The USDA Forest Service runs 81 Experimental Forests and Ranges (EFRs) across the United States and Puerto Rico, encompassing a range of ecosystem types. Data have been collected on some of these sites for over 80 years (e.g. Bent Creek, San Dimas, Priest River), proving a valuable resource to examine natural resources trends and disturbance processes over time. The EFRs have served as a natural laboratory for the Forest Service and partners to examine the impacts of a wide range of land management practices. They have also provided an opportunity to better understand ecological implications of potential future conditions, including elevated CO2 and warmer soils. The Forest Service is currently examining how the EFRs could be used, not only to provide critical place-based information, but to provide network information to address issues across the landscape including forest productivity, carbon storage, water quantity and quality, and wildfire. In February 2020, the EFR Working Group distributed a survey to all EFRs to identify the types of data collected across EFRs, the time period of those data, the format of the data, and their availability on line.
Results/Conclusions
This presentation will provide an overview of survey findings on foundational EFR data and their availability. Subsequent presents will examine specific topical datasets in greater depth. Data are available in multiple forms, both digital and non-digital; we will share information on how to access EFR data and connect with EFR scientists. We will also describe the ongoing Forest Service initiative to make EFR data more discoverable, accessible, and useable to better understand forest and grassland condition, and management opportunities to increase ecosystem resilience.