National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON): Building community and seeking innovative approaches for understanding human-environmental systems

The National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON Inc.) is designed to collect long-term environmental data through airborne remote sensing, in-situ sensor measurements, and field sampling at a continental scale (106 terrestrial and aquatic sites located across the US). The goal of the observatory is to provide free and publically accessible data that can be applied towards improved decision-making of natural resource management. Completion of the observatory is projected to be in 2017. To ensure that environmental data produced by the observatory is usable and relevant to society, strategic development of NEON includes partnership and collaboration with diverse institutions. Current approaches are 1. Training of underrepresented groups in science, 2. International networking and information interoperability, 3. Development of satellite collection sites, and 4. Inclusion of the social dimension into an ecological monitoring framework. NEON seeks to explore new approaches and engagements with different academic and non-academic communities.