Developing a sustainable plan to advance research and education at the Valentine Eastern Sierra Reserve

Valentine Eastern Sierra Reserve（VESR）由加州大学自然保护区系统39个野外观测站中的2个组成，位于Sierra内华达州山脉东部悬崖的底部。VESR吸引了来自美国各地的研究人员研究许多广泛的问题，从水生生态系统生态学到气候变化的生态响应，并以其积极的外展计划而闻名。 为了更好地服务于不断增长的VESR选民，同时使VESR作为一种资源永久化，该项目将为VESR研究，教育，推广计划和设施制定长期（五到十年）战略计划。该战略计划将阐明研究和教育用途的科学愿景，并对支持这一愿景所需的方案、设施需求和资源进行评估。该战略计划的目标是通过一个区域机构、非营利组织、学术界和外地站伙伴网络，加强内华达大学环境与资源研究所的研究和教育活动，并加强整个内华达州山脉地区研究、教育和外联活动的区域协调，规划过程涉及通过虚拟和面对面讲习班与主要利益攸关方接触，以确定区域协调机会。该战略计划将指导设施和方案改进的优先次序，以及内华达州东部塞拉利昂的研究人员、学生、教育工作者和自然资源管理人员的访问。环境科学硕士水平的学生在这一过程中的参与将提供生物研究，环境管理和相关领域的研究生水平的培训。在拟议规划进程支持的研讨会上与区域协调员接触，是建立代表东塞拉内华达州的区域协调节点的正式步骤，该节点可以更有效地参与更大规模的全球观测站或气候变化研究工作。战略计划和规划进程将有助于正在进行的对话，并直接使管辖内华达州的几个土地和野生动物管理机构受益，由于持续干旱和其他环境压力，这些机构近年来对土地管理信息的需求显著增加。

The Valentine Eastern Sierra Reserve (VESR) comprises 2 of 39 field stations in the University of California Natural Reserve System, and is located at the base of the eastern escarpment of the Sierra Nevada mountains. VESR attracts researchers from throughout the US to study many wide-ranging issues, from aquatic ecosystem ecology to ecological responses to climate change, and is well known for its active outreach programs. To best serve the growing VESR constituency while perpetuating VESR as a resource, this project will develop a long-term (five to ten year) strategic plan for VESR research, education, outreach programs, and facilities. The strategic plan will articulate a scientific vision for research and educational use, and an evaluation of the programs, facility needs and resources necessary to support that vision. The goal of the strategic plan is to enhance research and education activities at VESR as well as the regional coordination of research, education and outreach activities across the Sierra Nevada region through a network of regional agency, non-profit, academic and field station partners.The planning process involves engaging with key stakeholders through virtual and in-person workshops to identify regional coordination opportunities. The strategic plan will direct the prioritization of facilities and programs enhancements, and access for researchers, students, educators and natural resource managers in the eastern Sierra Nevada. The involvement of an Environmental Science Masters level student in this process will provide graduate student level training in biological research, environmental management and related fields. Engaging with regional coordinators at workshops supported by the proposed planning process represents a formalized step in establishing a regionally coordinated node representing the Eastern Sierra Nevada that can more effectively participate in larger scale global observatory or climate change research efforts. The strategic plan and planning process will contribute to ongoing dialogue, and directly benefit several land and wildlife management agencies with jurisdiction over the Sierra Nevada, whose need for information to inform land management has increased markedly in recent years due to persistent drought conditions and other environmental stressors.