BioEarth – Extension and
Communications research
Chad Kruger, Fok-Yan Leung, and Andy Perleberg
Washington State University
Jennie Stephens
Clark University
BioEarth Extension and Communications research:
Agriculture & Forestry Stakeholder Interaction
Fully integrated research requires an ongoing
dialogue between researchers and stakeholders
The purpose of the project is to:
Create the dynamic process between researchers and stakeholders so
that real integrated research can take place.
Gains:
1) Research that is useful for policy making and respected by stakeholder
groups
2) Stakeholders and Researchers benefit from the knowledge base of both
groups.
BioEarth Extension and Communications research:
Agriculture & Forestry Stakeholder Interaction
When two very different constituencies meet
Inadequate or inappropriate
tools for communication –
technology, infrastructure,
common language.
Indifference or Hostility
The goal of extension activities is to provide appropriate
venues and tools for communication
The goal of the communications research is to identify problems
in the process and produce workable solutions.
BioEarth Extension and Communications research:
Agriculture & Forestry Stakeholder Interaction
The overall goal of the process is to aid in the process of determining
critical requirements for model success
Model which
focuses on
meeting
critical needs
Skateholder wants
and needs
Our job
Researchers
capabilities, desires,
and limitations
BioEarth Extension and Communications research:
Agriculture & Forestry Stakeholder Interaction
Requirements:
1) Respect between researchers and stakeholders – willingness to
accommodate and adapt.
2) Ongoing, effective communication between the stakeholders and
researchers:
2-way flow of information;
i)
for stakeholder to be able to inform research directions, they
must also be aware of the capability and limitations of
researchers and the scope of the project
ii) For researchers to be able to make informed decisions re.
research priorities and directions, they must be aware of the
priorities of stakeholders
BioEarth Extension and Communications research:
Agriculture & Forestry Stakeholder Interaction
Approach: We will simultaneously:
1. develop frequent, regular, two-way interactive communication
between model developers and decision-making stakeholders
workshops, meetings, and virtual internet forum
2. Analyze the perceptions of utility to decision-making of both
stakeholders and scientists through-out process (surveys &
interviews)
BioEarth Extension:
Agriculture & Forestry Stakeholder Interaction
Prior stakeholder processes
• Ag, Forestry and Water Preparation and Adaptation Working Groups
(PAWGS) – 2007
• Climate Advisory Team; Ag and Forestry Technical Work Groups
(TWGS) – 2007
• Climate Action Team; Agriculture and Forestry Sector Carbon Market
Workgroups (ASCMW / FSCMW) – 2008
• Working Lands Technical Advisory Committee (Agriculture, Forest and
Water) – 2010 . . .
• State Energy Strategy (energy issues related to water and terrestrial
energy sources) – 2010 – 2011
• Oregon Global Warming Commission
• USFS Forest Landowners Climate Change Needs Assessment (2010
– 2011)
BioEarth Extension:
Agriculture & Forestry Stakeholder Interaction
Prior research project engagement of stakeholders
• Climate Friendly Farming Project – 2004 – current
• Prior biomass inventory / assessment projects (Dept. of Ecology –
WSU)
• Washington Climate Change Impact Assessment Project (Agriculture,
Water chapters) – 2007-2009
• Columbia River Supply and Demand Forecast Project – 2009 - 2011
BioEarth Extension:
Agriculture & Forestry Stakeholder Interaction
Diversity of Stakeholder (ie. “Decision-making” complex) audiences
• “Growers”, Forest Managers
• Landlords
• Labor (Depends on the issue)
• Industry service and product suppliers (include financial, marketing / crop
consultants, fertilizer / pesticide dealers, processors / mills, etc.)
• Industry Technology Providers
• Water managers
• “Organics” Management Industry
• Grower / Industry organizations / representatives
• Government Agency (Regulatory / Conservation Assistance)
• Extension (County / community based)
• Environmental Organizations
• Communities
• Markets (depends on product, but becoming a powerful driver of change)
BioEarth Extension:
Agriculture & Forestry Stakeholder Interaction
Concerns to expect from stakeholders vs. desired outcomes
• Lack of understanding and concerns about Reliability of Models
• Concern that models might give the “wrong answers”
• Lack of “belief” in climate change / “fatigue” about climate change /
resistance to regulation
• Lack of understanding of the relevance of climate change to their
enterprise
• How can these modeling tools improve our management capacity,
planning and decision-making?
BioEarth Extension:
Agriculture & Forestry Stakeholder Interaction
Current “parallel” research efforts with engagement of stakeholders
• REACCH PNA – Regional Approaches to Climate Change for Pacific
Northwest Agriculture – “Wheat-based USDA Climate Change CAP”
• Various ongoing biomass inventory / assessment projects (Dept. of
Ecology - WSU, Dept. of Natural Resources - UW)
• Various “agriculture & climate change” research projects – OFOOT, SiteSpecific CFF, CIG Nutrient Recovery
BioEarth Extension:
Agriculture & Forestry Stakeholder Interaction
Design questions to still be answered
• “Pre-selected” stakeholders vs. random sampling – probably the single
most important design question to answer
• “Repeat” audiences vs. different audiences for each workshop.
[*Proposal stressed “consistency in workshop participants over time will be
encouraged”, but we’ve also cut from 4 annual workshops to 2.]
• Geographic vs. industry vs. “role” of stakeholders
• Research and Educational “Needs Assessment” for agriculture
(proposals under development) – [USFS project underway for Forests]
BioEarth: Communications Research
Overarching Project Goal:
To improve understanding of the interactions
among C, N, and H2O at the regional scale in the
context of global change to inform decision
makers’ strategies regarding natural and
agricultural resource management
Relevance and utility to decision-makers will be
enhanced through integrated stakeholder input
throughout model development
BioEarth: Communications Research
Analyze perceptions and understandings
of both stakeholders and scientists
throughout the integrated model
development process
You are being studied – or we
are studying ourselves throughout
the process
BioEarth: Communications Research
Critical Assumptions of Our Approach
Ultimate goal of this project is to inform
regional decision-makers/practitioners.
Stakeholders have relevant knowledge that
model developers may not have (Kainer et al
2009)
BioEarth: Communications Research
Building on Previous Work
Workshops could include “mediated
modeling” activities that foster shared
systems learning among stakeholders and
scientists (Thompson et al 2010)
Interactive computer-aided decision-making
Integrated shared visioning and principles
learned from others on models for planning
purposes (Palmer, 2006)
Communication Research
Research question
How does regular interaction between model developers
and land-use stakeholders influence the perceived
relevance and utility to decision-making?
Outcome
Map out changes in stakeholder and scientists perceptions
over time. Contribute to sustainability science literature on
stakeholder engagement
Methods
Pre and post workshop surveys
Interviews between workshops
Communication Research
Analyze perceptions and understandings
of both stakeholders and scientists
throughout the integrated model
development process
You are being studied – or we
are studying ourselves throughout
the process
BioEarth: Communications Research
Initial Questions to Model-Developers
How do you currently envision this integrated model
informing decision-making?
Who do you think might be able to use this integrated model
to inform their decision-making?
What stakeholder knowledge can you imagine might be
helpful in the development of this integrated model?
This project will contribute……
….. a sophisticated
tool to help decisionmakers deal with
climate impacts.
….. to breaking down
barriers between
scientists and
decision-makers