Alison C Foster, M.S. (Former Employee)
Science and Products
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.
Understanding the use of habitat models for managing and conserving rare plants on western public lands
The use of rare plant habitat models in land management decisions can be constrained by issues surrounding data access, model quality, and institutional capacity, among other factors. This project seeks to understand challenges associated with using habitat models and explore avenues for addressing these challenges to facilitate greater use of habitat models in public lands decision making.
Developing searchable annotated bibliographies for resource managers
Resource management decisions need to be informed by up-to-date, quality science and data. However there is sometimes an overwhelming number of scientific publications for managers to consider in their decisions. This project provides concise summaries of recent, peer-reviewed science and data products about different resources and topics of management concern, integrated into a searchable tool.
Developing a toolkit for coproducing actionable science to support public land management
Coproduction is a highly collaborative approach to conducting science that focuses on producing actionable products that are used to inform natural resource management decisions. This project will develop an informational toolkit to facilitate coproduction between resource managers and science providers in the context of federal public land management.
Using public litigation records to identify priority science and data needs for the Bureau of Land Management
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) manages a large area of public lands in the western U.S. for multiple uses and values. Because some of these uses and values may conflict, the agency’s decisions can be controversial and are often challenged. In this study, researchers analyzed public legal records to help identify priority information needs that could strengthen science-based decision-making in...
Science and Products
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.
Understanding the use of habitat models for managing and conserving rare plants on western public lands
The use of rare plant habitat models in land management decisions can be constrained by issues surrounding data access, model quality, and institutional capacity, among other factors. This project seeks to understand challenges associated with using habitat models and explore avenues for addressing these challenges to facilitate greater use of habitat models in public lands decision making.
Developing searchable annotated bibliographies for resource managers
Resource management decisions need to be informed by up-to-date, quality science and data. However there is sometimes an overwhelming number of scientific publications for managers to consider in their decisions. This project provides concise summaries of recent, peer-reviewed science and data products about different resources and topics of management concern, integrated into a searchable tool.
Developing a toolkit for coproducing actionable science to support public land management
Coproduction is a highly collaborative approach to conducting science that focuses on producing actionable products that are used to inform natural resource management decisions. This project will develop an informational toolkit to facilitate coproduction between resource managers and science providers in the context of federal public land management.
Using public litigation records to identify priority science and data needs for the Bureau of Land Management
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) manages a large area of public lands in the western U.S. for multiple uses and values. Because some of these uses and values may conflict, the agency’s decisions can be controversial and are often challenged. In this study, researchers analyzed public legal records to help identify priority information needs that could strengthen science-based decision-making in...