Missouri University of Science & Technology (Missouri S&T) is developing a 5-year planning effort for a new field station, the Ozark Research Field Station (ORFS) located in the Mill Creek watershed. The field station will serve a variety of research, teaching, and outreach missions of the university. The ORFS has already provided an excellent venue for experiential learning. Students have conducted research projects as part of 7 classes taught at the field station, and for independent research credit. Missouri S&T has recently implemented an experiential learning requirement for all undergraduates, and data from field station classes can be used in assessing learning outcomes of the requirement. The Mill Creek watershed also provides a great setting for novel research. Sites along the stream have varying hydroperiods that can serve as a natural experiment for examining the effects of droughts from climate change on such streams. Several animal taxa in the watershed are endangered or of concern, while other taxa are of recreational interest, such as trout, turkey, and deer. Conservation and restoration programs for these and other taxa can be evaluated for their effectiveness as a guide for wider implementation. The ORFS will serve to introduce students, local residents, and a diverse constituency to the value of Ozark ecosystems and field research. Outreach opportunities with local K-12 schools, community groups, and others are envisioned. Several outreach events have already taken place at the field station and the surrounding area. A large BioBlitz occurred in the watershed recently, involving over 80 scientists and citizens in a large-scale inventory of biota along with a trash cleanup and festival.
The planning effort will include three goals: 1) Establish an advisory board of on-campus faculty and staff, local stakeholders and collaborators from government agencies, and representatives from other field stations in Missouri and around the country. This advisory board will hold meetings at the ORFS, and the ORFS leaders will visit other field stations. 2) Expand the capabilities and opportunities at the field station in the next few years. This goal will focus on the growth of the research, teaching, and outreach programs for users from Missouri S&T, other campuses, government agencies, and local communities. In addition to university personnel, several key groups, such as Missouri Stream Teams and Master Naturalists, will benefit from activities and access to the station. Also, the Newburg Children?s Museum and the Kaleidoscope Discovery Center, two local science museums, can use the field station for educational activities. 3) Adopt a 5-year strategic plan based on feedback from the advisory board. This plan will guide the next steps in developing the ORFS to fulfill its missions of research, teaching, and outreach.
