Timing is everything: New PhenoMap range management tool a collaborative success

PhenoMap shows allotments (outlined) on the Pawnee National Grassland in Colorado at different phenological stages across the grassland. In the last week of June 2011, the phenology and vegetation development of the western allotments on the PNG still reflect drought conditions whereas the eastern allotments are starting to show green-up and phenological development. With PhenoMap, managers can monitor changes in these conditions from week-to-week on areas as small as 15 acres.

Timing is everything, especially when it comes to the complex ecological interactions between plants and the environment. For range managers concerned with maintaining the integrity and productivity of rangelands, it is critical to monitor the seasonal conditions of grasses and other vegetation on which cattle graze. PhenoMap is a new web-based tool that managers can use to assess the development and location of high-quality forage every week.

PhenoMap uses satellite imagery to serve up near-real-time maps that show what is happening on rangelands over large scales, allowing range managers and producers to see their areas of interest and make grazing adjustments as conditions change. For instance, a manager using PhenoMap might notice that spring green-up is lagging behind historical levels in several pastures, prompting the manager to inspect these pastures. This offers the manager the opportunity to determine what management actions should be taken in a timely manner to protect rangeland resources and ensure adequate forage is available for livestock and wildlife.

PhenoMap was jointly developed by researchers at the Forest Service’s Western Wildland Environmental Threat Assessment Center, Pacific Northwest Research Station and Rocky Mountain Research Station. Nancy Grulke, a PNW research ecologist with the project said, “Tracking resource quality from week to week with imagery can not only support management decisions with empirical evidence, but also provide a visual tool for communication with landowners.”

RMRS research ecologist Jacqueline Ott added, “Managers who are responsible for large land areas can use PhenoMap to provide a comprehensive snapshot of conditions in their local areas as well as at the regional level. With this information, they can identify and prioritize pastures or larger areas of concern as drought develops across the landscape.”

PhenoMap is also featured in the new RMRS science delivery product Connected Science. This new special series highlights important collaborations that deliver relevant, applied science about natural resources to people who make and influence decisions about managing land and natural resources. Much like the RMRS Science You Can Use publications, Connected Science synthesizes research and delivers key science findings and management implications to those who need it. This series celebrates knowledge developed through partnerships, inside and outside of the agency.

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