International Networking in Long-Term Ecological Research, the report of the initial ILTER meeting, September 1993, is now available from the Network Office
The second meeting of the Steering Committee for the International Long-Term Ecological Research (ILTER) network was held at Rothamsted Station in the United Kingdom on August27 and 28, 1994. Attending were 18 individuals from seven countries, including all but one of the Steering Committee members elected at the initial meeting following last year’s LTER All Scientists meeting at Estes Park, CO. The August U.K. meeting was associated with the International Congress of Ecology (INTECOL) in Manchester which included a demonstration of communication technology by the LTER Connectivity Team (Rudolf Nottrott, John Porter, and James Brunt) and a paper session on long-term ecological research chaired by Network Manager John Vande Castle.
Mission and Action Program
The ILTER group focused primarily upon mission definition and development 0f an action program for improved communications among sites and scientists engaged in long-term ecological research throughout the world. A draft mission statement was prepared, to be refined over the next several months, which identifies the main objectives of ILTER:
- Promote and enhance understanding of long-term ecological phenomena across national and regional boundaries
- Promote comparative analysis and synthesis across sites
- Facilitate interaction among participating scientists across disciplines and sites
- Promote comparability of observations and experiments, integration of research and monitoring, and encourage data exchange
- Enhance training and education in comparative long-term ecological research and its relevant technology
- Contribute to the scientific basis for ecosystem management
Future Meetings and Participation
Primary participants in ILTER are expected to be Scientists, sites, and networks of sites committed to the concept and practice of long-term ecological research. At the U.K. meeting, an action program was developed for improving communications among these participants, including development of a global directory. The U.S. LTER Network Office will lead much of this activity.
A schedule has been established for ILTER annual meetings, workshops or symposia, as well as meetings of the ILTER Steering Committee. Meetings are planned for Hungary (1995), Latin America (1996), China (1997), Canada (1998), Africa (1999) and the United States (2000). More information on these and other ILTER meetings and activities will be reported in future issues of the LTER Network News.