Fort Collins Science Center activities support the research priorities of the U.S. Department of the Interior’s resource management bureaus as well as other Federal and State agencies, Native American Tribes, academic institutions, and non-governmental organizations. Find out more about our research and the scientists who make it all happen by reviewing our science themes.
Science Topics
FAQs
How are bats affected by wind turbines?
Dead bats are found beneath wind turbines all over the world. It’s estimated that tens to hundreds of thousands die at wind turbines each year in North America alone. Unfortunately, it’s not yet clear why this is happening. It’s possible that wind turbines interfere with seasonal migration and mating patterns in some species of bats. More than three quarters of the bat fatalities at wind turbines...
Why is it important to know the locations of wind turbines?
No publicly-available, national database of wind turbines existed prior to the creation of the USGS Windfarm mapper, which was replaced with the U.S. Wind Turbine Database (USWTDB) in 2018. Knowing the location of individual turbines and their technical specifications creates new opportunities for research and improved siting and is important information for land and resource management. In...
Can wind turbines harm wildlife?
A key challenge facing the wind industry is the potential for turbines to adversely affect wild animals both directly, via collisions, as well as indirectly due to noise pollution, habitat loss, and reduced survival or reproduction. Among the most impacted wildlife are birds and bats, which by eating destructive insects provide billions of dollars of economic benefits to the country’s agricultural...
Education
Earth Observation Case Studies
Social scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Fort Collins Science Center – in collaboration with the USGS National Land Imaging Program – conduct Earth observation user case studies using qualitative research methods. This research enables them to investigate the value of Landsat data, and understand the wide variety of Landsat users.
The following illustrated videos highligh
Resource for Advanced Modeling (RAM) and VisTrails/SAHM Training
For classes in the SAHM/Vis-trails software, please contact Catherine Jarnevich. The Resource for Advanced Modeling room is located within the USGS Fort Collins Science Center in Fort Collins, CO.
Negotiation Skills for Natural Resource Professionals: Building a Foundation
The Fort Collins Science Center's Social and Economic Analysis (SEA) Branch has been conducting and publishing research on multi-party natural resource negotiation since the 1980s. This research has led to the development of the basic negotiation training courses. This course is a mix of lecture, hands-on training, and discussion. Please join us and other natural resource professiona