Progress Report

CICEET Progress Report for the period 3/01/09 Through 8/31/09

Project Title: Collaborative Learning and Land Use Tools to Support Community Based Ecosystem Management
Principal Investigator(s): Wells NERR - Christine Feurt, Tin Smith, Zack Steele, Jacob Aman; Town of Sanford - Jim Gulnac; Southern Maine Regional Planning Commission - Jamie Oman-Saltmarsh
Project Start Date: November 2007
Report Compiled By: Christine Feurt, Ph.D

A. Project Objectives for This Reporting Period
Tier I of the project applies land use technologies including geospatial tools and visualization technology to the development of a Conservation Plan for Sanford, Maine.

Objectives for Tier I addressed during this period
1. As a consequence of applying geospatial tools, predictive models, and visualization technology, in the context of planning processes using Collaborative Learning, municipal decision makers in Sanford will understand and discuss spatial and temporal aspects of land use decisions that relate to the sustainability of water resources, habitat and biodiversity identified as valuable by the community.

2. Using products generated by land use planning tools, the Comprehensive Plan and other resources, Planning Board members, land trust members, municipal staff and other citizens will develop a Conservation Plan. The plan will identify opportunities for mutually beneficial regional collaboration on land use issues and consider appropriate strategies such as zoning; ordinance development and transfer of development rights to achieve plan goals.

3. Collaborative Learning will facilitate municipal efforts to identify ways to incorporate resource protection strategies into economic development decisions. Encouraging participation by relevant stakeholders, providing multiple opportunities and venues for collaboration and implementing a transparent process for developing the Conservation Plan for Sanford, will support this.

The first draft of the Sanford Conservation Plan, including GIS layers was presented to the Sanford Planning Board on March 4th. The formal title of the plan, “Headwaters, A Collaborative Conservation Plan for Sanford, Maine” recognized both the watershed-based theme of the plan and the collaborative nature of the plan’s development.

During the following 4 months members of the planning team for the project met with members of the Planning Board to refine the plan and address concerns about some of the innovative features of the plan. This was the first plan of its kind in Maine to apply the green infrastructure concept to link the value of ecosystem services and connect economic development goals and conservation objectives.

The Sanford Planning Board voted unanimously to accept the Conservation Plan as an appendix to the Comprehensive Plan.

4. The Sanford project will serve as a case study/demonstration site for the Coastal Training Program of the Wells NERR. Lessons learned will be used to design future land use trainings and workshops. Participants in the Sanford project will be involved in the delivery of training. This objective is critical to the diffusion of new technologies.

Members of the Sanford Conservation Plan Steering Committee and stakeholders participating in the conservation values planning process include representatives from all levels of government, land trusts, watershed groups, NGOs, business and academia. For the past year these people provided input into the conservation plan process and tested the application of Collaborative Learning, Community Viz, GIS, and Key pad polling within the boundaries of the project, the first of its kind in the region. The Steering Committee members from the Wells Reserve used the Key Pad Polling technology in Coastal Training Program events described below.

Presentations for diffusion of new technologies

Northeast Section Geological Society of America and Maine Water Conference
March 24, 2009 Portland, Maine
50 attendees: water program managers, outreach specialists and government water regulators

From the Headwaters to the Sea, Implementing a Watershed Approach in Southern Maine

Abstract
Watersheds in southern Maine connect coastal and inland communities where diverse land use practices and land conservation strategies create a complex mosaic of policies affecting water quality and quantity. This presentation shares lessons learned from a project designed to improve land use decision making and overcome barriers to implementing a watershed approach in southern Maine watersheds.

The watershed approach mirrors the principles and practices of community-based ecosystem management. This project integrated the process of Collaborative Learning and land use planning tools developed by the Ecosystem Based Management Network to connect the practice of ecosystem management to municipal land use decision-making. Desire to incorporate water quality and habitat protection into economic development strategies motivated the town of Sanford, Maine to examine existing resource conditions, ordinances, and Comprehensive Plan priorities. The Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve secured grant funding to support Sanford’s efforts as part of a national project to improve land use planning in coastal watersheds. Sanford’s five watersheds are significant coastal headwaters that drain to two National Estuarine Research Reserves, one National Wildlife Refuge and a National Estuary Partnership. The source waters for a regional water district originate in Sanford as well. This collaborative partnership connected international and national scale initiatives with place based efforts to conserve land and protect water quality.

This project used Collaborative Learning to guide stakeholder engagement and use of geospatial tools and Community Viz technology to develop a Conservation Plan for Sanford that considered the value of headwater streams, aquifers and riparian buffers for water quality and quantity protection. Watershed values were considered along with habitat, recreation and land productivity values. Stakeholder engagement was supported by the use of key pad poling to gather information on community priorities.

This presentation addresses challenges and successes associated with the application of land use technology tools to improve decision making at the watershed scale and linking land conservation goals with water quality protection.

NEWIPCC Conference Portland, Maine May 19, 2009
40 Attendees: Water managers and watershed outreach professionals

From the Headwaters to the Sea, Implementing a Watershed Approach in Southern Maine

Abstract
Coastal watersheds in southern Maine connect coastal and inland communities where diverse land use practices and land conservation strategies create a complex mosaic of policies affecting water quality and quantity. This presentation shares lessons learned from a project designed to improve land use decision making and overcome barriers to implementing a watershed approach in southern Maine watersheds.

The watershed approach mirrors the principles and practices of community-based ecosystem management. This project integrated Collaborative Learning and land use planning tools developed by the Ecosystem Based Management Network to connect the practice of ecosystem management to municipal land use decision-making. Desire to incorporate water quality and habitat protection into economic development strategies motivated the town of Sanford, Maine to examine existing resource conditions, ordinances, and Comprehensive Plan priorities. In addition, Sanford’s five watersheds drain to significant coastal areas including two National Estuarine Research Reserves, one National Wildlife Refuge and the area included in a National Estuary Partnership.

This project used the Collaborative Learning approach to guide stakeholder engagement and use of geospatial tools and Community Viz technology to develop a Conservation Plan for Sanford that considered the value of headwater streams, aquifers and riparian buffers for water quality and quantity protection. Watershed values were considered along with habitat, recreation and land productivity values.

This presentation will address challenges and successes associated with the application of land use technology tools to improve decision making at the watershed scale, including stakeholder identification and engagement, techniques to enhance public participation, developing priorities for watershed management and linking land conservation goals with water quality protection goals.

The 8th Bay of Fundy Science Workshop May 29, 2009
Acadia Center for Estuarine Research Wolfville, Nova Scotia
25 Attendees: Canadian governmental officials, watershed NGOs, Canadian academics

From the Headwaters to the Sea, Implementing a Watershed Approach in Southern Maine

The watershed approach mirrors the principles and practices of community-based ecosystem management. This project integrated Collaborative Learning and land use planning tools developed by the Ecosystem Based Management Network to connect the practice of ecosystem management to municipal land use decision-making. Desire to incorporate water quality and habitat protection into economic development strategies motivated the town of Sanford, Maine to examine existing resource conditions, and Comprehensive Plan priorities. In addition, Sanford’s five watersheds drain to significant coastal areas including two National Estuarine Research Reserves, one National Wildlife Refuge and the area included in a National Estuary Partnership.

This project used the Collaborative Learning approach to guide stakeholder engagement and use of geospatial tools and Community Viz technology to develop a Conservation Plan that considered the value of headwater streams, aquifers and riparian buffers for water quality and quantity protection. Watershed values were considered along with habitat, recreation and land productivity values.

This presentation addresses challenges and successes associated with the application of land use technology tools to improve decision making at the watershed scale, including stakeholder engagement, techniques to enhance public participation, developing priorities for watershed management and linking land conservation goals with water quality protection goals.

NERRS CTP Sector Meeting Mission Aransas NERR, Texas
Presentation to Coastal Training Program Coordinators demonstrating the use of key pad poling technology and collaborative learning approach used in the Sanford Conservation Plan process.

Coastal Zone 09 Boston, MA
July 25, 2009 Session Title: Measuring and Communicating the Value of Collaboration in Coastal Management (35 coastal managers)
Barriers and Bridges to Ecosystem Management - Using Collaborative Learning to Define and Measure Progress
July 25, 2009 Session Title: Land Use Innovations (30 coastal managers)
Headwaters,
Crafting a Collaborative Conservation Plan for Sanford, Maine

July 19, 2009 Collaborative Learning for Ecosystem Management - A Short Course
8 coastal managers, including 2 international participants

Tier II of the project includes the development and piloting of regional training on the use of Ecosystem Based Management (EBM) Tools for land use planning.
During this six month period effort by the project team concentrated on Tier I of the project. The presentations listed above contribute to the objectives of Tier II.

B. Data Generated
The Conservation Plan was the primary data generated during this period.

C. Project objectives September 2009 – March 2010 reporting period:

Fall 2009: Create a web presence for the Sanford Conservation Plan on the Sanford Town Page, Wells NERR website and other Internet locations identified by the steering committee.

Fall 2009: Distribute copies of Sanford Conservation Plan. Make presentations about the plan to local civic groups, meetings and conferences.

Fall 2009: Conduct summative evaluation of Sanford Conservation Plan process with steering committee members and interested stakeholders.

Winter 2009: Apply ADDIE Project Design and Evaluation Framework to EBM Training. Evaluate materials, participant and partner feedback from EBM Trainings in fall 08 and summer 2009. Summarize findings on pilot training and recommendations for future EBM training for final report.

September – December 2009: Develop and pilot Ecosystem Management course at University of New England.

D. Expenditures
Expenditures are on track for both Tier 1 and Tier 2 objectives. A no cost extension has been granted to carry the project through August 2010.

E. Additional Comments
Tthese comments developed for the last reporting period are equally appropriate for the past 6 months and are repeated for this period)

This section of the report documents the evolving conceptual framework of the project. The RFP provided guidelines for developing an approach to improving land use decision-making at a national scale. Our initial proposal presented our objectives, strategies and work plan for the way our project addresses the national challenge articulated in the RFP. Each six month reporting period provides the opportunity for analysis and reflection about the ways our research is progressing and the degree to which that original conceptual framework holds true or is transforming. The section below is an informal formative evaluation discussing some of the ways our project is transforming as we progress toward the completion of the grant.

The integrative aspects of the project as articulated in the original proposal remain strong.

"This project brings the interdisciplinary orientation of ecosystem management, the information processing rigor of land use planning tools and the communication facilitation principles of Collaborative Learning together to influence the institutions responsible for the system of land use and water quality in the Gulf of Maine. At every stage of the project the knowledge and experience of the diverse stakeholders actively wrestling with land use issues will be treated like a resource." (Feurt, et al., 2006 p.4)

Land use decision-making in Maine occurs within a network of governmental structures, citizen participation, municipal staff and board members. Collaboration among groups with differing missions and mandates, scopes of authority and statutory constraints presents barriers to the incorporation of science in the decision making process (Feurt, 2007). This CICEET project is examining the nature of barriers that block the application of relevant social and biophysical science that has the potential for fostering a holistic or systematic approach to sustainable land use (Public Policy Research Institute, 2007). This examination of barriers occurs at two scales. Tier I examines process at the municipal scale. Tier II examines broad scale barriers that influence the application of EBM practices and tools within the institutional infrastructure that interacts with the municipal land use decision-making system through policy mandates, regulation, funding, provision of technical assistance and generation and application of scientific knowledge.

Tier I of this project is testing ways that the land use decision making processes at the local scale can use collaborative engagement of stakeholders, spatial analysis techniques and technology tools for community engagement to:

1. Engage stakeholders in the process of identifying conservation values important in their community.
2. Apply spatial analysis techniques to locate the areas in the landscape that provide the ecosystem services connected to community conservation values.
3. Show and describe areas of conservation value to municipal land use decision-makers in a plan with associated GIS resources and a suite of conservation strategies that can be used by the town to prioritize actions, form partnerships to achieve conservation goals and secure funding for accomplishing town conservation goals.
4. Facilitate the cognitive connection between traditional economic values associated with land use and the concept of ecosystem services or green infrastructure through the language of the plan and communication strategies about the plan.

Tier II of this project investigates the connections between ecosystem-based management and land use. At the outset of this project, a series of locally relevant surveys identified barriers to the implementation of an EBM approach. As part of this project we met with practitioners from organizations using EBM practices (even if they were not calling them EBM) at a variety of scales in Maine. We used the results of the EBM surveys and our stakeholder meetings to develop trainings that addressed different aspects of implementing an EBM approach. The EBM Tools Network is a partner in the training design providing support for the needs assessment, training design and implementation.

Four EBM focused workshops in the fall of 2008 provided:
1. A review of approaches used to implement EBM
2. Examples of science that supports EBM
3. Skill development associated with application of technology based tools
4. Opportunity for practitioners, tool designers, consultants, scientists and the investigators on this grant to discuss EBM and land use.

A summative evaluation of the four workshops will be conducted during the next reporting period. As identified in our previous project report, cost appears to be the dominant barrier to the application of EBM tools technology with the potential for improving land use decision-making. Tool designers frequently underestimate the expertise gap separating tool designers and targeted end users. Spanning the expertise gap is possible with adequate funding and support for training. However, skill building does not address barriers associated with creating locally relevant data sets. Land use decision-makers attending our trainings in southern Maine want local data used in trainings. Seeing that an EBM tool has been used successfully in Maine overcomes initial resistance to new tools. The next barrier is capacity to use a tool identified as appropriate and desirable.

As a result of CICEET funding for the Sanford Conservation Plan project, we have a local data set and case study based in Maine. The Wells NERR and Southern Maine Regional Planning Commission increased organizational capacity to use EBM tools regionally. As a boundary-spanning organization, facilitating EBM, the Wells NERR could continue to build capacity for EBM tools applied to land use if the costs associated with bridging the expertise gap could be reduced.

We can diffuse lessons learned from this project regionally and nationally over the next year, but the ability of others to adopt our approach is severely constrained by the costs associated with bridging the expertise gap and the time required by local experts to input local data to make a tool relevant. Rapidly developing rural areas like Maine are the places where improved decision-making can make a difference in environmental outcomes that prevent loss of rather that try to restore ecosystem services. These places are frequently the places where the financial resources required by complex tools are unavailable. The financial disparity between the budgets of local land use planning offices and the costs associate with importing outside expertise is staggering. During the remainder of this project the investigators will continue discussions within the NERRS, the EBM Tools Network and NOAA Coastal Service Center to build capacity at the local level were land use decision makers are more directly linked to the landscapes their decisions affect.

F. References
Feurt, C. 2007."Protecting Our Children's Water" Using Cultural Models and Collaborative Learning to Frame and Implement Ecosystem Management. Ph.D. Dissertation submitted to Antioch University New England, Keene, New Hampshire.

Feurt, C., T. Smith, J. Gulnac. 2006. Collaborative Learning and Land Use Tools to Support Community Based Ecosystem Management. Proposal submitted to CICEET.

Public Policy Research Institute, 2007. Responding to Streams of Land Use Disputes: A Systems Approach, Practical Strategies for Planners, Decision-makers, and Stakeholders. Policy Report # 5 of the Public Policy Research Institute and the Consensus Building Institute. University of Montana, Bozeman, Montana.