The ERI is a pioneer in conducting research and disseminating information about restoration treatment outcomes, strategies, and techniques in the Southwest. We seek to provide the best available knowledge about restoration to a wide variety of audiences, from academic researchers to professional land managers to members of the public. Our work focuses on both ecological and sociopolitical issues, and falls into three general categories: 1) research, 2) education, and 3) outreach, conducted through events, publications, and assistance with treatment implementation. The ERI is an independent research branch of Northern Arizona University. It is directed by forest ecologist and NAU Regents' Professor W. Wallace Covington, who has been studying the ecology of southwestern ponderosa pine forests since the mid-1970s. The ERI has more than 30 employees engaged in research, outreach, and education. The ERI continues to gain federal and state support for its projects. The ERI has also directly benefited southwestern communities by providing technical expertise to policy-makers, professional land managers, and community members seeking to restore ecological integrity and reduce fire risks in the region's forests. In October 2004, ERI became one of three state-level institutes approved by Congress to work to solve problems of forest health and unnatural wildfire through science-based approaches.