CEMML began with a call to Colorado State University from the US Army Corps of Engineers in 1985. The Army Corps sought assistance in sampling vegetation at Fort Carson in Colorado Springs. They needed an inventory of vegetation there and monitoring the condition of natural resources on those training lands. From that project and a handful of employees three decades ago to more than 700 staff on campus and on US bases and installations throughout the country today, the range of service and research conducted by CEMML continues to evolve and expand.
CEMML’s headquarters is located on the Colorado State University campus in Fort Collins, Colorado. Built in 1914, CEMML’s Vocational Education building housed CSU’s Soils Laboratory for nearly 50 years, while the field outside served as soldier training grounds during the first world war.