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The need in our operational region for an organization like HARC has become clear, particularly over the last decade. Our region ranks as one of the most biodiverse in the United States where coastal prairie, riparian zones, piney woods, and semi-arid lands converge to create a variety of unique and complex ecosystems. At the same time, our operational region is generally characterized by growing population, increasing income disparity, heavy industrialization, and unchecked land development. The natural resource stress caused by these demographic and economic realities results in compromised air and water quality, permanent loss of biodiversity and habitat, misallocated freshwater supplies leading to water scarcity, and increased vulnerability to natural disasters.
The other aspect of sustainability - community well-being - is also critical. The rapid growth and suburbanization of the region have created other problems including wasted energy and time; traffic congestion and highway accidents; lack of affordable housing near jobs; and the emergence of gated "fortress" communities. Beyond these direct consequences are secondary social problems such as loss of a sense of community; stress on families due to separation of home, work, and school; social and environmental justice issues; and unequal access to housing, jobs, schools, and health services.
Understanding the complex relationship between society, technology and the natural environment is becoming more challenging. Our analysis has shown that there is a lack of objective, applied research on the complex issues affecting our region that is sufficient to create permanent environmental and community improvement.
To accomplish its mission, HARC has adopted the sustainability science framework set out in the National Research Council's Our Common Journey1. In this framework, the foundations of sustainability include biological, social, technological, and geophysical systems research. A great deal of this knowledge and know-how already exists in these disciplines, but only a small fraction of it is currently being utilized by policy makers and other decision leaders. Two-way, dynamic processes for transforming what one researcher or organization knows into something useful for the decision making challenges and opportunities faced by others are critical. This approach to sustainability must occur at a regional level so that stakeholders can be engaged and problems addressed.
HARC is well positioned to fill a role demanded by scientific bodies, public officials and interest groups to provide the critical information required to promote sustainable development in our region. In its operating niche, HARC's role is to bridge the gap between basic research and technology commercialization, and basic science and policy implementation. In this role HARC improves the flow of critical information and data in both directions between scientists and decision makers.
Related to its operating niche, HARC positions itself as a boundary organization. A boundary organization serves to promote dialogue and cooperation between scientists who produce knowledge and the decision makers who use it, while remaining objective and non-partisan. While HARC is committed to sustainability, it is neutral regarding how exactly sustainability should be achieved thus lending the organization license to mediate among different viewpoints.
HARC's research competencies provide the broad experience in basic and applied science, government, technology, social science and the private sector necessary to understand the needs of various sustainability practitioners. With these unique attributes, HARC serves a vital function in our region in the production of knowledge and transfer of that knowledge to the policy, commercial and civic action arenas.
1 - National Research Council. 1999. Our Common Journey. Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press.
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| Page Updated/Reviewed: 05/08/2006 9:40 AM |
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