The US National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) will hire 15–20 ecologists who will collect ecological and climatic data, including soil, plant and animal samples, at three new observatory sites. NEON — a continent-wide network that will gather data over 30 years on the ecological impacts of climate change, invasive species and land-use changes — anticipates US$60 million this year from the US National Science Foundation to build the observatories. The sites in Florida, Massachusetts and Colorado are expected to be completed by late 2013. NEON was established by the US National Science Board in 1999 to form a long-term network of ecological monitoring sites.