FORT researchers produce cutting edge tools for monitoring and conserving sage-grouse
FORT economists and social scientists investigate the complex relationship between nature and humans
Research includes studies of visitor impacts on parks, wildfire risk assessments, and economic impacts of invasive grasses.
Research includes studies of visitor impacts on parks, wildfire risk assessments, and economic impacts of invasive grasses.
FORT scientists produce tools and research for better management of invasive species
From pythons in the Everglades, to annual grasses invading the western United States, FORT invasive species research spans a wide range of taxonomic groups and landscapes.
From pythons in the Everglades, to annual grasses invading the western United States, FORT invasive species research spans a wide range of taxonomic groups and landscapes.
FORT researchers improve methods for monitoring, management, and conservation of wildlife.
Fort Collins Science Center
Welcome to the Fort Collins Science Center (FORT) located in Fort Collins, Colorado, just east of the Rocky Mountains. At FORT we develop and disseminate research-based information and tools needed to understand the nation’s biological resources in support of effective decision making.
North American Bat Monitoring Program
North American Bat Monitoring Program
The North American Bat Monitoring Program (NABat) is an international interagency program designed to monitor bat distributions and abundances on public and private lands, and provide trend data at the state, provincial, tribal, regional, and range-wide scales.
Burmese Pythons Invade the Everglades
Burmese Pythons Invade the Everglades
The Florida Everglades encompass a vast subtropical ecosystem. Billions of dollars have been committed to the long-term restoration of this ecosystem, but burgeoning populations of introduced and invasive reptiles threaten prospects for restoration.
News
Think regionally, act locally: Perspectives on co-design of spatial conservation prioritization tools
Think regionally, act locally: Perspectives on co-design of spatial conservation prioritization tools
FORT scientists hold science plan training for staff in the Bureau of Land Management
FORT scientists hold science plan training for staff in the Bureau of Land Management
Publications
Delineating draft inventory analysis units for National Scenic and Historic Trails inventory, assessment, and monitoring programs
As of 2024, there are 32 National Scenic and Historic Trails (NSHTs) in the system administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), National Park Service, and U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service. The BLM administers, manages, and protects 19 of these trails as part of its system of national conservation lands. Various laws, regulations, and policies require that the BLM conduct and m
Multi-decadal vegetation transformations of a New Mexico ponderosa pine landscape after severe fires and aerial seeding
Wildfires and climate change are having transformative effects on vegetation composition and structure, and post-fire management may have long-lasting impacts on ecosystem reorganization. Post-fire aerial seeding treatments are commonly used to reduce runoff and soil erosion, but little is known about how seeding treatments affect native vegetation recovery over long periods of time, particularly
Think regionally, act locally: Perspectives on co-design of spatial conservation prioritization tools and why end-user engagement altered our approach
Coproduction represents an inclusive approach for developing decision-support resources because it seeks to integrate scientific knowledge and end-user needs. Unfortunately, spatial decision support systems (SDSS) coproduction has sometimes resulted in limited utility for end-users, partially due to scarce SDSS coproduction guidance. To initiate coproduction, we held a series of workshops to co-de
Science
Prioritizing restoration and conservation of Wyoming’s sagebrush ecosystems for wildlife and sagebrush connectivity
To support strategic ecosystem management across the imperiled sagebrush steppe in Wyoming, USA, we developed an extension of the Prioritizing Restoration of Sagebrush Ecosystems Tool (PReSET). Our expanded tool leverages emerging spatial data resources to provide a structured but customizable set of scenarios that can guide landscape-scale planning efforts by prioritizing conservation and...
Prioritizing restoration and conservation of sagebrush ecosystems in northwestern Colorado
We are working with Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) to pilot an expansion of the Prioritizing Restoration of Sagebrush Ecosystems Tool (PReSET; Duchardt et al. 2021) across northwestern Colorado. We are in the initial phase of a two-phase project where we are leveraging existing data resources to provide customized scenarios that directly guide landscape-scale conservation delivery by CPW. This...
Gunnison Sage-grouse Prioritizing Restoration of Sagebrush Ecosystems Tool (PReSET)
In partnership with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, and other partners, scientists from USGS Fort Collins Science Center are working to create a suite of prioritization scenarios that will inform adaptive management for Gunnison sage-grouse.
