A National Ecological Network for Research and Education | Science

Citizen science programs have greatly increased in recent years, in part owing to the availability of the Internet for data input and access. In the Jason Expedition (www.jason.org), fifth to eighth grade students have collected ecological data to share with other schools. Citizen Science Central began in 2006 as a "clearinghouse for ideas, news, and resources in support of citizen science" and developed a toolkit to facilitate that process (www.birds.cornell.edu/citscitoolkit). The National Institute of Invasive Species Science (NIISS, www.niiss.org) is a consortium of organizations that relies on citizen-science monitoring and reporting of invasive species. Project Budburst (www.budburst.org), a partner with the National Phenology Network (www.usanpn.org), engages the public in observations of seasonal events, such as first leaf, first flower, and first ripe fruit for a diverse array of plant species found in the United States.

NEON (National Ecological Observatory Network) differs from other national science programs in its goals to launch ecological research and education platforms simultaneously in a way that improves ecological forecasting. Planning for NEON has taken a decade with hundreds of ecologists collaborating (www.neoninc.org/). Projected to become fully operational in 2016, the NEON national network includes 20 domain sites of matching stationary and mobile field sensors, laboratories, archival data, synthesis and analysis centers, and education nodes, all linked through high-capacity cyberinfrastructure.