On 2-3 March 2004, Rich Pouyat and Charlie Nilon, both of Baltimore Ecosystem Study LTER, joined ESA’s Nadine Lymn for Congressional Visits Day (CVD) in Washington D.C.
The main goal of this event was to urge federal support for research at agencies including NSF, USDA’s National Research Initiative, and EPA’s Science to Achieve Results Program.
Following a workshop organized by the Biological Ecological Sciences Coalition (BESC) and the Coalition for Agricultural Research Missions, Pouyat and Nilon met with their respective congressional delegates (Maryland and Missouri).
Charlie Nilon met first with Mike Shumaker of Rep. Hulshof’s office. “He initiated a conversation about water quality because of some local issues in Columbia, MO that involve the state of Missouri and EPA,” Nilon said. “He also was interested in the link between ecosystem health and potential impacts of terrorism.”
Next Nilon met with John Stoody of Sen. Bond’s office. “He was less interested, saying ‘It’s a tight budget year,’ ” Nilon said, adding that Bond has been an active supporter of NSF funding.
The BESC workshop on funding issues was very good, Nilon said. “LTER’s and ecological research are way below the radar,” and applied research has a slightly higher profile. Nilon felt that the event could use a tighter focus, “perhaps identifying issues that make ecological research more relevant to policy makers.”