Non Technical Summary
Northern New Mexico is experiencing population growth, increasing popularity as an outdoor recreation destination, as well as warming trends and drought conditions due to climate change. This combination results in new pressures on our natural resources and big challenges for natural resource management, with potentially extreme consequences for local communities. At the same time, there is a shortage of professionals with climate change knowledge to fill Natural Resource Management jobs locally and nationally. LISTOS is a new project that aims to increase communities' connection with natural resource management by supporting and preparing local youth for natural resource management professions. A collaboration between UNM-Taos and New Mexico Highlands University, LISTOS will build upon the Northern New Mexico Climate Change Corp (CCC) andLeadership in Forestry Training (LIFT) programs by expanding into regional high schools and enhancing accessibility and quality of education. The program will offer hands-on experiential education, leadership training and literacy support to train well-rounded and skilled graduates, able to compete for desirable natural resource management jobs locally and beyond. By supporting and empowering local youth to pursue natural resource management professions, LISTOS aims to improve job pathways, increase participation by local communities, and provide natural resource management agencies with skilled professionals for managing local resources in the face of environmental and social challenges.

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
123	0699	1070	40%
123	0899	1060	30%
123	0210	2030	30%

Knowledge Area
123 - Management and Sustainability of Forest Resources;

Subject Of Investigation
0899 - Wildlife and natural fisheries, general/other; 0210 - Water resources; 0699 - Trees, forests, and forest products, general;

Field Of Science
1060 - Biology (whole systems); 2030 - Geology; 1070 - Ecology;

Goals / Objectives
The primary goals of LISTOS - Leadership In Science Training and Outdoor Stewardship - are 1) increase skilled graduates for mission-critical occupations in Natural Resources Management (NRM);2)improve employment opportunities for regional youth in Northern New Mexico;3) increase minority representation in state and federal agencies, and 4) improve resilience and prosperity of natural resources by producing well-rounded professionals with knowledge of climate resilience within natural resource systems.The scope of project work is divided into five categories (see below). For each, alignment with HSI grant objectives is noted and specific performance-based objectives are listed.Recruitment & Retention: Attracting and retaining students through degree completionare key aspects of the proposed project. Performance-based objectives include:Outreach and recruitment activities will establish a continuous flow of new students to UNM-Taos to pursue the education needed for a career in NRM.Pipeline with local high schools for recruitment and support of UM students will result in an increase of UM students among college graduates in NRM.Students who receive academic stipends will be better able to afford college and maintain enrollment through degree completion.Students who participate in supported cohort activities will benefit from peer support and cohesiveness and will be more likely to complete their degrees.Students who receive support and tutoring in literacy skills will be well prepared to succeed in college-level courses and will be more likely to complete their degrees.Enhance quality of education:Students who participate in experiential and culturally responsive learning opportunities will have a clearer understanding of how NRM career paths align with their interests and community needs, resulting in higher retention and degree completion.Collaboration with Taos Pueblo's Department of Natural Resources program will ensure Tribal students bring their understanding to the program to be shared with non-indigenous students.Students who participate in course-based undergraduate research experiences will have a strong grasp of scientific methods and improved critical thinking skills, resulting in improved success in their undergraduate and graduate level courses.Students who participate in paid summer internships will gain transferable skills and experience, and build professional networks and mentors, that will result in strong competitiveness for NRM jobs.Students who participate in professional conferences will gain contacts and perspectives beyond their institution and region, while expanding their knowledge, confidence, and peer and professional networks.Students who present their work as professional level posters or oral presentations will see themselves as STEM professionals, gain confidence and communication skills critical to developing self-efficacy, and embody their emerging and increasingly robust science identity that will prepare them for graduate work and/or NRM jobsLeadership Skill Development: Development of leadership skills at each level of the LISTOS pipeline from high school to job placement is integral to project design.Performance-based objectives include:Leadership Development activities will foster teamwork, communication, and critical thinking skills, strengthening confidence and preparedness for graduate studies and/or NRM careers.Layered mentoring will result in opportunities for students to put their newly gained knowledge and experience to use and will build important leadership skills such as communicating clearly, listening, and offering information and encouragement.Student Transfer Success: LISTOS will build upon an established Transfer Success Model (TSM) by expanding student transfer pathways and enhanced transfer support activities targeted to build peer and advising connections across institutions. Performance-based objectives include:UNM-T students will select from a variety of regionally available transfer options in terms of location, size, and culture of the 4-year degree-granting institutions.UNM-T transfer students to NMHU will benefit from transfer support systems that alleviate the stress of transfer, streamline advising, and facilitate degree completion.Additional TSM's developed with other regional 4-year institutions will result in more options for students and increased transfer success at a wider variety of institutionsStrategic Agency Partnerships for Professional Development and Job Placement:Undergraduates who participate in collaborative professional development workshops will have the requisite resume, USAJobs profile, and interview skills needed to apply for Federal positions.Students who complete a B.S./B.A. in an NRM field and have internship experience with an NRM agency/organization are qualified for placement in USDA Mission Critical Operations.High School students who complete a summer work experience internship in a Natural Resource position will be more likely to enroll in college and pursue a career related to FANH disciplines

Project Methods
Approaches to achieving the LISTOS project goals include student support to overcome barriers to success in STEM, and enhanced quality of education to support students' competitiveness for federal agency jobsAcademic stipends to allow students to spend more time on studies and less time working to pay for schoolLiteracy tutoring to address a significant barrier to student retention and successLayered mentoring to provide social-professional connections and supportEnhanced quality of education through High-Impact Practices such as research experience and conference participationStudent advising in coordination with partner institutions to streamline degree completionProfessional development to enable students to apply for and compete for jobsPaid internships to remove financial barrier to obtaining entry level experience, critical for competing for federal jobs.Key milestones and indicators of success include:Student retentionA.S. completionTransfer success (retention post-transfer)B.S. completionJob placement in Natural Resource professionPercent of students retained through A.S., through B.S., to job placement, and through M.S.Student experience: Do students experience the program asvaluable and helpful forsucceeding in school, finishing degrees and getting desired jobs in Natural Resource ManagementResults will be generated from quantitative and qualitative data gathered throughout the project in collaboration with an independent project evaluator. Quantitative data will be tracked on a project spreadsheet. Data will be gathered on parameters such as gender, ethnicity, degree completion, internships, and job placement. Qualitative data will be gathered by the Project Evaluator during yearly focus groups with participating students, meetings with UNM-Taos and NMHU project staff, and direct observation by evaluator during site visit. Outcomes and impacts will be summarized annually in a report provided to the USDA. Recommendations of how to fine-tune the project to achieve objectives will be included in these annual reports and discussed with project staff. A final report at the conclusion of the grant will summarize all outcomes and will be the basis for a peer-reviewed journal article prepared and submitted by the PI to disseminate the project approach and results.