ARS | Publication request: Guidance for Establishing a Regional SER Chapter

Submitted to: Society for Ecological Restoration Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: April 14, 2009
Publication Date: August 23, 2009
Citation: Choi, Y.D., Smiley, P.C., Lyndall, J. 2009. Guidance for Establishing a Regional SER Chapter. Society for Ecological Restoration Abstracts.

Technical Abstract: Regional Society for Ecological Restoration International (SER) chapters are integral to grass root restoration efforts because they serve as a resource on ecological restoration for individuals and institutions within their chapter boundaries. SER recognized the Midwest-Great Lakes (MWGL) SER chapter as its newest regional chapter in March 2008. This SER chapter was formed to serve the midwestern United States (i.e., Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota). The chapter’s primary mission is to promote the science and practice of ecological restoration to assist with the recovery and management of degraded ecosystems within this region. The MWGL SER chapter was established by an organizing committee consisting of 16 members that began working together in January 2008. Our objective for this presentation is to document the experiences of the organizing committee and to share what we feel will assist others interested in establishing a regional SER chapter. The organizing committee collaborated in developing a proposal for chapter formation, recruiting members, developing chapter bylaws, preparing chapter newsletters, conducting the first business meeting, holding the first elections, and planning the first annual meeting. We learned the advantages of : 1) surveying individuals and organizations within the region to determine their interest; 2) educating potential members about the proposed chapter and SER; 3) providing potential members with regular progress reports; 4) using different forms of electronic communication to distribute chapter news; 5) reviewing bylaws of other SER chapters prior to developing new bylaws; and 6) encouraging individual and institutional contributions towards planning annual meetings.