recreational opportunities while also conserving habitat for iconic wildlife species and delivering stunning scenic views. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) manages the largest area of public lands in the United States and is committed to using science to inform their...
Developing a step-by-step process for assessing cumulative effects in the Bureau of Land Management
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires federal agencies to assess potential impacts of proposed actions as part of their decision-making processes. Assessing potential cumulative effects is a challenging component of NEPA analyses. The USGS is working with the Bureau of Land Management to develop a process that public land managers can use to strengthen cumulative effects analyses.
Developing fire science syntheses for wildland fire managers
Federal agencies manage wildland fire in many ways, including broad-scale fire management planning and site-specific fire and fuels management actions. Federal policy requires agencies to use science in fire management planning and environmental effects analyses. However, fire managers have limited time to compile and synthesize science. The USGS is collaborating with fire management staff across...
Our team of biologists, ecologists, and social scientists focuses on coproducing actionable science products to support natural resource planning and management. Broadly, our research involves working to better understand and bridge the research-management gap through a variety of mechanisms, including coproduction and relationship-building, science synthesis and summary, and identification of priority science needs for public land managers. We strive to develop products that are useful for natural resource planners and managers at key points in their decision processes. To do this, we collaborate with public land managers, planners, and other practitioners to incorporate their knowledge, experience, and perspectives into our work.
Science Synthesis & Summary
Science Synthesis & Summary
Identifying Priority science needs
Identifying Priority science needs
Habitat modeling for Rare plants
Habitat modeling for Rare plants
Land Health
Land Health
Monitoring and Managing Landscapes
Monitoring and Managing Landscapes
Supporting wildlife management
Supporting wildlife management
Coproduction
Coproduction
Highlighted News
Highlighted News
Science Synthesis & Summary
We are working with resource management agencies to develop new types of science synthesis products that can facilitate science use in public lands decisions. We are also developing methods to rapidly identify and characterize the best available science on priority topics for land managers, supporting consistency and defensibility of management decisions.
Comprehensive synthesis products
Comprehensive synthesis products
Rapid response summary products
Rapid response summary products
Media
Sources/Usage: Some content may have restrictions. View Media Details
Identifying Priority Science Needs
In this series of projects, we worked with the BLM and other agencies to identify specific needs for data, science, methods, and mitigation actions that can strengthen the science foundation for resource planning and management decisions on public lands.
Science Strategies for National Conservation Lands
We are working with BLM to develop science strategies to identify priority science needs to support management of resources, objects, and values on BLM National Conservation Lands.
Developing habitat models for rare plants
Developing habitat models for rare plants
Understanding resource managers' use of habitat models
Understanding resource managers' use of habitat models
Fostering greater use of habitat models
Fostering greater use of habitat models
Media
Sources/Usage: Some content may have restrictions. View Media Details
Land Health
We develop methods that integrate remotely sensed data into the Bureau of Land Management's land health process, providing broad spatial and temporal context that supports the Bureau's multi-scale assessment of more than 100 million acres of public rangelands managed for multiple uses—from grazing and wildlife to recreation, mineral extraction, timber harvest, and scenic and cultural values.
Recommendations for landscape assessments
Recommendations for landscape assessments
Strengthening effects analysis
Strengthening effects analysis
Quantifying Ecological Integrity in Terrestrial systems
Quantifying Ecological Integrity in Terrestrial systems
Broad Scale Indicators for Ecosystem Monitoring
Broad Scale Indicators for Ecosystem Monitoring
A landscape approach to resource management
A landscape approach to resource management
Assessing Threats to Conservation Priority Areas
Assessing Threats to Conservation Priority Areas
Pygmy Rabbits in Wyoming
Pygmy Rabbits in Wyoming
Desert Tortoise Habitat Management
Desert Tortoise Habitat Management
Coproduction
Coproduction is a collaborative approach to conducting science that focuses on producing actionable products that are used to inform natural resource management decisions. Our group coproduces many of our projects with public land managers, and we develop tools, trainings and research to assist other groups in implementing coproduction with their research teams.
A coproduction toolkit
A coproduction toolkit
Trainings for coproduction of actionable science
Trainings for coproduction of actionable science
-
-
FORT Science in Action 2026, Part 8: Rapid response science summary products to support natural resource managers FORT Science in Action 2026, Part 8: Rapid response science summary products to support natural resource managers
Natural resource managers often look to summary and synthesis products to find the science they need for decision making. However, decision timelines are often short, so there is a need to produce such products quickly. In 2026, a FORT team developed a process and software, KWICer, to meet that need.
-
-
National Conservation Lands: A hub for scientific discovery National Conservation Lands: A hub for scientific discovery
Last year marked the 25th anniversary of America’s National Conservation Lands, a group of over 900 landscapes managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for cultural, ecological, and scientific values. As part of a special edition of Park Stewardship Forum celebrating this anniversary, USGS and BLM collaborated on a piece highlighting key science opportunities on National Conservation Lands.
-
-
New habitat suitability model to inform decision making and recover rare species in New Mexico New habitat suitability model to inform decision making and recover rare species in New Mexico
In collaboration with multiple land management agencies, FORT scientists developed a new habitat suitability model to inform decision making on public lands and help conserve a rare plant.
Filter Total Items: 27
Synthesis of sage-grouse genetic information to support conservation and land management actions
Sage-grouse, iconic birds of the American West, have experienced dramatic reductions and fragmentation of habitat, resulting in significant conservation concern. Genetic information can help inform priorities for protection and habitat restoration as well as strategies for translocations, but may be difficult for resource managers to find, interpret, and use in their decision making. In this work...
KWIC Science: Rapid response products to meet resource managers’ priority science needs
Federal public land managers in the US are required by law to use science to inform management decisions. However, managers have limited time to identify science for use in decision making. Literature reviews are one tool to efficiently summarize science for use by managers, but are time-consuming to produce. Keyword in Context (KWIC) text analysis is a straightforward method of locating specific...
Developing Science Plans for the Bureau of Land Management’s National Landscape Conservation System
The Bureau of Land Management’s National Landscape Conservation System seeks to conserve, protect, and restore nationally significant landscapes. Science is a critical piece of this effort. The US Geological Survey is working with the Bureau of Land Management to develop Science Plans to help prioritize and support science efforts to better understand and manage resources in these landscapes.
Developing structured science syntheses for use in NEPA analyses and decision making in the Bureau of Land Management
Science information is fundamental to understanding how proposed actions on public lands may impact the environment. However, agencies often have limited time to compile and synthesize existing science. We are working with land management agencies to develop and explore the usability of a new type of science product— structured science syntheses—for facilitating the use of science information in...
Recommendations for conducting landscape assessments to inform decision making on multiple-use public lands
Landscape assessments have been proposed as a mechanism for informing conservation and natural resource management actions at broad scales. We are documenting the process used in a large effort to conduct 14 such assessments across the western United States, and evaluating how the assessments were used in subsequent land use plans. In this project, we seek to identify methods and characteristics...
USGS Science Syntheses for Public Lands Management
Scientific information is fundamental to understanding how proposed actions on public lands may impact the environment. Development of new science is occurring at rates that can make it challenging for biologists, resource managers, decision makers, private landowners, and other stakeholders to ensure they are using up-to-date, high-quality science information to inform their decisions. Further...
Skill-building workshops for researchers on the coproduction of actionable science
Public lands management requires the use of science, but agency staff rarely have time to stay current with all the science on management-relevant topics, especially as articles are published at an ever-increasing rate. In this new series of learning modules, we aim to provide scientists with essential tools, skills, and strategies for coproducing actionable science products with and for federal...
Developing science syntheses to facilitate climate-informed land management decisions and NEPA analyses on rangelands in the sagebrush biome
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires federal public land managers to assess potential environmental impacts of proposed actions. The USGS, Bureau of Land Management, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Colorado State University, and North Central Climate Adaptation Science Center are working together to develop science syntheses that can facilitate considerations of climate change in...
Fostering greater use of habitat models for managing rare and invasive plants on public lands
Habitat models can provide critical information on the current and potential distribution of plant species, as well as help target and support conservation efforts. Despite their potential utility in public land management, model use may be constrained by a variety of factors including staff access to and trust in models. In this project, we seek to bring together model users and model developers...
Identifying priority science needs for strengthening decision making on public lands
Public lands provide many important resources, values, and uses to the American people. For example, many lands offer abundant recreational opportunities while also conserving habitat for iconic wildlife species and delivering stunning scenic views. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) manages the largest area of public lands in the United States and is committed to using science to inform their...
Developing a step-by-step process for assessing cumulative effects in the Bureau of Land Management
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires federal agencies to assess potential impacts of proposed actions as part of their decision-making processes. Assessing potential cumulative effects is a challenging component of NEPA analyses. The USGS is working with the Bureau of Land Management to develop a process that public land managers can use to strengthen cumulative effects analyses.
Developing fire science syntheses for wildland fire managers
Federal agencies manage wildland fire in many ways, including broad-scale fire management planning and site-specific fire and fuels management actions. Federal policy requires agencies to use science in fire management planning and environmental effects analyses. However, fire managers have limited time to compile and synthesize science. The USGS is collaborating with fire management staff across...