The Indicator Workshop for the Florida Keys and Dry Tortugas region is scheduled to be held March 22-23, 2010 in Homestead.  Please monitor this website for more information about this workshop as the date approaches.

What:

Florida Keys and Dry Tortugas Reserve Quantitative Ecosystem Indicators Technical Workshop

Date:

Monday, March 22, 2010 8:30am – 5pm
Tuesday, March 23, 2010 8:30am – noon

Location:

Miami-Dade County Extension Office
18710 SW 288th Street
Homestead, Florida 33030-2309
(Click here for map and driving directions)

Parking: 
Free parking is available at the Extension Office.

Lodging:  A discounted room rate has been secured at the Ramada Inn in Florida City.  To request the group rate, you must make your reservation before March 5th and mention the NOAA-MARES meeting.
Ramada Inn Florida City
124 East Palm Drive
Florida City, FL 33034-3519
(Click here for details)

Agenda:

Draft Agenda (March 15, 2010 version)

Workshop Objectives:

This meeting will be attended by technical experts who will contribute to the development of Quantitative Ecosystem Indicators for the Florida Keys and Dry Tortugas Reserve sub-region of the MARES project.

Read ahead materials:

Background materials from the Integrated Conceptual Ecosystem Model workshop are being used as the foundation for the Indicators workshop:

·        Integrated Conceptual Ecosystem Model draft summary (March 2010) 

·        Ecological Indicators for a system-wide assessment of the greater everglades ecosystem restoration program (Doren et al, 2009)

·        Phytoplankton bloom status (Boyer et al, 2009)

Read ahead from previous workshop:

·        Including Human Dimensions Science in MARES (MARES White Paper #1)

·        Ecological conceptual models: framework and case study (Gentile et al, 2001)

 

Workshop Background:

Quantitative Ecosystem Indicators Workshops

 

When the Integrated Conceptual Ecosystem Model (ICEM) is complete, a corresponding Indicator Workshop will be held.  This will be another two-day facilitated workshop for project PIs and invited technical experts.  Indicators will be created building upon the MARES vision statement and the ICEMs.  Indicators will be measurable, desired ecosystem conditions that serve as the starting point for specific, quantifiable management goals.  Workshop participants will identify indicator criteria and select an appropriate subset of parameters for each indicator, analyzing stressors and drivers affecting specific indicators, and assessing the availability of the information (including any pertinent numerical models) needed for the inclusion of that indicator in the Total Marine Ecosystem Assessment Report.  Indicators will be finalized through the dedication of smaller work groups who will refine and produce workshop reports.

 

Workshop and follow-up activities will consist of:

·       Scientific consensus on the quantitative desired future condition.  This quantitative description is equivalent to the development of a performance measure target (in the language being used in CERP)