By: Katie Kline, UMCES-AL
Following last year’s renewal as the host institution for the Chesapeake Watershed (CHWA) CESU Research Network, the Appalachian Laboratory of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES-AL) along with National Park Service (NPS) Research Coordinator, Dr. Dan Filer, developed a new strategic plan to help guide CHWA CESU priorities and activities for the next five years. The plan was informed by our mission and by feedback from the renewal process. Additionally, a March 2022 online survey was distributed to both federal and non-federal partners and we hosted a listening session with federal partners in April 2022.
The plan identifies goals, objectives, and proposed actions to help further improve the CHWA CESU network over the current five-year term of the CHWA CESU Joint Venture Agreement that creates the network. The new plan, CHWA CESU Strategic Plan (2021-2026) has been published on the CHWA CESU website.
“We are very excited about this plan,” says Filer. “This is the most involvement and collaboration we have seen in the network regarding developing a document that will guide the direction of the network in the coming years; We really appreciate the input, feedback, and support from all of our federal and nonfederal partners in this effort and look forward to accomplishing the goals of this plan.”
Moving forward, we plan to regularly assess progress and solicit feedback at the annual partners meetings.