Decision makers

eLTER RI design: In an inclusive and collaborative process with the eLTER project consortia and national networks, several implementation scenarios for the eLTER RI were co-designed. The considered scenarios contained different configurations of the physical network, participating countries, central services, and resultant costs. Based on deliberations with member countries, the eLTER Interim Council decided that further eLTER RI specifications shall aim for 12-18 member countries, a geographically, ecologically, and socio-ecologically representative network of ~200 eLTER Sites and ~50 eLTSER Platforms, and a robust portfolio of core services with an indicative budget of 9 ME p.a.

eLTER Service Portfolio: Based on scouting of services that are expected from eLTER across >30 stakeholder groups, eLTER specified ~50 services in 7 Thematic Service Areas. These range from data integration to synthesis towards actionable knowledge. Service development was prioritized in implementation stages. Basic and advanced Service Levels will be provided according to users roles in eLTER RI.

eLTER Standard Observations: In cooperation with internal and external experts across countries, eLTER adopted 65 Standard Observation variables covering all five ecosystem spheres. eLTER SOs are scientifically grounded, technically feasible, and affordable. Methods, protocols and a costing tool for their implementation have been developed to support smooth implementation of this pan-European standard for environmental observations.

eLTER Cyberinfrastructure: eLTER’s new partner MUNI (CZ) leads the vigorous implementation of the revised cyberinfrastructure plan for the eLTER ERIC since early 2024. Some key services are already operational, including the eLTER Sites & Platforms Registry (DEIMS-SDR), which is crucial for the network construction in collaboration with national decision makers. Others are tested in pilots or are under construction.

eLTER in-situ facilities: eLTER adopted categories of eLTER Sites and eLTSER Platforms specified via mandatory criteria. The common characteristic across all categories is a suitable design to realize eLTER’s Whole System Approach. The eLTER Standard Observations have to be implemented and other criteria met to guarantee sites’ and platforms’ functionality and data quality. The categories differ in their level of instrumentation and detail of observation to achieve both the needed specialization and good spatial coverage.

eLTER stakeholders: Based on a thorough stakeholder analysis, eLTER identified > 30 stakeholder groups as relevant to the eLTER RI. These were grouped into 7 key stakeholder categories, and an eLTER Stakeholder Handbook was developed to ensure that the eLTER RI meets the needs of all its stakeholders.

Multiple disciplinary communities and Early Career scientists: eLTER´s Whole System approach implies the support for multiple research communities collaborating at eLTER Sites and eLTSER Platforms as well as a unique working environment for transdisciplinary research involving local or regional actors. The Early Career & Friends group promotes the next generation of researchers.

eLTER community: eLTER established the ‘Sites and Platforms Forum’ to bring together the widely distributed community of sites and platforms and provide an interactive forum for exchange, training, and networking for these key stakeholders of eLTER.

Collaboration with peers: eLTER has established formal collaboration agreements with other global and European research groups and organisations like ILTER, GEO, UNECE Working Group on Effects, ICOS ERIC, and LifeWatch ERIC to ensure effective and complementary collaboration.

RI landscape development: eLTER has been contributing to the co-development of global and European bodies that coordinate the work of Research Infrastructures to maximize their impact, synergies and alignment. Examples are the Global Ecosystem Research Infrastructures (GERI)  and the Board of ENVRI (Environmental Research Infrastructures), where eLTER maintains an active partner role.

Project collaborations: eLTER contributes to a range of other projects in the areas of environmental research, climate-related risks, and data integration and sharing to foster interdisciplinary research and drive breakthroughs in environmental science. 

eLTER Whole System Approach: eLTER’s unique Whole System Approach to ecosystem research, and especially its holistic approach to investigating entire socio-ecological systems, gives eLTER a fundamental and key role in the European Research Infrastructure landscape. The Whole System Approach guides the development of foundational elements of the eLTER RI, such as design and mandatory criteria for eLTER Sites and eLTSER Platforms and eLTER Standard Observations.

eLTER strategic plan and goals: eLTER’s Strategic Plan outlines eLTER’s vision and mission as well as the strategic goals of the eLTER RI, including the research challenges it will tackle, considerations for cost-efficient network operations, and eLTER’s innovative working culture.

ESFRI Roadmap: eLTER was included in the 2018 ESFRI Roadmap. This important step received political support by 18 countries in the EU and beyond. Since then, an additional 3 European countries support eLTER. 19 countries have delegations in eLTER’s governing body, the Interim Council.

eLTER Interim Council: Since its establishment in 2020, the eLTER Interim Council has held nine meetings to discuss key and foundational issues of the eLTER RI. The eLTER Interim Council consists of the national delegates of 19 eLTER member countries and uses a consensus voting system to ensure maximum integration of its members.

eLTER ERIC development: Since the 2020 decision of the eLTER Interim Council that the legal form of the eLTER RI shall be a European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC), eLTER has made steady progress towards the establishment of the eLTER ERIC. This includes the establishment of foundational strategies, guidelines and indicators through a participatory process with Interim Council members, amongst them

• eLTER’s provisional statutory seat in Germany

• the eLTER Scientific Advisory Board

• the eLTER Ethical Advisory Board

• Integrated Governance that ensures a high level of operational integration of the national LTER networks and eLTER’s member countries in the development and eventual operation of the eLTER ERIC as well as the ongoing development of statutes and financial parameters for the eLTER ERIC.

eLTER service hosting: Following an integrative process, the selection of hosts for eLTER services is ongoing. A broad range of national institutions have expressed interest in hosting services as part of their national contributions to the eLTER ERIC.

eLTER Flagship projects: Despite their launch during the first months of the global COVID pandemic in 2020, the eLTER projects eLTER PPP and eLTER PLUS are being implemented successfully. In 2023, eLTER was awarded the eLTER EnRich project to compensate for the effects of the COVID pandemic.

eLTER preparation: eLTER’s inclusion in the ESFRI Roadmap in 2018 was enabled by several preparatory projects including Advance eLTER.