New networks, new committees and a new chairperson all mark exciting developments for the ILTER initiative in 2003.
The recent activity has also increased the interest of the Office of International Science and Engineering (the group at the National Science Foundation that oversees international science funding, known as INT), as well as renewed interest from the LTER and ILTER communities.
Following a close look at Network Office international activities, INT offered a "Discussion Draft" of a Proposal to LTER concerning U.S. involvement in International LTER activities. This proposal is available on the LTER Web site. Main points include the offer to fund a coordinator to facilitate communication and international collaborative activities, including information management training. This preliminary proposal was presented to the LTER community for discussion at the Sept 2003 All Scientists’ Meeting. The initiative, previously supported mainly by supplements to the LTER Network Office, is growing into a much more structured effort. Through this transition the ILTER community and the NSF will continue to discuss the options for growth, welcoming input from the larger community.
The U.S. LTER has formed an International Networking Committee Membership includes:
- Nick Brokaw (Luquillo)
- Patrick Bougeron (Niwot)
- Ted Gragson (Coweeta)
- Steve Hamburg (Harvard Forest)
- Dave Hartnett (Konza)
- Brian Kloeppel (Coweeta)
- Dick Lathrop (North Temperate Lakes)
- Kate Lajtha (Andrews)
- Berry Lyons (McMurdo)
- Chris Madden International LTER (Florida Coastal)
- Dennis Ojima (Shortgrass Steppe)
- Deb Peters (Jornada)
- Kristin Vanderbilt (Sevilleta)
- Bob Waide (Luquillo)
No chair has yet been selected.
The ILTER Network has formed a committee of representatives from each of the six regions:
- Christian Leveque (Western Europe)
- Julius Oszlanyi (Central and Eastern Europe)
- Manuel Maass (North America)
- Jorge Jimenez (Central and South America)
- Zhao Shidong (East Asia/Pacific)
- Johan Pauw (Southern Africa).
Also, the ILTER Committee has elected new chair - Henbiau King (Taiwan-ROC). These individuals can be reached via the LTER personnel database on the Website.
Two countries have joined the ILTER Network recently. Slovenia and Romania presented the merits of their science and network infrastructure to attendees at the All Scientist’s Meeting in Seattle and these presentations are available on the Website.
In addition, regional network level activity in southern Africa has increased (see article), as well as good cross-site science developing between Coweeta LTER and France's Zones Ateliers (see article).