Your participation in the following workshop will help communities, natural resource management agencies, and partners further our mutual priorities of adaptive management and ecological monitoring:
Beyond Monitoring: Adaptive Management Practitioner’s Workshop
Sitka, AK
April 28-30, 2013
Background
The Sitka Conservation Society and more recently the Sitka Sound Science Center have been working with the USFS Sitka Ranger District on augmenting monitoring needs by conducting ecological monitoring projects. The goal of these efforts is to contribute to the science and techniques of watershed restoration and ecosystem (terrestrial, freshwater, and marine) management by incorporating multi-party monitoring information and community volunteers in a meaningful way. This workshop will help guide these efforts to maximize their pertinence and contribution to existing resource management needs, and serve as a case study for other communities to engage in these efforts.
Workshop objectives
- · Increase peer learning opportunities between agencies, the public, and organizations regarding Tongass NF restoration, monitoring, and research efforts
- · By discussing case studies, provide guidance to community-based monitoring efforts to improve monitoring project outcomes, data quality, and applicability to management needs as defined by the natural resource management agencies
- · By discussing case studies, develop a process to capture lessons learned prior to, during, and after project implementation not necessarily captured through monitoring data
- · Discuss the opportunities and challenges of community-based monitoring programs
Logistics and other details
This workshop is sponsored by the USFS Sitka Ranger District, Sitka Conservation Society, and the Sitka Sound Science Center. There will be an evening public presentation on Sunday, April 28. Monday April 29 will consist of all-day facilitated discussions and then an evening public event where local students will share results of their research studies. Tuesday April 30 will be a field-day at Starrigavan Valley discussing the topics of the previous day.
While our case studies will primarily be local, the topics will be applicable across the region.
We will provide a draft agenda within a couple weeks.
Please RSVP so we can estimate participation, and arrange an appropriately-sized venue. And please share this information with any interested persons.
Questions?
Scott Harris, Sitka Conservation Society, scott@sitkawild.org, 907.738.4091
Chris Leeseberg, USFS Sitka Ranger District, cleeseberg@fs.fed.us, 907.747.4343