The ERI is nationally recognized for mobilizing the unique assets of a university to help solve the problem of unnaturally severe wildfire and degraded forest health in the region. The ERI works to help land management agencies and communities by providing comprehensive focused studies, monitoring and evaluation research, and technical support. The ERI is funded by a combination of programmatic state and federal funding, such as the Southwestern Ecological Restoration Institutes (SWERI), and through competitive grants programs. The goals of ERI go beyond scientific discovery to the meaningful application of scientific knowledge that makes a difference for western forests. The mission of ERI is to serve as an objective leader in research, scholarship, and education, and in collaborative efforts to plan and implement restoration treatments for frequent-fire forest and woodland landscapes of the Interior West.