<div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">Dear Working Group Participant
</span>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt">We are pleased to invite you
to the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis and the LTER
Network Communications Office as a participant in the LTER: Biodiversity and Productivity
working group with Forest Isbell, Jane Cowles, and Laura Dee.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><br><span></span></span></p><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">
Please book your flight and hotel as soon as possible. For your
convenience, <span>
<span style="font-size:10pt">LTER-NCO
</span>
provides pre-paid airfare to and from Santa
Barbara. To book your flight, go to the NCEAS custom web page
with Santa Barbara Travel Bureau and fill out the travelers
request form: <a href="http://www.sbtravel.com/nceas/" target="_blank">www.sbtravel.com/nceas/</a>.
<br>
<br></span>
Please call the Upham Hotel to secure your room at 1 (805) 962-0058. Hotel
details are included below and in the attached invitation. <br>
<br>
Please contact us at <a href="mailto:nceas@nceas.ucsb.edu" target="_blank">nceas@nceas.ucsb.edu</a> if
you have any questions concerning your trip to NCEAS. <br>
<br>
Thanks<span><br>
</span>
</span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10pt">Ana Peters</span></span></p><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">
</span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10pt">LTER-NCO Travel Coordinator</span></span></p><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">
<span style="font-size:12pt"><a href="mailto:nco-travel@lternet.edu" target="_blank">nco-travel@lternet.edu</a><br><br>******************************<wbr>******************************<wbr>******************************<wbr>**********</span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,255)"><span style="background-color:rgb(243,243,243)"><font size="2"><span style="color:rgb(68,68,68)"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0)"></span></span></font></span></span><br><span style="color:rgb(0,0,255)"><span style="background-color:rgb(243,243,243)"><font size="2"><span style="color:rgb(68,68,68)"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0)"></span></span></font></span></span></span><div class="gmail-m_2473466157205659399gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"></span>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10pt">Dear <span>LTER </span>Working
Group Participant: </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt">We are pleased to invite you
to the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis and the LTER
Network Communications Office as a participant in the LTER: Biodiversity and Productivity
working group with Forest Isbell, Jane Cowles, and Laura Dee.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="text-decoration:none"> </span></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="font-size:10pt">Schedule:</span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt">Begin: <b>Monday, June 12, at 8:30 AM</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt">End: <b>Thursday, June 15, at 5:00 PM</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt">(Domestic travelers and
Canadians, please arrange your travel to arrive the evening before your meeting
starts and depart the morning after your meeting ends. Travelers coming from
outside the U.S. or Canada can arrange to come two days prior to the meeting
for recovery time.)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="font-size:10pt">Hotel Information</span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt">The
Upham Hotel<span> </span><span> </span>Phone:</span> <span style="font-size:10pt">1 (805) 962-0058<span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt">1404
De La Vina Street<span> </span><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt">Santa
Barbara, CA 93101<span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.uphamhotel.com/"><span style="font-size:10pt">http://www.uphamhotel.com/</span></a><span style="font-size:10pt"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:10pt">Group Block Name: LTER:<span> </span>Biodiversity and Productivity Meeting</span></i><i><span style="font-size:10pt"></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10pt">Reservation Deadline: May 16, 2017</span></b><span style="font-size:10pt"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10pt"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt">The LTER-NCO has reserved blocks
of rooms at the hotel listed above. Please call to make reservations directly
with the hotel by phone to ensure a booking in your name. The hotel will ask
for a credit card to reserve the room; this is standard protocol for all hotels.
Unless prior arrangements have been made to the contrary, the NCO will be
directly billed for your room. You will be responsible for any charges incurred
above the negotiated NCO/NCEAS room rate such as room service, cable movies
etc. Most of the hotels provide a modest continental breakfast. Coffee and
snacks will be provided at NCEAS during your meeting. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt">** <b>If you need to cancel your trip for any reason, you must call the hotel
and cancel your reservation at least 48 hours in advance of your check-in date
or you will be responsible for all charges assessed by the hotel.</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="font-size:10pt">Making Flight Arrangements</span></u></b></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in 0.4pt"><span style="font-size:10pt">The LNCO provides pre-paid airfare to and from Santa
Barbara. To book your flight, please go to the NCEAS custom web page with Santa
Barbara Travel Bureau and fill out the travelers request form. </span><a href="http://www.sbtravel.com/nceas/"><span style="font-size:10pt">www.sbtravel.com/nceas/</span></a><span style="font-size:10pt">.</span></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in 0.4pt"><span style="font-size:10pt"> </span></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in 0.4pt"><b><span style="font-size:10pt">**Please
make your airfare arrangements as soon as possible. Airfare must be booked 21
days in advance of the date of travel or you will be responsible for any
additional airfare costs. </span></b></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in 0.4pt"><span style="font-size:10pt"> </span></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in 0.4pt"><span style="font-size:10pt">Your name will be on a list of approved pre-paid
flights for the dates of your working group. If you need further assistance by
phone, please call Santa Barbara Travel Bureau (SBTB) at 1 (800) 350-9333. Our
account representatives, Teresa Weeks and Lisa Luyties, are available to you
weekdays between the hours of 5:00 am and 5:30 pm PST. Please request your
travel dates to arrive the evening before your meeting starts and depart the afternoon
of the meeting’s final day or the following morning. For international
travelers, we allow you to arrive up to two days prior to the start of the
meeting to provide you time to recover from your journey. <b>It is important that you contact SBTB with any problems or changes
regarding your flight(s) before or during your travel. Do not contact the
airline directly.</b> If you need to contact them after hours, between 5:30 pm
and 5:00 am PST, call US: 1 (800) 823-2590 (call collect if you are calling
from outside the United States). </span></p>
<p class="gmail-Default"><span style="font-size:10pt;color:windowtext"> </span></p>
<p class="gmail-Default"><span style="font-size:10pt">Should you need to make your
own travel arrangements to and from NCEAS, the LNCO will reimburse for an
advance purchase, direct, economy-class ticket. We have provided the following
rates for you to use as guidelines for reimbursable amounts for air travel.
Email </span><u><span style="font-size:10pt;color:blue"><a href="mailto:nceas@nceas.ucsb.edu">nceas@nceas.ucsb.edu</a> </span></u><span style="font-size:10pt">to ask for approval if your airfare will exceed these
listed amounts.</span></p>
<p class="gmail-Default"><span style="font-size:10pt"> </span></p>
<p class="gmail-Default"><span style="font-size:10pt">$450 from Western US and Canada
<span> </span>$600
from Midwestern US and Canada </span></p>
<p class="gmail-Default"><span style="font-size:10pt">$700 from Eastern US and Canada
<span> </span>$1,100
from Western Europe and South America </span></p>
<p class="gmail-Default"><span style="font-size:10pt">$1,800 from Australia and Asia <span> </span>$2,000
from Africa </span></p>
<p class="gmail-Default"><span style="font-size:10pt"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="font-size:10pt">Travel from the Airport to the Hotel</span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt">All air travel should be
booked directly to Santa Barbara. Taxicabs are available outside the Santa
Barbara Airport terminal or you can call Lucky Cab (805) 968-5020 or Gold Cab
Company (805) 685-9797, which offer a discount on your fare if you mention that
you are visiting the Ecology Center. Fares from the airport to downtown Santa
Barbara are typically $40. If you must fly to Los Angeles because you are
unable to get a convenient direct flight to Santa Barbara, we recommend you
arrange transportation on the Santa Barbara Airbus, </span><a href="http://www.sbairbus.com"><span style="font-size:10pt">http://www.sbairbus.com</span></a><span style="font-size:10pt">, which provides shuttle service from LAX to Santa
Barbara. Please obtain receipts for these additional travel expenses. The LNCO
will not reimburse for car rentals without prior approval. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="text-decoration:none"> </span></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="font-size:10pt">Reimbursement Information </span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt">The LNCO will reimburse
participants for the cost of ground transportation and meals. Prior to the
meeting you will receive an emailed packet containing visitor information and
the necessary forms for reimbursement. If you do not receive a packet, please
contact one of the staff in the front office when you arrive at NCEAS. Unless
prior arrangements have been requested, the cost of your hotel room will be
directly billed to the LNCO. To reimburse you for your travel to and from
airports and hotels, we will need receipts from cab rides, bus rides, or other
forms transportation related to your meeting.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="font-size:10pt">Note to all Non-U.S.
Citizens</span></u></b><u><span style="font-size:10pt"> <b>Regarding
Reimbursement </b></span></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt">While at the meeting please
allow our front office staff to make copies of your <u>passport and visa or
I-94 card,</u> as these are required to process your reimbursement claims for
the meeting. We will also need for you to complete a “Declaration of
Immigration Status” form, which will be provided to you in your reimbursement
packet.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt">NCEAS recommends non-U.S.
travelers coming from outside the United States carry a hard copy of this invitation,
as it may be required documentation when entering the United States. If you are
entering the United States under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), please note
that your stay in the United States cannot exceed 90 days without a visa.
Recent changes in the VWP require that visitors entering the United States from
a VWP participating country obtain travel authorization via the Electronic
System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). Authorization must be obtained prior to
boarding any carrier to the United States. ESTA information and application can
be found at: </span><a href="http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/id_visa/esta/"><span style="font-size:10pt">http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/id_visa/esta/</span></a><span style="font-size:10pt"><br>
<br>
It is very important that you complete your ESTA application prior to boarding
your plane to the United States, as you may be refused entry if it has not been
submitted and approved. <br>
<br>
Please contact us at: </span><a><span style="font-size:10pt">nceas@nceas.ucsb.edu</span></a><span style="font-size:10pt"> if you need information regarding obtaining a visa. As obtaining a
visa can be a time-consuming process, we ask that you contact us as soon as
possible.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="font-size:10pt"><span> </span></span></u></b><span style="font-size:10pt"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt">We look forward to your visit
to NCEAS and the LTER Network Communications Office!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt">Ana Peters</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt">LTER-NCO Travel Coordinator</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="mailto:nco-travel@lternet.edu">nco-travel@lternet.edu</a><span style="font-size:10pt"></span></p>
</div></div></div></div></div>