Natural Resources Leadership Institute

David Amaral
NC Division of Forest Resources - Swannanoa, NC

Conducting a Stakeholder Assessment on the Dupont State Forest

David convened a working group that represents the various interests concerned with the use and management of Dupont State Forest Guion Farm. The goal of this working group is to develop a guidance package for the NC Division of Forest Resources to consider in the implementation of its management plan for the area.

Prior to bringing the working group together, David conducted a conflict assessment as a way to examine the various interests and concerns and determine what suitable process might be put into place to provide recommendations to the Division on the management of the Guion area.

Creation of a Stakeholder Planning Council for the Little Ivy Creek Watershed

Changes are occurring in the management and use of the land and water resources within Madison County. Three significant changes that are occurring are: (1) the construction of Interstate 26; (2) the designation of the area as a water supply watershed; (3) and the implementation of a county-wide "straight-pipe" removal program in Madison County. The growing pains associated with these significant changes are typical of most western North Carolina counties.

However, the water supply watershed designation is a predominate and contentious concern for members in the area. Some members of the community have concerns that water quality is being impacted significantly as a consequence of sedimentation resulting from construction. Other members stress that designation, as a water supply watershed, will conflict with their residential needs by disallowing owners to build on their property or to hunt near the creeks. Further others stakeholders are preparing to draw water even though water quality is below standard. Taylor has begun an assessment of this issue to determine if a stakeholder process can address the interests of the area while at the same time, protecting the water quality. He plans to bring together a stakeholder-based planning council for the Little Ivy Creek Watershed.

Implementation of an Effective Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) Program for International's Paper Mid-Atlantic Region

International Paper (IP) aggressively supports and promotes the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) developed by the American Forest and Paper Association. The primary objective of SFI is to assure that future generations are left with an even greater forest resource base than past generations. IP is accomplishing this mission by: (1) providing forest regeneration information to all landowners from whom IP receives wood; and (2) requiring wood suppliers to submit a harvest initiation notice (HIN) that contains information about the location of the timber sale, the volume, stand species and age, wood suppler and logger, and other detailed information.

Doug and Wayne are developing a process that evaluates the current course and notes areas of potential improvement with input of the interested stakeholders. The vision is that this revised process will improve IP accountability for wood that enters their wood processing facilities in accordance with SFI principles.

Virtual Solutions to Collaborative Problem Solving

The North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, like other government agencies and industries, utilizes collaborative activities in many of it functions. Face to face meetings are usually held to bring collaborative groups together to perform team functions and reach consensus on difficult or sensitive issues. Many industrial and government organizations are turning to technological tools to enhance this process. Currently the Department utilizes email, conference calls, and fax to communicate and disseminate information.

Ed and Cecil are currently identifying and categorizing the types of collaborative processes that take place within the Department; determining supportive functions that might be obtained through virtual processes; providing an inventory of the available electronic tools; and providing recommendations by December 2000 on the potential use of these processes within the Department. This will include looking into web-casting, web-conferencing, group systems, online facilitation, and other virtual processes.

Promote Public Understanding and Dialogue About Forest Resources by Increasing Use of the USFS Grandfather District Information Center's Interactive Forest Exhibits.

There is tremendous disagreement on how forests are managed, on both public and private lands. As demands increase for forest products, recreation, tourism, wildlife habitat, and water quality, Terry and Shannon believe that expanding the knowledge about forests and the role of forestry may reduce the conflicts. One of the ways they would like to expand this knowledge is by increasing visitation at the Grandfather District Information Center located in the western part of the state.

This exhibit challenges visitors to examine the tradeoffs associated with different approaches to management or non-management of both public and private resources. They convened a stakeholder group in March that has begun brainstorming ways to increase visitation to the Center.

The North Carolina Sandhills area supports an unusual diversity of plant and animal life, togetherwith many rare, declining, or endangered species, including the second largest remaining population of red-cockaded woodpeckers (RCW). Several factors have contributed to the decline in the population of RCW’s: short rotation harvest cycles, fire suppression, and fragmentation as a consequence of urban and agricultural growth. In addition, federal, state, and private land management plans differ in their objectives. And confrontation and regulation has not worked to the benefit of the resource in the past. In order to promote recovery of the species,

Pete has begun working with a steering committee that is addressing the natural resource protection and management in the Sandhills on an ecosystem basis. This partnership will represent the variety of positions on land management issues in the area in a consensus-based planning process. Working groups are also being established to develop various management plans for incorporation into a comprehensive conservation strategy for the Sandhills area.

Development of a Stakeholder Process to Guide North Carolina's Governance
and Strategic Planning Process

The National Audubon Society, at the request of and in conjunction with the Audubon Council of North Carolina, established a North Carolina State Office in 1997. The new state office began undertaking statewide programs and initiatives, raising needed expansion funds, and gaining support from external members for its mission. Audubon has a history of tension within the organization over issues of autonomy and governance among local chapters, the council and the National Audubon Society. Not all agree as to what Audubon should be doing in NC. In order to develop the directions outlined for the new NC State Office, Chris developed a stakeholder process to include the various viewpoints and to deal with 3 goals: (1): forming an effective "Board of Trustees"; (2): updating the strategic vision; and (3): expanding the support for NC Audubon through external membership and other support.

This strategic vision needed to encompass a broad range of views form traditional "insiders" to Audubon in the state, as well as "outsides" who have an interest in Audubon’s actions and effectiveness. As a result of stakeholder process, the NC Audubon State office is steadily moving forward to meet its three goals in order to create a seamless Audubon in North Carolina.

Development of a Stakeholder Process to Guide the Waxhaw Creek Riparian Corridor Restoration and Protection Initiative in Union County

Waxhaw Creek, located in the SW corner of Union County within the Catawba River watershed is still predominantly rural in nature. Significant development pressures are however threatening it. Specifically, water quality, wetlands, endangered and threatened plants and animals, and the history of the community are being threatened.

Laura has met with steering committee members who are planning how to best work with the local Waxhaw community, developers, and landowners in order to deal with these various issues. This project has a five-year time frame.

South Fork River Restoration

The South Fork flows from headwaters near Morgantown through the central North Carolina Piedmont to Gastonia and Lake Wylie. It is an important resource for the region: for drinking water, as a wildlife corridor, and for its potential outdoor recreational opportunities. The South Fork has been identified as contributing to water quality degradation as a result of non-point agricultural and urban sources as well as municipal and industry point source discharges. There is also concern about the discharges of nontoxic dyes on the river that have caused the river to take on various hues.

David and Oscar are working with a multi-county citizen advisory group (from Gaston, Lincoln, and Catawba Counties) in an effort to restore the integrity of the South Fork Watershed, the riparian flood plain, and the flowing water to a condition that permits its use for drinking water, recreation, and a wildlife habitat. Currently a South Fork Model has been set up to help the stakeholders prioritize areas of the South Fork for conservation efforts; a motoring schedule for color discharges has been established; an Alliance of industrial and municipal wastewater discharge permit holders agreed to meet with the stakeholder group; and Gaston County Commissioners agreed to the development of recommendations for a new local sediment enforcement program.   

Development of an Environmental Education Network for
Colleges and Universities in North Carolina

Currently within North Carolina, there is neither a forum nor working group-exploring issues of environmental education in North Carolina’s colleges and universities. While there is a well-organized and active network for primary and secondary educators, state extension agents, and grassroots educators, there is not a network to improve learning of Environmental Studies curricula and experiential components of environmentally education.

Andrea, through a working group of key players, established a workshop in February that brought together various interested parties to begin discussing the establishment of this intercollegiate network. Since the workshop, a loose association is currently being established at UNC-Chapel Hill to continue the initiation of this network. In addition, Andrea plans to initiate further discussion at the 2001 Environmental Education statewide conference to reinforce and continue this collaborative network building.

Establishing a Working Partnership Between the NC Department of Transportation and the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources on Stream Mitigation Requirements

The North Carolina Department of Transportation (DOT) is under tremendous pressure to meet its annual construction-letting program. One major obstacle that has prevented DOT from meeting the construction program is securing 404 dredge and fill permits and 401 water quality certifications. Since the department could not provide compensating mitigation for project related impacts to the natural environment, then the permits were not issued. Although a wetland impact compensatory program has been in process for years, implementation of the stream mitigation program was problematic.

As a result, transportation projects have been delayed. A partnership was developed between the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and DOT, with the desired outcome of allowing DOT to access the Wetland Restoration Program (WRP) as a secondary source of mitigation, that could be a safety valve for permits. As a result of negotiations and meetings, a MOU was established between DOT and WRP, with protocols for DOT to proceed with certain projects and the means to allow WRP to staff and focus on implementation. This workable solution is allowing both agencies to achieve their respective missions and future collaborations are excepted.

Addressing an Environmental Justice Issue Regarding the Current Hog Challenges within North Carolina

Concentrated Animal Feedlots Operations are a growing concern within low-income communities, people of color communities, and on Indian Reservations. The National Environmental Justice Advisory Council has been working on recommendations in order to address these challenges through the perspectives of the communities.

Savi is a member on the council and has worked to provide these recommendations in trying to resolve water quality issues within these communities.

Stakeholder Involvement in Developing a
Natural Resource Management Plan for TVA Lands

Traditionally, TVA has relied on the judgment of its professionals in developing natural resource management plans on TVA lands. Little, if any linkages have existed between the resource management objectives and the needs and expectations of the stakeholders of public lands. As a result, controversies over the management of resources have arisen in some areas managed by TVA.

Ralph assisted in implementing a new management approach, titled: "unit based planning" that would identify strategies for assuring ecosystem health and sustainability, while at the same time provide the full array of stakeholder identified benefits. Seven new resource management plans guided by stakeholder input were developed to pilot resource management for the next 25 years on TVA’s lands. One enormous impact of this adaptive approach is that each "unit" becomes a laboratory of sorts for testing and evaluating new resource management strategies.

Convening the Gorges State Park Citizen Advisory Board

In 1999, 9,760 acres of the Jocassee Gorges in Transylvania County was transferred into public ownership. With plunging waterfalls, rugged river gorges, sheer rock walls and one of the greatest concentrations of rare and unique species in the eastern US, the state park will be managed to protect these nationally significant natural resources and preserve the area for future generations. Initially, there were a number of differing opinions as to whether the property in total should be a state a park, since this would mean prohibition of any type of hunting.

This was a key issue in the initial transaction that resulted in creating a 6,808 acre state park and a 2,952 acre gameland managed by the Wildlife Resources Commission. In order to unify community and regional support for the new state park, following a somewhat divisive process that established the area, an ongoing working citizen advisory committee was established. In addition to this role, the committee was also set up to: to ensure local citizenry and user groups have the opportunity to be formally represented in the interim operation and master plan; to provide representative interests and abilities related to promoting the protection, development and use of the new state park; and for members to communicate the needs of the park to the community and region while representing the park visitors and neighbors to park managers.

Lew's role was to coordinate with senior agency management, the local park superintendent, and others to determine and select a representative citizens parks advisory committee, to provide an introduction and overview of the state park system and a comprehensive description of the role of the advisory committee. Current impacts of this group are: providing the public an immediate voice in the development and management of the park and a sounding board for ideas.

Virtual Solutions to Collaborative Problem Solving

The North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, like other government agencies and industries, utilizes collaborative activities in many of it functions. Face to face meetings are usually held to bring collaborative groups together to perform team functions and reach consensus on difficult or sensitive issues. Many industrial and government organizations are turning to technological tools to enhance this process. Currently the Department utilizes email, conference calls, and fax to communicate and disseminate information.

Ed and Cecil are currently identifying and categorizing the types of collaborative processes that take place within the Department; determining supportive functions that might be obtained through virtual processes; providing an inventory of the available electronic tools; and providing recommendations by December 2000 on the potential use of these processes within the Department. This will include looking into web-casting, web-conferencing, group systems, online facilitation, and other virtual processes.  
     

Implementation of an Effective Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) Program for International's Paper Mid-Atlantic Region

International Paper (IP) aggressively supports and promotes the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) developed by the American Forest and Paper Association. The primary objective of SFI is to assure that future generations are left with an even greater forest resource base than past generations. IP is accomplishing this mission by: (1) providing forest regeneration information to all landowners from whom IP receives wood; and (2) requiring wood suppliers to submit a harvest initiation notice (HIN) that contains information about the location of the timber sale, the volume, stand species and age, wood suppler and logger, and other detailed information.

Doug and Wayne are developing a process that evaluates the current course and notes areas of potential improvement with input of the interested stakeholders. The vision is that this revised process will improve IP accountability for wood that enters their wood processing facilities in accordance with SFI principles. 

Establish a Regional Design Center that Builds Awareness for the Interdependence of the Environment, Economy, and Communities in the Lower Cape Fear Region

Rapid growth in North Carolina is causing environmental, social and economic problems and there is no regional mechanism for solving these issues. In order to address these issues on a regional basis, the Cape Fear Tomorrow, a collaborative working group comprising various interests, is taking responsibility for the formation of the sustainable center.

This resource center, which has received start up funding, will test drive planning solutions and develop ongoing tools to shape the growth patterns for the overall health of the environment, the economy, and the communities within the Wilmington metropolitan area, including counties of New Hanover, Pender, Columbus, and Brunswick. Buddy is providing leadership for Cape Fear Tomorrow.

Establishing an Internal Working Agreement
Between the Plywood Mill Workers and Their Supervisor

Employees of a Plywood Mill in Texas brought a list of 15 grievances to the Mill Manager, wanting immediate attention. Danny's role, as their supervisor, was to resolve this conflict by fully understanding what their issues were and  in a timely manner. He did this by making the situation a priority, by clarifying the issues, and then working with others to determine the underlying cause of the conflict.

The process Danny designed in approaching this situation would establish a permanent system within the Mill to prevent similar conflicts from arising in the future. He did this by gaining support for the process from key stakeholders and then seeing that this system is implemented. Roles were redefined, complaints have dwindled, and more importantly, employees were recognized as requiring daily "preventive maintenance" just as the machinery does, needing to be recognize for what they do and how, on a regular basis.

Collaborating to Create a Strategic Direction for the North Carolina Urban and Community Forestry Grant Program

The Urban and Community Forestry Program is a state-federal partnership between the NC Division of Forest Resources and the USDA Forest Service-Southern Region. Through this partnership, a combination of federal and state funds are used to provide urban forestry related technical assistance, services, information, training, education and financial assistance to individuals, associations, municipalities, educational institutions, non-profit organizations, government agencies and community boards and groups.

One of the components of the program is the NC Urban and Community Forestry Grant Program, which has awarded over $1.9 million to support local, regional and statewide urban and community forestry projects since 1991. In order to move the urban and community forestry program to the next level and meet the needs of an ever-growing urban base, Barry is working with the partners and other stakeholders to revisit program goals and the framework for utilizing the funds to meet existing and emerging urban forestry challenges.

Facilitate Stakeholder Involvement in a Youth
Empowerment Project to Prevent Tobacco and Alcohol Use Among Teens

Teen tobacco use is a recognized public health problem, which has increased 40% among high school students in North Carolina. Four high schools in Guilford County would like to achieve stronger tobacco policies. They would like to accomplish this by implementing a youth and media literacy project to strengthen community support and the involvement of parents and youth in tobacco and alcohol prevention efforts.

Tracy is working with these high schools to establish a collaborative planning process around tobacco and alcohol use prevention in schools.

The South Fork Restoration

The South Fork flows from headwaters near Morgantown through the central North Carolina Piedmont to Gastonia and Lake Wylie. It is an important resource for the region: for drinking water, as a wildlife corridor, and for its potential outdoor recreational opportunities. The South Fork has been identified as contributing to water quality degradation as a result of non-point agricultural and urban sources as well as municipal and industry point source discharges. There is also concern about the discharges of nontoxic dyes on the river that have caused the river to take on various hues.

David and Oscar are working with a multi-county citizen advisory group (from Gaston, Lincoln, and Catawba Counties) in an effort to restore the integrity of the South Fork Watershed, the riparian flood plain, and the flowing water to a condition that permits its use for drinking water, recreation, and a wildlife habitat. Currently a South Fork Model has been set up to help the stakeholders prioritize areas of the South Fork for conservation efforts; a motoring schedule for color discharges has been established; an Alliance of industrial and municipal wastewater discharge permit holders agreed to meet with the stakeholder group; and Gaston County Commissioners agreed to the development of recommendations for a new local sediment enforcement program. 
 

Convening a Groundwater Guardian Program to Promote Education
About Water Quality Issues In Iredell County

Iredell County is located in the Yadkin & PeeDee River Basin. The county itself is experiencing rapid growth as a result of a tremendous influx of people. With jobs and economic opportunities can come environmental problems. In Iredell, there is a water quality concern due to heavy sedimentation, nutrient loading, and fecal coli form, yet most of the county’s citizens are not aware of it. Since citizens rely on private wells for their water, Cindy took on the role of convening a Groundwater Guardian Program that would begin attention to this issue.

A team of guardians has been formed and they have selected three projects to carry out in Iredell: a storm drain stenciling, develop a teacher’s workshop on water quality education, and collect/distribute information on environmental friendly products to the county’s residents. Although this group is in the stage of implementation, the overall goal is to raise the awareness level in the area educate about the small things each resident can do to reduce water quality degradation.

Development of Stakeholders Group for
Investigating Color Discharge in the South Fork Catawba River

The Division of Environmental Management’s Water Quality section has been struggling for many years with the issues of color in surface waters. With over sixty sites identified as having significant instream color by DEM field personnel, twenty-three of those sites were in the Catawba River Basin. One goal of Dianne’s practicum is to bring the dischargers and other stakeholders together to address water quality concerns through voluntary or regulatory processes.  

During this initiative, the industrial and municipal wastewater discharge permit holders agreed to form an Alliance and develop a monitoring plan to provide a means of addressing color on a broader scale that was approved by the Division of Water Quality (DWQ). In addition, the Alliance agreed to form a Community Advisory Panel to allow more input and education by additional stakeholders. This provides a mechanism for development of a multi-county stakeholder group. Current results of this initiative have been better internal communication and external communication between dischargers and DWQ staff.

Promote Public Understanding and Dialogue About Forest Resources by Increasing Use of the USFS Grandfather District Information Center's Interactive Forest Exhibits

There is tremendous disagreement on how forests are managed, on both public and private lands. As demands increase for forest products, recreation, tourism, wildlife habitat, and water quality, Terry and Shannon believe that expanding the knowledge about forests and the role of forestry may reduce the conflicts. One of the ways they would like to expand this knowledge is by increasing visitation at the Grandfather District Information Center located in the western part of the state.

This exhibit challenges visitors to examine the tradeoffs associated with different approaches to management or non-management of both public and private resources. They convened a stakeholder group in March that has begun brainstorming ways to increase visitation to the Center.

Operationalizing the Implementation of Local Nitrogen Reeducation Plans in the Neuse River Basin

The state’s regulatory strategy to reduce nutrient pollution in the Neuse River by 30% is adding significant new requirements for farmers in this river basin. Most farmers have chosen to use a flexible alternative option to participate in locally develop plans to meet this nutrient reduction goal. The framework development and guidance for this local option is assigned to the Basin Oversight Committee (BAC).

This committee develops the accountability tools for this local option and simultaneously organizes Local Advisory Committees (LAC) that will sign up farmers and work with them to develop farm plans to meet this reduction goal. Marion and Mitch are providing the collaborative leadership between the BAC and LAC’s in order assist both groups in meeting their goals. This is being accomplished through consistent and clear communication and by providing training workshops that deal with the applicability of certain Best Management Practices (BMPs) on farms.

Collaboratively Resolve Scale Rule Interpretation at Columbia Mills

Columbia Forest Products operates three plywood mills that purchase yellow-poplar logs from area loggers. Although the mills use the same log scale, the scale rules are interpreted differently at each location. This has resulted in suppliers being reimbursed at different rates for log shipments. This problem has persisted for several years without resolution.

Richard organized and facilitated several meetings of mill managers, log scalers, and procurement managers work toward some consensus on how the scale rules will be used and interpreted. The result was an agreement on interpretation and implementation of the scaling rules at the three mills.

Convening Stakeholder Advisory Groups to Develop a
Watershed Management Plan for the Cullasaja River Watershed Area

The Cullasaja River is a tributary of the Little Tennessee River Basin in western North Carolina. As a southern Appalachian stream, the Cullasaja begins as a cool water system above 4000 feet elevation, flows through a rugged gorge area along US Highway 64 with several eye-catching waterfalls, finally settling in as a transitional, cool to warm water system supporting many fish and aquatic insect species. The Cullasaja area is experiencing rapid growth. Demands for water as a drinking source, assimilation of wastewater and as a source of recreation and beauty, places the Cullasaja and its tributaries high on the priority list within the community.

As a result of its significance and importance, the Cullasaja River has been at the center of several controversial agency decisions and has resulted in contention amongst local government, interest groups, the agencies, and the public in general. In order to reduce these conflicts, Forrest convened a Stakeholder Steering Committee and four sub-groups that are using divergent thinking to converge on developing specific recommendations for a watershed management plan.

Mitch Woodward
NC Cooperative Extension - Raleigh,NC

Operationalizing the Implementation of Local Nitrogen Reeducation Plans in the Neuse River Basin

The state’s regulatory strategy to reduce nutrient pollution in the Neuse River by 30% is adding significant new requirements for farmers in this river basin. Most farmers have chosen to use a flexible alternative option to participate in locally develop plans to meet this nutrient reduction goal. The framework development and guidance for this local option is assigned to the Basin Oversight Committee (BAC). This committee develops the accountability tools for this local option and simultaneously organizes Local Advisory Committees (LAC) that will sign up farmers and work with them to develop farm plans to meet this reduction goal.

Marion and Mitch are providing the collaborative leadership between the BAC and LAC’s in order assist both groups in meeting their goals. This is being accomplished through consistent and clear communication and by providing training workshops that deal with the applicability of certain Best Management Practices (BMPs) on farms.