DOD
Role
The Mojave Desert Ecosystem Program (MDEP) represents a Department
of Defense (DOD) effort to meld together a shared scientific
database that can be used to affect dynamic sustainable land
management decisions. It is not itself a management process,
but a tool to enable more accurate modeling of environmental
factors that will facilitate data driven management within
the Mojave ecoregion. The program directly supports the military
readiness in the region through provision of a framework for
determining research strategies, mitigation measures and designing
enlightened, long-term resource planning to ensure ongoing
activities, including training mission objectives. It will
provide all users (federal, state, local, and private) easy
Internet access to georeferenced natural and cultural resource
data for the entire ecoregion. The program is a model for
the sharing and integration of data and expertise from a long
list of participants including the National Training Center,
Fort Irwin; Naval Air Weapons Station, China Lake; Air Force
Flight Test Center, Edwards Air Force Base; Marine Corps Air
Ground Combat Center, Twenty Nine Palms; and Marine Corps
Logistics Base, Barstow.
DMG
Role
The California Desert Managers Group (DMG) was formed to provide
desert wide operational collaboration for ecosystem management,
customer service and organizational efficiency. The DMG was
instrumental in the formulation, support and guidance of the
MDEP. Through its Science and Data Management Team, a major
role of the DMG has been to provide the link between the technological
capabilities and the on the ground user requirements for a
diverse array of agency missions and management directions.
This overview provides the priorities for data collection,
the encouragement for funding and the coordination of input
from on going science and research projects.
BLM
Role
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) provided the Assistance
Representative for the project that also was the focal point
for all administrative activities. In this role the BLM provided
the administrative oversight for the Task Order with Utah
State University (USU.), the Interagency Cooperative Agreement
with the US Geological Survey, and the Memorandum of Understanding
with the Department of Defense at Ft. Irwin. They CO-chaired
the Legacy Management Oversight Group (LMOG) and assisted
in facilitation needed to accomplish each of the four identified
Phases of the USU. Task Order. The BLM provided extensive
field data for the project and participated in recommending
of priorities to the USU. Task Order. Each of the LMOG meetings
logistical support, agendas and final minutes for the project
were carried out by the BLM. The Bureau was also the focal
point for all financial support functions of the project as
it related to the above mentioned agreements and MOU.
USGS
Role
The US Geological Survey (USGS) designed the Mojave Clearinghouse
Network, provided much of the data, and served as science
advisor for the program. The Mojave Clearinghouse Network
was established with a main node at Ft. Irwin using Internet
protocols compliant with National Spatial Data Infrastructure
guidelines. Digital topographic, geologic, and soils data
were interpreted and mosaicked to provide seamless regional
coverage. These data as well as digital cartographic and image
data, and assistance with map production, were provided to
Utah State University for integration and distribution of
data for the Task Order. USGS was represented on the Legacy
Management Oversight Group (LMOG) where they provided scientific
advice.
USU
Role
The College of Natural Resources at Utah State University
(USU) was given the lead role for the execution of the Mojave
Desert Ecosystem Program. USU provided the technical expertise
and management required to design, compile, and realize the
MDEP. Collaboration with the US Geological Survey, who was
charged with the design and implementation phase of the network
delivery system for the Mojave Clearinghouse Network, provided
an integrated system to assemble, store, and deliver environmental
data. USU was responsible for accomplishing the spatial data
acquisition and assembly into unified seamless coverage. Data
were made accessible through the creation of user-interfaces
that facilitate queries and data recovery.
MDEP
Acknowledgments
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