The Forest Service’s network of dedicated Experimental Forests, Ranges, and Watersheds – collectively referred to as Experimental Areas – is the largest and longest-lived natural resource research network in the United States and its territories. The current network of approximately 80 sites has been established progressively since 1908; many sites are more than 60 years old. Sites range in size from 47 to 22,500 ha.

Hosted on a combination of public and private lands, the network provides a home for basic and applied studies in most of the nation’s major vegetation types. The results of these studies, some of which have been ongoing for decades, serve as a basis for scientifically sound land management.

Experimental Forests, Ranges, and Watersheds are managed by Forest Service Research & Development. In addition to these sites, there are other “cooperating” sites across the nation with formal memoranda of understanding between Forest Service Research & Development and the cooperator.