The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science has embraced the concept of scholarship defined as discovery, integration, application and teaching (Boyer, 1990). Discovery can be defined as learning new things; integration as putting this learning into a knowledge context; application as using this knowledge; teaching as transferring this knowledge to others. The Integration and Application Network was created to focus on the integration and application components of scholarship.

Read more

Recently, Tim Carruthers from IAN was fortunate to have the opportunity to visit Tamil Nadu in India for a LOICZ (Land Ocean Interactions of the Coastal Zone) meeting. Here are some thoughts and observations on Chennai and the surrounding country side. Having always wanted to visit India, this was a fantastic opportunity and apart from beautiful sunrises, amazing history, and a welcome break from a long northern winter, I was struck by how friendly and engaging Indian folks are.

Read more

"Perspectives on NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Data and Modeling for Chesapeake Bay Research and Applications" workshop … NASA scientists initiated a meeting with Chesapeake Bay scientists to compare the remote sensing needs for Chesapeake Bay research, monitoring, modeling and management with the capabilities that NASA remote sensing programs can provide.

Read more

A group of concerned former politicians, scientists and riverkeepers converged on federal agencies in Washington, D.C. to discuss Chesapeake Bay restoration. This loosely associated group has been convened by Gerald Winegrad, a former Maryland state senator from Annapolis, and currently totals 38 people. The group includes two former Maryland governors, a former U.S. senator, former U.S. congressman.

Read more

A team from the Integration and Application Network traveled to Colonial National Historical Park on March 10-11 to initiate a Natural Resources Condition Assessment process over the next 18-24 months. The visit included a meeting with park personnel at the Yorktown Battlefield Visitors Center, followed by a tour of the entire park on the first day, and on the second day, we held a mini-symposium at the Virginia Commonwealth University's Rice Center on the James River.

Read more

I am a member of Nutrients Anonymous or NA; a fellowship of waterbodies who share their experiences, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others. Nutrients Anonymous is not allied with any denomination, politics, organization or institution. The primary purpose of the Chesapeake Bay chapter of Nutrients Anonymous is to restore Chesapeake Bay.

Read more

Tim Carruthers and Jane Hawkey are visiting Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park located on the shore of west Hawai'i. Working with National Park Service managers and staff from the park and from the Pacific Island Network, we are drafting a natural resource condition report, using the NPS Rock Creek Natural Resource Condition Assessment report as a model.

Read more

Bill Dennison and Jane Thomas from IAN spent the last two days up at Monocacy National Battlefield and Manassas National Battlefield Park. They are part of the National Capital Region Network of parks, and IAN is in the process of conducting a natural resource condition assessment of these two parks, along with Antietam National Battlefield. Although they are also managed as cultural resource parks, these two parks have similar natural resource features and challenges.

Read more