Ronald Lawrenz is the Director of the St. Croix Watershed Research Station, which is located near St. Paul along the St. Croix River and operated by the Science Museum of Minnesota. The St. Croix River is recognized under the National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, and is therefore an important resource for research and public education. The Station was established in 1989 and has undergone significant growth in the number of research projects and long-term ecological monitoring programs facilitated by the Station. Mr. Lawrenz has planned expansion of the Station's facilities to serve the growing use of the Station by research scientists. These improvements include installation of a meteorological monitoring station, and development of a clearer research identity for the Station through workshops that bring together ecological scientists in the regions. The planned meteorological monitoring station will initiate a long-term data record that will be of value to countless future research projects, ranging from wildlife management to global climate change. The planning workshops will help to guide the future growth trajectory of the Station. The St. Croix Watershed is an area with potential for research projects with national and international implications. These improvements will promote the Station's rapid growth and future success.
