U.S. Department of Agriculture
Forest Service
Pacific Northwest Research Station
Sustainable Operations Science Summary
Sustainability Science Team
Contact: Trista Patterson,
907-747-4315, tmpatterson@fs.fed.us
What:
The Sustainability Science Team provides research,
publication, systems analysis, and decision support to the
Sustainable Operations Western Collective (SOWC), a
chartered collaboration of the five national forest regions
in the western United States and the Rocky Mountain
Research Station, under the direction of the Forest Service
Sustainable Operations office, which is charged with
facilitating reduction of the Forest Service’s environmental
footprint. Actions taken by SOWC are mandated by
Executive Order 13514, the Environmental Management
System, and OMB reporting requirements. Learning is
shared with private sector organizations and other federal
agencies.
Objectives are to:
 Contribute to quantitative and analytical rigor of
Sustainable Operations reporting.
 Increase studies and build a network among
Sustainable Operations researchers.
 Increase the uptake of findings in decision support.
Who:
In fiscal year 2011, SOWC initiated a new initiative for
Sustainable Operations Science. This team is composed of
7 to 10 members, with representation at each of the Forest
Service’s five research stations. Scientists associated with
this initiative self-identify, or are solicited according to
management decision-support needs.
Why:
 Research supports development of national inventory
and action plan protocol. As such the impact of this
group is of significance regionally, nationally, and in
host/cooperator communities. Coordination and sharing
of quantified learning and innovation can improve dissemination and uptake.
 Quantified savings and returns on investment from
management efforts are increasingly valuable in times
of high budget scrutiny. The ability to “do more with
less,” and collaboration across Forest Service regions,
research stations, and discipline areas are valued elements of this effort.
How:
 Published
and presented research work introduces
Sustainable Operations objectives to new audiences,
builds support for team vision, identifies concrete
deliverables and team needs, and underscores the
impressive and high SOWC returns on investment.
 The
team advocates for reliable, transparent data and
coordination among models, “ground truthing” and
inventory efforts, clarifies approach, methodologies
and protocol.
 Presentations
of findings at the Annual Sustainability
Summit provide cohesion and familiarity with current
study, and highlight collaborative opportunities/emerging
technologies and methodologies.
 The
team develops consensus statements on current
knowledge and future research needs.
 A
“living directory” of scientist profiles, research keywords, and case study descriptions makes studies and
knowledge available to scientists and managers alike.
Contact:
Trista Patterson, research economist and science lead,
Sustainable Operations (SOWC Team 7), Pacific Northwest
Research Station, 204 Siginika Way, Sitka, AK 99835-7316.
Office phone: 907-747-4315; cellular phone: 907-738-0568.