Southern Forest Resource Assessment Report - Experts Meeting to Define Questions

Meeting Design and Agenda MEETING DESIGN Southern Sustainability Assessment Meeting of Experts to Craft Questions Westin Hotel, Atlanta, GA June 17-18, 1999 PURPOSE for this meeting: To develop a first cut at the questions that will drive the assessment of the forest resources of the Southern U.S. DESIRED OUTCOME of this meeting: The Planning Committee will have the views of a cadre of credible technical resource specialists on important issues and questions the Sustainability Study could address. The Planning Committee will be able to evaluate this input and use it as a jumping-off-point for the July public meetings. DESIRED PRODUCTS: 1. A list of a few broad concerns about each of five aspects of the forests of the South: Forest Extent, Conditions, and Health Landscape/Terrestrial Ecosystems Water/aquatic Ecosystems Timber Markets/Forest Management Social & Economic Systems). Intermediate Product: the raw list of concerns identified in the initial brainstorm. 2. For each of the few broad concerns, a list of questions that must be answered to address the concern. 3. For each question, an assessment of the feasibility of answering the question in the context of the Sustainability Study. PARTICIPANTS: John Greis Dave Wear Approximately 30 natural resource professionals and researchers from the F.S., F&WL, TVA, and EPA. Nancy Walters, SRS (Facilitator) FACILITY AND EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES NEEDED: Conference room set up in herringbone classroom style; with screen and A/V stand 5 small conference rooms set up with chairs only (or round table) for 8 6 Flipcharts (one in each small room); markers 5 laptops (Dave-3; Nancy-1; John-1) 2 printers (Dave-1; Nancy-1) 5 diskettes with preloaded templates ream of paper Overhead projector (John will bring) Transparencies and OH pens Nametags PREWORK: Dave/John will continue to contact prospective attendees Dave will immediately communicate hotel and meeting logistics to attendees. John will find/develop the list of questions used in the Southern Appalachian Assessment Dave will send a packet of background information to all attendees two weeks prior to the meeting. It will include: * cover letter * background paper * draft meeting design/agenda (short version of this design) * sample list of questions from the SAA FACILITATOR'S AGENDA Thursday, June 17 8:00 am Check-in At a table outside the meeting room ask participants to get nametags and register into one of the five small groups: Forest Extent, Conditions, and Health Landscape/Terrestrial Ecosystems Water/aquatic Ecosystems Timber Markets/Forest Management Social & Economic Systems 8:30 am SET-UP and INTRODUCTIONS 1 hour 10 min Purpose: * To welcome participants to the meeting. * To, through self-introductions, review some of the expertise and expectations participants bring to the meeting. * To let participants know what to expect from this meeting. Process: * John and Dave open the meeting welcoming participants. * John or Dave introduces Nancy as facilitator. * Nancy facilitates introductions by asking each participant to give: Name Expertise they bring to the meeting An assumption they bring about this meeting or study. * John/Dave give presentation that sets the stage for the meeting * Nancy walks through the agenda suggested for the meeting and sets up the process for the first group breakout. 9:40 am BREAK 20 min 10:00 am GENERATING THE CONCERNS this ASSESSMENT COULD ADDRESS 1 1/2 hours Purpose: To identify the major concerns (perceived or real) related to the status, productivity, ecological diversity, and sustainability of Southern Forests. Process: (60 min) Step 1: In facilitated small group sessions, brainstorm full-sentence answers to the trigger question: "What do you see as the major concerns (perceived or real) affecting the productivity, ecological diversity, and sustainability of the "water/aquatic ecosystems" of Southern Forests?" (Modify ea question for the 5 small groups.) Make sure the responses say what the concern is in full sentences. Once in the small group, ask for volunteers for a: laptop recorder facilitator flipchart recorder person to stay back for Step 2 of this segment *Give everyone 10 minutes to silently generate answers to the trigger question. *In pure brainstorm fashion, the facilitator asks for participants to share their answers with the group. *Flipchart recorder puts them up as said. *Laptop recorder keeps a running log of ideas as put up on flipcharts. *Facilitator keeps the momentum going, not allowing people to evaluate or discuss the ideas except for brief clarification. (45 min) Step 2: Disband the small groups and have all participants roam around to each breakout room reading and adding to the concerns developed in small groups. One person (or two trading off) from each small group stays in the room to help clarify what others are reading, and understand what others may add. Product: A list of major concerns related to each of five aspects of Southern forests resulting from input from all participants. 11:30 am LUNCH 1 hr 15 min 12:45 pm REFINING THE CONCERNS 1 hour Purpose: To massage the brainstorm list of concerns into 4-6 broad, general concerns that would be appropriate to address in this regional-scale assessment. Process: In facilitated small groups, modify and combine the concerns from the morning (perhaps putting some to the side) to develop a few (4-6) broad concerns that would be appropriate to use in this regional-scale assessment. Note: groups are to retain the original concerns developed during the brainstorm on the electronic version. At the end of the session, the few concerns should be written on an overhead transparency to be brought into the large group for presentation. Product: A list of 4-6 broad concerns per small group that will be used to drive the selection of questions to address in the assessment. These will be written on overhead transparencies and recorded electronically. 1:45 pm REVIEWING THE CONCERNS 1 hr Purpose: To allow all the participants to review the broad concerns identified by small groups Process: In the large group conference room, have small group spokesperson present the concern statements. Facilitate a discussion for understanding but allow redundant and overlapping concerns to stand and be addressed in the afternoon small group sessions. Allow about 12 minutes per group. Product: A clearly articulated and understood list of all the concerns generated by participants regarding Southern forests 2:45 pm BREAK 15 min 3:00 pm GENERATING QUESTIONS THAT ADDRESS THE CONCERNS 1 hr 30 min Purpose: To generate questions that must be answered to address the concerns identified earlier. A subset of these questions will ultimately provide the focus for the assessment. Process: In facilitated small group sessions, for each concern identified by the small group, generate answers to the trigger question: "What specific questions must be answered to address this concern?" The question must be answerable with existing data within a one-year timeframe at a regional scale, allowing for exceptions. The questions can focus on current conditions, changes, or trends (past observed or forecast for the future). They should be stated as full-sentence questions. Product: For each broad concern, a list of questions that must be answered to address the concern. This will be on flipcharts and on disk. The disk should be handed to Dave/John/Nancy at the end of the day. 4:30 pm ADJOURN for the day Friday, June 18 8:00 am REVIEWING THE QUESTIONS 45min Purpose: To give all participants a chance to read and comment on the questions generated in small group Process: In the large group room: * Pass out the lists of concerns generated in small group the day before; give folks a chance to read (10 minutes or so) * Facilitate a discussion for questions for clarity, additional comments, or questions. * All participants may see questions that may have been generated outside their small group where they think they can address feasibility. Product: Greater clarity on the questions and understanding group-wide of the small group ideas. And initial thoughts on aspects of the feasibility of addressing some of the questions. 8:45 am ASSESSING FEASIBILITY OF ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS 1 hr 45 min Purpose: To document the participants understanding of the feasibility of answering the suggested questions in the context of this Assessment. Process: (25 min) Using the hard copy template provided, provide individuals time on their own to document the feasibility of answering each question. (20 min) COFFEE BREAK (1 hour) In small group discussion, talk about the group members' views of each question's feasibility. Product: For each question, one or more "forms" assessing of the feasibility of answering the question in the context of the Sustainability Study. These should be handed to John/Dave/Nancy before leaving the meeting. 10:30 am EXPERT'S FEEDBACK ON THE ASSESSSMENT 1 hr 15 min Purpose: To give John/Dave the benefit of hearing the participants views/experiences/suggestions on this assessment. Process: Facilitate a discussion asking for their general comments on the process being proposed for this assessment. Ask them to think of and comment on: pitfalls to watch out for words of wisdom general observations of what they know to be the approach other things happening that may influence this assessment other considerations Dave and John should think about. Product: Flipcharted dialog. Dialogue on disk. 11:45 am ADJOURN ...Previous Next... Table of Contents | Assessment Home | SRS Home

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