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Molly McCormick

Connecting state-of-the-art science with today's land management challenges.

Molly's work includes an understanding of complex human and natural systems, the importance of relationships between people and place, and recognition of the policies and social structures that shape our work. As an ecologist, Molly is interested in the function and restoration of dryland ecosystems: grasslands, scrublands, and woodlands. She works on disturbances created by climate change, drought, fire, invasive species, mining and energy development, and other types of land use. She facilitates pro-active approaches to disturbance with strategic adaptation planning. This work is important as degraded deserts create human health risks, increase chance of catastrophic fire, and loss of habitat which affects species of concern and working landscapes. Molly is the coordinator of the Restoration Assessment and Monitoring Program for the Southwest (RAMPS) where she collaborates with mulitiple stakeholders to develop creative solutions to complex socio-ecological issues.

Molly currently sit as the USGS federal liaison for the Plant Conservation Alliance and works on the National Native Seed Strategy that works to develop genetically appropriate native plant materials for restoration across the U.S., including U.S. territories and tribal nations.

Science and Products

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Sonoran desert spring wildflower display.

Ecological Forecasting Workshop

Natural resource managers are coping with rapid changes in both environmental conditions and ecosystems. Enabled by recent advances in data collection and assimilation, short-term ecological forecasting may be a powerful tool to help resource managers anticipate impending changes in ecosystem dynamics (that is, the approaching near-term changes in ecosystems). Managers may use the information in f
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John Wesley Powell Center for Analysis and Synthesis
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Ecological Forecasting Workshop

Natural resource managers are coping with rapid changes in both environmental conditions and ecosystems. Enabled by recent advances in data collection and assimilation, short-term ecological forecasting may be a powerful tool to help resource managers anticipate impending changes in ecosystem dynamics (that is, the approaching near-term changes in ecosystems). Managers may use the information in f
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Dried cheatgrass

Best Management Practices

Best management practices (BMPs) can be used to help prevent the spread of invasive species and help mitigate the consequences of invasive species once they have become established. BMPs provide a framework for natural resource managers to follow to effectively deal with, and prevent the spread of, invasive species.
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Ecosystems, Invasive Species Program
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Best Management Practices

Best management practices (BMPs) can be used to help prevent the spread of invasive species and help mitigate the consequences of invasive species once they have become established. BMPs provide a framework for natural resource managers to follow to effectively deal with, and prevent the spread of, invasive species.
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An experimental garden nestled against the La Salle Mountains in Utah.

RestoreNet: Distributed Field Trial Network for Dryland Restoration

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) researchers and land managers are co-producing a network of restoration field trial sites on DOI and surrounding lands in the southwestern U.S. The network systematically tests restoration treatments across a broad range of landscape, soil, and climate conditions. Each site in the network is used to test suitable seed mixes and treatments that promote plant...
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Ecosystems, Energy & Wildlife, Environments Program, Status and Trends Program, Southwest Biological Science Center
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RestoreNet: Distributed Field Trial Network for Dryland Restoration

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) researchers and land managers are co-producing a network of restoration field trial sites on DOI and surrounding lands in the southwestern U.S. The network systematically tests restoration treatments across a broad range of landscape, soil, and climate conditions. Each site in the network is used to test suitable seed mixes and treatments that promote plant...
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Drill rig in the distance off a dirt road in a semi-aid system.

Southwest Energy Development and Drought (SWEDD)

Deserts of the southwestern US are replete with oil and gas deposits as well as sites for solar, wind, and geothermal energy production. In the past, many of these resources have been too expensive to develop, but increased demand and new technologies have led to an increase in exploration and development. However, desert ecosystems generally have low resilience to disturbance. More frequent...
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Energy & Wildlife, Environments Program, Southwest Biological Science Center
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Southwest Energy Development and Drought (SWEDD)

Deserts of the southwestern US are replete with oil and gas deposits as well as sites for solar, wind, and geothermal energy production. In the past, many of these resources have been too expensive to develop, but increased demand and new technologies have led to an increase in exploration and development. However, desert ecosystems generally have low resilience to disturbance. More frequent...
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An infographic summarizing activities of the RAMPS program.

RAMPS: Restoration Assessment & Monitoring Program for the Southwest

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...
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Ecosystems, Environments Program, Status and Trends Program, Southwest Biological Science Center
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RAMPS: Restoration Assessment & Monitoring Program for the Southwest

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...
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Protocol for installing and monitoring a RestoreNet restoration field trial network site

RestoreNet is an ecological restoration experiment that is networked across multiple sites, spanning dryland ecosystems in the southwestern United States. The experiment is organized and led by the U.S. Geological Survey’s Restoration Assessment and Monitoring Program for the Southwest (RAMPS). This protocol functions to provide guidance to additional partners on how to set up a RestoreNet site an
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Ecosystems, Southwest Biological Science Center

USGS RAMPS (Restoration Assessment and Monitoring Program for the Southwest) newsletter – Summer 2021 edition

No abstract available.
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Ecosystems, Southwest Biological Science Center

How to increase the supply of native seed to improve restoration success: The US native seed development process

With the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, restoration of damaged ecosystems is turning into a global movement. Restoration actions that are not based on science and an understanding of ecosystem function can thwart desired restoration outcomes at best and cause further damage to ecosystems at worst. Restoration often includes revegetation using seed. Where we source seed for restora
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Ecosystems, Southwest Biological Science Center

National seed strategy progress report, 2015-2020

Native plants are the true green infrastructure we rely on for healthy, resilient, and biodiverse ecosystems. They protect us against climate change and natural disasters; create habitat for wildlife, rare species, and pollinators; and are vital for carbon sequestration. Without native plants, especially their seeds, we do not have the ability to restore functional ecosystems after natural disaste
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Ecosystems, Southwest Biological Science Center

Sharing knowledge to improve ecological restoration outcomes

Ecological restoration efforts are likely to be more successful when project components are informed by relevant stakeholders. However, key stakeholders are often not included in restoration design and deployment. This is largely driven by a lack of practitioner knowledge of and experience with stakeholder relations. However, inclusion of stakeholders across the entire restoration process can be a
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Ecosystems, Southwest Biological Science Center

Ecological forecasting—21st century science for 21st century management

Natural resource managers are coping with rapid changes in both environmental conditions and ecosystems. Enabled by recent advances in data collection and assimilation, short-term ecological forecasting may be a powerful tool to help resource managers anticipate impending near-term changes in ecosystem conditions or dynamics. Managers may use the information in forecasts to minimize the adverse ef
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Ecosystems, Water Resources, Science Analytics and Synthesis (SAS), Wildlife Program, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center, Fort Collins Science Center, Kansas Water Science Center, Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Water Science Center, National Wildlife Health Center, New Jersey Water Science Center, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Southwest Biological Science Center, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center

RestoreNet: An emerging restoration network reveals controls on seeding success across dryland ecosystems

Drylands are Earth's largest terrestrial biome and support one‐third of the global population. However, they are also highly vulnerable to land degradation. Despite widespread demand for dryland restoration and rehabilitation, little information is available to help land managers effectively re‐establish native perennial vegetation across drylands.RestoreNet is an emerging dryland restoration netw
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Ecosystems, Southwest Biological Science Center

Beyond traditional ecological restoration on the Colorado Plateau

The Colorado Plateau is one of North America's five major deserts, encompassing 340,000 km2 of the western U.S., and offering many opportunities for restoration relevant to researchers and land managers in drylands around the globe. The Colorado Plateau is comprised of vast tracts of public land managed by local, state, and federal agencies that oversee a wide range of activities (e.g., mineral an
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Ecosystems, Southwest Biological Science Center
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Tips for Dryland Restoration - Summer 2021

Restoration Assessment and Monitoring Program for the Southwest (RAMPS)

A Program of the Southwest Biological Science Center & Ecosystems Mission...

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Friday's Findings - September 24 2021

National Seed Strategy Progress Report 2015-2020

Date: September 24, 2021 from 2-2:30 p.m. eastern time

Speaker: Molly Mccormick, RAMPS Coordinator...

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Tips for Dryland Restoration - Spring 2021

Restoration Assessment and Monitoring Program for the Southwest (RAMPS)

A Program of the Southwest Biological Science Center & Ecosystems Mission...

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Tips for Dryland Restoration - Summer 2020

This season's edition of the Restoration Assessment and Monitoring Program for the Southwest Newsletter contains recent program highlights including...

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National Seed Strategy Progress Report

In August 2021, the Plant Conservation Alliance (PCA) Federal Committee finished their progress report on the first five years of the National Seed...

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RESEARCH BRIEF: RestoreNet Report Card

RestoreNet is a networked ecological experiment testing restoration treatments across the arid Southwest. Seven experimental sites were installed in...

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Tips for Dryland Restoration - Spring 2020

This season's edition of the Restoration Assessment and Monitoring Program for the Southwest Newsletter contains recent program highlights including...

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Science and Products