Introduction by P. Bourgeron

Dear ILTER Representative,

As part of our aim to develop ILTER as a global organization, the ILTER Science Agenda Committee has developed a plan for a pilot project to provide an assessment of ecosystem services (ES) and their interactions in ILTER sites around the globe. This project will demonstrate the ILTER's unique capability to perform synthesis at the network level and will increase our potential to secure funding from national and international sources. The project was fully supported by the ILTER Coordinating Committee at its meeting in Beijing last August, and all member networks present agreed that they would do their best to participate in the work.

What would we like you to do now?

Attached are supporting documents for the implementation of the initiative "Interactions among ecosystem services, ecosystem dynamics, and human outcomes and behavior". Documents include: a proposal detailing the work, three appendices supporting the proposal, and the outline of the science workshop to be held during the next ILTER annual meeting. In this initial phase of the project, we would like each member network to contribute by working on one of its sites representing one selected biome. The initiative will be implemented in three distinct stages:

• implementation of the integrative framework and selection of critical ecosystem services prior to the ILTER annual meeting
• analysis of interactions among social and ecological dynamics at multiple scales during the ILER annual meeting (workshop)
• synthesis to be performed by the end of December 2008.

Based on network-specific existing knowledge and resources, as well as previous experience with similar projects, work to be performed before the ILTER annual meeting (August 17-23) should take 3 to 5 days at most for each site.

How and when would we do it?

As further detailed in the proposal (see attachment), the following process would be followed. Target dates are suggested based on previous experience with similar exercises. Coordination and assistance will be provided by a combination of members of the Science Agenda Committee and network volunteers:

1. Implementation of the ISSE framework for each study site.
1. Each member network will propose one site per biome for up to three biomes using the Millennium Assessment classification (Table 1 in proposal). Only one of these will be used in the pilot. The proposed sites should be LTER sites with sufficient background knowledge and expertise to implement the required socio-ecological framework.
2. Please send me your proposed sites and the biomes in which they are found by 15 June. The science agenda committee will then identify which biomes are sufficiently well covered to be included in the pilot phase and will then discuss the final choice of your site with you as a function of site-based scientific expertise
3. Preliminary implementation of the framework would then be completed by 11 July under the guidance and assistance of the science agenda committee members and potential network volunteers.
2. Identification of the six critical ES, direction of change, primary drivers of change, public awareness of the ES, and institution(s) that manage the ES. This step would be performed by August 8 using the table provided in Appendix 2 under the guidance and assistance of the science agenda committee members and potential network volunteers as needed.
3. Identification of threshold interactions between environmental and socio-economic dynamics at multiple scales, and forecasting the effects of these interactions on ecosystem services and ecological resilience. This step would be performed during a science workshop at the annual meeting.
4. Synthesis within and among biomes of culture-specific socio-economic dynamics leading to increases or decreases in resilience (to be conducted by the end of December 2008).

An explanation of each step is provided in the attached documentation but if you need advice and assistance at any stage, please contact me or any other member of the science agenda committee.

Regarding the final step, I have approached NSF and inquired whether it could sponsor a workshop. As soon as the EXCOM approves the initiative, we can discuss the modalities of the NSF workshop, the submission of a proposal, and its timing.

Please note my new email address and phone number. I am looking forward to working with you.

Best,

Patrick S Bourgeron
Director, Center for the Environment
Professor, Department of Environmental Science and Policy
Plymouth State University
MSC 63
17 High Street
Plymouth, NH 03264-1595

Tel: 603-535-3179
Fax: 603-535-3004
Email: psbourgeron@plymouth.edu