Southern Forest Resource Assessment led by the USDA Forest Service's Southern Region and Southern Research Station in collaboration with the USEPA, US Fish & Wildlife, TVA, and state forestry agencies of the Southern United States

Assessment Team Meeting

July 18-20, 2000
Union Station Hotel
Nashville, TN

agenda items are linked to notes and progress reports
from the meeting itself wherever possible

Purpose:

• To inform the Assessment Team of progress being made on the individual questions.
• To increase integration across questions and provide opportunity for coordination.
• To collectively understand the next steps in the process.

Outcome:

Question managers will be one more step along the way to producing their product and will have done so in cooperation with other question managers.

Product:

A set of written progress reports and overhead transparencies for the 23 Questions.

Participants:

Estimated total (up to 50)
The Question Manager for each of the questions (23).
Planning Team members
Interested publics (estimating 10-20)
Dave Radloff, WO
Three facilitators (Don Tomczak, Gerald Wicker, Nancy Walters)

Facility/Equipment Needs:

Meeting room (U-shape for 30 plus 30 chairs observing)
3 or 4 small group meeting areas (2 in large room, 1 in suite, 1 in Boardroom)
Overhead Projector and screen in large room
Flipchart in each room
Name placards (tents) and nametags

Pre-work (Question Managers):

• Prepare brief progress report (oral) and two overheads outlining progress as visuals (info to be placed on web site following meeting). 
• Checklist of items to include in the progress report:
• Information/Data compiled to date
• Data Format (Database, Spreadsheet, MS Access, Arc coverage etc.)
• Any substantial modifications made to the Work Plan
• Any analyses completed
• Any 'critical path' issues, or barriers preventing progress that Team should be aware of.

Note:  A data dictionary and glossary are being initiated and will be provided to the QMs before or at the meeting.

Tuesday, July 18
10:00-10:45 am (45 min)	Welcome/Introductions Process Progress and Update	J. Greis & D. Wear
10:45-11:45 am (1 hour: 10 minutes per QM, including Q&A)	QM Progress Reports comments/suggestions	6 Question Mgrs
Purpose: To allow QMs to demonstrate progress; to identify critical path issues that could slow down progress
Outcome: The entire Assessment Team is aware of what other QMs are doing and have opportunity for brief interaction.
Note:  Following team interaction on each Question, visitors will be offered brief opportunity to interact.  In interest of time, total interaction to take no more than 5 minutes per Question.
11:45-1:00 pm	LUNCH
1:00-3:00 pm	QM Progress Reports (cont.) comments/suggestions	12 Question Mgrs
3:00-3:30 pm	BREAK
3:30-4:30 pm	QM Progress Reports (cont.) comments/suggestions	6 Question Mgrs
4:30-5:00 pm (1/2 hour)	Common Theme Discussion	Assessment Team
Purpose: To identify common themes uncovered in the course of listening to progress reports that could be addressed in small groups tomorrow.
Outcome: A few common topics have been identified for small group discussion.
5:00 pm	Adjourn for the day
Wednesday, July 19
8:00-8:30 am (1/2 hour)	Recap and Set-up for the Day	J. Greis & D. Wear
Purpose: To summarize the outcome of yesterday’s discussion and the common issues identified. Review the plan for the day.
8:30-9:30 am (1 hour)	C & I Crosswalk	D. Radloff
Purpose: To provide the national perspective on the need and a process for cross-walking the Montreal Process Criteria  and Indicators with the Assessment.
Outcome: QMs will have a better understanding of the need/desire to do this and will know that someone will be talking to them individually about how it may work with their question.
Process: Presentation and Q&A
9:30-10:00 am	BREAK
10:00-11:00 am (1 hour)	Data Management Issues	Assessment Team
Purpose: To discuss data management;  how the data should come, how it will be compiled, etc.
Outcome: The entire Assessment Team has a common understanding about how they are to proceed with data management.
Process: Presentation and dialog.
11:00-12:00 pm (1 hour)	Defining the Product	Assessment Team
Purpose: To articulate a vision of the final product/publication.
Outcome: The Assessment Team has a common understanding of the form of the final product, and how their product will fit in the context of the publication.
Process: Presentation and dialog.
Noon-1:15 pm	LUNCH
1:15-2:45 pm (1 hour, 30 min)	Common Issues Facilitated Discussions-Session 1 There were four breakout sessions: Forecasting | FIA | History | Water Issues	QMs
Purpose: To allow QMs dealing with common issues to work things out in small groups.
Outcome: Clear understanding by subgroups of QMs of how they will proceed regarding the specific common issue discussed.
Process: Facilitated discussion in small groups.
2:45-3:15 pm	BREAK
3:15-4:45 pm (1 hour, 30 min)	Common Issues Facilitated Discussions-Session 2	QMs
4:45 pm	Adjourn for the Day
Thursday, July 20
8:00-10:00 am	Smaller Area Assessments	Facilitator
Purpose: To adopt criteria (draft) for identifying sub-regional focus area candidates
Outcome: QMs will understand the purpose, assist in developing criteria, and understand their role in identifying candidate areas.
Process: Background Presentation by Planning Committee Facilitated discussion of criteria and process of candidate identification.
10:00-10:30 am (30 min)	BREAK
10:30-12:00 pm (1 1/2 hours)	The Outlook    The November Conference    Next Steps	J. Greis & D. Wear
12:00 pm	Adjourn
Afternoon	Optional Small Group Meeting Time

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  modified: 31-JUL-2000
  webmaster: John M. Pye