USGS - science for a changing world

Rocky Mountain Geographic Science Center


Our Vision

The Rocky Mountain Geographic Science Center (RMGSC) is a leading scientific authority in evaluating, understanding, and predicting the risks, vulnerabilities, causes, and consequences of landscape change on the physical environment and the human condition.

RMGSC scientists observe, describe, and analyze the state and condition of the natural and human environments by mapping, modeling, and monitoring geographic landscape change at regional, national, and global scales.


Our Science Agenda LandSat 7 orbiting Earth

The RMGSC strives to implement this vision by performing leading edge geographic and land remote sensing science, and applying state-of-the-art information technology to changing geographic landscapes, ecosystems, and environments. Specifically, the RMGSC emphasizes research and investigations in:

Roxborough State Park, CO - located 15 miles south of RMGSC

This agenda supports the Geography Discipline's primary goal "to improve people's ability to prosper by either affecting how the land will change (positive) or by becoming more adaptive to change (forecasting)." It also allows the RMGSC to provide federal, state, and local decision makers with timely, objective, relevant, and innovative geographic science, tools, models, information and reports that will help to improve and sustain environmental quality and public safety in an ever-changing world.

Featured Science New USGS Map Unfolds Ecosystems Nationwide

The RMGSC was key in the development of a new map of standardized, terrestrial ecosystems of the conterminous United States which will help researchers and land resource managers better understand the types and locations of ecosystems on the landscape. The map, along with the methodology and process for producing it, are described in the recently published USGS Professional Paper 1768, A New Map of Standardized Terrestrial Ecosystems of the Conterminous United States.

Complete Technical Announcement

Additional Information

Hazards Monitoring
NHSS Viewer- Live data image The RMGSC's Natural Hazards Support System displays near-real-time natural hazard events.
Wildland Fires
Click to go to GeoMAC.gov The RMGSC currently hosts and supports the GeoMAC wildland fire application.

Accessibility FOIA Privacy Policies and Notices

Take Pride in America logo USA.gov logo U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://rmgsc.cr.usgs.gov/rmgsc/
Page Contact Information: Website Manager
Page Last Modified: Wednesday, 21-Oct-2009 14:15:16 Mountain Daylight Time