Hosted by Dr. Matt Reeves, RMRS Research Ecologist, Dr. Dan McEvoy, Regional Climatologist, Western Regional Climate Center, and Iric Burden, Range/Weeds/Botany Program Manager, Kaibab National Forest

RMRS leads Fuelcast.net(link is external), a state-of-the-art forage prediction and monitoring system driven by daily climate and remote sensing information. Currently, this system reveals that at least 82% of U.S. rangelands are experiencing reduced forage conditions. While the reductions of forage are not the most acute, they are more widespread than at any time since 1984 (the beginning of our long-term monitoring). This is consistent with other climate modeling predictions of an extended drought enveloping the southwestern U.S. The USDA Forest Service manages over 9,000 grazing allotments, and sustainably managing rangelands is critical for economic security of many communities.