Articles

New research addresses the first priority of the Native Seed Partnership plan, which was co-developed with agency and non-profit partners, native seed businesses, and researchers, to improve the success of native seed restoration.

Forest Service researchers have pioneered a unique and powerful method to characterize how similar the traits of six commercial varieties of bottlebrush squirreltail, a native bunchgrass species used in post-wildfire rehabilitation, are to wildland populations. The results can be used to predict where these commercial varieties can be used most effectively in the future.

A new publication synthesizes 20+ years of experience across federal native plant programs that support science-management collaboration to improve the development and use of native seed in restoration.

Forest Service researchers tested the performance of 98 wild seed sources of bottlebrush squirreltail, a ‘workhorse’ species in post-wildfire rangeland rehabilitation. Managers using these new seed transfer guidelines can better predict which seed sources are the best match for a rehabilitation site.

A new manuscript, the first of its kind since the Forest Service began producing Tree Canopy Cover data for the National Land Cover Database in 2011, documents a redesigned and rebuilt production workflow that delivers reliable and repeatable methods for users who rely on the Tree Canopy Cover dataset.

Firefighters create firelines to stop fire spread and support wildfire suppression tactics. This year, researchers developed a way to track and understand fireline performance in near-real time.

Researchers from the Forest Service’s Forest Inventory and Analysis Program have worked on a NASA mission called EDGE (Earth Dynamics Geodetic Explorer), which measures changes in the world’s forests. The mission was competitively selected in January of 2026 for an expected launch in 2030.

The likelihood that a fireline or other potential control feature will prevent, slow, or otherwise alter wildfire behavior is not fixed—it can change substantially as wind, humidity, vegetation, and terrain conditions change. Fire managers from the Okanogan–Wenatchee National Forest along with researcher Jesse Young and colleagues coproduced research about wildfire containment-effectiveness.

Scientists identified bird biodiversity hotspots and found that if fires occur in these areas, about 30% of the hotspots will burn at high severity.

What if it were possible to detect the presence of rare species simply by sampling the air?

Increasing drought negatively impacts most wildlife worldwide. However, large gaps in our understanding remain, which makes managing this threat difficult.

Canada lynx show strong selection for unburned areas within wildfire perimeters.

New research advances understanding of how federal agencies have used aerial resources on wildfires. It quantifies the impact of various characteristics of a fire incident—including fuel moisture, weather, slope, access to water, and proximity to people and infrastructure—on how quickly aircraft arrive at a fire after it is discovered.

The Social Science Research Group (SSRG) for wildfire has built a Communication Alliance, or CommA, which brings together people from multiple organizations (including federal, state, local, international, independent, etc.) directly involved in wildland fire operations and communities.

Forests and grasslands provide some of the cleanest, most reliable water in the country. But in a world with limited budgets, it can be difficult to justify long-term planning costs without knowing the value of present and future water benefits.

A new online modeling tool for predicting impacts of introduced species using the case study of preying mantid invasions in western Montana grasslands is available.

Scientists are looking at the link between environmental conditions, wildlife, and animal-borne pathogens to predict how natural and human-caused changes may influence disease. A new framework explores the dynamics of these diseases over large spatial and temporal scales.

Wildflowers offer a diverse array of nutrients from pollen and nectar which are important for wild pollinator communities. A new study shows that different wild bee species have a range of nutritional needs, requiring nutritionally diverse plant communities to better support them.

A new project examines various combinations of fuel reduction treatment activities across the elevational gradient of forest types along the Front Range of the southern Rocky Mountains to understand how burn severity is altered when challenged with wildfire.

Where can managers maximize restoration work for High-Five pine species? Using 30 years of field data and current knowledge of blister rust, new models developed by Forest Service scientists identify areas likely to be at risk and help prioritize areas for restoration and maintenance of healthy populations.