Deer, People and ParksHuman Dimensions of Deer Issues in National Parks
|
Deer, People and Parks Human Dimensions of Deer Issues in National Parks |
|
|
|
|
||||||
| You Are Here :
|
Human Dimensions Research Unit
at Cornell
|
|
| Last Updated: |
|
10/29/2007 7:46:34 PM
|
| Visitors: |
   
|
The National Park Service’s Biological Resource Management Division and Cornell University’s Human Dimensions Research Unit are collaborating to study 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.
To understand NPS resource managers’ perspectives on deer impacts throughout the northeastern U.S., representatives from park service units were asked to provide input through a brief questionnaire.
Based on questionnaire results, a subset of 22 parks was chosen for follow-up discussions.
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.
A manuscript will be developed to share lessons learned and success stories.
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 will be published as a series of reports and provided background for development of a mail survey to be administered to local community members in 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). Based on insights from Phase I and II research, results of Phases IIIA and IIIB will be analyzed to suggest ways NPS staff might improve dialogue about deer issues with local community members.
