Building and Maintaining Extension Capacity

Transcription

1 Building and Maintaining Extension Capacity Adaptive models for working in a constantly changing environment Susan Leech and Chris Hollstedt FORREX Presented at the North American Natural Resources Extension Forum: Building Capacity for Cross-Border Collaboration April 9-12, 2006

2 FORREX s Mandate: Empowering sustainable solutions through knowledge and wisdom

3 A Short History of FORREX Initially founded in 1998 as the Southern Interior Forest Extension and Research Partnership (SIFERP) Evolved into FORREX Forest Research Extension Partnership (provincial mandate) Non-share charitable organization Retained earnings must go back into the business 80% of charitable donations must go to charitable objects Bridge between public and private sector Balance public benefit with private sector benefits Public good Sustainability Reduced risk and uncertainty Improve profits

4 Our goals are to Integrate science, indigenous knowledge and natural resource management to promote sustainable ecosystem management practices. Establish long-term investments in learning about managing our natural resources by developing an infrastructure to: Identify needs, Build research and extension partnerships, Share and manage information, and Evaluate outcomes. Build our learning capacity through the effective use of research, technology and knowledge transfer and extension education.

5 By achieving our goals we are ensuring that Decision-makers have access to, and can use, the latest scientific, indigenous and experiential information before making natural resource-based policy and decisions. Resource managers are supported with access to the latest knowledge, expertise and information before planning and implementing land use decisions. High-quality natural resource information is generated and applied in practical ways. The public s understanding and appreciation for natural resource science, the maintenance and protection of indigenous knowledge, and ecologically based forest management practices is enhanced. Indigenous innovations and practices are respected and encouraged. Healthy and productive ecosystems are nurtured and sustained.

6 Lessons Learned Get the mandate right Governance is critical Strategy is everything and nothing Focus on performance Communicate benefits Tenacity and Adaptability are positive traits

7 FORREX- Spanning boundaries and brokering knowledge You can do more together than alone People will make better decisions if they have access to, and understand, the best available knowledge Identifying a problem is the first step to continuous learning Sustainable solutions require tenacity, endurance, joy in what you re doing

8 Enabling a Knowledge-based Society pathways to sustainable development cannot be chartered in advance. Rather they must be navigated through processes of learning and adaptation. (National Academy of Science 1999)

9 How do we get there? From knowledge is power to shared knowledge creates opportunity From discipline-specific communities to integrated communities of practices From communities of practice to knowledge networks From knowledge to sustainable development

10 A new way of doing business Build and participate in Strategic knowledge networks with key decision makers Enable and celebrate collaboration and facilitated learning continuum Knowing the goals, and how to achieve and measure them Know your capacities and build where you need to Make the Commitment and demonstrate value Networks+Learning+Tools+Skills+Commitment = Long-term Solutions

11 The Real Story It s all about Relationships Power, Position, Trust, Leadership, Authority Organizations Tradition, Inertia, Infrastructure, Knowledge Capital Tragedy of the Commons There will be noise in the system Success takes time and you have to love what you re doing

12 Motivation for Collaboration Common interest Agreement on problem definitions Recognition of diverse and distinct capacity to contribute to solutions Improved efficiencies Increased likelihood of affecting change

13 The benefit of partnership Formalizing cooperation will: draw more partners into extension and research ventures; attract financial support for projects, create efficiencies in implementing extension activities; enhance the transfer of knowledge to potential users; promote the creation of new projects where needed to fill information gaps; Allow for adaptability and increase extension capacity.

14 Guiding Principles Neutrality Objectivity Quality Trust Fairness Respect

15 Business Structure: Policy Chair CEO Executive Business Strategic Planning Finance Conflict Resolution Ad hoc Committees Coast Steering Committee Northern Steering Committee Interior Steering Committee Secretary Secretary Secretary Directors Member Reps Staff

16 Business Structure - Operations CEO Operations Finance/ Administration Business Leader Forest Resource Dynamics Watershed Management Conservation Biology Socio Economics Information Products & Services Early Stand Dynamics Coastal Watershed Mgt Cons. Biology/ landscape Ecology -Coast Socio Economics Publications Specialist Stand Management Interior Watershed Mgt Cons. Biology/ landscape Ecology -North Aboriginal Forestry Coordinator Ecosystem Productivity Cons. Biology/ landscape Ecology -Interior Knowledge Management Info. Systems & Dev. Spec. Forest Engineering and Operations Ecosystem Mgt. Forest Practices Community Eco. Dev. Website and Corp. Systems Mountain Pine Beetle Project Technician Full time Part time Vacant Secondment Partner

17 Organizational Capacity Partners are key Working group members Project team members Peer assistance Contributors

18 Partnerships are KEY Agriculture and Agri-food Canada BC Conservation Foundation BC SFI Implementation Committee British Columbia Community Forest Association British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture and Lands British Columbia Ministry of Forests and Range British Columbia Ministry of Environment British Columbia Wildlife Park Bulkley Valley Centre for Natural Resources and Management Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers Canfor Corporation Cascadia Natural Resource Consultants Inc. Cirque Resource Associates Ltd. College of New Caledonia/Small Woodlands Program (SWP) Columbia Mountains Institute of Applied Ecology Council of Forest Industries Destination Osoyoos Ditidaht First Nation En'owkin Centre FERIC - Forest Engineering Research Institute of Canada Grasslands Conservation Council of BC Highland Valley Copper Corp. Inner Coast Natural Resource Centre International Forest Products - Adams Lake Lumber and Coast Forest Operations IUFRO - International Union of Forest Research Organizations Kamloops & District Woodlot Association Ktunaxa/ Kinbasket Tribal Council Lillooet Tribal Council Malaspina University College McGregor Model Forest Association National Aboriginal Forestry Association Natural Resources Canada - Pacific Forestry Centre Nicola-Similkameen Innovative Forest Society Nicola Tribal Association - Tmixw Research Nicola Valley Institute of Technology Northern Lights College/Small Woodlands Program Okanagan Nation Alliance Pandion Ecological Research Ltd. Pope & Talbot Ltd. R. Keith Jones & Associates Revelstoke Community Forest Corp. Rocky Mountain Trench Natural Resource Society Royal Roads University - Centre for Economic Research and Development Secwepemc Cultural Education Society Selkirk College Shuswap Nation Tribal Council Simon Fraser University - School of Resource and Environmental Management Snowy River Resources Ltd. South Okanagan-Similkameen Conservation Program South Peace Enterprise Centre Society Southern Interior Growth and Yield Cooperative Sustainable Forest Management Network Tembec Industries Inc. The Land Conservancy of British Columbia Thompson Rivers University Timberwest Forest Corp. Tolko Industries Ltd. University of British Columbia Faculty of Forestry University of British Columbia - Okanagan University of British Columbia/Alex Fraser Research Forest University of British Columbia/Malcolm Knapp Research Forest Vizon SciTec Inc. West Fraser Mills - Williams Lake Division Western Forest Products Ltd. - Saanich Forestry Centre Weyerhaeuser Company Limited Whiskey Jack Forest Sciences

19 A Case Study of the Ecosystem Management and Conservation Biology Extension Program Planning an extension program in a world of constant change Funding Changes Legislative Changes Forest Practices Code Forest and Range Practices Act Introduction of the Species at Risk Act (SARA) Internal Challenges Staff turnover, changing goalposts, changing administrative procedures

20 A little bit about the Ecosystem Management and Conservation Biology Program Northern Extension Specialist Prince George McGregor Model Forest Southern Interior Extensionist Kamloops FORREX Head Office EMCB Working Group -15 members from government, ENGO s, forest industry, Research, Consulting community Coastal Extension Specialist Vancouver University of British Columbia Southern Interior Extension Specialist Penticton Okanagan College Provide strategic advice and input into 5 year extension plan and annual work plans

21 What have these changes meant to us on a program level? Funding Changes:

22 Legislative Changes Forest and Range Practices Act Change from prescriptive to results-based. Greater reliance on professional competence, science-based decision-making, effectiveness monitoring = increased need for extension on technical topics Species At Risk Act Emphasis on stewardship/outreach (carrot vs. stick) = increased need for extension capacity within Species At Risk Recovery Community

23 Internal challenges A New Year = A New Funder! Different activities are eligible for funding Different administrative/reporting requirements Revised financial protocols = STAFF INSANITY! Having strategic goals linked to performance keeps the system logical and meaningful Funders, Board, Partners and Management stay happy.

24 Staffing Changes 2001: 2002:

25 2003: 2004:

26 2006:?

27 How do we cope with all these changes and still meet our program objectives? A good strategic plan Good client input Solid partnerships Adaptable staff, strong staff relationships and a strong belief in what we do

28 Staff Challenges Accessing continuing education under a soft funding model Funders are reluctant to fund relationship building and outreach

29 Surviving change Back to PRESENTATIONS page