Case in Point: Innovations in Research and Teaching
FER Home : Natural Resources Management : Case in Point
Where is conservation science in local planning?
As the population in the Triangle region of North Carolina continues to grow, fields and forests are converted to residential subdivisions, schools, offices, shopping centers, and roads at a rate of some 30 square miles a year. In response, many counties, municipalities, and non-government organizations are creating plans for conserving undeveloped open space.
Dr. George Hess and Dr. Toddi Steelman led a collaborative research course during the Spring, 2006 semester to examine the role of these plans as tools for open space conservation. Their 9-student team produced an 8-page report that has been distributed to planners throughout the Triangle. They found that although these plans are an important tool for crystallizing a vision for open space protection, their most important contribution might be in fostering relationships among interested parties who will be involved in the process of implementing the plan and conserving land.
Hess and Steelman continue their innovative approach to teaching and research during the Spring, 2007, expanding their inquiry to a multi-University setting. In collaboration with colleagues at Iowa State University and the University of Washington, they will lead a team of students at all three Universities asking the question “Where is conservation science in local planning?” By working in three regions, they hope to better understand how regional differences affect the answer to their question.
The idea for the course was an outgrowth of Hess and Steelman’s earlier discoveries — conservation science is not well integrated into the county and municipal regulations that control how our landscapes are built. The reasons are unclear. Is it because planners and elected officials are unaware or have different priorities? Is it because people are not concerned with conservation in our suburban landscapes? Or is it because conservation scientists are not doing a good job sharing their knowledge? By examining plans and surveying planners, elected officials, and conservation scientists, Hess, Steelman, and their colleagues and students hope to isolate — and ultimately repair — the disconnect between conservation science and local planning, leading to better places to live for people, plants, and animals.
The web site for the Spring 2007 course is http://courses.ncsu.edu/nr595c/common/ at www4.ncsu.edu/~grhess/NR595x
The 8-page report is at www4.ncsu.edu/~grhess/papers/Hess-etal2006a.pdf
