Forest Service R&D’s enterprise consists of high-quality scientific research, applying findings to National Forest System (NFS) lands and making these findings available to others for application to their lands. Forest Service R&D distributes information and technology to land managers and land use planners through a variety of mechanisms, including publications, videos, training, and demonstrations. R&D’s ability to interact with users of its research and transfer technology is substantially enhanced through partnerships, particularly those with other research organizations, land management practitioners, state agencies, urban planners, private forest owners, private organizations, and horticultural and agricultural interests.

These partners of Forest Service R&D include federal and state agencies, universities, industry, nongovernmental organizations, tribal governments, and foreign government research cooperators.

Forest Service R&D has a long history of supporting extramural research through grants and agreements to colleges and universities; state, local, and tribal governments; nonprofit organizations; industry; and individuals. 2008 saw a decline in both number of grants and the percent of appropriated dollars spent on grants, a reflection of the funding pressures brought about by a severe fire season that constrained our ability to execute extramural grants and the need to continue to fund core R&D research.

Spotlights

Global Forest Information Service (GFIS)

The Global Forest Information Service (GFIS) provides the framework to share forest-related data and information through a single gateway.

International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO)

IUFRO is a non-profit, non-governmental international network of forest scientists, which promotes global cooperation in forest-related research.

Science.gov

Science.gov is a gateway to authoritative selected science information provided by 13 U.S. Government agencies, including research and development results.