IEP Stakeholders News

Greetings IEP Community Members,

Andrea Jaegge of the USGS California Water Science Center asked us to share the information below for those working on Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs).

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Dear Colleagues,

Please consider submitting an abstract for the HABs session at the upcoming 2023 Coastal & Estuarine Research Federation (CERF) Conference.

27th Biennial CERF Conference
Resilience & Recovery
Portland, Oregon, USA
12 –16 November 2023

CERF 2023 Call for Abstracts
Abstract Deadline: 20 May 2023

CERF 2023 Session:
Advances in harmful algal bloom (HAB) research across the freshwater to marine continuum
Keith Bouma-Gregson, U.S. Geological Survey; Andrea Jaegge, U.S. Geological Survey; Beth Stauffer, University of Louisiana at Lafayette; Hans Paerl, University of North Carolina

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) represent a threat to human and ecosystem health across the freshwater to coastal continuum worldwide. Estuaries are particularly prone to HAB impacts from delivery, or in situ growth, of both freshwater and marine taxa. With continued anthropogenic pressure and climate change, HAB impacts are expected to increase. Resilience and recovery of impacted ecosystems can only occur through better understanding of HAB impacts on: ecosystem function and health; environmental drivers supporting occurrences and toxin production; and successful mitigation and management strategies. This session welcomes novel advances in HAB research and management across the freshwater to marine continuum.

Questions? Contact Andrea Jaegge, PhD (she/her) from the U.S. Geological Survey, California Water Science Center at ajaegge@usgs.gov or 803-760-8521.

2023 IEP Workshop Registration Links Now Posted!

The registration links for the 2023 Annual IEP Workshop are now posted to the Annual IEP Workshop web page. We are using Eventbrite for the in-person registration platform and Zoom for the remote registration. Registration for in-person attendance will open on Tuesday, February 28, 2023 at 8:00 a.m. The Zoom registration for virtual attendance is now open.

For the in-person attendance, it is one ticket per person. On the Eventbrite page, please only register for the day(s) in which you plan to attend in-person. Also, we are looking for people to volunteer to be a guest judge for the Early Career Oral Presentation & Poster Award. This award is given to the student and/or early career scientist who has the best oral presentation and poster. If you are interested in being a judge, please reserve a ticket and we will contact you with more information on how to participate.

For the remote attendance, the link will work for all three days of the workshop. Do not share your Zoom registration link with others as it is unique for each registrant. Remote users will be able to post questions to presenters through the Question-and-Answer feature during the workshop. If a presenter does not have time to answer your question, the questions will be provided to speakers after the workshop. It will be up to the discretion of the speakers to reach out to participants via email to respond to any unanswered questions.

Early Career Luncheon

Also, if you are a student and/or early career scientist and you'll be attending the workshop on Tuesday, sign up to sit and have lunch with a career scientist to discuss career opportunities, pathways and experiences. Our mentor volunteers have experience working in state and federal agencies, academic institutions, and consulting firms. It is a free lunch being sponsored by the State Water Contractors. Seating is limited and registration is required. Visit the Annual IEP Workshop web page for the registration link.

IEP Training Courses

Finally, don't forget to sign up for one of the two IEP training courses! These classes will be held on Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in the CNRA Building. Visit the Annual IEP Workshop web page for the registration link.

Kind regards,

IEP Program Support Unit

Greetings IEP Community Members,

Everyone has been waiting in anticipation for the 2023 IEP Annual Workshop. Registration for in-person attendance and virtual attendance will open February 28, 2023. The registration links will be posted to the Annual IEP Workshop web page and distributed via the IEP Workshop email listserv, and this stakeholder listserv. It would be great to see everyone in person, unfortunately, seating is limited in the auditorium. Tickets for the in-person event will be distributed on a first come, first served basis. Once seating capacity for each day is reached, only virtual attendance will be available.

The Workshop Program and Presentation Abstracts Booklet have been posted. For posters, we have 54 to share this year, which will be showcased on the 2nd floor. Make sure to visit the poster authors during the scheduled poster sessions on Tuesday, March 21 and Wednesday, March 22. Poster abstracts and images will be shared later on the IEP online Poster Discussion Forum so remote participants can check them out after the workshop. The presentations in the auditorium will be recorded and made available (later) under the IEP Workshops Playlist on the California Department of Fish and Wildlife YouTube channel. So, if you miss a session, you’ll be able to watch it later at your own convenience!

Registration is now open for the early career luncheon and two IEP training courses. More information on these events has been posted to the Annual IEP Workshop web page. Registration is FREE for all events.

• Early Career Luncheon (Tuesday, March 21) 12:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
  • Great networking opportunity for students and early career scientists.
• Two IEP Training Courses (Friday, March 24) 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
  • Introduction to GIS with QGIS (beginner class)
  • Introduction to Hierarchical Models in R with Application to Abundance Modeling (advanced class)

Transportation & Parking:
The California Natural Resources Building is in downtown Sacramento. Parking garages and lots are located nearby. The Sacramento Regional Transit has bus and light rail stations nearby.

Food:
The California Natural Resources Building has food vendors located inside the building on the first floor.
There are additional food establishments within walking distance of the building.

Questions? Send them to iep@wildlife.ca.gov

Greetings IEP Community Members,

The Delta Science Program would like to share that the 2022 edition of the State of Bay-Delta Science (SBDS) is now online in the latest issue of San Francisco Estuary and Watershed Science. Seven articles comprise the issue, summarizing the scientific understanding, or “the state of the science,” of plants and algae in the Bay-Delta. Individual articles explore important ecosystem services and disservices, including primary production, the ecology and management of aquatic vegetation, remote sensing methods, harmful algal blooms, and carbon sequestration and subsidence reversal.

Visit the SBDS website to learn more about this ongoing synthesis effort.

Greetings IEP Stakeholders,

Below are two announcements from IEP partners that may be of interest to IEP members. Please share this information with others in your organization.

Delta Science Tracker

The Delta Stewardship Council recently announced that the Delta Science Tracker is now available online.

"The Delta Science Tracker is an online tool that hosts a comprehensive inventory of scientific research and monitoring activities conducted in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The website allows users to search for science activities, create visualizations summarizing information about science funding and collaborations, and access reports, publications, and other products generated by these activities. The tracker is intended to promote communication and transparency of science activities and their outcomes, funding opportunities and decisions, and create opportunities for collaboration."

State Water Contractors Request for Proposals

The State Water Contractors (SWC) Science Program has released a 2022/2023 Request for Proposals (RFP)(pdf). This RFP will invest up to $3 million in funding for "high-quality science projects that advance the understanding of complex systems in the San Francisco Bay, Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and upper watersheds, consistent with the mission of the SWC Science Program."

Visit the State Water Contractors website for more information on how to apply for the RFP and to review the goals, objectives, and management questions of the SWC 2023 Science Plan (pdf). Full proposal submittals are due by 5:00 p.m. PT on March 27, 2023, with final decisions to be announced in the summer.

Do you have an announcement that you would like to share with the IEP community? If so, send the information to iep@wildlife.ca.gov.

Kind regards,
IEP Program Support Unit

Greetings IEP Community Members,

Our next IEP PWT Chairs & Stakeholders Group meeting is Wednesday, February 8, 2023 from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

• The link to join the meeting remotely is included in the Meeting Agenda (PDF).
• This is a hybrid (in-person + MS Teams) meeting.
• Meeting location is the California Department of Fish and Wildlife 1010 Riverside Parkway, West Sacramento Office
• More information on the facility can be found in this guide (PDF).
• Send an email to iep@wildlife.ca.gov if you plan to attend in-person. Your name will be placed on a list at the front desk.

We look forward to seeing you!

Kind regards,
IEP Program Support Unit
iep@wildlife.ca.gov

Greetings IEP PWT Chairs and Stakeholders,

Below is the meeting schedule for 2023. Please mark your calendars for these dates.

• February 8, 2023
• May 10, 2023
• August 9, 2023
• November 8, 2023

Meetings will be held from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the California Poppy Conference Room #154 at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife West Sacramento facility. This facility is located at 1010 Riverside Parkway, West Sacramento, 95814.

If you plan to attend in-person, please send an email to iep@wildlife.ca.gov so we can place your name on a list for the front desk personnel. More information on the facility location, parking, and building access can be found in this guide (pdf).

Meetings will be held in a hybrid format (i.e., in-person + MS Teams link). Meeting link and materials will be sent in an update as we get closer to each meeting.

Questions regarding the IEP PWT Chairs & Stakeholder meetings can be directed to iep@wildlife.ca.gov.

Kind regards,
IEP Program Support

Greetings IEP PWT Chairs and Stakeholders,

The PWT and Stakeholder meeting will take place December 7 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. as an MS Teams meeting.

Agenda

• Synthesis Update Fall 2022
  • Review synthesis efforts undertaken in 2022
  • Provide recommendations for synthesis projects in 2023
• 2023 IEP Annual Work Plan (DRAFT)
  • Overview of Work Plan (pdf) including changes from previous plan
  • Provide comments on Work Plan

IEP Synthesis Update Fall 2022 (Video)

In preparation for the IEP Synthesis discussion, Rosemary Hartman (IEP Synthesis Lead) has pre-recorded her presentation "IEP Synthesis Update Fall 2022 (video) " . She is kindly requesting participants watch the 13 minute video prior to the meeting. This will allow more time for discussion and recommendations for synthesis projects in 2023. For those unable to attend the December 7 meeting, you can send your comments and recommendations to iep@wildlife.ca.gov. We'll continue the conversation of potential new synthesis projects at our February 8, 2023 meeting.

December 7 Meeting Link Info

MS Teams December 7: PWT & Stakeholder Meeting Link
Meeting ID: 230 823 257 795
Passcode: iV2GDP
Call-In (audio only): +1 (916) 535-0984
Audio ID: 536216289#

2023 IEP PWT & Stakeholder Meeting Calendar

Mark your Calendar - we have meeting dates for 2023!

The PWT & Stakeholder meetings occur quarterly on the 2nd Wednesday of February, May, August, and November. The meetings will be hybrid (in-person + MS Teams) from 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. and will be held at the CDFW West Sacramento facility (1010 Riverside Parkway, West Sacramento) in the California Golden Poppy Conference Room #154.

• February 8
• May 10
• August 9
• November 8

Review the CDFW West Sacramento facility guide for more information on location, parking, and access to the building. If you'll be attending in person, send an email to iep@wildlife.ca.gov so we can provide your name to the front desk.

Kind regards,

IEP Program Support Team

Greetings IEP Community Stakeholders,

Below is an announcement that we were asked to share with our IEP Community members.

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Hello Biological Diversity and Ecological Forecasting/Conservation Community, 

I am pleased to announce the release of the A.40 Earth Science Applications: Ecological Conservation (formerly Ecological Forecasting) solicitation. This program element solicits proposals that would enable:

1. Decision-making to combat the spread of invasive species,
2. Advance the use of ecosystem service assessment for decision-making,
3. Inform management, establishment, or protection of protected areas.

Proposals must outline activities and products that will achieve operational deployment and sustained use in decision-making by the end user(s) (i.e., ARL 9) before the end of the award. To feasibly achieve this objective, all submissions must show a demonstrated maturity in development beyond initial discovery, feasibility, and development (i.e., start at ARL 5 or greater) and an established relationship with an end user. Like past solicitations, proposals must combine three components: Earth observations, in-situ biological observations, and ecological models to develop decision-support tools.

Notices of intent are requested by March 14, 2023, and proposals are due April 14, 2023. A virtual meeting for potential proposers will occur January 13, 2023, from 2-4 pm eastern time. Connect information will be posted under other documents on the NSPIRES page for this program element no later than December 13, 2023.

This release marks the official name change of the Ecological Forecasting Application Area to Ecological Conservation Application Area. After over a year of consultation with our community, we have made this change to better reflect the program’s objectives. Forecasting remains the principle methodological approach for the work we support but achieving sustainable decision support for conservation is the end goal. You will see this change is now reflected on our program websites (Biological Diversity & Ecological Conservation and Earth Science and Applied Sciences).

Sincerely,
Keith Gaddis, Ph.D. (he/him)
Ecological Conservation Application Area
Biological Diversity Program Element
NASA Headquarters, Mary Jackson Bldg.
300 E St., SW
Washington, D.C. 20546
Keith.Gaddis@NASA.gov
202.358.4651
appliedsciences.nasa.gov
cce.nasa.gov/biodiversity/index.html

Greetings IEP PWT Chairs and IEP Stakeholders,

Sorry for the last minute notice, but we are canceling the November 9, 2022 IEP PWT & Stakeholder meeting due to conflicts in speaker and participants schedules.

New Meeting Date – Mark Your Calendar!
December 7 (Wednesday) from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Microsoft Teams meeting info:
Join on your computer, mobile app or room device
Meeting Link to join the meeting
Meeting ID: 230 823 257 795
Passcode: iV2GDP

Or call in (audio only)
+1 (916) 535-0984 (United States, Sacramento)
Phone Conference ID: 536 216 289#

In lieu of a November meeting, we would like to host a 1-hour meeting in December to get your feedback and comments on the draft 2023 IEP Work Plan.

• DRAFT 2023 Annual IEP Work Plan (PDF)

Also, at the December 7 meeting, Dr. Rosemary Hartman (DWR) will provide a 20-minute overview on the IEP Synthesis efforts and will be looking for feedback on management questions and priorities. Your feedback and comments on both the work plan and synthesis efforts will be shared with the Directors at their December and March meeting. The planned presentation by Eric Huber and Bryan Matthias on their project “Estimating Abundance of Juvenile Winter-run Chinook Salmon Entering and Exiting the Delta (SAIL)” will be provided at the February 8, 2023 meeting.

If you have any questions regarding this meeting, send an email to iep@wildlife.ca.gov.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Save the Dates – March 21-24, 2023 for the Annual IEP Workshop!

The workshop will be a FREE hybrid (in-person and virtual event) held at the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) Headquarters at 715 P Street, Sacramento, CA.
The workshop will focus on research done by the IEP Project Work Teams highlighting the efforts of community-based science. Workshop presentations will take place March 21-23 in the CNRA’s 300-seat auditorium and posters will be showcased in the 2nd floor conference rooms. Presentations in the auditorium will be live streamed for remote participants. The fourth day of the workshop (March 24) will be reserved for three computer-based training courses. Registration will be required for the in-person events and will open in February 2023.

Student-Mentor Luncheon
A Student-Mentor Luncheon will be held March 21 and is being sponsored by the State Water Contractors. The lunch will pair students and early career scientists with established career professionals to discuss their research interests and career building pathways. Registration is required as seating is limited.

Open Calls – Lightning Talks and Poster Abstracts
Currently, there is an open call for the Lightning Talk Session and the Poster Session. See the links below for more information on these calls.

• Call for Lightning Talks (PDF) – Deadline November 30, 2022
• Call for Poster Abstracts (PDF) – Deadline February 10, 2023

Questions?
Information on the workshop will be posted on the IEP website under the IEP Annual Workshop web page. Additional announcements will be sent via the IEP workshop email listserv, so make sure you are subscribed.
Additional questions on the workshop can be sent to iep@wildlife.ca.gov.

Kind regards,
IEP Program Support Team