• Orientation to BRMD in Ft. Collins: July 21-25. Met with Loyal Mehrhoff, Mike Coffey, Peter Dratch, Greg Eckert, Terry Cacek, John Dennis (via conference call) to discuss their background with deer management issues and with the BRMD in general. Discussed role of human dimensions in the BRMD and outline of this project in particular (see attached power point of summary presentation).
• Weekly discussions of literature related to NPS history and agency structure. Books discussed to date: The National Parks: Shaping the System (Mackintosh), National Parks: The American Experience (Runte), Preserving Nature in the National Parks (Sellars).
• Began literature search, primarily focusing on GIS and environmental education techniques. Inquiry related to validating the use of social indicators as indices of social feasibility for implementing various management decisions, and discovering ways outputs from human dimensions inquiries can enhance education and communication efforts.
• Developed agenda and worked on logistics for meeting with NPS core contact team (Margaret Wild, John Karish, Mary Foley) on Oct 8, 2003.
Additional activities:
• Kirsten’s PhD program course work:
• City and Regional Planning 546: Introduction to Environmental and Community Dispute Resolution (John Forester).
Examines different techniques used in negotiation and dispute resolution, to bring diverse community groups together, foster useful discussions, find areas of shared values, and implement "joint gain" agreements, rather than simply agreements for the sake of agreeing.• Development Sociology 615: Qualitative Research Methods (Lindy Williams).
A practical introduction to qualitative methods, including observation, interviewing, archival studies and content analysis, and focus groups. Focus is both on implementing the methods themselves and the underlying theory. These methods will probably be very useful for the first segment of fieldwork in developing a broader understanding of what has been done in the past in the various NPS units.• Communication 620: Public Opinion and Social Processes (Dietram Scheufele).
Examines the psychological underpinnings of social processes related to media effects and communication. It will be especially useful in linking education and communication efforts with the goals and objectives of the BRMD.• Applied Economics and Management 414: Behavioral Economics and Managerial Decision-Making (audit) (David Just).
The focus of this course is on psychological models of behavior, examining how people's perceptions of what they value and what they think others will do affects their behavior. As I take this course, I will be thinking in terms of applying these economic models to things people value other than money. We will be looking at risk, dealing with uncertainty, and cooperation.• Development Sociology 213: Social Indicators and Data Management and Analysis (audit) (Joe Francis).
Course covering the elements of social research design, including social science terminology and background in classic social science studies. Also, Dr. Francis does some GIS work with social indicators, and I'm interested in looking at GIS models that integrate biological and human dimensions.• Steel Drum ensemble: because you can't just study all day! (I played steel drum as an undergrad)
Next quarter plans: (October 1 – December 31, 2003)
• Meet with NPS core contact team: Margaret Wild, John Karrish, Mary Foley. Identify additional members of team, develop plan for contact team communication and involvement, develop action plan for first contacts/site visits to parks.
• Continue literature/data search related to NPS project—expand focus to topics such as deer management, biological management in national parks, co-management, evaluation of communication programs.
• Continue reading NPS literature.
• Continue with course work.