Developing and delivering scientific information in response to emerging needs

Ecological information that adequately informs society's decisions often differs in several ways from that which science routinely provides. This workshop examined changes that may be required if some of society's pressing goals (eg sustained provision of ecosystem services, establishment of policy that adequately reflects interacting economic, social, and environmental factors, and an engaged public making increasingly informed choices) are to be achieved. Using a common framework, representatives of the Long Term Ecological Research networks in Canada, the US, and Mexico described their concerns and initiatives related to the delivery and effectiveness of the data and information they generate. Workshop participants reached consensus on a number of recommendations: (1) that it is the responsibility of ecologists to effectively inform societal choices, policies, and decisions; (2) that improved outcomes need to be an additional performance measure at a science program level; and (3) that a variety of rec...