Location: Range Management Research
Project Number: 3050-21600-001-135-A
Project Type: Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Jul 1, 2026
End Date: Apr 1, 2029
Objective:
RAP is a rangeland management and monitoring tool intended to be used alongside local data and knowledge to develop sustainable rangeland management strategies and implement climate smart practices. RAP helps users analyze the outcomes of land management actions and plan for future actions, such as evaluating the impacts of drought on perennial forage on both seasonal and yearly scales, identifying where to implement future restoration treatments, or evaluating the effectiveness of restoration treatments. RAP is currently maintained and operated by the USDA Agricultural Research Service, Jornada Experimental Range in collaboration with Partnerships in Data Innovation. New Mexico State University will assist ARS with research to develop web tools and maintain operations of RAP that help ranchers and land managers understand and leverage RAP most effectively.
Approach:
1. Maintain RAP web resources.
2. Maintain RAP operational code and deploy to publicly available platforms.
3. Develop new data analysis tools to support precision ranching across the US.
4. Coordinate with ARS and NRCS scientists to make fractional cover tools available to NRCS planners and ranchers.