The Santa Monica Mountains (SMM) lie between the city of Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley, California, enduring as a steadfast haven for native vegetation, wildlife, and recreational activities. Both public and private conservation agencies have secured protection for much of the mountain range...

The Instituto de Conservación Forestal (ICF) in Honduras is in charge of managing and conserving millions of acres of public and privately-owned forest, including the pristine Río Plàtano Biosphere Reserve. Although one of ICF's main goals is forest conservation, illegal deforestation in Río Plàtano accounts...

Habitat Conservation Plans (HCPs) were designed to protect and manage areas where desired economic development is in conflict with the needs of threatened and endangered species. Each plan is developed through collaboration between United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and a landowner or other...

Drought and flooding in Illinois have severe impacts on the communities and ecosystems of the state. Soil moisture is a valuable indicator of drought and flood vulnerability but can be difficult to measure since in situ monitoring is limited to...

Twenty-three counties in Kenya experience frequent drought, which damages agricultural productivity and threatens the health and wellbeing of millions. NASA DEVELOP partnered with NASA SERVIR, the Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development (RCMRD) and Kenya’s National Drought Management...

The magnitude and timing of forest disturbances have implications for global carbon cycles and forest ecosystem recovery. The carbon stored in central Idaho forests makes up a significant part of the overall carbon stocks in United States forests. Similar to the broader regional pattern...

The Osa Peninsula, located in the southern region of Costa Rica's Pacific Coast, is one of the most biologically-diverse places on Earth and a popular ecotourism destination. Previous work through NASA DEVELOP showed positive trends in land use since the implementation of the 1996 Forest...

Riparian corridors are inhabited by unique and biodiverse plant communities that control erosion, manage sediment loads, and filter pollutants. These ecosystems are transitional zones between terrestrial and aquatic systems that provide important wildlife habitat and maintain the overall health of rivers. The Colorado River Basin...

Riparian plant communities are vital to water quality, erosion control, biodiversity, and functionality of river ecosystems. The invasion of nonnative Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia L.) poses a risk to these fragile ecosystems, as it outcompetes native riparian species such as cottonwoods (Populus spp.) and willows...

Huntsville, Alabama’s population has grown by approximately 11% since 2010, due in part to the city’s advancing engineering industry. Rapid urban growth negatively impacts the environment by decreasing tree canopy cover and increasing impervious surface cover, which can intensify the...