6.6 People are important
Environmental field research does not occur in isolation, it is
people-orientated and invariably enhanced by teamwork, social
interaction and endless discussion and conjecture involving many
collaborators with different roles. Over almost 60 years, changing
personnel of key team members over successive generations also occurs.
These include scientific “champions” of the research site who
formulate key research questions, secure funding and are often
imaginative thinkers with a long-term perspective. Equally, the
intellectual gene pool needs to remain open, new cohorts of PhD students
and post-doctoral researchers provide the tenacity and drive to make
research happen, extend the boundaries of understanding of the site and
disseminate research findings. But the bedrock of successful scientific
function are dedicated, skilled and determined technicians who
year-after-year, day after day, and in all weathers operate the fish
traps, do the electrofishing, download data loggers and empty samplers,
in addition to many other essential services.