Making ecological monitoring successful Insights and lessons from the Long Term Ecological Research Network Long Term Ecological Research Network © Long Term Ecological Research Network 2014 ISBN 978-0-9925176-3-2 Booklet citation: Burns E, Lindenmayer D, Tennant P, Dickman C, Green P, Hanigan I, Hoffmann A, Keith D, Metcalfe D, Nolan K, Russell-Smith J, Wardle G, Welsh A, Williams R, Yates C (2014). Making ecological monitoring successful: Insights and lessons from the Long Term Ecological Research Network, LTERN, Australia. Available at www.tern.org.au/ltern or in hard copy on request. LTERN is a facility within the Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (TERN). TERN is supported by the Australian Government through the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy. Long Term Ecological Research Network Australian National University Email:
[email protected] Long Term Ecological Research Network Ph: (02) 6125 1737 (Dr Emma Burns, Executive Director) www.ltern.org.au Edited and designed by Biotext Ltd, Canberra. Cover photo: Eucalypt trees, Kangaloon, Southern Highlands, New South Wales, B Ashenhurst. 2 Photo: caption, Name. Contents Authors 4 Executive summary 6 Introduction 8 Long Term Ecological Research Network 8 This booklet 9 Section 1 Characteristics of successful monitoring 10 Characteristic 1—Fit for purpose 11 Characteristic 2—Early use of data to examine its properties and test assumptions 15 Characteristic 3—High level of data curation and management 17 Characteristic 4—Communication of lessons learned and outcomes