Developing a Regional Research Vision for Enhancing Field Station Resources: A Plan for Connecting the Dots

Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff AZ

Investigators

Abstract

Northern Arizona University is awarded a grant to conduct a planning process to integrate field stations and related resources in Northern Arizona. The planning process will be centered on the development of a research vision for the region. Internationally recognized experts and a strong group of local and regional scientists will be enlisted to participate in developing a suite of research questions that address growing concerns and issues regarding the science and policy implications of climate change. The ensuing research vision will guide the subsequent planning workshop, through which steps for efficiently administering and managing our integrated resources will be constructed. These resources include: the Merriam-Powell Research Station (Northern Arizona University), The Arboretum at Flagstaff (independent, non-profit), the Southwest Experimental Garden Array (SEGA: common garden field facility under development through a NSF MRI award to NAU), and the Walnut Creek Center for Education and Research (a partnership of Prescott College and NAU on the Prescott National Forest). Participants will include federal and private land managers across Northern Arizona. As a culmination to these planning workshops, the awardee will construct a five-year strategic plan that will be developed with continued consultation from the outside experts who were involved in the workshops. The focused planning process will enable key institutions to better match expenditures to future needs, enhancing their sustainability and their ability to foster research for the common good. Inclusion of managers and Native Americans in the planning process will help tie research more closely to benefits to the general public and to disadvantaged populations facing significant additional threats from climate change. During the planning process, explicit ties between research and outreach, K-12 education, undergraduate and graduate education, and communication with managers will be cultured.