CICEET Progress Report for the period 9/15/04 Through 3/15/05

Project Title: Science translation for non-point source pollution control - A cultural models approach with municipal officials
Principal Investigator(s): Christine Feurt
Additional Investigator(s): Thomas Webler, Michelle Dionne, Pam Morgan
Project Start Date: October 1, 2003

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1. To determine the cultural models used by municipal decision makers to understand the water cycle; connections between land use and water quality, and the role of scientific information in the decision making process.
2. To consult with other NERRS CTP Coordinators about the applicability of this methodology and to develop a Cultural Models Primer.

Progress on Tasks
This reporting period has focused on grounded theory analysis of the interview transcripts. Because grounded theory uses an inductive rather than deductive approach, I will frame the data analysis with an introduction to this research paradigm.

Grounded Theory Analysis
Cultural models methodology draws from the tradition of anthropological research called ethnography. The goal of ethnography is to understanding a social environment or culture. One way this is accomplished is through observation, participation and dialogue. The methodology for understanding the cultural models people use to understand their world produces rich data that can be mined for insights and clues, much the same way that ecological data is mined for insight and clues about how the natural environment works. This methodology while unfamiliar to most ecological and environmental researchers is governed by rigorous standards and protocols produce valid results despite inherent subjectivity.

Over 200 hours of ethnographic observation, participation observation and formal interviews with experts and municipal officials provided the research data analyzed during this period. This methodology provided in depth information about the municipal decision making environment including municipal officials' perceptions of environmental regulations and science, mechanisms of local environmental protection and channels of information flow that would not have been revealed by surveys. Interviews were analyzed using grounded theory methodology. Grounded theory uses a constant comparison technique to categorize text, develop categories that reflect recurring themes and uncover relationships and patterns in discourse. This inductive technique is design to allow theory to emerge from recursive data analysis. Emerging theory is constantly referenced back to the data for verification and refinement.

The principal investigator's preconceived ideas about the municipal decision making environment were revealed to be inaccurate and naïve. The initial hypothesis that municipal officials and experts represented distinct groups with clear divisions in levels of environmental knowledge was not supported by the data. Expertise and complexity of thinking about water management varied among the people interviewed. The distribution of knowledge is better represented by a continuum of expertise that acknowledges different ways of knowing about the world and, in the case of this research, ways of knowing about water and water management. The results of the research have already been used to improve the effectiveness of Coastal Training Program at the Wells NERR in the design of training targeting for municipal audiences.

A PowerPoint presentation was developed for use in three southern Maine towns. These towns share a common watershed that serves as a drinking water source for five municipalities. This watershed, the Merriland, Branch Brook and Little River Watershed (MBLR) has been the subject of intense research, including microbial source tracking of fecal pollution, a CICEET funded project. A watershed survey and watershed management plan has been completed for the watershed. Results of the cultural models research was used to develop key messages for the Power Point presentation that addressed drinking water as a priority use and economic and intergenerational concerns for clean water, in addition to scientific evidence for threats to water.

Results of Data Analysis - Emerging Cultural Models of Water
Analysis continues on the interview transcripts, field notes from meetings with municipal officials, water managers and scientists to better understand the underlying differences in knowledge, attitudes and beliefs and how these interact to influence decision making about water.

Cultural models about the importance of water used by the scientists, managers and municipal officials interviewed included ideas about the economic, ecological, public health and aesthetic/recreational values associated with clean water. Recognition of biological and ecological processes dependent upon clean water, basic elements of the water cycle and the interdependence of human and natural systems on clean water were described by all interviewees. These concepts about the importance of clean water form the core of the cultural models of water in the people interviewed. A variation to this model included the concept of a pristine, wild watershed. This idealized cultural model of a watershed without anthropogenic inputs was described as a reference watershed where the hydrologic cycle functioned unencumbered, providing ecosystem services related to water filtration, storage and purification.

Cultural models about threats to water were not as evenly shared among the interviewees. Municipal officials, for whom water management is an incidental role, described an average of 14.3 threats to water. Interviewees, whose primary professional role related to water, described an average of 30.4 threats to water. Both groups described similar categories of threats including chemical threats, land use practices, homeowner practices, and institutional policies and protocols. The complexity of examples used to describe the threats varied. Differences were most pronounced in descriptions of chemical threats.

Interview data on protection of water was rich, producing over 20 categories of protection strategies across the 20 interviews. While the cultural models of municipal officials included most of the same 20 categories as water professionals, municipal officials framed their responsibility for water protection in terms of compliance with regulations and deferred to outside consultants to assist in interpretation of both science and regulation. Municipal officials view compliance with regulations and being responsive to citizen concern as their primary responsibility for water management. Water professionals view responsibility for water management as extending beyond the dictates of regulation to include taking actions for which science has provided supporting evidence. Analysis and refinement of the cultural models is ongoing.

Cultural Models Primer
The Cultural Models Primer was distributed to CTP Coordinators and other NERRS staff at that meeting. Fifty copies of the Primer were distributed.

Progress on Dissertation
In December, 2004 the principal investigator successfully defended her Dissertation Proposal incorporating this research. The Dissertation Proposal was approved, and she has been advanced to PhD candidacy. This CICEET project continues to be the core of her dissertation research. Dr. Michael Paolisso of the University of Maryland, one of the leaders in cultural models research applications to coastal management is a member of the dissertation committee and has contributed to this project.

Difficulties
The time required for analyzing data is longer than anticipated. Text analysis software was acquired in March 2005 to assist in the ongoing process of analysis of text and field notes. The learning curve is slow due to the complexity of the software and the technological limits of the principal investigator. The software will be useful research tool. Progress continues in using this method to review the transcripts already analyzed.

Project Objectives for Next Reporting Period

Objectives
1. Complete the development of cultural models of water management and the synthesis of data describing knowledge, attitudes and beliefs of municipal officials, water managers and scientists.

2. Prepare final report on the project with analysis of applicability of this social science methodology to coastal management, science translation and technology transfer.

Tasks to Meet Objectives
See below.

Work Plan for Next Reporting Period
1. Continue to develop and refine cultural models of water from data and from literature review to cross check results.

2. Collaborative Learning Workshops Scheduled for Spring 2005

Accomplishments beyond the objectives of the initial project include the development of a series of Collaborative Learning Workshops with watershed stakeholders in southern Maine. The cultural models research results are being used to design, implement and evaluate three workshops during spring and summer 2005. The workshops will convene a diverse stakeholder group to develop implementation strategies for a recently completed Watershed Management Plan that proposes innovations in low impact development, riparian buffer protection and stormwater technology. These workshops will pilot test the application of the research methodology for coastal watershed planning and management.

Anticipated Success in Meeting Project Objectives
We anticipate no problem completing the initial objectives of this project by August 2005 as well as additional application of the research which we will report on in the final project report.

Overall Project Timeline Update
Project completion and final report by August 2005

Preliminary Data
See above.

Dissemination
Publications:
Distributed to 75 coastal managers and educators at the National Estuarine Research Reserve Annual Meeting, Kennebunkport, Maine, October, 2004.

Workshops:
A half day training session introducing the concept of Collaborative Learning and Social Science for Coastal Management was presented for approximately 50 NERRS coastal managers and educators.

Conferences:

• Paper presentation at the International Living Knowledge Conference in Seville, Spain, February, 2005. Audience of 50 international scientists and water program managers
• Paper presentation to the Society for Applied Anthropology, Santa Fe, New Mexico (numbers to be announced in final report).
• A presentation on this research is scheduled and an extended abstract has been prepared for Coastal Zone 2005 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
• Every abstract of this research that has been submitted to a conference has been accepted for presentation. Interest appears to be high in this type of social science research application to environmental problem solving.

Manuals, Protocols:
The Cultural Models Primer, A Tool for Designing Environmental Communication Strategies for Coastal Training Program Coordinators

Outreach:

• On going outreach to the staff of the Wells NERR as the results of this research are infused into training design and outreach strategies.
• Featured article in the Spring 2005, Nonpoint Source Pollution Newsletter produced by Maine Department of Environmental Protection

Expenditures
Expenditures are in the range anticipated for the work accomplished to date. Additional work related to this grant has been accomplished through the generous support of the manager and staff of the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve.