Response to Nature Quest Challange
Date: Mon, 30 Nov 1998 10:41:55 -0400
To: spruance@infinet.com
From: pick@pick.uga.edu (John Pickering)
Subject: Lep day -- Moth hunt -- Nature Quest/Challenge ...
Cc: jody@discoverlife.org, wfharris@utk.edu, tkiernan@npca.org,
Keith_Langdon@nps.gov, grsm_friends_of_grsm_np@nps.gov,
becky_nichols@nps.gov, Chuck_Parker@nps.gov, msharkey@byron.ca.uky.edu,
dwagner@uconnvm.uconn.edu, pswhite@unc.edu, mjwillia@tricon.net,
cvcove01@homer.louisville.edu, Moth@ra.msstate.edu
Eric,
Absolutely wonderful. Thanks for the follow up. It would be fantastic if
we could get 50-100 lepidopterists into the Park next year. What a bang to
start the ATBI's pilot field season. You have my full support. I'll help
you as best as I can. Let's draft a one-page outline bringing us all
together on this. Could we do it before our Gatlinburg meeting (14-17
December) and then have you present it to the crowd? It could set the
stage to get the other taxonomy teams thinking creatively.
Keith,
Let's make this happen. I trust that we can overcome any logistic and
specimen deposition constraints. Discover Life in America should be able
to help coordinate the event. Could you name a lead person from the Park
to help make this happen? How about Becky or Chuck?
Charles, Frank, Mary, Peter, Tom,
Could we commit some of Jody's time to help coordinate pulling off this
event in full flag-waving glory? Not only would it yield masses of top
quality science, but I see possibilies of getting hundreds of
children/teachers/citizen hunting and rearing caterpillars and turning this
into a major publicity/fund raising event for us. I believe the proposed
"Nature Quest"/"Nature Hunt" would be this May.
Wags,
I'll expect you to follow through on YOUR brilliant idea! However, have
you any objection if we call this by another name? My father's house was
bombed during a blitz. Any suggestions?
Lots of ideas to follow as soon as I dig myself out of taking off for the
holidays.
Cheers,
Pick
>Hi all,
>
>I'm asking for input and ideas from you all. I'm specifically asking
>for a response from the Park to three proposals (later in this
>message). Satisfactory answers will help this idea move forward. Do we
>have something, or should I let it drop?
>
>I look forward to hearing from you.
>
>Pick and Keith: Can we obtain agreement with the three requirements
>I've outlined below?
>
>Richard and Charlie: Does this in any way interfer with your duties
>coordinating the lepidopterous data for the ATBI? Is it OK with you for
>me to pursue this idea?
>
>Dave: Did I leave anything out?
>
>At the recent ECN meetings in Nevada, John Pickering (Pick), Dave
>Wagner, and I spend considerable time talking about an ATBI in the Park
>focused on Lepidoptera. We went so far as to suggest that The
>Lepidopterists' Society consider holding a Blitz to add as many Lep
>records as possible during a 24 hour time period. This could be done as
>a special event, or as we proposed, an activity of an upcoming (to be
>scheduled) Annual Meeting. We could easily put 50 to 100 expert
>Lepidopterists in the field for such a blitz. There would be no other
>way (except many thousands of dollars spent) to achieve a similar Blitz.
>All of the efforts would be voluntary by the individual members of LEP
>SOC. I'm volunteering my time to work on it.
>
>Such a Blitz will require a bit of planning, coordination, and
>consideration from the Park. It could also impact the coordination of
>Lep data. That's why I'm addressing this to so many people.
>
>If we are to have such a Blitz sponsored by LEP SOC, the amount of data
>and quality of data presented to the Park will be stupendous and of
>excellent quality. It will take many years of individuals working in
>the park to produce the data from such a Blitz. If LEP SOC were to
>undertake such an activity, it could lead the way for other groups, i.e.
>the Coleopterists, to consider similar activities. The benefits to the
>Park are enormous. It puts the Park squarely on the map, in terms of
>obtaining thousands of excellent data at virtually no cost, with its
>ATBI, and it sets the Park ahead of all others in working with
>scientific societies to conduct these activities. The benefits to the
>societies are numerous, including the opportunity to perform a service
>for the Park. If I may be vulgar, it lets all of us put our money where
>our mouth is.
>
>A couple of bugs (pun intended) need to be worked out:
>
>1. The Park has to negotiate an agreement with LEP SOC to perform the
>Blitz.
>2. Suitable facility in/near the park to host the event (especially if
>it's part of an annual meeting (where the attendance will be about 150
>persons) of 4 days in length including an weekend.
>3. The Park has to give permission for individuals to retain a
>percentage of the specimens collected for identification, research,
>study, etc.
>
>Numerous coordination issues will also have to take place - it will be
>quite an endeavour, but worthy none-the-less.
>
>Cheers, best wishes, and Happy Holidays,
>
>Eric
>
>Eric H. Metzler
>1241 Kildale Sq. N.
>Columbus Ohio 43229-1306
>USA
>
>Phone: 614 888 3642
>E-mail: spruance@infinet.com
| Discover Life in America | Science | Nature Quest | Pickering - 30 November, 1998 |