Abstract Detail

Ecological Section

DeAngelis, Patricia [1], Havens, Kayri [2], Holsinger, Kent E. [3], Kennedy, Kathryn [4], Kramer, Andrea T. [5], Muir, Rachel  [6], Olwell, Peggy [7], Schierenbeck, Kristina A. [8], Stritch, Larry [9], Sundberg, Marshall [10], Zorn-Arnold, Barbara [11].

Assessing Botanical Capacity to Address 21st Century Grand Challenges in the United States.

Botanical capacity, the human resources necessary for researching and educating about plants and managing plant resources, plays a fundamental role in solving the 21st century’s grand challenges including climate change, ecosystem sustainability, food security, etc. This capacity is not growing. Today there are shortages of botanists at government agencies and this will be magnified by a wave of upcoming retirements. Simultaneously a decline in botanical degree programs and course offerings at the nation’s colleges and universities will make it difficulty to prepare qualified replacement hires. We must strengthen and broaden botanical training to prepare plant scientists and resource managers who not only are knowledgeable in their discipline but also skilled in communicating effectively within webs of multi-organizational problem-solving teams. Growing botanical capacity efficiently will require ongoing collaboration between all of the stakeholders to be sure that young botanists have the complete set of skills required to meet these grand challenges. We present key results and outline recommendations to reverse these losses, as detailed in a recently published report. If we do not invest in botanical capacity now, the nation’s science, sustainability, and land management agenda will suffer, opportunities to economically and efficiently solve environmental challenges will be lost, and our public lands will face accelerating degradation.

Broader Impacts:

1 - US Fish and Wildlife Service, 4401 N Fairfax Drive Suite 110, Washington, DC, 22203, USA
2 - Chicago Botanic Garden, Cons Sci Department, 1000 Lake Cook Rd, Glencoe, Illinois, 60022, USA
3 - University of Connecticut, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, 75 North Eagleville Road, U-3043, Storrs, Connecticut, 062693043, USA
4 - Center for Plant Conservation, PO Box 299, St. Louis, MO, 63110
5 - Botanic Garden Conservation International
6 - U.S. Geological Survey , 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, VA, 20192, United States of America
7 - Bureau of Land Management, Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street, NW, LSB204, Washington, DC, DC, 20240, USA
8 - California State University Chico, Department of Biological Sciences, Chico, California, 95929-0515, USA
9 - US Forest Service, WO, Range Staff, 3S, 201 14th Street, SW, Washington, DC, 20250, USA
10 - Emporia State University, Biological Sciences, Box 4050, 1200 Commercial Street, Emporia, Kansas, 66801, USA
11 - Chicago Botanical Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Road, Glenco, Illinois, 60022

Keywords:
climate change
sustainability
resource management
training botanists.

Presentation Type: Poster:Posters for Sections
Session: P
Location: Hall A/Convention Center
Date: Monday, August 2nd, 2010
Time: 5:30 PM
Number: PEC017
Abstract ID:374