The San Diego State University (SDSU) Field Stations are engaged in a major planning process that will create a vision for the program, identify critical areas for success and produce a Master Plan which will guide program and facilities development. The SDSU Field Stations have committed to following an established process, Strategic Planning, in developing an expansive vision that maintains the traditional role of field stations as sites for research and education and expands their role to also serve as demonstration sites, facilitate community outreach, and enhance partnership building. Strategic Planning has guided the evolution and development of many other institutions and businesses including the San Diego Museum of Natural History. We are fortunate to be guided in our Strategic Planning process by Cynthia Carson, a consultant with significant experience in leading organizational change.

As part of Strategic Planning, a committee was formed which was heavily invested in information gathering in its first year of activity. Several "town hall" meeting and "brown bag" lunch sessions were held and attendees included SDSU faculty, staff, students, administrators, agency representatives and interested public. Those present provided input and suggestions as to how the SDSU Field Stations may serve as a resource for core user groups in teaching, research and education, and broaden to become a resource for the local community, the region, the nation, and the international community.

In March 1999 over 40 people attended the SDSU Field Stations Strategic Planning Retreat in Escondido, California. Those in attendance included SDSU faculty, staff, administrators and students, UC Riverside faculty, representatives from The Nature Conservancy, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the California Preserves, Metropolitan Water District, prominent alumni in the fields of landscape architecture, environmental law, environmental consulting, and four invited participants from the national Organization of Biological Field Stations (OBFS) (two were also representing the UC's Natural Reserve System). The broad range of participants highlights the regional enthusiasm for the program and opportunities for collaboration and cooperation.

The development of a strategic plan outlining key areas for progress is currently underway. During the retreat, six primary areas of focus were identified.

University Education ProgramResearch ProgramPartnership and Community Outreach ProgramFacilities DevelopmentDatabase Management DevelopmentMarketing and Revenue Generation

These six areas will be emphasized in the next steps of our process as we proceed with developing the Master Plan. Smaller subcommittees will expand and elaborate each of the six areas in order to establish the Master Plan. Although six areas were identified, all six areas are dependent on the other areas and the details for each of the areas will be coordinated accordingly.

All of these six areas collectively lead to a higher vision of what the field stations can become. At the university level, these programs will provide opportunities for students to obtain practical experience while working towards degrees. The programs will also facilitate faculty research on both applied and theoretical problems associated with reserves and natural ecosystems in the San Diego region. This will contribute to the solutions of the many problems faced by land managers and regulatory agencies.

To meet these challenges, it will be necessary for the SDSU Field Stations to upgrade their facilities and increase program support through, for example, staff and database management development. These necessary additions and expansions are reflected in the six primary areas of focus.

We hope that you will join us in our enthusiasm and excitement for the progress of our process thus far, and in the university-wide development of the SDSU Field Stations into important components of San Diego State University.