Northern Kentucky University FSML- Planning Grant: Developing a Five Year Plan

该项目将为北肯塔基大学(NKU)研究和教育野外站(REFS)制定一个5年战略计划。该站毗邻圣安妮森林和湿地(SAWW)，俄亥俄河沿岸和附近155英亩的保育地役权自然区。Refs位于外早熟禾生态区，有开阔和闭合的森林湿地、高地草原和树木繁茂的自然区，包含大量的老森林，主要是山毛榉。尽管SAWW目前和过去的生态学研究包括一些国家数据收集方案，但由于现场缺乏实验室设施，研究的广度和深度受到限制。国家科联最近购置和翻修了一栋建筑和相关的土地，作为其第一个外地站点，这为新的研究举措以及相关的教育和外联机会打开了大门。这个项目意义重大，因为它将为加强和建立大学研究和教育方案提供行动计划，同时启动和发展P-12和社区外联方案。外地站为以前无法开展的活动提供了空间，包括室内实验室和实地处理程序、会议、研究和教育工作空间、储藏室和洗手间。因此，这个项目很重要，因为它将以三种方式促进科学进步：即，它将为新的参考文献提供一个框架，以1)开发和丰富SAWW新的和现有的实地研究计划，以促进长期项目并与国家数据库建立网络，例如我们正在进行的关于凋落物分解和永久林地的研究以及肯塔基州野外站组织(KOFS)的积极成员资格的国家数据库(NSF-EREN)；2)为本科生扩大生态和跨学科教育机会；以及3)增加与我们的社区合作伙伴(商业、政府、教育、非营利组织、和广大公众)，以扩大学习和研究机会，提高自然意识，提高环境素养，以创造更有见识的公众。圣安妮森林和湿地(SAWW)包括155英亩俄亥俄河沿岸和附近的保育地役权自然区。它位于外早熟禾生态区，有开阔和闭合的森林湿地、高地草原和树木繁茂的自然区，其中包含大量的老森林，主要是山毛榉。南大西洋公约组织的研究始于100多年前，由E.Lucy Braun开始，最近的重点是野外生物学(两栖和爬行动物多样性、植物多样性、鸟巢生物学)、生物地球化学过程、监测外来物种和入侵物种的影响以及修复受损的系统。通过这些项目，北肯塔基大学(NKU)的科学家还培训了本科生进行实地研究。我们打算通过这一项目制定一项为期5年的外勤站战略计划，以建立一个系统的研究活动组织，可以与地方、区域和/或国家基地的其他地点联网，特别是长期数据集。新收购的NKU研究和教育野外站(REFS)位于南加州大学附近，距离NKU校园只有几分钟的路程，它将集中这些研究工作，允许处理和分析样品，接收监测仪器输出，并补充实地研究。规划进程将有助于制定注重预算的外地站使用计划和供应方向，以便将新技术纳入监测研究和通信信息学。同时，它将为NKU教职员工和其他人更广泛地研究使用这一设施提供激励。这些活动将从我们目前参与的生态研究教育网络(NSF-EREN)和肯塔基州野外站组织(KOFS)开始。外勤站靠近NKU校区，将扩大生态本科生教学的机会，同时在其他一系列学科提供独特的跨学科教学机会。REFS将扩大我们与企业、教育机构、非营利组织和广大公众的合作伙伴关系，以促进地区增长和活力。为此，该设施将加强P-12学校的社区外联活动，以改善大学准备情况，举办夏令营，并促进教师继续教育。该计划还将纳入NKU环境恢复中心--一个以教学为基础的环境咨询中心--使用外勤站和SAWW，以培训本科生改进土地管理和恢复技术。该站网站(http://stannewetlands.org/))概述了南盟开展的活动。

This project will prepare a 5-year strategic plan for the Northern Kentucky University (NKU) Research and Education Field Station (REFS). This station is located adjacent to the St. Anne Woods and Wetlands (SAWW), 155 acres of conservation easement natural areas on and near the Ohio River. REFS is located in the Outer Bluegrass Ecoregion, with open- and closed-canopy forested wetlands, upland grassland, and wooded natural areas containing substantial old growth forest, primarily dominated by beech. Although current and past ecological research at SAWW has included some national data collection programs, the breadth and depth of studies have been limited by the lack of laboratory facilities at the site. The acquisition and recent refurbishment of a building by NKU and associated land as its first field station opens the door to new research initiatives and associated education and outreach opportunities. This project is significant in that it will provide a plan of action for both enhancing and building university research and education programs while initiating and developing P-12 and community outreach programs. The field station provides a space for activities that were previously not possible, including indoor laboratory and field processing procedures, meetings, research and education workspace, storage, and restrooms. Therefore this project is important because it will promote the progress of science in a three-fold manner: namely, it will provide a framework for the new REFS to 1) develop and enrich new and existing field research programs at SAWW to contribute to long-term projects and network with national databases such as our on-going Ecological Research as Education Network (NSF-EREN) studies on litter decomposition and permanent forest plots and active membership in the Kentucky Organization of Field Stations (KOFS), 2) expand ecological and transdisciplinary educational opportunities for undergraduates, and 3) increase engagement with our community partners (business, government, education, nonprofit organizations, and public-at-large) to expand learning and research opportunities, enhance nature awareness, and increase environmental literacy to create a better informed public. The St. Anne Woods and Wetlands (SAWW) contain 155 acres of conservation easement natural areas on and near the Ohio River. It is located in the Outer Bluegrass Ecoregion, with open- and closed-canopy forested wetlands, upland grassland, and wooded natural areas containing substantial old growth forest, primarily dominated by beech. Research at SAWW began over 100 years ago by E. Lucy Braun and most recently has focused on field biology (amphibian and reptile diversity, plant diversity, bird nesting biology), biogeochemical processes, monitoring of the impacts of introduced and invasive species, and the restoration of damaged systems. Through these projects, scientists at Northern Kentucky University (NKU) have also trained undergraduates in field research. Our intent through this project to develop a 5-year field station strategic plan to create a systematic organization of research activities that can be networked with other sites on local, regional, and/or national bases, particularly for long-term data sets. The newly acquired NKU Research and Education Field Station (REFS), which is located adjacent to SAWW and only a few minutes from the NKU campus, will centralize these research efforts and allow for processing and analyses of samples, receive monitoring instrumentation output, and complement field studies. The planning process will facilitate the establishment of a budget-conscious field station usage plan and supply direction for the incorporation of new technologies in monitoring studies and communication informatics. Simultaneously, it will provide incentives for broader research use of this facility by NKU faculty and others. These activities will begin with our current participation in the Ecological Research as Education Network (NSF-EREN) and the Kentucky Organization of Field Stations (KOFS). The proximity of the field station to the NKU campus will expand opportunities for ecological undergraduate instruction while providing unique transdisciplinary teaching opportunities over a range of other disciplines. REFS will expand our partnerships with businesses, educational institutions, non-profit organizations, and the public-at-large to catalyze regional growth and vitality. To do so, the facility will enhance community outreach activities for P-12 schools to improve college readiness, host summer camps, and facilitate teacher continuing education. The plan will also incorporate the use of the field station and SAWW by the NKU Center for Environmental Restoration, an instructional-based environmental consulting center, to train undergraduates in improved techniques of land management and restoration. The station website (http://stannewetlands.org/) provides an overview of activities that have been done at SAWW.