Air Resource Management Program - Monitoring and Data

The Forest Service monitors the effects of pollution that may impair visibility, harm human health, injure trees and other plants, alter soil chemistry, degrade cultural resources like archeological sites and historical buildings, and acidify or cause unnatural fertilization of streams and lakes. We conduct monitoring to meet our responsibilities outlined in the Clean Air Act.

Visit the Air Quality Conditions & Trends website to find and visualize unit-specific air quality data, conditions, and trends. You can explore ozone, particulate matter, visibility, nitrogen and sulfur deposition, and the risks they pose to people and natural resources.

Learn more about monitoring:

• Pollutants in the air:

  • Visibility

  • Ozone

  • Methane

  • Smoke

• Pollutants deposited to ecosystems:

  • Sulfur and nitrogen deposition

    • Aquatic ecosystems

    • Terrestrial ecosystems

  • Mercury deposition

  • Snow deposition

Resources and Monitoring Networks:

Pollutants in the air:

• AirNow

• Federal Land Manager Environmental Database (VIEWS, Colorado State University)

Pollutants deposited to ecosystems:

• Clean Air Status and Trends Network (CASTNET, Environmental Protection Agency)

• Studying Air Pollution with Plants and Animals (National Park Service)