managers in understanding and managing biological resources, 

Who We Are and What We Do 

The U.S. Geological Survey’s Fort Collins Science Center (FORT) 

is one of 17 USGS biological science centers nationwide. FORT 

conducts research and develops technical applications to assist land 

habitats, and ecosystems. Although the majority of FORT’s activities 

are conducted within the 15-state Central Region of the USGS, many 

FORT projects are national or international in scope. 

FORT serves all Department of the Interior land management 

bureaus and other natural resource agencies. In addition, FORT scientists partner with DOI and other federal entities such as CDC, DOE, EPA, NASA, NIH, and USDA to share expertise and resources. 

FORT also partners with several universities and works cooperatively with states and nongovernmental organizations. Products and 

services include reports and publications, predictive models and software, maps and GIS products, and other technical assistance in the 

form of meetings, workshops, training, field visits, and needs assessments. 

How We Operate 

FORT conducts its science with a staff of more than 110 Federal 

employees and a support services contract of more than 40 professionals. Most staff are based at the headquarters in Fort Collins. To 

facilitate collaborative science, FORT scientists are also collocated 

at the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory at Colorado State 

University; the Rocky Mountain Center for Conservation Genetics 

and Systematics at the University of Denver; the Arid Lands Field 

Station at the University of New Mexico; the Jemez Mountains 

Field Station at Bandelier National Monument; and the Bureau of 

Reclamation’s Technical Services Center in Denver. 

How We’re Organized 

FORT is organized into five major science areas, or Branches. 

Interdisciplinary project teams integrate research across these five 

Branches: 

Aquatic Systems and Technology Applications 

FORT scientists develop and adapt technology to address a range 

of natural resource issues and provide biological information that 

is relevant and usable. FORT staff have state-of-the-art expertise 

processing, satellite telemetry 

of wildlife, hydraulics, sediaquatic habitat modeling, GIS, 

decision support systems, webbased applications, and basic 

in Unix- and Windows-based information systems, satellite image 

ment transport, water quality, 

ecology. Working with natural 

resource managers, FORT scientists have developed applications for such issues as river 

systems management, reservoir operations, constructed wetlands, 

environmental contaminants, international wildlife policy, endangered species, and economic valuation of natural resources. FORT 

also leads development of the National Biological Information 

Infrastructure (NBII) Southwest Information Node to help address 

that region’s complex environmental issues. 

Ecosystem Dynamics 

Many challenging 

natural resource management issues require 

consideration of a web 

of interactions among 

ecosystem components. 

The spatial and temporal complexity of these 

ecosystem problems 

demands an interdisciplinary approach that integrates biotic and 

abiotic processes. FORT provides information for federal resource 

managers and uses long-term, place-focused research and monitoring on federal lands to advance ecosystem science. 

Current studies fall into five general areas. Fire Science focuses on 

the effects of fire on plant, animal, and human communities at multiple scales, and on the interactions between post-fire vegetation, 

runoff, and erosion processes. Riparian Ecology is concerned with 

interactions among streamflow, fluvial geomorphology, and riparian 

vegetation. Herbivore-Ecosystem Interactions involves quantifying 

the factors regulating herbivore populations and cascading effects 

through predator-herbivore-plant-soil linkages. Reference Ecosystems entails long-term, place-based studies of ecosystem 

biogeochemistry. Integrated Assessments is investigating how to 

synthesize multiple stressors and response variables over complex 

landscapes in ways that are useful for management and planning. 

U.S. Department of the Interior Fact Sheet 2004–3146 

U.S. Geological Survey December 2004 
Invasive Species 

Science 

Non-native species 

of plants, animals, 

and other organisms 

negatively affect the 

ecosystems they enter, 

with an estimated 

economic impact in 

the U.S. of over $130 

billion per year. The goal of this Branch is to provide science and 

technical assistance relating to invasive species management concerns, from how these species are introduced to identifying areas 

vulnerable to invasion. 

FORT houses the National Institute of Invasive Species Science, 

a consortium of partnerships established by the USGS and its 

cooperators. Through FORT, the Institute is developing the Invasive 

Species Information Node of the NBII, a comprehensive, accessible 

database of information about invasive plants, animals, and disease 

agents. From these data, and in partnership with Colorado State 

University (CSU), the CSU Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory, 

and NASA, FORT scientists are developing models to understand 

and predict invasive species distributions for more effective management. FORT researchers also are testing 

prevention and intervention techniques for the 

brown treesnake, which 

has extirpated many 

native species on Guam 

and threatens indigenous 

species on Hawaii and 

other Pacific islands. 

FORT scientists also assist decision makers by helping to resolve 

resource management conflicts through stakeholder and institutional analyses of conservation policies and management practices. 

For those involved in natural resource negotiations, FORT scientists 

offer research-based training courses. 

Species and Habitats of Federal Interest 

Ecosystem changes 

directly affect a wide 

variety of plant and animal 

species, floral and faunal 

communities, and groups 

of species such as amphibians and grassland birds. 

Appropriate management 

of public lands plays a crucial role in the conservation 

and recovery of endangered 

species and can be a key 

element in preventing a 

species from being listed 

under the Endangered Species Act. Scientists in the 

Species and Habitats of Federal Interest Branch conduct research 

on the ecology, habitat requirements, distribution and abundance, 

population dynamics, and genetics and systematics of many species facing threatened or endangered status or of special concern to 

resource management agencies. FORT scientists also develop reintroduction and restoration techniques, technologies for monitoring 

populations, and novel methods to analyze data on population trends 

and habitat requirements. 

Where We’re Located 

The Fort Collins Science Center headquarters is located on the 

Policy Analysis and Science Assistance Natural Resources Research Center (NRRC) campus at Colorado

of biological, sociological, and economic information. Combining 

scientists conduct biological, social, and economic research and 

or questions and areas where biological and social science research 

and enhance cooperaresource issues. It is a 

partnership of six Federal 

agencies from the Departments of Agriculture and the 

vices Administration, and CSU. 

ings housing more than 1,200 

natural resource professionals. 

Contact Information 

Fort Collins, Colorado 80526-8118 

Fax 970.226.9230 

FORT Online 

Learn more about FORT science, products, and resources at 

Most resource management decisions involve the integrated use 

this information provides a more comprehensive basis for making effective land management and conservation decisions. FORT 

integrate the findings to inform land and resource managers making 

these decisions. Examples include identifying policy controversies 

is needed to address them; developing approaches to assist researchers in preparing scientific evidence; assessing habitat alteration in a 

manner consistent with policy needs; and evaluating policy options. 

State University. The NRRC 

was established to support 

tive research on natural 

Interior, the U.S. General SerThe campus consists of six buildU.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center 

2150 Centre Avenue, Building C 

Tel. 970.226.9100 

http://www.fort.usgs.gov