The LTER Network was established in 1980 with the recognition that long term research could help unravel the principles and processes of ecological science, which frequently involves long-lived species, legacy influences, and rare events. As policymakers and resource managers strive to incorporate reliable science in their decision making, the LTER Network works to generate and share useful and usable information. Nearly 2000 researchers from 28 research programs apply long-term observation, experiments, and modeling to understand how ecological systems function over decades. The National Science Foundation funds the sites in this U.S.-based network, which inspired a similar international network -- the International Long Term Ecological Research Network (ILTER). [link to ILTER] LTER’s mission is to provide the scientific community, policy makers, and society with the knowledge and predictive understanding necessary to conserve, protect, and manage the nation’s ecosystems, their biodiversity, and the services they provide.