The National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON), Inc. has announced the selection of a set of Core Sites and initial science question gradients for submission to the National Science Foundation as part of NEON’s Project Execution Plan. A proposal for the Yellowstone Northern Range was selected as a candidate core site for the Northern Rockies. This proposal was led by MSU's Ecology and Land Resources and Environmental Sciences Departments and Yellowstone National Park. BSI contributed to this proposal and will continue to provide support for this NEON project.
NEON is a "national ecological measurement and observation system designed both to answer regional- to continental-scale scientific questions and to have the interdisciplinary participation necessary to achieve credible ecological forecasting and prediction." At BSI, we think NEON is one of the most significant ecological projects ever envisioned for the U.S. The selection of the Yellowstone Northern Region site is a very prestigious and significant accomplishment for MSU.