Use of the NRCS ecological site framework to improve ecological understanding in restoration projects

The NRCS Ecological Site Description (ESD) database contains formalized descriptions of range and forest lands according to their potential natural plant communities and alternative stable states in the context of process-based state-and-transition models (STMs). This information provides a framework for researchers and restoration practitioners to understand site dynamics and adaptively manage lands within an experimental context. We highlight how ESDs are being used in Utah and Idaho to clarify natural variability and ecological resilience of a broad range of sites that have undergone restoration efforts. In addition, we illustrate how these research results are used to refine and improve STMs.