Integrating Science and Resource Management at a Small Park: A Small Park Resource Managers Perspect

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Integrating Science and Resource Management at a
Small Park A Small Park Resource Managers
Perspective

• Ben Bobowski

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some observations
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How long has SCIENCE been a dominant theme in NPS
management?
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How long has SCIENCE been a dominant theme in NPS
management?

• Does science direct or drive management
  decisions in the NPS? in small parks?

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How scientifically sexy is a small park?
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How scientifically sexy is a small park?

• How many research permit requests does a large
  park receive annually? a small park?

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Whats your small park footprint?

• Ecological
• Social
• Economic

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(No Transcript)
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Can small parks compete with large parks to
secure annual funding opportunities?
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A small park staff
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A small park staff

• small!

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A small park staff

• Small!
• Generalists (not specialists)

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A small park staff

• Small!
• Generalists (not specialists)
• May not even have a resource staff member

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A step further
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What does the age class distribution look like
for resource managers in the NPS?
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Number of Employees
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65
AGE
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How many resource types do we have in the parks
relative to other disciplines (e.g., interp,
ranger, etc.)?
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Who becomes a superintendent?
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Who becomes a superintendent?

• What role does a small park serve to a
  superintendent?

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Are small parks fertile ground to integrate
science and resource management?
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Are small parks fertile ground to integrate
science and resource management?

• probably not without some system inputs

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Sources of significant short-term inputs

• IM
• CESU
• Learning Centers

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Inputs that increase the probability of
integrating science and management are

• Informative
• Relevant
• Engage many (e.g., citizen-based science)
• Offer potential solutions/insights as well
  identify problems

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Significant long-term leverage points
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Where is Leverage?
slowing action
growing action
condition
Self-reinforcing
Self-balancing
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Leverage lies in the balancing loop, not the
reinforcing loop
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Shifting the Burden (SENGE 1990)
symptomatic solution
self-balancing
symptom
side effect
self-reinforcing
self-balancing
fundamental solution
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Shifting the Burden (SENGE 1990)
Increase facts change format Symptomatic solution
self-balancing
Erosion of capacity to problem solve Side effect
learning symptom
self-reinforcing
self-balancing
Develop Skills in mental models and team learning
Fundamental solution
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Shifting the Burden (SENGE 1990)
Increase facts change format Symptomatic solution
Interaction
self-balancing
Life-long learning Side effect
learning symptom
self-reinforcing
self-balancing
Develop Skills in mental models and team learning
Fundamental solution
Reflection
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Shifting the Burden (SENGE 1990)
Increase facts change format Symptomatic solution
Interaction
self-balancing
Life-long learning Side effect
learning symptom
self-reinforcing
self-balancing
Develop Skills in mental models and team learning
Fundamental solution
Reflection
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Innovation Adoption
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• Recruit and support practitioners of
  science-based decision making to be
  superintendents

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• Recruit and support practitioners of
  science-based decision making to be
  superintendents
• Work with current superintendents to develop a
  science-based decision making course (for new
  superintendents) focused on
• consuming scientific products
• Practicing the scientific process

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• Recruit and support practitioners of
  science-based decision making to be
  superintendents
• Work with current superintendents to develop a
  science-based decision making course (for new
  superintendents) focused on
• consuming scientific products
• Practicing the scientific process
• Expand the citizen-based science programs in the
  parks (stake holders matter)

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The best way to predict the future is to create
it!