Research Natural Area is a designation for certain protected areas in the United States.
Research Natural Areas (RNAs) are part of a nationwide network of ecological areas set aside for both research and education. The network includes areas managed by many Federal agencies. The United States Forest Service and other agencies establish these areas to typify certain types of important forest, shrubland, grassland, aquatic, geological, alpine, or similar environments that have unique characteristics of scientific interest. The areas "contain important ecological and scientific values and are managed for minimum human disturbance".[1] The first RNA was established on the Coronado National Forest in Arizona in 1927.[2]
The Bureau of Land Management is another agency that designates and manages Research Natural Areas.[1] According to the Bureau of Land Management, the objectives of the RNA program are "(1) To preserve examples of all significant natural ecosystems for comparison with those influenced by man; (2) to provide educational and research areas for ecological and environmental studies; and (3) to preserve gene pools of typical and endangered plants and animals. Research natural areas are intended to represent the full array of North American ecosystems with their biological communities, habitats, natural phenomena, and geological and hydrological formations." The Bureau of Land Management manages 192 RNAs with a total area of 502,748 acres (2,034.55 km2).[3]
As of 1993[update], the US Forest Service managed 289 established RNAs and more than 300 candidate RNAs.[4] As of 2018[update], there were 571 US Forest Service RNAs (Note that these are not complete lists):
https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd573586.pdf, https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd527907.pdf, p. J-3.
These areas are established under the Organic Act of 1897. Areas designated as Research Natural Areas are primarily located inside National Forests.
^ ab"BLM Guidelines for ACEC's and RNA's" (PDF). Bureau of Land Management. Retrieved April 23, 2014.
^Franklin, Jerry F.; Jenkins, Robert E.; Romancier, Robert M. (April–June 1972). "Research Natural Areas: Contributors to Environmental Quality Programs/". Journal of Environmental Quality. I (2): 134.
^"Public Land Statistics: 2011" (PDF). Bureau of Land Management. p. 246. Retrieved April 23, 2014.
^"Research Natural Areas Program, USDA Forest Service. National Strategy: Opportunities for the Future" (PDF). USFS. July 1993. Retrieved July 21, 2010.
and 29 Related for: Research Natural Area information
The Dukes ResearchNaturalArea is a 233-acre (0.94 km2) tract of northern hardwood forest located within the 5,000-acre (20 km2) Upper Peninsula Experimental...
The Lost Forest ResearchNaturalArea is a designated forest created by the Bureau of Land Management to protect an ancient stand of ponderosa pine in...
Winona Lake ResearchNaturalArea is a 280-acre (110 ha) area of old-growth forest in Saline County, in the U.S. state of Arkansas. It is located in the...
Goat Marsh ResearchNaturalArea is a 1,195 acres (484 hectares) researchnaturalarea located southwest of Mount St. Helens and within Mount St. Helens...
Iron Fens NaturalArea Gothic ResearchNaturalArea in Gunnison National Forest Gunnison Gravels ResearchNaturalArea Haviland Lake NaturalArea in Haviland...
Pine Point ResearchNaturalArea is a naturalarea that is protected by the United States Department of Agriculture, specifically through the branch of...
Moquah Barrens ResearchNaturalArea is a 636-acre (257 ha) area of pine barrens in Bayfield County, Wisconsin. It is located within the Chequamegon-Nicolet...
restricted areas R-5701 and R-5706. The Navy set aside 4,750 acres (19.2 km2) as the Boardman ResearchNaturalArea within the facility. Access to the area for...
Toolik Lake ResearchNaturalArea and the Galbraith Lake Outstanding NaturalArea for rare plants. Camping is prohibited within the area. The Toolik Field...
The Hall NaturalArea or Harvey Monroe Hall NaturalArea is a region on the eastern border of Yosemite National Park in California. The area is located...
The Desert Tortoise ResearchNaturalArea (DTRNA) is a 39.5-square-mile (102 km2) area in the western Mojave Desert, located in eastern Kern County, Southern...
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in the United States includes 58 naturalareas in its State Forest system. They are managed by the Pennsylvania Bureau...
Protected Area Profile for Narraguinnep ResearchNaturalArea from the World Database on Protected Areas. Retrieved May 10 2023. "Colorado NaturalAreas". cpw...
sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, funga...
extensive natural resources research organization in the world". The mission of the Southern Research Station is: ...to engage in high-quality research leading...
806 acres (326 ha) Wagon Cave ResearchNaturalArea was established to study and protect the unique flora found in the area. The location is known for huge...
Similarly, in order to be a natural science researcher, the person should have knowledge of fields related to natural science (physics, chemistry, biology...
in northern California. The mountain is in the Mount Eddy RNA, a ResearchNaturalArea on the Shasta–Trinity National Forest, a unit of the United States...
island due to its isolation by high, sheer cliffs) was designated a researchnaturalarea in 1986. The Island supports one of the last relatively pristine...
A scientist is a person who researches to advance knowledge in an area of the natural sciences. In classical antiquity, there was no real ancient analog...
statistical area in the United States, if it contains a population of more than 50,000. Urban areas originate through urbanization, and researchers categorize...
Natural science is one of the branches of science concerned with the description, understanding and prediction of natural phenomena, based on empirical...
defines the southern boundary of the 975-acre (395 ha) Hale Ridge ResearchNaturalArea (RNA), and parallels the east side of Forest Road 17N04 (Twin Valley...
The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC; French: Conseil de recherches en sciences naturelles et en génie du Canada, CRSNG)...