In an era of rapid land use changes and shifting climates, it is imperative that land managers and policymakers have actionable and current information available for decision processes. In this work, we seek to meet these needs through new data products and decision support tools built on digital soil mapping, new vegetation cover maps, agency inventory and monitoring data sets, and cutting-edge analytical frameworks. By building on large databases of field observations, available remote sensing, and cloud computing, we are able to create new, decision-relevant information more quickly.
Ecological Site Group maps for the Upper Colorado River Basin
What determines the effectiveness of Pinyon-Juniper clearing treatments?
Background & Importance
An opportunity for achieving this is through analysis of past land management and actions. Here, we apply a technique from the econometric literature that can account for these unplanned actions, called the synthetic control, to assess landscape change and treatment effectiveness.
It is also important to connect existing and new scientific information to lands where decisions are being made. As an extension of our soil mapping work, we and partners from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) are mapping broad land units that share similar land potential & ecological dynamics and then developing synthesis information for the mapped units, including decision support tools.
Our current focus for these efforts is the Upper Colorado River Basin and fire fuels management, sage grouse habitats, and energy development.
Soil Property and Class Maps of the Conterminous United States at 100-Meter Spatial Resolution
30m Resolution soil maps for the Colorado River Basin
Below are other science projects associated with this research.
Wind Erosion and Dust Emissions on the Colorado Plateau
Southwest Energy Exploration, Development, and Reclamation (SWEDR)
- Overview
In an era of rapid land use changes and shifting climates, it is imperative that land managers and policymakers have actionable and current information available for decision processes. In this work, we seek to meet these needs through new data products and decision support tools built on digital soil mapping, new vegetation cover maps, agency inventory and monitoring data sets, and cutting-edge analytical frameworks. By building on large databases of field observations, available remote sensing, and cloud computing, we are able to create new, decision-relevant information more quickly.
Ecological Site Group maps for the Upper Colorado River BasinEcological Site Group maps for the Upper Colorado River BasinWhat determines the effectiveness of Pinyon-Juniper clearing treatments?What determines the effectiveness of Pinyon-Juniper clearing treatments?Background & Importance
An opportunity for achieving this is through analysis of past land management and actions. Here, we apply a technique from the econometric literature that can account for these unplanned actions, called the synthetic control, to assess landscape change and treatment effectiveness.
It is also important to connect existing and new scientific information to lands where decisions are being made. As an extension of our soil mapping work, we and partners from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) are mapping broad land units that share similar land potential & ecological dynamics and then developing synthesis information for the mapped units, including decision support tools.
Our current focus for these efforts is the Upper Colorado River Basin and fire fuels management, sage grouse habitats, and energy development.
Soil Property and Class Maps of the Conterminous United States at 100-Meter Spatial ResolutionSoil Property and Class Maps of the Conterminous United States at 100-Meter Spatial Resolution30m Resolution soil maps for the Colorado River Basin30m Resolution soil maps for the Colorado River Basin - Science
Below are other science projects associated with this research.
Wind Erosion and Dust Emissions on the Colorado Plateau
Wind erosion of soils and dust emissions are a significant resource management challenge on the Colorado Plateau. Loss of topsoil and associated aeolian sediment (wind-driven sediment) movement can lead to reduced soil fertility as well as abrasion and burial of vegetation. Dust in the atmosphere poses a threat to human health, visual resources, and regional water supplies (due to interactions...Southwest Energy Exploration, Development, and Reclamation (SWEDR)
Approximately 35% of the US and approximately 82% of DOI lands are “drylands” found throughout the western US. These lands contain oil, gas, oil shale, shale oil, and tar sand deposits and the exploration for and extraction of these resources has resulted in hundreds of thousands of operating and abandoned wells across the West. These arid and semi-arid lands have unique soil and plant communities... - Data
- Publications
- Partners