PROJECT OVERVIEW

Identifying Capacity for Local Community Participation in Biological Resource Management Planning on Federal Reserves:

White-tailed Deer Issues in National Park Service Units in the Northeastern U.S.

The National Park Service’s Biological Resource Management Division and Cornell University’s Human Dimensions Research Unit conducted studies on human dimensions of issues related to white-tailed deer and deer management in park units of the northeastern U.S. The first phase of research identified the breadth of influences that shape a park’s deer management environment, broad impacts to parks and stakeholders, and key elements related to successful management planning. Local communities played a crucial role, not only in the definition and evolution of deer issues in parks, but also in the management actions considered. Therefore, future research examined alternative approaches to decision-making, strengths and weaknesses of techniques for engaging the public, and ways to measure the differences between the specific values for which a park is managed and those held by stakeholders. Insights of this study will improve NPS ability to respond to other natural resource management issues that involve local communities.

For the complete overview, click here.
For project accomplishments, click here.

PHASE I: Completed

Assessing Deer Impact in NPS Units in the Northeastern U.S. (April 2004)

To understand NPS resource managers’ perspectives on deer issues throughout the northeastern U.S., representatives from park service units were asked to respond to a brief questionnaire. The request was distributed via e-mail by Chief Regional Scientists to representative resource managers from all parks in the Northeast and National Capital Regions with the potential for deer interactions. Between February 21 and March 25, 2004, 44 rangers, biologists, natural resource managers/specialists, superintendents, and others representing 49 NPS units in the northeastern U.S. responded. Respondents were not asked to provide official park position statements based on data, thus responses were considered to reflect only opinions of the individual responding.

Many NPS units (N=32, or 73%) had current deer concerns and were at various stages of taking action related to these concerns. While relatively few parks were planning and taking action, a large number (N=10) were collecting data and were poised for future action planning.

Preliminary Insights from Managers (November 2004)

Based on questionnaire results, a subset of 22 parks was chosen for follow-up discussions. Semi-structured in-depth discussions were conducted with 47 natural resource managers and staff at these parks to discuss managers' experiences with: 1) deer management actions and planning processes and 2) interactions with the public regarding deer.

Key findings included: a situational analysis of influences shaping the deer management environment; analysis of managers' perceived impacts to parks, stakeholders and relationships, and; identification of five foundational elements for successful natural resource management.

For the complete Phase I research report, click here.
For a powerpoint presentation of the results presented on March 17, 2005 at The George Wright Society Biennial Conference on Parks, Protected Areas, and Cultural Sites, click here.
For conference proceedings, click here.

Many thanks to all the natural resource managers who participated in Phase I, your insights were invaluable!

PHASE II: Final Report in Progress

Assssing Approaches to Communities and Participation (June 2005)

The purpose of this portion of the study is to examine approaches to decision-making that include the public to varying degrees, and to assess strengths and weaknesses of diverse techniques for engaging the public.

In-depth semi-structured telephone interviews with twenty public participation practitioners were completed from January-June 2005. NPS and environmental planners acted as key informants to identify individuals who have experience engaging the the public in natural resource management planning on federal public lands.

Interviewees included: natural resource managers, superintendents, rangers, and scientists with the NPS, USDA Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, and US Geological Survey, and; specialists in community planning, dispute resolution, and public participation who regularly provide their services to federal land management agencies.

Results were published as a dissertation chapter; a manuscript is in review to share lessons learned and success stories more broadly.

Thanks to all the practitioners who shared your experiences!

Once published, they will be a great resource for managers.

PHASE IIIA: Completed

Assssing Community Perceptions of Deer, Related Management Issues and Public Participation at Specific Parks (November 2005)

This phase of research focused on residents of communities near parks, using face-to-face interviews to describe and understand stakeholder opinions and experiences related to deer issues and deer management in parks, the role of parks in deer and other wildlife management, and the influence of public input in wildlife management in parks. This information will assist park staff in improving public participation in formative phases of wildlife management planning (prior to and/or including formal public scoping related to an Environmental Impact Statement).

Based on discussions with BRMD staff, chief regional scientists from the Northeast and National Capital Regions, and natural resource managers at parks throughout the northeast, potential study sites were identified. A number of NPS units volunteered to participate in the project; three sites were ultimately chosen to represent various stages of deer issue maturity and amount of outreach efforts related to these issues. Fire Island National Seashore represents a park with a long history of deer issues and experience with deer outreach activities. Valley Forge National Historical Park represents a park with a long history of deer issues and limited deer outreach activities. Prince William Forest Park represents a park with relatively young deer issues and relatively few outreach activities related to deer.

The study period lasted approximately 3 weeks for each park. Two types of interviews were conducted: (A) in-depth semi-structured interviews with known stakeholders that lasted approximately 1 hour (N=22, 20, 19, respectively) and (B) short interviews with local residents/park users in local gathering places that lasted approximately 15-20 minutes (N=65, 42, 47, respectively).

Preliminary analysis confirms that deer management is a "wicked" or "messy" problem, i.e. one that is primarily characterized by scientific uncertainty about cause-effect relationships and results from social conflicts over goals. Formal analysis of interview data will be performed in 2006 to illustrate the interrelated elements contributing to deer issues in parks and how understanding these elements can be utilized in developing solutions.

Results from this phase of research was published as a series of reports and provided background for development of a mail survey to be administered to local community members in 2007.

For the Fire Island National Seashore report click here.
For the Valley Forge National Historical Park report click here.
For the Prince William Forest Park report click here.

A special thanks to everyone who participated in the interviews!

Your perspectives helped to shape the mail survey and to develop a new approach to thinking about wildlife management in the context of urban/suburban wildlife.

PHASE IIIB: Completed

Assssing Coorientation Between Stakeholders and Managers (Winter 2007)

A mail survey was administered to local residents living in communities near the NPS units studied in Phase IIIA, as well as near Morristown National Historical Park and the Potomac Gorge area of Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park.

The survey was designed to describe and understand the differences in values and assumptions for which a park is managed vs. those of stakeholders (with respect to management related to deer issues in NPS units). While specifics varied by park, all parks would benefit from an ongoing public issues education program as a means to improve: community understanding of NPS beliefs regarding deer and deer management; the quality of input received from the public; and community understanding of NPS procedures and regulations regarding public involvement on natural resource management issues. In addition, at all parks there also were differences between residents living in communities that were adjacent to the parks, vs. in surrounding communities, indicating that these two strata represent different publics. Communication intended to reach one or the other strata will have different fundamental objectives and thus may call for somewhat different implementation strategies.

Results from this phase of research was published as a series of reports which provide NPS decision makers with information about community interests related to deer impacts and management of NPS lands. Insights can be used to guide ongoing communication about deer management between NPS personnel and residents of neighboring communities. Findings should be especially useful to park managers as they think about tailoring communication toward communities of place and communities of interest.

For the Fire Island National Seashore report click here.
For the Valley Forge National Historical Park report click here.
For the Morristown National Historical Park report click here.
For the Prince William Forest Park report click here.
For the Great Falls Area of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park report click here.

Thanks to all the residents who responded to the survey!

Your participation helped assess representativeness of insight gained through interviews and will contribute to better commuincation between parks and local communities.