Bridging the Gap: The Role of University Centers in Moving Nutrient Science to Decision Making

University based centers operate in the space between university research, preparing tomorrow’s professionals, stakeholder engagement, and facilitating policy discussions and informed decision-making. Strategies for bridging this gap and moving from policy creation to execution and adaptive management will be presented in the context of the development and implementation of the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy. Completed in July 2015, the strategy was developed by a team of stakeholders and facilitated by the Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant and the Illinois Water Resources Center. Strategy implementation is now underway and supported by cutting-edge web applications and integrated science assessments. Great Lakes Monitoring and the Great Lakes to Gulf Virtual Observatory make it possible to view and analyze decades of nutrient, water characteristic, and land use data. This data has also been integrated into the Tipping Points Planner, an interactive tool that helps watershed planners identify how close a watershed is to known environmental tipping points and pinpoints ordinances, policies, and outreach efforts needed to prevent further environmental degradation. Coupled with continued facilitation of statewide groups, these strategies are helping the state achieve its 45 percent reduction goal through science-based actions appropriate for the communities and industries contributing nutrients to the Mississippi River basin.