February 16, 2005, a half-day workshop on ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH COORDINATION IN SAN DIEGO at the San Diego Natural History Museum.  Interest in this workshop was expressed at several San Diego Fire Recovery Network meetings, and the date was set at the January meeting of the San Diego Partners for Biodiversity, which featured Janet Franklin’s presentation on tree mortality and forest recovery in Cuyamaca Rancho State Park after the 2003 Cedar Fire.  The workshop began with self-introductions of the 23 participants and their expectations for the meeting.  Then the group described goals and outcomes desired in 2010, to achieve after five years of working together.  A brief list of local resources and cooperators was begun, with the realization that a catalog of ongoing research and researchers was a separate task in itself.  Some of the weaknesses of ongoing ecological research in San Diego County were outlined.  Finally, the “next steps” were outlined, and commitments made by individuals to work on those action items.  Interest was expressed in four follow-up workshops/efforts:

1. Workshop to share ongoing research and monitoring of San Diego’s ecosystems, including fire recovery projects.
2. Workshop about data methodology and data management for ecological research conducted in San Diego County.
3. Integrate and attain common observation and data collection methodology for mammal research and monitoring studies in San Diego County.
4. Establish clear study designs, sampling protocols, and data reporting for Plant Atlas project.