Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY
(N/A)
BERKELEY,CA 94720
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
Quaking aspen is an iconic tree species of western North America. It is ecologically dominant and a priority for management by numerous parties (e.g. federal/state resource managers, tribes, private landowners). There is a need to develop management approaches that are climate-smart, matching USDA priorities. Given the long-lasting impacts of management decisions made in this novel context, management of this and other species needs to be supportive of diverse perspectives and shared stewardship, involving the development of partnerships and trust between multiple organizations (e.g. tribes). Moving towards culturally sustaining management practices is also a priority.We will hold a 2-day, 3-night conference on this topic in Colorado. The conference will include pre-meeting remote interactions, networking, presentations, half-day field visits to aspen forests, and opportunities for discussion and learning (especially around tribal partnerships and shared stewardship). Recruitment will focus on obtaining a diverse set of participants across organizations, genders, career stages, Native identity, and other factors. Target attendance will be 60 people. Travel/registration expenses will be covered to maximize access.Participants will each receive 20+ hours of professional development and interactions on the conference themes. Expected outcomes include: sharing knowledge and perspectives around multiple themes (Sustaining relationships between forests and people, Promoting forest resilience in an age of rapid climate change); building relationships and trust; and engaging a diverse set of participants for cross-boundary conversations. One goal will be to provide guidance for an improved management framework that is both climate smart and culturally sustaining.
Animal Health Component
100%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
0%
Applied
100%
Developmental
0%
Goals / Objectives
This project's aim is to host a 2-day, 3-night conference in western Colorado, during early September 2024. The conference will be focused on climate-smart and culturally sustaining management of quaking aspen and will engage ~60 participants from a diverse set of organizations and identities. ?
Project Methods
Conference organization -the project team will meet monthly on Zoom and more frequently via email to develop the final conference agenda and approach for advertising/recruiting stakeholders. After both have been determined they will be shared publicly.Conference registration - a subteam will handle the logistics of registering participants and handling travel arrangements.Conference pre-events - the project team will host an online meet-and-greet session for participants to informally network, build trust, and gain a common knowledge foundation before the conference. Two versions of this session will be held to accommodate different schedules and availability of participants. The session will include a Q&A with the organizers around logistics, an opportunity to chat informally, and a chance to have a structured discussion of an optional pre-conference reading on co-stewardship, land-back, and decolonization in land management.Conference - the project team will host the in-person meeting in Gothic, Colorado. The detailed structure of the meeting is described below in subsection 13.Post-conference sharing - the project team will publicly share and potentially publish all presentation materials and notes from the meeting, as described in the Data Management Plan. The team will also create a mailing list for conference participants to stay in contact with each other.Evaluation - the project team will send a post-conference survey to participants to assess the value of the meeting and to determine generalizable lessons learned to be shared publicly for similar future events. Collaborators Hoagland and Martin will also interview the project team and select project participants to assess enabling conditions and barriers for co-stewardship of forests, according to their own research plan.