Submitted by: Carol Spinos, Applegate Ranger District
Background
The principal assumption of the CARE Team Model is that decentralized self-empowered stewardship teams will improve the Agency's ability to manage administrative lands on the Rogue River National Forest (NF). Teams are predicted to be able to accomplish this mission by gathering localized knowledge, becoming active stewards, enhancing the Agency's ability to communicate with ourselves and our communities, as well as selecting integrated processes that identify future resource enhancement opportunities while considering the effects on the entire CARE Area (see RRNF CARE Team Charter, FY 1999, page 1).
This learning paper summarizes my observations as a Team Leader since October, 1996. In 1996 and 1997, team membership was consistent with Forest direction... up to 26 days annually/per person. In 1998, the team submitted a proposal as a pilot to experiment with team structure, increased autonomy, empowerment, increased membership time, and adaptive management. Membership ranged from 26-74 days (Leader [74 days], 6 person CORE Team [54 days], remaining members [26 days]).
Hypothesis
The formation of the Little Applegate CARE Team (LACT) will improve the management of their CARE AREA using an integrated process, active stewardship, effective communication, while considering the effects of recommended future projects on the entire CARE Area (defined as the Little Applegate Watershed).
Methodology
The LACT has completed a comprehensive Forest Landscape and Design (FLAD) for the entire 72,000 acre, multi-jurisdictional CARE Area. The FLAD articulates integrated, long-term (200+ years) community/agency goals, while emphasizing customer service and natural resource education. Spatial and temporal parameters for a variety of future desired vegetative structures have been described and mapped in GIS. Coarse-level qualitative and limited quantitative analyses were applied to assess probable effects of proposed vegetative distribution on key flows (things such as cattle, deer, traffic, etc., that move within the landscape), and linkages (things such as neo-tropical birds and water that move through the landscape).
The team solicited local, volunteer, resource expertise and experiential information from resident "old timers" to assist in the development and implementation of the FLAD process. Volunteers were instrumental in collaborating on the creation of landscape goals, validation of site capacity, predictions of potential resource consequences, to name a few (estimated monetary value for 98 totaled $17,000). Community responses indicate that we are definitely on the right track.
The LACT also initiated a highly successful summer "educational program" in FY 1996 to provide a positive forum in which to meet community members, promote natural resource education to encourage better stewardship of private/public lands, exchange information regarding ecological and social issues/perceived problems, set up communication networks, while building trust in hopes of increased collaboration. Community feedback has been all good. Numerous requests to continue and expand the program have ensued.
The LACT initiated and coordinated the creation of a "Children's Calendar" with Ruch Elementary School (6th grade class) in 1997. The calendar incorporated the children's crayon drawings of "their favorite landscape" with educational quotes regarding conservation land management. A lot of positive feedback was expressed. Many visitors asked to view the calendar posted behind the Front Desk at the Applegate District. Front desk personnel said that inquiries and comments were numerous and very positive. The LACT is now in the process of creating a "children's educational coloring book".
The LACT coordinated implementation of the "FOREST Program" in 1997 for southern Oregon under Portland State University (PSU) (grant administrator). The program targeted high school science teachers with the intent of providing in-the-field, "hands-on" experience with natural resource management activities. The objective was to educate teachers so that they could better educate their students in complex resource management. The LACT solicited interest from 9 local teachers through advertisement and presentations to pertinent school districts. The LACT organized a variety of projects activities for teacher involvement over a 4 week period. Response from PSU and local participants was outstanding (received several letters of appreciation from PSU/teachers both).
The LACT responded to a grant solicitation by the Washington Office WO) in 1997 to experiment with special stewardship contracting authorities and innovative procedures. The proposal was selected as I of 22 national pilots from over 50 submitted with an approximate budget of $1.5 million over a six year period.
The LACT initiated a cost/share remote sensing proposal with the Applegate River Watershed Council (ARWC) to gather riparian vegetation and continuous stream temperatures within the Little Applegate watershed in 98. Additional partners including Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station (PNW)and Oregon State University (OSU) have since contributed funding and expertise, allowing the project to be expanded for the larger Applegate Watershed. Initial analysis of remote sensing data for 106 miles of stream collected in August 1998, has been completed. Plans to conduct a second flight by ARWC and transfer of state-of-the-art technology and protocol integration with the Province Interagency Team (chartered to integrate the Endangered Species Act and Clean Water Act) are in the works.
The LACT has also solicited the interest and commitment of a PNW researcher (Gay Bradshaw, Ph.D Applied Mathematician) for FY 99 and 00 to assist with the development of a community-based monitoring plan for the CARE Area. Experimentation with quantitative sensitivity decision-analysis is underway as a method to better display decision rationale and associated belief systems.
The LACT experimented with several variations on team structure and roles since it's inception to improve communication, effectiveness and to promote individual and team empowerment. The LACT devised and implemented a team structure similar to the current RRNF hierarchical structure for 98 at the CARE Area level, to see if some of the agency communication/decision-making dilemmas were perhaps a symptom of scale rather than current organizational structure. The Team Leader mirrored the District Ranger, CORE Team performed tasks associated with district program managers (staff), and "regular members" were equivalent to resource specialists and field crews (responsible for project work, not program management).
Findings
The LACT has gleaned significant insight into economic, ecological and social past and predicted trends through collaboration with educators from University of Oregon (UO), OSU, students, researchers, local consultants, community groups and members, etc. These shared ideas, experiences and observations have been critical to the success of the Forest Landscape Design process.
The creation of the LACT has allowed for more innovative watershed-based, collaborative planning. The value of volunteer involvement since 96 is roughly estimated at 40K. Numerous requests from community groups, local and non-local federal and private organizations regarding presentations and consultation have been a result of "word-of-mouth" endorsements. Non-monetary benefits such as increased credibility for the FS, trust building, problem-solving strategy development, etc., continues to grow.
Education provides a solid foundation for relationship building and exchange of scientific information and local knowledge, which has resulted in some initial, successful, problem-solving in regards to Little Applegate Watershed resource management issues.
Art is an effective technique to share information, monitor community values, build relationships with children and adults, while promoting a sense of "good will" (not to mention everyone has fun).
Developing an integrated long-term vision has facilitated grant development, partnership building, and just plain excitement. The LACT has more than covered the funding investment of the RRNF for Agency salaries through securing grants and volunteer labor.
Internal team reviews of how effective team structures functioned to facilitate empowerment and land-based stewardship indicated that hierarchical systems do not work. Labels such as Leader, Core members, etc., created communication barriers in regard to overall team interactions, which in turn lead to frustration. CORE members rose to the experiment and were highly committed, but there was some tendency to revert back to old paradigm decision-making, especially when unknown risks were involved. CORE members had to learn to be conscious of subtle but dis-empowering communication (language, tone, non-verbal, etc.), which required patience, perseverance, and humility. The LACT dissolved the concept of CORE team for 99, however mid-year monitoring observations are already indicating that some type of oversight of program management is needed (may evolve into a 2-3 person sub-committee). Overall, team members are beginning to develop positive relationships and trust as we continue to coordinate and implement projects as the LACT. Most importantly, team building takes time and requires management support and long-term commitment.
The creation of CARE Teams have provided an incentive and forum for leadership and innovation (i.e., the horse has come to the water). However, management trends towards using accountability to get the horse to drink has so far been ineffective, expensive, and stifling to creative minds. Employees respond enthusiastically to leadership and vision once they know it is real.