Developments in Long Term Social Ecological Research

Long term social ecological research has advanced significantly over the past 20 years. In the case of the United States, two urban sites have been established as part of the National Science Foundation’s Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) Network. The Baltimore (BES) and Phoenix (CAP) projects began in 1997 and employ what we call a patch dynamics approach. The Baltimore School of Urban Ecology has emerged from this program. In this presentation, the key propositions for the Baltimore School of Urban Ecology are discussed. One of these propositions is the idea that the linkage between science and decision making can advance theories, methods, and practice to enhance urban sustainability and resilience. This presentation will describe these linkages in terms of 7 cycles of progress, from urban

riparian function to environmental stewardship networks.