Using the Climate Engine Vegetation Production Reports
Introduction
Imagine being able to monitor how much shrubland and grassland vegetation is growing right now, anywhere in the lower 48 states of the U.S.—without ever setting foot in the field. With near real-time Vegetation Production Reports from Climate Engine, it’s possible to access decades of satellite-based assessments of forage quantity for any location in the continental United States. Whether you manage grazing allotments, oversee land stewardship, or track drought recovery and response, these reports deliver actionable, science-backed insights directly at your fingertips.
Why Use Satellite-Based Vegetation Production Data?
Monitoring vast landscapes such as grasslands and shrublands across the western United States has always been a major challenge. Traditional field-based data collection methods are invaluable, but they are labor-intensive, time-consuming, and not scalable to millions of acres over time. Collecting and maintaining field data on such a large scale every few weeks simply is not practical.
Satellite-based vegetation production datasets provide a powerful solution to this problem. These datasets offer frequent, consistent, and spatially comprehensive estimates of how much vegetation is growing and what types of plants dominate across large areas. This allows for continuous landscape-scale monitoring in ways that were never before possible.
Whether you are making grazing management decisions, monitoring the effects of drought, or tracking post-fire recovery, it is essential to have more than just a single point-in-time observation. Reliable information on current conditions, historical trends, and comparisons to long-term averages—updated regularly rather than once a season or year—enables informed, timely decisions.
These remote sensing datasets meet that need, delivering near real-time information across large areas so that range specialists, wildlife biologists, and other practitioners can access the data they need quickly and efficiently. Instead of spending large budgets on travel, manual measurements, and data entry, managers can now obtain validated and consistent vegetation production summaries by simply drawing a shape on a map and selecting “Generate Report.”
While the reports are simple to create, proper interpretation requires some care. Users are encouraged to understand the underlying datasets and analytical summaries provided within the reports. Integrating these insights with other lines of evidence ensures accurate, context-rich understanding. This tutorial provides an overview of those considerations and explains the key datasets that power the Vegetation Production Reports.
Datasets in the Vegetation Production Reports
Rangeland Analysis Platform
The primary dataset used in the Vegetation Production Reports is the Rangeland Analysis Platform (RAP), a satellite-based dataset developed by the USDA Agricultural Research Service in collaboration with multiple partners.
RAP uses satellite imagery to estimate aboveground herbaceous vegetation production—that is, the total amount of grasses and forbs growing on the landscape. These estimates are updated every 16 days and are available at a 30-meter spatial resolution, offering detailed, near real-time tracking of vegetation productivity.
The RAP time series extends back to 1986, providing one of the longest, most consistent, and most spatially complete vegetation production records available anywhere. In Climate Engine’s Vegetation Production Reports, the current year’s production data are compared against the 20-year historical average preceding the report. For example, a report produced in 2025 would use the period from 2005 through 2024 as the reference baseline. This allows for quick visual and quantitative comparisons between current conditions and long-term norms.
RAP’s extensive historical record makes it especially useful for analyzing seasonal anomalies, interannual variability, and long-term productivity trends. Whether evaluating land health, investigating drought impacts, or tracking vegetation recovery after wildfire, RAP provides an unparalleled source of information on grassland and shrubland productivity—updated approximately twice per month.
gridMET
The second core dataset used in the Vegetation Production Reports is gridMET, a high-resolution climate dataset developed by researchers at the University of California, Merced.
In these reports, the gridMET dataset provides daily precipitation estimates at a 4-kilometer resolution. Although this resolution is coarser than the 30-meter RAP data, it is still sufficiently detailed to capture important spatial variation in rainfall patterns. To make the data more interpretable, precipitation is aggregated into 5-day periods, enabling users to visualize both total rainfall and its timing—a critical factor in understanding vegetation growth and drought response.
gridMET data are available from 1979 to the present, and in the reports they are summarized for the same 20-year baseline period as RAP
Case Study #1: Vista Plains
This report was generated using RAP production data current through August 12, 2025, meaning all data presented reflect conditions up to that date.
Year-to-date Production Maps
The Year-to-date Production Maps show total vegetation production for the current year, from January 1 through August 12, 2025. These maps provide a spatial snapshot of how much herbaceous vegetation has been produced so far in the growing season.
Year-to-date Production Anomaly Maps
Directly below, the Year-to-date Production Anomaly Maps display how current vegetation growth compares to the 20-year average (2005–2024). The anomaly maps show the percentage difference between the current year’s cumulative production and the historical average for the same date range. In this case, annual forbs and grasses (AFG) show widespread negative anomalies.
It is important to note that when total production for a vegetation type is very low, percentage anomalies can appear misleadingly large. Small absolute changes in production translate into large relative percentages, so areas with very low production should always be interpreted with caution.
Production Timeseries Heatmap
At the bottom of the report, the Production Timeseries Heatmaps visualize the 16-day production values for both AFG and PFG (perennial forbs and grasses) from 1986 to the present. Each row represents a year, while the color scale shows the intensity of production in pounds per acre. This visualization allows for quick identification of interannual variability, timing of seasonal peaks, and long-term changes in productivity.
In the PFG panel, a consistent seasonal pulse occurs from late spring through summer. However, over time—particularly from the late 1980s and 1990s to more recent decades—the heatmap colors transition from darker blues to lighter greens, indicating a long-term decline in summer perennial production. The current year, however, appears slightly above average relative to its 20-year baseline.
In contrast, the AFG panel shows consistently low production levels, reflecting sparse annual growth. This pattern indicates that perennials dominate the vegetation community in this area, and again, it reinforces the need for caution when interpreting percentage anomalies under low production conditions.
Current Year Production Rate Compared with Historical Percentiles
The chart showing the current year production rate compared with historical percentiles places 2025 production in context with the distribution from the 2005–2024 baseline period. The black line traces total production from annual and perennial forbs and grasses throughout the growing season.
In early May, the total production for 2025 is below average—around the 30th percentile of historical production. However, by late May and June, and continuing through August, the black line climbs into the 60th to 80th percentile range, showing that forage growth is running above average for the year.
This figure provides valuable context for understanding how the timing and rate of production align with historical norms, helping users assess whether the growing season is ahead or behind typical conditions.
Year-to-date Cumulative Production & Precipitation
The Year-to-date Cumulative Production and Precipitation section provides a more detailed breakdown of vegetation growth by functional group alongside corresponding precipitation data.
In the top panel, the line for annual forbs and grasses (AFG) in 2025 remains below both the mean and median, indicating lower-than-average production. However, as annual growth is typically minimal for this site, that result is not unexpected. In the middle panel, perennial forbs and grasses (PFG) begin below the mean and median lines early in the year but rise above them by late June, indicating stronger-than-average productivity among perennials.
The bottom panel adds precipitation context. The cumulative rainfall line for 2025 remains below the historical mean throughout most of the year, reflecting generally dry conditions. However, a notable increase in rainfall in early June corresponds directly with the uptick in production, demonstrating how well-timed precipitation can stimulate growth even during an overall dry year.
This year’s data show that perennial forage has been stronger than expected given below-average rainfall. This suggests that favorable rainfall timing, rather than total precipitation amounts, played a key role in supporting productivity. For managers, this means that grazing strategies should focus on perennial grasses, while recognizing that annual grass anomalies may be less informative when production totals are very low.
Production and Precipitation Summaries
The Production and Precipitation Summary table consolidates the patterns shown in the maps and charts into a concise numerical summary. Reading from left to right, the first column shows the current year-to-date totals: annual forbs and grasses at 2 pounds per acre, perennials at 538.1 pounds per acre, and a combined total of 540.1 pounds per acre.
The second column lists the 20-year historical averages for the same date: 3 pounds per acre for annuals, 502.6 pounds per acre for perennials, and 505.7 pounds per acre in total. The third column converts these values into percentages, comparing current totals to the long-term means. Annual grasses are at 65.4 percent of normal, perennials are at 107 percent, and total production is about 7 percent above average overall.
The trend columns provide additional historical context, showing long-term declines in perennial and total production at rates of 7.8 and 7.4 pounds per acre per year, respectively—equivalent to about 150 pounds per acre over the 20-year baseline period.
The final column presents the mean total annual production values based on the 2005–2024 baseline. Annual grasses typically contribute around 3.7 pounds per acre per year, while perennials average about 701 pounds per acre, for a total of approximately 704.7 pounds per acre of forage. These long-term benchmarks provide important reference points for interpreting current-year totals.
Precipitation data show that year-to-date rainfall in 2025 is 9.5 inches, compared to a long-term average of 14.4 inches—roughly two-thirds of normal. The long-term trend shows a gradual loss of 0.10 inches per year, and average annual precipitation across the baseline period is just over 23 inches. Despite these drier-than-average conditions, perennial grasses in Vista Plains have maintained above-average production, suggesting strong resilience and favorable climatic timing.
Case Study #2 - Bitterbrush Hills
The second case study, Bitterbrush Hills, was also generated on August 12, 2025, with data current through that date.
Year-to-date Production Maps
In Bitterbrush Hills, annual forbs and grasses show moderate production, with some higher values concentrated in the central region—likely linked to local variations in topography, soil type, and precipitation. Perennial forbs and grasses display strong, widespread growth, with large areas showing values in the 200–400 pounds per acre range.
Year-to-date Production Anomaly Maps
AFG anomalies are mixed but generally near or slightly below normal, while PFG anomalies are consistently positive, confirming that perennial productivity is higher than average across most of the allotment.
Production Timeseries Heatmap
The AFG heatmap reveals greater interannual variability in recent decades, with alternating years of strong and weak growth. This reflects periods of high annual flushes and environmental variability. For 2025, annual production is tracking near the historical median. The PFG heatmap shows consistent seasonal pulses each year, with no clear long-term upward or downward trend, indicating stable perennial productivity through time.
Current Year Production Rate Compared with Historical Percentiles
This chart shows the current year production rate in 2025 compared with historical percentiles. Here, the black line traces the total production of annual and perennial forbs and grasses combined across the 2025 growing season. Early in the year, the black line hugs the dotted median line closely, telling us production was tracking right at normal levels. But as we move into May and June, the line rises into the 60th to 80th percentile band, which means that forage was growing faster than typical for this time of year.
As summer progresses to August, the black line stays elevated above the median, showing that this allotment sustained stronger-than-normal production through the core of the growing season. This pattern is especially important to highlight because it happened despite below-average total precipitation. It shows us that the timing of precipitation aligned well with plant demand, allowing perennials to make efficient use of available moisture.
In 2025, total production begins near the historical median early in the season. By May and June, the rate increases into the 60th–80th percentile range and remains above average through August. This sustained strong growth, even with below-average total precipitation, suggests that rainfall timing aligned well with plant water demand, allowing vegetation to make efficient use of available moisture.
Year-to-date Cumulative Production and Precipitation Summary
The cumulative production and precipitation figures further clarify these relationships. In the top panel, AFG production for 2025 stays close to the mean and above the median, indicating roughly average performance for annuals. In the middle panel, PFG production remains above both the mean and median and exceeds the 75th percentile, demonstrating that perennials are driving the year’s strong productivity. In the bottom panel, cumulative precipitation stays below the long-term mean for most of the year.
These results illustrate an important ecological point: total rainfall alone does not explain vegetation response. In Bitterbrush Hills, precipitation timing and distribution were more favorable than total accumulation, resulting in efficient growth despite drier conditions. Overall, 2025 represents a strong perennial year for the allotment, with production exceeding expectations given the climatic context.
Production and Precipitation Summaries
The summary table quantifies these patterns. Year-to-date totals show 109.2 pounds per acre for annuals, 277.3 pounds per acre for perennials, and a combined total of 386.4 pounds per acre. The historical averages for this date are 113.1, 230.2, and 343.4 pounds per acre, respectively. Converted to percentages, annual grasses are at 96.5 percent of normal, perennials are at 120.4 percent, and total production is 112.5 percent of the long-term mean. This indicates that perennials are performing particularly well and are primarily responsible for the above-average total.
The long-term trends show a slight decline of about two pounds per acre per year for perennials, while total production has a small positive trend overall. This variability between functional groups underscores how ecosystem balance between annuals and perennials can shift through time.
The final column lists the mean total annual values for the baseline period: 140.5 pounds per acre for annuals, 290.5 pounds per acre for perennials, and 431.1 pounds per acre combined. The precipitation row shows 5.7 inches for 2025 to date, compared to a 7.5-inch long-term mean—roughly three-quarters of normal. The long-term precipitation trend is essentially flat, with an average of nearly 12 inches annually. Even with less rainfall overall, the favorable distribution of events in 2025 supported efficient perennial growth.
Conclusion
Other Climate Engine reports
The Vegetation Production reports provide a wealth of real-time information on vegetation production. While they provide information for the current year, we encourage you to use them alongside the Site Characterization Reports — which provide information on longer-term patterns and trends — and the Drought Reports — which provide real-time drought information and may help to explain patterns in the production data.
Even with all these resources on hand, care should be taken when using climate and satellite-based vegetation datasets, as ultimately they are models of complex ecological systems. These reports will be most useful when used alongside additional lines of evidence to inform decisions, such as field-based vegetation, ecological sites, photopoints, local climate stations, and other locally available datasets.
Together, these different information sources can help to form a more comprehensive picture of a land unit and its history, providing a firmer footing for informing decisions.
The Climate Engine web application
For more customized analysis of the datasets presented in the Vegetation Production reports you can use the Climate Engine app or API, both of which you can learn more about at climateengine.org.
The Climate Engine app has been supported continuously by the Bureau of Land Management and NOAA’s National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) since 2015 and is built on Google’s cloud computing platform Google Earth Engine, allowing for rapid analysis of decades of climate and satellite-based vegetation datasets.
Visit the Climate Engine web application at app.climateengine.org