The Bi-Monthly Meeting of the Coordinating Committee MINUTES January 16, 2013, 10:00 am to 12:00 noon USFS Forestry Sciences Lab Conference Room Conference Number: 800-893-8850; Participant PIN: 5683592 Submitted by: Allison Bidlack Allison Bidlack ACRC Director THE MEMBERSHIP and COORDINATING COMMITTEE Coordinating Committee Permanent Members Coordinating Committee Rotating Members University of Alaska Southeast The Nature Conservancy (2013) University of Alaska Fairbanks Juneau Economic Development Council (2013) University of Alaska Anchorage N.O.A.A., National Weather Service (2014) U.S. Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station U.S. Forest Service, Alaska Region U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Alaska Region City and Borough of Juneau U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Region Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Tribes of Alaska British Columbia Ministry of Forests, Lands, & Natural Resources Operations (2014) ACRC Non-Voting Members N.O.A.A., National Marine Fisheries Service Geos Institute Hakai Network for Coastal People, Ecosystems, and Management Sitka Sound Science Center Prince William Sound Science Center I. Call to Order (Bill Hanson, Coordinating Committee Chair) 10:05am 2013-1-16 ACRC Bi-Monthly Meeting of the Coordinating Committee
II. Roll Call (quorum in attendance) CC Members in Attendance CC Members Absent UAS Rick Caulfield, Marsha Sousa UAA UAF Scott Rupp CBJ FS PNW Su Alexander, Rick Edwards TNC FS Alaska Region Wayne Owen (Vice Chair) USFWS Alaska Region Bill Hanson (Chair) USGS Alaska Region Lyman Thorsteinson CCTHITA Raymond Paddock NOAA NWS Rick Fritsch JEDC Brian Holst BC Ministry, FL&NRO Andy MacKinnon ACRC Non-Voting Members in Attendance ACRC Employees in Attendance NOAA Fisheries Jeff Guyon Allison Bidlack, Director Pat Belec, Admin Assistant Other Interested Parties Eric Keller, Student Intern Kate Jensen, CCTHITA III. IV. Review Agenda Scott Rupp moved to accept agenda as presented; seconded by Wayne Owen. Approval of Minutes a. November 14, 2012 Bi-monthly Meeting of the Coordinating Committee (CC) b. Rick Edwards moved to adopt minutes as presented; Lyman Thorsteinson seconded. Approved without exception. V. Special Order of Business none VI. Information or Action Items in order of the ACRC Strategic Plan Goals Allison Bidlack presented an update on ACRC activities and a progress report on the CC priorities set out in September; with CC members furthering the discussion. a. Goal 1: Education and Professional Training i. Glacier Bay Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) Agreement ACRC working with Glacier Bay scientists and Richard Nelson, author and naturalist, to produce a soundscape of Glacier Bay s natural sounds and integrate it into the Cornell Ornithology archives. ii. Field-based education and outreach Exploring preliminary options with School of Arts & Sciences and other UAS faculty as to interest in a UAS summer experiential studies/program. Allison attending BioBlitz 2013 meetings to discuss ACRC s potential role. 2013-1-16 ACRC Bi-Monthly Meeting of the Coordinating Committee Page 2
iii. Discussion of educational efforts by individual members CCTHITA and FS Héen Latinee outdoor classroom for grades 9-12 continuing this spring. JEDC supports the statewide science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) initiative and runs a series of Juneau summer programs (possible collaboration with ACRC and other partners summer activities). UAS expanded agreement with the Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program (ANSEP) to develop a model targeting biology and marine biology studies. BC MFLNRO consider using the Haida Gwaii Higher Education Society as a model for offering university learning opportunities. b. Goal 2: Conduct and Facilitate Research i. National Science Foundation (NSF) Proposals Héen Latinee Instrumentation (weather stations, stream gauges, water quality stations for the experimental forest). Due in 4 weeks. Research Coordination Network, $500,000 grant over 5 years for collaborative networking research activities (but not data collection). Submit within next 6 months. ii. Héen Latinee MOU to be signed this week this is a collaborative management agreement between FS, UAS, and CCTHITA; giving UAS and CCTHITA legal status as comanagers and thus able to apply for NSF funds, such as the instrumentation proposal. Next step is approval of a more detailed operating plan before being fully functional. iii. Glacier Workshop March 5-6, invitation-only (ACRC assisting), there will be breakout sessions, providing the basis for a Bioscience paper on how changes to glaciers may impact nearshore marine systems. iv. Research Database project being designed by our student intern, Eric Keller. Surveys will be distributed as we start to gather information on research and researchers in the coastal temperature rainforest. v. Cross-Boundary Data and Bog Forest Ecology workshops this spring run contiguously as they have many of the same participants; timeframe - end of February/middle of March; possible locations - Simon Frasier University or Cowichan Lake Research Station on Vancouver Island. c. Goal 3: Link Local Community Interests i. NPLCC S-TEK Meeting Report (Bill Hanson and Lyman Thorsteinson) Bill and Lyman are members of the North Pacific Landscape Conservation Cooperative (NPLCC) Steering Committee, which oversees several subcommittees, the most active being the Science/Traditional Ecological Knowledge (S-TEK). The S-TEK subcommittee 2013-1-16 ACRC Bi-Monthly Meeting of the Coordinating Committee 3
has completed a four year Strategic Science Plan (Fiscal Years 2013-2017) which recommends five broad topic areas of scientific activity to understand the effects of climate and related stressors on natural and cultural resources. These science areas are being further refined by the S-TEK subcommittee through its ongoing development of an Implementation Plan for FY 13-14. Many of the activities described in the draft Implementation Plan overlap strategic mission areas of the ACRC. It is estimated that the NPLCC will have between $350-500K for projects in FY 13. In addition, the NPLCC, the Northwest Climate Science Center, and the Alaska Science Center are pooling additional resources ($150-200K) and will issue a Request for Proposals for a comparative study of adaptation to climate change by subsistence resources within northern and southern components of the NPLCC. The NPLCC has developed Guiding Principles (see Strategic Science Plan online) that emphasize the need for its applied science activities to relate to resource management needs, especially adaptation and mitigation strategies needed for climate change. The relevancy of science to management needs will be a critical evaluation factor for reviewers of proposals received in response to the jointly sponsored RFP. ii. Southeast Environmental Conference (Ray Paddock) March 18-22: Sponsored by the SE Alaska Conservation Council, the SE Alaska Fish Habitat Partnership Steering Committee and the SE Alaska Watershed Coalition, and hosted by the CCTHITA the focus of the conference is on climate change and geared towards concerns of tribes in SE Alaska. iii. JEDC Innovation Summit and Research Cluster (Brian Holst) Innovation Summit, Feb 11-13. Opportunity to bring together industry working groups who have been collaborating with JEDC for the past two years to: (1) renew interest of the core group, (2) receive validation from outside that this is good for our region, and (3) provide an opportunity to present their priorities to state and federal officials in attendance, along with our US senators. Speakers to bring new perspectives in support of innovation, including the concept of shared value which addresses the economic and social benefits and how corporations can take this into account when designing their business and products, and how that is in their best interest to do so. JEDC Research Cluster evolved from the breakout sessions of last year s summit that discussed what roles JEDC and ACRC can play in supporting research in our community and region and connecting to industry. Within the research cluster two primary elements: (1) themes of research that could then be marketed around - specifically what research is available to needs of industry; and (2) identifying the elements that support having a vibrant research community. iv. Workshop on sea otter impact to shellfish (Allison for Michelle Ridgeway) Feb 21 st with a social on the 20 th. ACRC will be a sponsor and help wherever needed. No details available at present; will notify CC when we have more information. 2013-1-16 ACRC Bi-Monthly Meeting of the Coordinating Committee 4
d. Goal 4: Operational and Financial Stability i. ACRC Staffing and Budget Introduced Eric Keller, the student intern hired to design the research database. UAF offered additional IT resources should they be needed. Posted the ad for the Outreach Coordinator a shared FT benefited position with Natural Sciences and working with Sanjay Pyare on EPSCoR (administrative program coordinator) and with ACRC (outreach coordinator). Budget projected $19,000 discretionary for FY 13, as staff hired within the year. Looking at FY 14, we will need an additional $16,000 with our current staffing (assuming the same $208,000 funding in FY13). Other budget items: Remaining $16,500 from FS, Alaska Region yet to be received. Per Wayne Owen and Su Alexander, these monies will come through a revised PNW agreement with the two regions addressing the reimbursement from within. $10,000 from Climate Science Center (salaries to help with Glacier workshop). Discussing with Barbara Hyde whether the Outreach Coordinator position can be paid with restricted funds. ACRC has committed to this position for one year hopefully we can keep it longer. Monies have been received from UAA. UAF funding stream has changed from General Fund to monies that are restricted over a 3-year period, which provides flexibility as they are not tied to June 30. Brian Rogers is committed to looking for opportunities for collaboration between universities, and exploring what UAF has to offer with a newly restructured School for Natural Resources. ii. Office Relocation Current plan has Allison and Pat moving into the new FS Lab building (not known where Outreach Coordinator and student intern would be). Continue to look at different options. iii. Director Trip Reports (Olympia, Seattle, Vancouver); upcoming travel Washington, Vancouver: (1) met with Mary and John at NPLCC discussed several issues including possibly the ACRC being their regional Alaska contact, (2) met with Ken, Sari, and Andy on potential collaborative cross boundary work; Sari possibly coming here in summer to look at Héen Latinee, etc. Upcoming Trip to Anchorage Full week of meeting with several partners, Moore foundation, attending the AK Marine Science symposium. iv. Newsletter and Map Newsletter to communicate what ACRC is doing (including a link to UAKJOBS for recruitment), to be distributed in January to about 350 people; the frequency still under discussion. 2013-1-16 ACRC Bi-Monthly Meeting of the Coordinating Committee 5
A mock-up of the coastal North Pacific temperate rainforest (Kodiak to the southern tip of Vancouver Island) map will be ready before end of month; anticipate it to be 2 x4 on heavy glossy paper still looking for a printer. e. Roundtable Discussion Each member gave a project/program update. VII. VIII. IX. Coordinating Committee meetings scheduled for 10am 12noon a. March 13 b. May 15 c. July 17 d. September 18 (annual meeting) Public Comment none Adjournment at 12:10pm 2013-1-16 ACRC Bi-Monthly Meeting of the Coordinating Committee 6