Evaluating the effectiveness of land treatments across southwest ecosystemsproject period: 06 09 2025 through 06 08 2025PROJECT abstract summarythe purpose of this award is to evaluate whether land…

Northern Arizona University received a $199,996 Cooperative Agreement award from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Research and Data Collection program (CFDA 15.808) on June 9, 2025, to evaluate the effectiveness of land treatments across Southwest ecosystems through June 8, 2028. The project will combine treatment databases with field-based monitoring and remote sensing data to assess how fuel reduction and native plant revegetation treatments influence ecosystem conditions at a landscape scale. Primary deliverables include new datasets, spatial layers, and maps documenting treatment locations, vegetation conditions, fuel loads, and ecosystem status across the region.

The award will generate peer-reviewed scientific publications advancing understanding of how land treatments alter landscape conditions and comparing remote sensing-based assessment metrics against traditional field monitoring methods. Additionally, the project will produce training and learning opportunities for participants and partners on monitoring methodologies and analytical approaches to support land management decision-making. The intended beneficiaries are land managers operating across the Southwest, who will receive knowledge transfer through regular project meetings and access to the scientific findings and geospatial data products developed during the performance period.

Evaluating the effectiveness of land treatments across southwest ecosystemsproject period: 06 09 2025 through 06 08 2025PROJECT abstract summarythe purpose of this award is to evaluate whether land treatments, such as fuel reduction and revegetation of native plants, are meeting their intended objectives. The project activities to be performed are combining treatment databases, field-based monitoring of vegetation, fuel, soil, and ecosystem conditions, and remote sensing data and analyzing how treatments influence ecosystems at a landscape scale. The project deliverables are new data, spatial layers, and maps of treatments, vegetation, fuel, andecosystem conditions. The project will generate peer-reviewed scientific publications that areexpected to increase understanding of how treatments alter land condition and evaluate howremote sensing-based metrics of land condition compared to field-based traditional methods.another expected outcome is training and learning opportunities for project participants andpartners on monitoring methods and analyses to guide decision-making. Will shareknowledge learned with project partners through regular meetings. The intended beneficiaries of this project are land managers.