Technology transfer Technology transfer is the movement of information and ideas between the scientific community and land management agencies. Unfortunately, a tremendous information gap exists between the research community and land managers on the ground. Agency land managers are rarely given sufficient time or funding to obtain and analyze the information they need to make scientifically sound decisions about logging, grazing, mining, or the host of other activities they are managing. This all too frequently results in land management that is poorly grounded sometimes completely ungrounded in science. Because CNPS is both a scientific and conservation organization, we are uniquely suited to act as a bridge between the scientific community and the agencies.
Technology transfer takes many forms.
CNPS utilizes informal scientific advisory committees made up of experts in livestock grazing, fire ecology, and other issues. We maintain libraries of scientific literature on land management issues. We develop literature reviews and technical management proposals which we provide to the land management agencies, other advocacy groups, and policymakers. Earlier this year, for example, a CNPS proposal for Forest Service grazing management reform was endorsed by a wide variety of California environmental and recreation groups. Some deal with relatively narrow topics such as management of deer and cattle on Santa Rosa Island in Channel Islands National Park.