Scope, Mission and Vision of the North Slope Science Initiative - The North Slope Science Initiative (NSSI) was developed by federal, state and local governments with trust responsibilities for land and ocean management, to facilitate and improve collection and dissemination of ecosystem information pertaining to the Alaskan North Slope region, including coastal and offshore regions. The mission of the NSSI is to improve scientific and regulatory understanding of terrestrial, aquatic and marine ecosystems for consideration in the context of resource development activities and climate change. The vision of the NSSI is to identify those data and information needs management agencies and governments will need in the future to develop management scenarios using the best information and mitigation to conserve the environments of the North Slope. The NSSI adopts a strategic framework to provide resource managers with the data and analyses they need to help evaluate multiple simultaneous goals and objectives related to each agency’s mission on the North Slope. The NSSI uses and complements the information produced under other North Slope science programs, both internal and external. The NSSI also facilitates information sharing among agencies, non-governmental organizations, industry, academia, international programs and members of the public to increase communication and reduce redundancy among science programs.

 

NSSI Advisory Groups – The NSSI has two advisory groups: the Oversight Group (OG) and the Science Technical Advisory Panel (STAP). Activities of the NSSI are directed by the Oversight Group which is composed of Federal, State, and Borough land managers. The Oversight Group consists of the following member agencies with voting privileges: Bureau of Land Management; Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, National Marine Fisheries Service, Minerals Management Service, Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Arctic Slope Regional Corporation, and North Slope Borough. Additionally, the U.S. Geological Society, Department of Energy, U.S. Arctic Research Commission, and National Weather Service participate in the Oversight Group as advisory agencies, but do not have voting privileges. The purpose of the STAP is to advise the Oversight Group on science issues such as identifying and prioritizing inventory, monitoring and research needs, and providing other scientific information as requested by the Oversight Group.

 

For more information about the NSSI advisory groups or other NSSI information please see the links below:

• Oversight Group
• Oversight Group Meeting Information
• Oversight Group Charter
• Science Technical Advisory Panel
• Science Technical Advisory Panel Charter
• Science Technical Advisory Panel Meeting Information
• NSSI Science Strategy
• NSSI Business Plan and 2009 Annual Operating Plan
• History and Current Status of the NSSI
• NSSI Organizational Structure
• NSSI Member and Advisory Organizations
• NSSI Staff Biographies
• NSSI Informational Brochure