Development of a Strategic Plan to Address Field Station Needs for Research, Teaching, Education and Outreach, in Northern New England

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A grant has been awarded to the Institute of Ecosystem Studies under the direction of Dr. Kathleen C. Weathers for the development of a strategic plan to address field station needs in support of research, teaching, education and outreach. The geographic focus for this planning grant is northern New England. Currently, there is no freshwater field station in this region to serve both the researchers and the wider community through access to facilities and educational programs. A series of four targeted workshops will be conducted whose participants will include representatives from the research and education communities in the northern New England region. The workshops will be focused on the need for-- and feasibility of --creating a freshwater field station based at Lake Sunapee, NH. In addition, site visits to other field stations, and consultations with key personnel from the Organization of Biological Field Stations (OBFS) will be used to guide the process and subsequent strategic plan. The work that will be conducted with this funding represents a unique collaboration and common vision for advancing science and scientific understanding for a broad range of participants and consumers. The PIs are involved in diverse research, educational, and outreach programs. These efforts include primary research in the social and natural sciences, K-8 instruction and curriculum development, undergraduate and graduate training, and outreach through offering public programs and publishing educational materials. The planning effort will reveal the infrastructure needs that will better serve the existing collaboration and bring current research to those who might use it such undergraduates and graduates, research institutions, and residents of the region.The strategic plan will either result in a plan for a facility that would serve the needs of the research and education communities, or, alternatively, point to the strengths, utility and availability of what already exists, and demonstrate how to build upon the existing infrastructure. A document will be produced for the supporting institutions and shared with others in the region.