Lugo, Ariel E.; Swanson, Frederick J.; González, Olga Ramos; Adams, Mary Beth; Palik, Brian; Thill, Ronald E.; Brockway, Dale G.; Kern, Christel; Woodsmith, Richard; Musselman, Robert. 2006. Long-term research at the USDA Forest Service's experimental forests and ranges. BioScience. 56(1): 39-48.
The network of experimental forests and ranges administered by the US Department of Agriculture Forest Service consists of 77 properties that are
representative of most forest cover types and many ecological regions in the nation. Established as early as 1908, these sites maintain
exceptional, long-term databases on environmental dynamics and biotic responses. Early research at these sites focused on silviculture, ecosystem
restoration, and watershed management. Over time, many of the properties have evolved into a functional network of ecological observatories
through common large-scale, long-term experiments and other approaches. Collaboration with other institutions and research programs fosters
intersite research and common procedures for managing and sharing data. Much current research in this network focuses on global change and
interdisciplinary ecosystem studies at local to global scales. With this experience in developing networks and compiling records of environmental
history, the experimental forests and ranges network can contribute greatly to formation of new networks of environmental observatories.
Keywords: experimental forests, experimental rangelands, research networks, global change science, silviculture