NSF Award
0330676
A grant has been awarded to the University of Central Oklahoma under the direction of Dr. W. Caire to provide for the construction of a residential facility at the Selman Living Laboratory (SLL), a biological field station created in 1998. The SLL occupies 334 acres of remote mixed-grass gypsum prairie and was established to promote ecological research and hands-on educational experiences in western Oklahoma. Research and education endeavors have developed to the point where a facility was needed to house visiting scientists, students, and community groups for extended stays. The proposed 1,680 square-foot multipurpose building will be located on a 10-acre portion of the SLL adjacent to an access road, rural water supply, and electric services. The facility will accommodate up to 25 individuals and will provide housing as well as space for research and educational activities. The lack of facilities at the remote SLL has meant that researchers and students had to commute a considerable distance for accommodations. <br/><br/><br/>It is important for present and future generations to know as much as possible about this nation's land. This knowledge will help contribute to appropriate land management, thereby preserving it for future generations. The SLL's unique combination of prairies, gypsum outcrops, caves, and the associated springs and wetlands in western Oklahoma have not been the subject of many studies. The SLL is the only field station established in North America to study such an ecosystem. The Selman Cave System is one of several gypsum caves in western Oklahoma, but the only one located in a biological field station and available for study. These caves and associated land support several species of bats and many different prairie wildflowers and wildlife. The SLL provides protection to the cave system and has become an excellent site for research and conservation education. When students and the general public experience such ecosystems first hand, it is much easier for them to champion the causes of conservation and biodiversity to others. While the proposed grant will fund the construction of lodging and research space to facilitate extended periods of study, it will also permit K-12 teacher training, student workshops (including workshops for K-12 students who are tomorrow's teachers and scientists), and educational opportunities for the general public.
