Open Letter: OzFlux seeking crowd funding
Dear colleagues,
I would like to draw your attention to a crowd funding initiative that OzFlux has set up and ask that you check out the OzFlux network, visit the crowd funding page (perhaps even donate) and tell others who you think may be interested about OzFlux and the crowd funding initiative.
In recent years Australia has undergone reductions 
in certain areas of science funding. This means that centralised funding to the OzFlux network has been reduced to a level that restricts our ability to fulfil what we believe are our core functions. At the same time, changes to the priorities of contestable funding in Australia mean that research grants to keep individual sites operating have become very hard to obtain.
However, there are positive signs that support for ecosystem science will increase following recent changes in both the political and research infrastructure funding landscapes. With new NCRIS funds potentially being allocated to us in mid 2017 we are hopeful that we only need to get the tower network through a period of restricted funding from now until mid 2017 and that the situation will improve from then on. To ensure that the Australian and international communities get the best value for the capital invested so far, we are trying as many avenues as possible to keep the OzFlux core, the network of flux towers and the essential staff, viable until funding increases again. One of the more unconventional measures is the crowd funding we are undertaking. A lot of small contributions could make all the difference.
Please have a look at the link and maybe you can help us through the next year.
Best regards,
Eva van Gorsel, James Cleverly and Peter Isaac
On behalf of the OzFlux network
