Minutes from the 2nd Organizational Meeting,
May 13, 2005
University of Tennessee, Carolyn P. Brown University Center
On May 13, 2005, representatives from a number of academic, government, and private institutions met at the University of Tennessee to discuss the future of the Southern Appalachians to the Ozarks Ecological Observatory (SAPOZEO). The primary purposes of the meeting were:
(1) to
discuss how the national effort (www.NEONInc.org) and the regional consortium
activities (www.COREONEON.org) are progressing,
(2)
to learn more about ongoing large-scale monitoring activities in the region
that we may have missed in our meeting last summer,
(3)
to develop ideas on key regional issues that the National Ecological
Observatory Network (NEON) might address,
(4)
to discuss the content and implications of the Latest NEON
Design Consortium Committee Reports, and
(5)
to discuss plans for development of a regional NEON observatory.
Jake Weltzin, University of Tennessee, opened the meeting at 9:00 am by welcoming the participants and introducing Chris Boake, Professor and Head of the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary at UT.
Dr. Boake briefly reviewed the history and development of the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON).
Frank Harris of the University of Tennessee emphasized the need for real-time ecological observation, citing the recent discovery of the once-thought-extinct Ivory Billed Woodpecker.
Jake Weltzin returned to the front of the room to describe the NEON development process, noting that the National Science Foundation (NSF) has recognized the need for coordinated ecological observation and has approached ecologists and asked them to respond with a plan. Weltzin presented background on NSF funding for NEON, both for infrastructure and for research activities. He indicated that $500 million for infrastructure development is provided through the NSF’s Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction (MREFC) Account. Funding for research activities will be provided through the NSF Directorate for Biological Sciences.
Additionally, Weltzin gave overviews of NEON’s:
§ Schedule for development
§ Project Office structure
§ Project structure
§ Formal design process
Weltzin concluded with an overview of the Consortium of Regional Ecological Observatories (COREO). After reviewing its creation, development and mission statement, he provided details on the development process for individual regions. Weltzin defined and reviewed the required elements for a COREO region.
At 10:20 am there was a brief question and answer session followed by a break at 10:40.
Mike Woodside of the U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) reviewed the objectives and activities of the National Water Quality Assessment Program (NAWQA). Dr. Woodside invited participants to review studies and protocols for NAWQA on the Web at http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/.
Phil Crowley of the University of Kentucky gave a presentation on Griffith Woods and the Silver Lake Farm Savannah Restoration Project. He described ongoing efforts to preserve and learn from 170 acres of remaining Bluegrass savannah, and suggested the potential for integration with NEON.
Robb Turner of the University of Tennessee and Southern Appalachian Man and the Biosphere (SAMAB) reviewed the current activities and funding of SAMAB. He stressed the need to make ecological issues relevant to the public by applying economic value to them.
Julian Campbell of the Nature Conservancy of Kentucky presented challenges and opportunities for Nature Conservancy activities and suggested their potential for integration with NEON.
Jeanie Hilten of Discover Life in America (DLIA) gave a joint presentation with Keith Langdon of the National Park Service at Great Smoky Mountain National Park (GRSM). Keith Langdon spoke first and described ongoing ecological efforts within GRSM. Jeanie Hilten followed by describing current efforts by DLIA and the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory (ATBI).
Ken Smith of the University of the
South took the floor at 12:15 to review ongoing studies of temporal changes on
the southern Cumberland Plateau.
Virginia Dale of Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) discussed modeling of current and desired future conditions of forests in the Cumberland Plateau and Mountains.
Lunch
Jake Weltzin encouraged participants to review the NEON Design Consortium Committee Reports on the NEON website and provide feedback. Weltzin then gave examples of observatory design features.
At 2:30 pm participants were assigned to breakout groups to address key issues facing the development of SAPOZEO. Breakout group topics and questions included:
Alternative models for regional observatory design (Given what we know about the likely requirements for an observatory, what are alternative models for designing an observatory in our region?)
Marketing/Outreach for SAPOZEO (What marketing or outreach would our region have do to secure an observatory?)
Contribution of
SAPOZEO to identified abiotic,
biotic, and education issues (How can our
region contribute to the key issues determined by the SHDC groups (abiotic,
biotic, education)?
Developing SAPOZEO infrastructure (Develop/construct a web-based information system (database +) to document/organize the regions people, facilities, resources and capabilities. A) Define the content and B) Build the system)
Each breakout group reported back, with minor discussion. Pat Mulholland indicated that he would provide a synopsis of progress after the June NEON NDC committee meeting.
Adjourn at 5 pm
Report by Jake Weltzin, jweltzin_at_utk.edu