Class2008Oct31

Class Assignments and Agenda for Week 10, 2008 Oct 31
Class meets from 9:10 - 11:55A in 3214 Jordan Hall on the NCSU Campus. You are free to bring food and drink to this classroom.


 * Objectives**
 * Learn what we learned from panel session and class so far
 * "Final" decision on how to proceed
 * Describe the characteristics of a good indicator and explain why each characteristic is important
 * Continue working on properties, with a focus on connecting indicators - select some indicators and evaluate them in terms of characteristics of a good indicator


 * Things to do [for students, not panelists] before our meeting - please read all items, regardless of team**


 * Item 1: Reflection on panel session and class to date. Due 23:59 Wed 29 Oct.**  This kind of reflection is one way of making explicit what was learned during a particular activity.

1. Please reflect on what you heard at the panel session and produce a written, narrative response to the following: (a) How did the panel discussion change your thinking about measuring success? Please be very specific and describe
 * the change in thinking (include what you thought before and what you think now)
 * why that change in thinking has occurred (the comment(s) that caused the change, the new insight, etc)

2. Explain how this change is a step forward. What can / will you do differently as a result of this change in thinking, and how will that improve your ability to meet our objectives?

3. Further reflect on what we've been doing and what you've learned to date. In your opinion, what is the best way to move forward from here and why do you believe this to be the case?

Please submit as a Word document, 1.5spacing, 12 point font, 3-page max. These will be shared among all participants.

This looks like a lot of papers (well, it is), but you will see that they start to overlap a lot. They each offer a somewhat different perspective on the main theme, and you will be able to skim over large parts of articles you read later. The key things to develop from these readings are ...
 * Item 2: Indicator readings. Due Fri 31 Oct before class**
 * the ability to describe what indicators are used for
 * the ability to articulate characteristics of good indicators, why those characteristics are important, and why indicators tend to fail if they don't have those characteristics
 * some ability to evaluate indicators you have been thinking of in terms of the characteristics of good indicators


 * In the CMP Trainging guide ( FOS-CMP2008_TrainingSteps1&2.pdf in the readings director), read
 * pages 32-42 on viability assessment - don't get hung up on details, but pay attention to the approach to selecting indicators
 * pages 105-118 on monitoring plans - monitoring is how data for indicators are collected - this section describes how a monitoring plan can be constructed and shows examples of many indicators with varying complexity


 * Parrish, J.D., D.P. Braun, and R.S. Unnasch. 2003. Are we conserving what we say we are? Measuring ecological integrity within protected areas. Bioscience 53: 851-860. ( Readings filename Parrish-etal2003.pdf )
 * This is from a Nature Conservancy description of what is essentially the CMP approach, but it gets at our essential question, has a good example, and a succinct discussion of indicators.


 * Dale VH, Beyeler SC. 2001. Challenges in the development and use of ecological indicators. Ecological Indicators 1: 3–10. (Readings file Dale&Beyeler2001_EcologicalIndicators.pdf )
 * What problems are encountered when developing indicators?
 * Define criteria for good indicators


 * Noss, R.F., 1990. Indicators for monitoring biodiversity: a hierarchical approach. Conservation Biol. 4, 355–364. ( Readings filename Noss1990_BiodiversityIndicators.pdf )
 * This is a classic paper in indicators, cited hundreds of times. Note the different scales at which indicators can be applied, the types of indicators used and data required to estimate them.
 * Where does an organization like TLC fit in this framework?


 * Carignan V,Villard M-A. 2002. Selecting indicator species to monitor ecological integrity: A review. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 78: 45–61. (Readings file Carignan&Villard2001_IndicatorSpecies.pdf )
 * How does one select indicators? Characteristics of good indicators are described, and there is an overview of the different kinds of indicators people have used.


 * Donnelly, A., M. Jones, T. O'Mahony, & G. Byrne. 2007. Selecting environmental indicator for use in strategic environmental assessment. Environmental Impact Assessment Review 27: 161–175 ( Readings file Donnelly-etal2007_EcologicalIndicators.pdf )
 * Describes how to use a team approach to selecting indicators in a particular setting.
 * Focus on section 3 describing criteria for good indicators


 * **Looking forward to following week (ie, 7 Nov)** (in case you want to get a head start)
 * We will look at the [|Whole Measures] approach from the [|Center for Whole Communities]  ( Readings filename CWC2007_WholeMeasures_6.pdf )
 * We will look at some report card approaches to reporting results

Will be posted Thurs AM
 * Item 3: Review reflections from other students. Due Fri 31 Oct before class**


 * Item 4: Continue to contribute to Alternative Directions discussion.  Due 12:00 Thurs 30 Oct**
 * Please do this as soon as you can
 * I will post further comments late Sunday, based on your comments and what I've heard
 * Then continue the discussion
 * Goal is to take decision on Friday


 * Item 5: Continue working on properties**
 * Used knowledge gained from indicator readings to start formulating some indicators


 * Agenda for class session**

9.10 **Preliminaries** (Hess) - Note taker = - Time keeper =

9.15 **What we've learned and where we'll go**
 * Discussion of learnings after panel session (based on your essays): In file Day10.zip in readings directory
 * Discussion of alternative directions
 * Decide
 * Implications for end-of-course presentation, etc

10.30 **Indicator examples for TFR**
 * Hess to present thinking on TFR as an example
 * Present several indicators and evaluate them in terms of criteria for good indicators described in the readings
 * Latest work on TFR: [|TFR2008.10.30.pdf]

11.00 **Break followed by small group work**
 * Teams should further consider indicators for properties
 * Hess and Masten will visit each team to see where they are and help as needed

11.55 **Adjourn**

ACTION ITEMS
Finish conceptual model for Berryhill, Kuenzler and Little River properties. Conduct a viability assessment for each property. Share the products of this assignment with class by evening of Wednesday 5 November.