Natural Resources Leadership Institute

Michael Adamson
AMEC Earth and Environmental - Raleigh, NC

PROCEDURES MANUAL FOR THE NC DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION: THE ASSESSMENT PHASE

This project, which began in March 2005, was the initial phase of a major NC DOT initiative to create an online manual to capture the majority of existing process within the organization. AMEC Earth and Environmental contracted with the Office of Environmental Quality in NC DOT to determine the requirements and produce a working prototype consistent with Pmii which could be imported into the IT organization of the NC DOT. The purpose of the manual is to streamline workflow and improve the quality of work by establishing well defined processes that improve delivery of services to the public and lessen the environmental impact of projects. This involved working with an internal Users Group composed of representatives from various departments within NC DOT.

My role as Project Manager was to organize and facilitate workshops with the Users Group and guide the development of an online system to meet the requirements determined by that group. While the initial steps in this project were successful, the project was terminated by NC DOT in August 2005 as NC DOT came under budget constraints and organizational changes within NC DOT removed the internal support for the project. A subsidiary project involved negotiation of contracts and work responsibilities with a sub-contractor to conduct a study of various alternative non-air transportation modalities (rail, bus, bicycle, and pedestrian ways). These negotiations were successful.

APPLIED TRAINING FOR THE NC DIVISION OF FOREST RESOURCES

The Division of Forest Resources manages US Army Corps of Engineers land adjacent to Jordan Lake in Chatham County. The opportunity to get Division employees involved in the management of that land would provide employees with valuable insight into the practical application of management activities recommend to landowners. One primary duty with respect to forest management is to assist private landowners with making forest management decisions on their property. Management recommendations are provided to landowners in the form of a written management plan based on the landowner’s objectives. If any type of harvest is recommended, the assistance of a private consulting forester is often recommended also. During any correspondence with a landowner, it is Division policy not to convey information to the landowner about the volume or value of their timber.

Hands on experience could be invaluable to explaining practices to landowners and co-workers. This is necessary to maintain consistency in the kind of information conveyed so that it does not conflict with the information provided by consulting foresters or other professionals to landowners and others in the natural resource management profession.

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION EDUCATION IN EPA’S REMEDIAL STUDY OF THE WARD TRANSFORMER SITE

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a group of man made compounds formerly used in electrical transformers as a coolant and fire retardant. PCBs were found in fish from Lake Crabtree, Morrisville, NC in May 2004, and as a result, the State issued fish consumption advisories. The contamination is from an EPA Superfund site upstream. Citizens are not generally well informed regarding Superfund protocol or the natural process of biomagnifications, which makes PCBs so detrimental on an ecological scale. Citizens are not aware of the variation in risks involved with different types of exposure to PCBs- inhalation of vapor in air, ingestion of contaminated sediment, dermal contact with water or sediment, and fish consumption. This lack of information was evident during public meetings in the spring of 2005, which concerned the planned relocation of a popular greenway section in Cary next to the shore of Lake Crabtree.

The goal of this project is to foster public participation in the Superfund process and to educate citizens about the contamination’s impact on natural resources and human health. The project involved- creating a Wake County directive stating goals of remediation and public participation, utilizing functional local contacts to promote the EPA’s collaboration with the local community, and fostering a collaborative public education effort based on the expertise of the agencies involved. Based in large part on the formation of a local government PCB Task Force, public participation and awareness has increased. This is the beginning stage of the process however, since the PCB Task Force has yet to determine how the contamination will be remediated.

ONSLOW BIGHT CONSERVATION FOURUM: STAKE HOLDER’S PERSPECTIVE
ON STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS

Since 2001, the Onslow Bight Conservation Forum, a consortium of federal, state, and local government and non-profit organizations has been operating through a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The overarching goal of the Forum is to address the growing population and development pressures that threaten the rural character and natural habitats of the Onslow Bight landscape. The Forum was modeled on the Sandhills Partnership, which similarly includes a military agency facing encroachment issues while at the same time managing for endangered species. The Forum provides a place for communication and encourages collaboration where organizational missions overlap.

In August 2005, the Onslow Bight Conservation Forum was featured at the White House Conference on Cooperative Conservation. The group highlighted its success in working together to develop a conservation plan for the region, and to obtain funding for land acquisition parcels that meet multiple missions. To date, the Onslow Bight Conservation Forum has functioned as an ad-hoc group without paid staff to lead the effort. More than 2,500 acres of land has been protected, and thousands more acres are under negotiation as a result of cooperation of the partners. In addition, the Onslow Bight Landscape is being used as a prototype for a national effort called LandFire, which aims to bring prescribed fire into the landscape to restore the historic vegetation to the extent possible.

Jocelyn Eilliott
NC Ecosystem Enhancement Program - Raleigh, NC

KRAUT CREEK ENHANCEMENT PROJECT –
COORDINATION OF LANDOWNER AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH

The Kraut Creek Enhancement Project is a multi-disciplinary effort to coordinate the restoration of an urban stream in Boone, NC. The Kraut Creek Committee obtained a grant from the Clean Water Management Trust Fund to develop an implementation plan that has the support of landowners and the community, identifies a range of potential improvements for the stream, as well as partnership and funding opportunities. A major element of the planning grant focuses on outreach to the sixteen landowners (including private, town, county, and state entities) and community involvement; the development of parcel-specific landowner packages and meetings to discuss current problems and potential improvements are being coordinated through the plan. This practicum examines the outreach process of the planning project.

Goals of the Kraut Creek Enhancement Project encompass many facets of community improvement including open space, stormwater management, restoration of riparian and instream habitat, water quality improvement and abatement of flooding, and research and education opportunities for university students, faculty, and the community at large.

FACILITATING REVISIONS OF THE
NC FORESTRY BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES MANUAL

The first revision of North Carolina's forestry Best Management Practices (BMPs) Manual by the multi-stakeholder Technical Advisory Committee required facilitation of a peer review process. Two draft documents were produced and peer reviewed, with this writer facilitating the entire process including the distribution of the documents; summarization of the review remarks; and leading the Committee's analysis of the remarks.

While some challenges faced the overall project, the facilitation techniques utilized during the peer review process contributed to a consensus building environment. The lessons learned from this project are expected to translate well into future projects. It is expected that, once completed and adopted for use, the revised BMP Manual will provide the necessary elements that allow working forestlands to continue as a preferred management option for protecting water quality.

ESTABLISHING THE PINEY WOODS TRAIL SYSTEM THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS

Harris Lake County Park is located on 680 acres of Progress Energy land leased by Wake County. The park has over eight miles of mountain bike trails and about five miles of hiking trails. Directly across New Hill Holleman Road from the park, NC State University also leases land from Progress Energy. NC State primarily uses the 1,200-acre tract for forestry research and class field study. Progress Energy continues to manage its timber resource through timber harvesting, thinning, prescribed burning and other silvicultural activities on the property. Harris Lake County Park staff has proposed to build and manage a multiple-use trail system focused on equestrian use but available for mountain biking and hiking as well.

Tim Lisk, a NRLI 2004 graduate, as part of his practicum, helped develop a partnership between Wake County Parks, Recreation, and Open Space, Progress Energy, NC State University, and the Jordan Lake Trails Conservation Association. This partnership allowed for the beginning of development, construction, and management of multi-use trails on the Piney Woods Trail System. The long-term benefits of the trail system include potential connections to the American Tobacco Trail and the Town of Holly Springs greenway plans creating a network of trails for southwest Wake County. Tim’s practicum has served as the catalyst for proposing the project and establishing a joint-use agreement between all agencies involved.

The Piney Woods Trail System has been an ongoing project for several years expanding past NRLI Practicum deadlines. A partnership is in place, amendments to lease agreements made, grants requested and received and construction is ready to begin. Once construction is complete, the trails may be available for use bringing the project to a new level. There may never be an end to the partnership formed for creating the trail system. Ongoing management for timber production, research, recreation, Harris Nuclear Plant expansion and operations, etc. will make it necessary for further cooperation and discussion on a regular basis well into the future.

Andrea Leslie
NC Ecosystem Enhancement Program - Swannanoa, NC

NON-TRADITIONAL MITIGATION POLICY DEVELOPMENT

This practicum’s objective is to develop a clear internal policy within North Carolina Ecosystem Enhancement Program (EEP) for identifying and implementing non-traditional mitigation (NTM) projects. An internal NTM Steering Committee was developed to oversee guideline development and serve as EEP’s liaison to its oversight committee, the Program Assessment and Consistency Group (PACG). The NTM Steering Committee decided to use internal workgroups to develop NTM guidelines for subsets of NTM.

An implementation and crediting strategy was developed for stormwater best management practices and presented to the PACG’s Technical Committee, which is currently considering the methods developed for approval. Another internal EEP workgroup has been charged with the development of guidelines for agricultural best management practices, which will also eventually be presented to the PACG for consideration. It is hoped that the PACG will sanction the use and crediting of stormwater best management practices for mitigation, paving the way for the acceptance of additional NTM guidelines that are or will be under development by EEP.

FORMATION OF THE GREATER UWHARRIES CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP

The Greater Uwharrie region (including the Uwharrie Mountains and the Yadkin/Pee Dee river basin) is a high priority area for conservation work in the North Carolina Piedmont. Many conservation organizations and other stakeholders have taken a strong interest in the future of land development, protection, and management in this region. Prior to this project, many of these stakeholders were working independently, with limited coordination of activities. In January 2005, we began the process of bringing these entities together to form the Greater Uwharrie Conservation Partnership. The mission of the Partnership is “To work for the long-term conservation and enhancement of biological diversity and ecosystem sustainability throughout the Greater Uwharries landscape compatible with the land use, conservation and management objectives of the participating organizations and agencies.”

This mission will be pursued by developing a list and map of the high priority conservation targets (species, habitats, and natural communities) of the region, and using this information to focus and leverage land conservation, land management, and land use planning efforts. The Partnership will serve as a clearinghouse for information, and a platform from which to launch projects. The Partnership will seek to engage government planners, developers, landowners, private industry, and other important stakeholders to develop a comprehensive vision for the future of the region that includes both economic development and conservation of natural resources. As of May 2006, the Partnership has developed a Memorandum of Understanding with 12 member organizations.

EXPANSION OF THE UNC-CHAPEL HILL
GREEN GAMES ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAM

The UNC Green Games Environmental Program was originated by a student group called the Student Environmental Action Coalition in 1994 and is now co-sponsored by our office, the Office of Waste Reduction and Recycling and the Housing and Residential Education department. The program is an environmental competition among residence halls, divided into teams based on housing communities. Its purpose is to stimulate conservation of energy and water, reduce the amount of trash generated while increasing recycling and promoting student awareness concerning campus sustainability.

I have been overseeing this program with the help of student assistants for the past two years and it is a great outreach tool to educate students on recycling, conservation and sustainability issues. Although this program can be a very effective tool, the student involvement is at a minimum. This program could become much more successful with the chance to expand and increase responsiveness campus-wide.

NON-TRADITIONAL MITIGATION POLICY DEVELOPMENT

This practicum’s objective is to develop a clear internal policy within North Carolina Ecosystem Enhancement Program (EEP) for identifying and implementing non-traditional mitigation (NTM) projects. An internal NTM Steering Committee was developed to oversee guideline development and serve as EEP’s liaison to its oversight committee, the Program Assessment and Consistency Group (PACG). The NTM Steering Committee decided to use internal workgroups to develop NTM guidelines for subsets of NTM.

An implementation and crediting strategy was developed for stormwater best management practices and presented to the PACG’s Technical Committee, which is currently considering the methods developed for approval. Another internal EEP workgroup has been charged with the development of guidelines for agricultural best management practices, which will also eventually be presented to the PACG for consideration. It is hoped that the PACG will sanction the use and crediting of stormwater best management practices for mitigation, paving the way for the acceptance of additional NTM guidelines that are or will be under development by EEP.

IDENTIFICATION OF NON-POINT SOURCE (NPS) POLLUTION PRIORITIES BY BROADENING THE ROLE OF NORTH CAROLINA’S NPS WORKGROUP

This project was undertaken as part of the NRLI 2005 practicum. Prior to the NRLI project, an interdisciplinary interagency nonpoint source pollution (NPS) workgroup existed to assist in setting priorities and selecting projects for federal 319(h) grant funding. With a broad interagency group already established, this was an opportunity to expand the group’s mission to address issues beyond the selection of projects for 319(h) grant funding.

The NRLI project sought to implement changes in the mission of the NPS Workgroup so the group would also tackle broader NPS issues and priorities common to the representative agencies. The group is still in the process of identifying NPS priorities toward which they can collectively direct their resources and efforts in order to achieve meaningful water quality results. Communication and collaboration within the Workgroup has already been enhanced as members have begun sharing and discussing their NPS priorities and the roles they and their agencies play in reducing NPS pollution.

TENNESSEE NATURAL RESOURCES LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE: A PROPOSAL FOR
LEADERSHIP & CIVIC CAPACITY FOR TENNESSEANS IN THE 21ST CENTURY

As a rural state, rich in natural resources, Tennessee is in transition. Changing domestic and global markets and technologies are stressing natural resource based industries and rural economies. Furthermore growing population and migration are causing tremendous development pressures in rural areas, especially in rural-urban fringes. Resulting scarcity in natural resources, and greater diversity in values and interests regarding these resources, are causing growing conflicts in issues such as water resources, wildlife and biodiversity, forested and other rural landscapes, and numerous land use practices. In addition, the rights of citizens to have access to a reasonable level of environmental quality have become pitted against the private property rights of other citizens.

We will continue to have natural resource conflicts. However, we cannot afford the continued consequences of gridlock and split-the-stakes decision making. The University of Tennessee is developing a proposal to establish a Tennessee Natural Resources Leadership Institute, hoping that disputants can learn to seek common ground, find innovative solutions, and build the civic capacity needed to address tomorrow’s growing challenges and conflicts. Several meetings have been held with potential partners and funders.

Joanna Radford
NC Cooperative Extension - Dobson, NC

DEVELOPING PADDLE TRAILS IN SURRY COUNTY WITH STAKEHOLDER INPUT

As of the year 2005, tourism has become a large focus in Surry County. The county has always been famous for “Mayberry” because Andy Griffith’s home place is located in Mount Airy. This small town emphasized that the Andy Griffith Show was a spin-off of Andy’s hometown, Mount Airy. The county also stressed that Pilot Mountain was “Mount Pilot”. Mount Airy has had tourist numbers to increase each year by drawing from the “Mayberry” fans. There has been a future concern this may be a declining tourist attraction; due to the growing population, that no longer watches the ever-so-popular show.

Vineyards and wineries have caught the eye of many tourists. The numbers are growing daily due to the expansion of this industry. Tourism has become important to the county’s economy. The county has begun to realize the value tourism has on the county’s economy and has begun to focus on the needs and desires of tourists. A recent survey showed that the average stay for a tourist is two days and they usually did not return to the county. The county is concern with the data and is in the process of developing ways to keep tourism viable to the county. Surry County is now striving to make the county an area where tourists make return visits.

Many acknowledge the idea of tourists attracted to an area due to the available recreation. Recreation has been targeted by the local Natural Resource Committee, a county commissioner appointed committee. The committee is convinced that the county’s tourism population can increase in the county through recreation. The committee specifically has chosen river recreation as an area to improve. Surry County has numerous rivers that are accessible by local residents for canoeing, kayaking, tubing, and fishing. The Yadkin River is the only river that has access points identified and an established trail. The rivers have been a well-kept secret. The county would like to share its natural beauty to others by providing river access. Various groups have voiced their interest in a river project.

Michael Schlegel
KCI Technologies, Inc. - Raleigh, NC

STONEY CREEK LOCAL WATERSHED:
IDENTIFICATION OF BARRIERS TO IMPLEMENTATION STREAM & WETLAND RESTORATION

KCI Associates of NC (KCI) developed a Local Watershed Restoration Plan for the Stoney Creek watershed in Wayne County, NC for the NC Ecosystem Enhancement Program (EEP) during 2004 and 2005. The primary purpose of the plan was to identify where stream, wetland, and buffer restoration as well as stormwater best management practices (BMPs) were needed within the watershed to address the most significant causes and sources of watershed impacts. An informal stakeholder team of local natural resource professionals was convened and facilitated by the Watershed Education for Communities and Officials (WECO) program.

The stakeholder process was intended to provide local input into the technical plan. During initial stakeholder meetings, local participation level was somewhat low. The NRLI practicum provided an opportunity to reconsider the needs of the local stakeholders in planning for the implementation of restoration projects. KCI, WECO, and EEP collaborated with local stakeholders to identify the local barriers to implementing stream and wetland restoration on agricultural lands with in the Stoney Creek watershed. The information gathered will be used to define and refine a landowner outreach strategy for current implementation efforts.

Dennis Testerman
Cabarrus Soil and Water Conservation District - West Concord, NC

SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION STEWARDSHIP WEEK:
INVOLVING TRADITIONAL & NON-TRADITIONAL PARTNERS

This project was designed to implement a recommendation contained in a 2002 National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) Stewardship Taskforce report. The recommendation was to implement a collaborative initiative to new audiences during the 2006 Soil and Water Stewardship Week (SWSW). The SWSW “Water Wise” thematic emphasis was planned involving traditional and non-traditional partners.

The success of efforts to promote this observance proved easier to document at the local level than at the state level, with the marketing and public information aspects of this pilot project overshadowing the environmental education potential of this annual national observance. Several unanticipated opportunities for applied stewardship ethics also materialized during the course of the practicum.

Billy Tucker
Weyerhaeuser Timberlands - New Bern, NC

PROVIDING PROTECTION FOR NATURAL AREAS THAT HAVE UNIQUE ECOLOGICAL HISTORICAL, OR CULTURAL FEATURES WITHIN WEYERHAEUSER SOUTHERN TIMBERLANDS

In the past, Weyerhaeuser Timberlands had a Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) among The Nature Conservancy, North Carolina Coastal Land Trust, and the North Carolina Department Of Environment And Natural Resources for the conservation of roughly 7,804 acres of natural areas located in twenty different tracts within the Weyerhaeuser North Carolina Timberlands ownership. The MOU expired on June 27, 2005. The Nature Conservancy, The North Carolina Coastal Land Trust, and The Department of Environment and Natural Resources requested that 13 of the 20 tracts be dropped from the MOU as there was agreement that protection has been achieved through either acquisition in fee, easement, or registry on those tracts. The Nature Conservancy, North Carolina Coastal Land Trust, and the North Carolina Department of the Environment and Natural Resource proposed that seven of the remaining tracts be included in a one year extension of the MOU for further conservation action.

The purpose of this Practicum is twofold. First, Weyerhaeuser Timberlands desires to continue the good faith effort to work cooperatively with the conservation agencies or others to protect the remaining areas through either fee sales, conservation easements, or registry with the Natural Heritage Program. It was our desire to accomplish this without the extension of the MOU. It was my goal to negotiate an alternative solution to a formal MOU, which hopefully would be an informal agreement that we will continue to work together on the tracts of interest.

The second goal of the project was to develop a reliable process for how we identify, track, and manage areas within our ownership that have important historical, geological, or cultural qualities and are considered to be “Special Places.” This program would also demonstrate how management of these areas demonstrates compliance with the Sustainable Forestry Initiative. The scope of this portion of the Practicum has evolved to the point where I will facilitate the development of the new program with input from the other four regions in Weyerhaeuser Southern Timberlands, so the process developed will be standard across the southern ownership. The resulting process will be one that all five regions agree with and have ownership of.

The desired end result of the entire practicum was that tracts that contain ecological areas of interest will continue to receive protection through one of several avenues with any of the conservation agencies consistent with the original MOU intent. At the same time, Southern Timberlands will have one consistent documented process that will provide for the identification protection, and management of other types of special places that contain important historical, geological, or cultural qualities, and at the same time demonstrate compliance with Objective 6 of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative.

LAYING A FOUNDATION FOR ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT OF THE ROAN MOUNTAIN MASSIF

Roan Mountain is a hotspot of rare, threatened and endangered species, many of which are endemic to the Southern Appalachian Highlands. Over the past five decades, protection of the Roan Mountain landscape has involved the efforts of a diverse group of agencies, organizations, academics, and individuals. This NRLI practicum addresses the collation and integration of data collected in conjunction with prior and ongoing resource management and stewardship activities, so that these data sources can more effectively inform future priorities and decisions.

The first year of this project focused on the compilation of pre-existing information describing the location and trends in rare species’ populations, and the management of a series of grassy bald (plant) communities that are distributed across the project area. As a result of the first year’s efforts, North Carolina and Tennessee State Natural Heritage Programs are working with the USFS and USFWS (and other partners) to improve the spatial and temporal depiction of rare species data in their databases, and two datasets pertaining to vegetation management activities have been reviewed and summarized in a standard (metadata) format. Accomplishment of the long-term goals of this project is expected to improve coordination and communication among the partners while enabling principles of scientifically-based, adaptive management to be applied to this globally significant conservation project area.

MITIGATING WILDFIRES IN THE URBAN INTERFACE AROUND THE
CROATAN NATIONAL FOREST

As historical archives document, fire was a predominant factor in both natural and man- made ecosystem management in the Southeastern Coastal region. Most ecosystems thrived and were dependent upon fire occurrences, such as the Longleaf Pine/Wiregrass type. The most common cause of these dependent fires was natural in nature, such as lightning strikes. Other “primitive” sources of ignition were through the management practices of the Native Americans and early settlers to clear the understory to provide clearings for hunting and grazing land for livestock. Today, land use managers use prescribed fire to manipulate the landscape for ecosystem management/restoration, maintenance of threatened and endangered species habitat, wildlife enhancement, control of insects and diseases, conventional silviculture, site preparation for regeneration practices, and reduction of forest fuels conducive for wildfires.

A growing concern for wildfire suppression agencies/entities is the ever increasing influx of population developments into the woodland setting. Through on the ground and aerial patrols, it is evident that more wildland urban interface communities are being developed as more and more people avoid the typical city life with associated noise impacts, ordinances, and lack of “green space”. This concept has created a new effort on the parts of suppression agencies/entities to enhance their outreach efforts and programs in the area of fire prevention and defensible space among the state’s 18.3 million acres of commercial forest land. Such efforts are accomplished through programs such as the national Firewise Program, local policies, and by way of federal grant incentives.