# Fraser Experimental Forest > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Fraser_Experimental_Forest > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Fraser_Experimental_Forest.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fraser_Experimental_Forest > Source revision: 1339888939 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Outdoor research laboratory Fraser Experimental Forest Fraser Biosphere Reserve A view of the Fraser Experimental Forest, 2007. The reddish areas show Mountain Pine Beetle damage. Location Arapaho National Forest, Colorado, USA Coordinates 39°32′24″N 105°31′48″W / 39.54000°N 105.53000°W / 39.54000; -105.53000 Area 9,328 hectares (36.02 sq mi) Governing body United States Forest Service The **Fraser Experimental Forest** is an outdoor research laboratory to study timber, water, wildlife management, and their integration in the high elevation subalpine coniferous forests. The [experimental forest](/source/Experimental_forest) was established in 1937, and encompasses 9,328 hectares (36.02 sq mi). It is situated on the west side of the [Continental Divide](/source/Continental_Divide) in north-central [Colorado](/source/Colorado) and includes the entire watershed of main [Saint Louis Creek](/source/Saint_Louis_Creek), a tributary of the [Fraser River](/source/Fraser_River_(Colorado)).[1] It is managed by the [Rocky Mountain Research Station](/source/Rocky_Mountain_Research_Station) of the [United States Forest Service](/source/United_States_Forest_Service) and is located within the [Arapaho National Forest](/source/Arapaho_National_Forest).[2] The forest was designated a [UNESCO](/source/UNESCO) [Biosphere Reserve](/source/Man_and_the_Biosphere_Programme) in 1976, and was withdrawn from the UN reserve program as of June 14, 2017 at the request of the U.S. Government.[3] ## Ecosystems The Fraser Experimental Forest includes [subalpine forests](/source/Subalpine_forest) and [alpine tundra](/source/Alpine_tundra) typical of the central Rocky Mountains. In the forested areas below the timberline, [Engelmann spruce (*Picea engelmannii*)](/source/Picea_engelmannii) and [subalpine fir (*Abies lasiocarpa*)](/source/Abies_lasiocarpa) are the predominant trees, at higher elevations, on north slopes, and along streams. [Lodgepole pine (*Pinus contorta* var. latifolia)](/source/Pinus_contorta) is the predominant tree at lower elevations and on drier upper slopes. The majority of the forest was initiated after a fire in 1685. Pockets of older trees exist in draws and at higher elevations.[1][*[dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot)*] ## Research Fraser is one of few sites in the [Rocky Mountains](/source/Rocky_Mountains) that maintains long-term records on [hydrology](/source/Hydrology), climate, forest structure and growth, and responses to forest management. Fraser provides the capacity for researchers to do whole-ecosystem manipulations in watersheds that are representative of high-elevation watersheds of southern and central Rockies.[1] Most early research was oriented toward timber or [water cycle](/source/Water_cycle) and production resulting from forest management. For this research, many long-term study plots were established in both lodgepole pine and Engelmann spruce, and 7 watersheds were monitored for streamflow, climate and snow. Some of the records now exceed 60 years in length. Research on forest/wildlife interactions began in the 1950s. Biogeochemical studies began in the 1960s, were restarted in the 1970s, and have been continuous since 1982. Much of this work is done in cooperation with the [National Park Service](/source/National_Park_Service).[4] ## Sources This article incorporates text from a [free content](/source/Free_content) work. Licensed under CC-BY-SA IGO 3.0. Text taken from ["UNESCO - MAB Biosphere Reserves Directory"](http://www.unesco.org/new/en/natural-sciences/environment/ecological-sciences/biosphere-reserves/europe-north-america/united-states-of-america/fraser/). ["Licensing page"](http://www.unesco.org/new/en/natural-sciences/environment/ecological-sciences/biosphere-reserves/world-network-wnbr/wnbr/). This article incorporates [public domain material](/source/Copyright_status_of_works_by_the_federal_government_of_the_United_States) from websites or documents of the [United States Forest Service](/source/United_States_Forest_Service). ## References 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-MAB_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-MAB_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-MAB_1-2) ["UNESCO - MAB Biosphere Reserves Directory:Fraser"](http://www.unesco.org/new/en/natural-sciences/environment/ecological-sciences/biosphere-reserves/europe-north-america/united-states-of-america/fraser/). Retrieved 29 May 2016. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-FEF_2-0)** ["Fraser Experimental Forest"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160624212911/http://www.fs.usda.gov/main/fraser). *Rocky Mountain Research Station*. USFS. Archived from [the original](https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/fraser) on June 24, 2016. Retrieved 29 May 2016. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["23 new sites added to UNESCO's World Network of Biosphere Reserves"](https://en.unesco.org/news/23-new-sites-added-unesco-s-world-network-biosphere-reserves). [UNESCO](/source/UNESCO). June 14, 2017. Retrieved June 14, 2017. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-History_4-0)** ["History - Fraser Experimental Forest"](https://web.archive.org/web/20120517124612/http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/fraser/home/?cid=STELPRDB5151782). *Rocky Mountain Research Station*. USFS. Archived from [the original](https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/fraser/home/?cid=STELPRDB5151782) on May 17, 2012. Retrieved 29 May 2016. ## External links - [Fraser Experimental Forest (U.S. Forest Service)](https://web.archive.org/web/20191229125512/https://www.fs.usda.gov/rmrs/experimental-forests-and-ranges/fraser-experimental-forest/) Authority control databases International VIAF WorldCat National United States Israel Other Yale LUX --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Fraser Experimental Forest](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fraser_Experimental_Forest) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fraser_Experimental_Forest?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.