Wilderness Information Needs Assessment (INA) Training SessionJune 5th, 2012

Session Outline1. Review basic terms, definitions2. Discuss benefits of conducting an INA3. Provide overview of INA process4. Review each step in INA process and discuss

templates5. Wrap up, questions & answers

Wilderness INA Instructor

Steve Boutcher

(Burlington, VT)

Wilderness Information Management Steering Team

Definitions• “Information needs assessment”: a structured approach

for determining data collection, storage and analysis needs by first identifying and prioritizing local management requirements.

• “Data”: are raw, unorganized facts (often measureable, observable)

• “Information”: is interpreted data

• “Protocol”: A documented set of rules or instructions pertaining to the collection, analysis, or interpretation of data or information.

Wilderness Information Management

1.Informati

on Planning

4.Informati

onPresenta

tion & Use

Define business requirements Identify & prioritize data and information needs

Standard protocols, definitions, codes, methods

Field data collectionSpatial mappingAppropriate technology

Corporate info. systemsData storage & QA/QCData sharing & integration

Data summaryAnalysisInterpretation

ReportsMapsPerformance measuresWeb sites

lifeform:tree

species:spruceheight:93.1ft.dbh:43.6in.

2.Data

Collection

3.Data Storage

& Analysis

Benefits of Conducting an INA1. Conducting an INA helps to make efficient use of

limited resources by focusing information management efforts on most pressing issues

2. Units completing an INA can claim 2-points on Element 9 of the 10 Year Wilderness Stewardship Challenge

3. Provides a structured opportunity to discuss resource integration and wilderness stewardship with other program areas – and to engage local line officers

4. Improves position for competing for NFRW and NFIM funding

Wilderness INA ObjectivesTo develop a process that:

1. Provides focus to data collection, storage and analysis activities by first prioritizing the information needed to support the most critical wilderness stewardship decisions;

2. Makes the wilderness manager think through all aspects of their endeavor before work begins;

3. Encourages integration;4. Is straight-forward and not overly complex;

and 5. Is realistic in terms of time commitment.

“Begin with the end in mind.”

Stephen Covey“7 Habits of Highly Effective People”

Options for Conducting an INAPeople may develop their own process but it should meet minimum criteria:• Must be wilderness-wide, at a minimum• Must address full range of issues/concerns• Must address entire life cycle of information

needs• INA should be developed by interdisciplinary

team• INA should be no older than 5-years

Please share modifications to the process with Steve Boutcher (sboutcher@fs.fed.us)

WINA Process Overview• Step 1 – Identify Assessment Area• Step 2 – Identify Issues of Concern and Assign

Initial Priority• Step 3 – Define Information Needs for Priority

Issues • Step 4 – Assign Priority Ranking to Issues• Step 5 – Build a Realistic Work Plan• Step 6 – Feedback

WINA Deliverables• Completed Wilderness Threats Matrix• Wilderness INA Worksheet for each priority issues

(with cost estimates)• Realistic 5-Year Work Plan

WINA Process• Step 1 – Identify Assessment Area:• Conducted for a single wilderness or it can be done for wildernesses managed as a complex only if the issues are similar • An INA should never be conducted for an area less than an entire wilderness

WINA Process• Step 2 – Identify Issues of Concern and

Assign Initial Priority:• Best accomplished by convening representatives from the various resource staffs as well as line officers•Modify the threats matrix to represent the issues of greatest local concern•Modify the attributes of wilderness character to reflect specific or place-dependent aspects of a specific wilderness• Identify the top 3-6 information needs (expressed as an issue/threat on a specific attribute of wilderness character)

Wilderness Threats Matrix (Appendix A)

Threats Matrix – Impact Score:

Wilderness Threats Matrix (Appendix A)

Threats Matrix – Knowledge Gap:

Wilderness Threats Matrix (Appendix A)

WINA Process• Step 2 – Identify Issues of Concern and

Assign Initial Priority (continued):• Assignment of priorities should involve weighing:• Relative significance of the impact and

existing state of knowledge• Urgency for management actions and/or the

likely effectiveness of those actions• Relative workload• Public issues or concerns (key stakeholders)

Wilderness Threats Matrix (Appendix A)

WINA Process• Step 3 – Define Information Needs for

Priority Issues:• Complete a Wilderness INA Worksheet (Appendix B) for each priority issue, working directly with resource specialists.

Wilderness INA Worksheet (Appendix B)

• Issue/Threat• Attribute(s) Affected• Question(s) That Need to be Addressed• Data Collection Needs (tabular & spatial)• Data Collection Protocol• Database• Analysis Protocol• Information Products (w/ examples)• Information use• Other Program Areas Involved• Cost Estimate

Costing Tool (draft)

WINA Process• Step 4 – Assign Priority Ranking to Issues:•Working either with the whole interdisciplinary group, or directly with the line officer, rank the priority information needs • Give honest consideration to existing and reasonably foreseeable staff and funding constraints • Be aware of opportunities to involve partners and leverage external funding sources

WINA Process• Step 5 – Build a Realistic Work Plan (Appendix

C):• Plan should look ahead 5 years and should include:• Fiscal year• Issue / information need• Priority rank• Specific work items• Cost estimate• Possible funding sources• Timing• Responsibility

WINA Process• Step 6 - Feedback:• Re-evaluate the work plan each year, making adjustments as needed to either remove items as they are completed, add new items as experience is gained, or make other modifications due to changes in resource availability. • The entire INA should be revisited every 3-5 years to see if new issues / information needs have emerged, of if other previously ranked issues have fallen in their importance.

Toolbox on Wilderness.net

Questions & Answers

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