# Presentation: 243312

## Integrating Science and Resource Management at a Small Park:  A Small Park Resource Manager’s Perspective

- Ben Bobowski

## ...some observations

- GWS - Integrating Science and Park Resource Management

- April 17, 2007

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

- GWS - Integrating Science and Park Resource Management

- April 17, 2007

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

- Does science ‘direct’ or ‘drive’ management decisions in the NPS?  ...in small parks?

- GWS - Integrating Science and Park Resource Management

- April 17, 2007

## How scientifically ‘sexy’ is a small park?

- GWS - Integrating Science and Park Resource Management

- April 17, 2007

## How scientifically ‘sexy’ is a small park?

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

- GWS - Integrating Science and Park Resource Management

- April 17, 2007

## What’s your small park footprint?

- Ecological
- Social
- Economic

- GWS - Integrating Science and Park Resource Management

- April 17, 2007

## Can small parks compete with large parks to secure annual funding opportunities? 

- GWS - Integrating Science and Park Resource Management

- April 17, 2007

## A small park staff ...

- GWS - Integrating Science and Park Resource Management

- April 17, 2007

## A small park staff ...

- small!

- GWS - Integrating Science and Park Resource Management

- April 17, 2007

## A small park staff ...

- Small!
- Generalists (not specialists)

- GWS - Integrating Science and Park Resource Management

- April 17, 2007

## A small park staff ...

- Small!
- Generalists (not specialists)
- May not even have a ‘resource’ staff member

- GWS - Integrating Science and Park Resource Management

- April 17, 2007

## A step further...

- GWS - Integrating Science and Park Resource Management

- April 17, 2007

## What does the age class distribution look like for resource managers in the NPS?

- GWS - Integrating Science and Park Resource Management

- April 17, 2007

## 20

- 65

- AGE

- Number of
- Employees

- GWS - Integrating Science and Park Resource Management

- April 17, 2007

## How many resource ‘types’ do we have in the parks relative to other disciplines (e.g., interp, ranger, etc.)?

- GWS - Integrating Science and Park Resource Management

- April 17, 2007

## Who becomes a superintendent?

- GWS - Integrating Science and Park Resource Management

- April 17, 2007

## Who becomes a superintendent?

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

- GWS - Integrating Science and Park Resource Management

- April 17, 2007

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

- GWS - Integrating Science and Park Resource Management

- April 17, 2007

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

- ...probably not without some system inputs

- GWS - Integrating Science and Park Resource Management

- April 17, 2007

## Sources of significant short-term inputs

- I&M
- CESU
- Learning Centers

- GWS - Integrating Science and Park Resource Management

- April 17, 2007

## 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

- GWS - Integrating Science and Park Resource Management

- April 17, 2007

## Significant long-term leverage points

- GWS - Integrating Science and Park Resource Management

- April 17, 2007

## Where is Leverage?

- growing
- action

- condition

- slowing
- action

- Self-reinforcing

- Self-balancing

- GWS - Integrating Science and Park Resource Management

- April 17, 2007

## Leverage lies in the balancing loop, not the reinforcing loop

- GWS - Integrating Science and Park Resource Management

- April 17, 2007

## Shifting the Burden				(SENGE 1990)

*self-balancing*

*self-balancing*

- symptom

- fundamental
- solution

- symptomatic
- solution

- side
- effect

*self-reinforcing*

- GWS - Integrating Science and Park Resource Management

- April 17, 2007

## Shifting the Burden				(SENGE 1990)

*self-balancing*

*self-balancing*

- learning
*symptom*

*Develop Skills in mental models and team learning **Fundamental solution*

*Increase facts; change format*
*Symptomatic solution*

- Erosion of capacity to problem solve
*Side effect*

*self-reinforcing*

- GWS - Integrating Science and Park Resource Management

- April 17, 2007

## Shifting the Burden				(SENGE 1990)

*self-balancing*

*self-balancing*

- learning
*symptom*

*Develop Skills in mental models and team learning **Fundamental solution*

*Increase facts; change format*
*Symptomatic solution*

- Life-long learning
*Side effect*

*self-reinforcing*

- Interaction

- Reflection

- GWS - Integrating Science and Park Resource Management

- April 17, 2007

## Shifting the Burden				(SENGE 1990)

*self-balancing*

*self-balancing*

- learning
*symptom*

*Develop Skills in mental models and team learning **Fundamental solution*

*Increase facts; change format*
*Symptomatic solution*

- Life-long learning
*Side effect*

*self-reinforcing*

- Interaction

- Reflection

- GWS - Integrating Science and Park Resource Management

- April 17, 2007

## Innovation& Adoption

- GWS - Integrating Science and Park Resource Management

- April 17, 2007

- Recruit and support practitioners of science-based decision making to be superintendents

- GWS - Integrating Science and Park Resource Management

- April 17, 2007

- 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

- GWS - Integrating Science and Park Resource Management

- April 17, 2007

- 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)

- GWS - Integrating Science and Park Resource Management

- April 17, 2007

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

- GWS - Integrating Science and Park Resource Management

- April 17, 2007