Bozeman Forestry Sciences Laboratory

The Bozeman Forestry Sciences Laboratory employs three scientists and a variety of technical, post-doctoral, and graduate student support with expertise in such areas as wildlife biology, ecology, entomology, and forestry. The lab conducts research in three program areas: Maintaining Resilient Dryland Ecosystems (MRDE), Wildlife and Terrestrial Ecosystems (WTE), and Inventory, Monitoring and Analysis.
Bozeman is located in southwestern Montana about 90 miles north of Yellowstone National Park.

Research for MRDE is focused on classical biological control of invasive plants, plant-pollinator interactions and pollinator restoration, and bark beetles. For biocontrol research, scientists are identifying effective biocontrol agents for several species of weeds. The program conducts rigorous pre-release evaluations and long-term post-release monitoring to determine the efficacy and safety of the biocontrol agents.

WTE researchers are studying the effects of fire, salvage logging, and beetle outbreaks on habitat and populations of birds. Their research includes the Birds and Burn Network, a network of studies directed by Rocky Mountain Research Station in collaboration with the Pacific Northwest Research Station, the Nature Conservancy, and several universities to understand the ecological consequences of fire-management on woodpeckers, other cavity-nesting birds, and songbirds.