The paradigm of ecological sites (ESs) as a land classification system has evolved over several decades. The current definition of ESs contains robust concepts that make the ES system uniquely suited for state-and-transition models (STMs) that depict ecological change over time. The ES development effort has gained significant support in recent years. The Natural Resources Conservation Service announced accelerated ES development in 2010, including jobs for ES specialists and formal support from the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management. In 2013 the Interagency ES Handbook for Rangelands was released to dozens of newly-hired ES specialists across the country. National and regional ES leadership is now established, and an effort to produce provisional ESs for the entire continental U.S. by 2020 is underway. In light of the current momentum for ES development, we introduce several concepts which are key to the sustained relevance of ESs in the Information Age. We suggest a slight adjustment to the apparent ES paradigm, from "management tool" to "reference library" of ecological observations, organized according to ES classification and STM. The implications of the paradigm shift are discussed in relation to the ES definition and ES development efforts. We contend that an ES reference library paradigm is highly compatible with the expectations of contemporary information consumers as well as potential ES collaborators. Furthermore, the manner in which ES information is captured, organized, and delivered must be modernized to meet user expectations and remain relevant in the long-term. Examples of improved information capture, organization and delivery are offered, including interactive ES identification keys, integration of ecological interpretations (e.g. soil health, wildlife, etc.) into one-page interactive STMs, information feedback mechanisms from ES users and contributors, etc. This talk is intended to generate meaningful discussion and collaboration for the long-term relevance of ESs.
Oral presentation and poster titles, abstracts, and authors from the Society for Range Management (SRM) Annual Meetings and Tradeshows, from 2013 forward.