The Pacific Northwest Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (PNW CESU) is a cooperative venture between ten federal agencies dedicated to natural and cultural resource management and 17 leading academic institutions and one state agency in the Pacific Northwest region. The University of Washington serves as host to the PNW CESU. While it is anticipated that most projects will be accomplished through the PNW CESU, other CESU units in the United States may be utilized depending on the nature of the requirement. To date, there are 17 Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units, each representing a distinct biogeographic region of the Unites States, with all regions connected through a national network. The overarching goal of the CESU network is to improve the scientific base for managing federal lands by providing resource managers with high-quality scientific research, technical assistance, and education. Since its founding in October 2000, over 450 projects have been funded through the PNW CESU Cooperative Agreement.