COLORADO—The Science Partner Program brings bright minds together from across deputy areas into a unique partnership built around an adaptive learning framework. This effort has been designed and piloted by the Rocky Mountain Research Station and Intermountain Region. By matching up research scientists with managers, this Science Partner Program has built positive relationships and networks between Research and Development and the National Forest System while working on specific, timely questions like: Can we downscale climate change maps to the national forest level? How can we increase the accuracy and efficiency of Boreal Toad monitoring? And how might we improve our rangeland monitoring that leverage the best data available?

The newly published Intermountain Region-Rocky Mountain Research Station Science Partner Program: A Road Map to Connecting Forest Service Science and Management (RMRS-RN-89) and companion story map provide a blueprint for how a structured partner program can yield new approaches. The road map highlights key components for success while sharing lessons learned, challenges the program faced and future opportunities. A section of the road map is dedicated to how this model of pairing science and management can be applied to forest planning.

Terrie Jain, a research forester with RMRS and science partner, says of this program, “We need these partnerships. We [managers and scientists] view the world differently and working together is the only way we can see the bigger picture.”

The Science Partner Program is co-led by Nehalem Clark (RMRS) and Natalie Little (Region 4), and the program teams include representatives from the station and region. The program concept was conceived in 2016.

This road map seeks to share inspiration for this type of co-production model with other land managers and scientists interested in knowing more about or creating these kinds of cross-agency connections. The science partner group members were instrumental in creation of the document, providing snapshots of what the 15 groups have set out to accomplish and lending valuable insights about what has been learned.

“It can take just one scientist connection to give a manager access to the incredible resources that Forest Service research can offer. Since research is organized differently than the National Forest System, scientists can help communicate where to get the most current and relevant information and which scientist is best to contact for further resources or assistance. Building bridges through science partners creates and develops these important connections and networks,” says Natalie Little.

Connect with Nehalem Clark and Natalie Little if you are interested in learning more.