Clarity for the Best Long-Term Results for Fish, Forests, Wildlife, and Conservation in Missouri

I spoke last week at the public meeting of the Missouri Conservation Commission about how the human dimensions of conservation, that is social, economic, and opinion information, has been used to shape the decision-making and outcomes of fish, forest, and wildlife management in Missouri. By human dimensions, I mean a wide variety of demographic, opinion, survey, participation, focus group, public meeting, and public comment information. It's what a business would call market information; information that can be used to make decisions based on facts.

This week I was reading again parts of the monograph by Jim Collins, Good to Great and the Social Sectors, and I believe many of the ideas in the book show clearly why human dimensions information is so valuable to improve conservation decision-making.

For example, Collins writes that great companies have a "deep understanding of three intersecting circles: 1) what you are deeply passionate about, 2) what you can be the best in the world at, and 3) what best drives your economic engine."

Now consider the human dimensions information that many Missourians participate in nature-related recreation. Many more are interested in Missouri's fish, forests, and wildlife. Add to those thoughts the highly talented Department of Conservation employees who are both deeply passionate about the resources they manage for Missourians and knowledgeable about fish, forests, and wildlife. They can be the best in the world at managing nature in Missouri. Now, as the third ingredient, add the economic engine of volunteers, partnerships, and the sustained funding of the Conservation Sales Tax that Missourians voted to establish in 1976 and I believe we have a recipe to achieve, as Collins writes, "pockets of greatness," for conservation in Missouri.

Human dimensions information also helps Department staff to, in the words of Collins, "attain piercing clarity about how to produce the best long-term results," for nature in Missouri. And this is very important, since the budget of the Department is limited and small, at less than one percent of the total State of Missouri annual budget. I believe that human dimensions information helps the Department to be accountable, to improve its performance, and will continue to be useful in the future.

More information about the success of the Missouri Department of Conservation is available in the 2006-2007 Annual Report.

Conservation Biology Certificate Program at the University of Missouri

I spoke on Thursday at the Conservation Biology Seminar at the University of Missouri. My topic was about the human dimensions of fish, forest, and wildlife conservation.

The seminar is a part of the conservation biology graduate program. Graduate students in a variety of fields can earn a certificate through the program. During the day, I met with many graduate students that are in the School of Natural Resources and the Biology programs. I was challenged by many of their questions about fish, forest, wildlife, and resource management. I was also pleased to see their passion about the outdoors and the wide range of topics that they are studying.

I'd be pleased to have any of the students I visited with on a conservation team.

The seminar is coordinated and implemented by the graduate students. I believe that's a wonderful way for them to interact with individuals already working in various fields, to interact and build working relationships with each other as professionals, and to practice conservation leadership.

I applaud their efforts and success.

Improving Leadership Skills of Conservation Professionals or Be a Better Conservation Leader on Your Own

The Wildlife Society (TWS) is accepting applications for its Leadership Institute. Applications are due by March 7, 2008. More information is available on The Wildlife Society Web pages.

From the Web page about the Institute:

"From May through September, the ten members participate in a variety of distance learning and hands-on projects, which include reading and interpreting leadership materials, presenting to peer groups, working collaboratively with each other, leading discussions, and developing summary documents regarding professional leadership."

Another opportunity is the National Conservation Leadership Institute. Applications are due by May 31, 2008. A promotional video is available about the program. Their Web page describes the purpose of the National Institute as:

"We are facing a crisis in conservation! The significant loss of baby boomers who provide leadership in the organizations which manage the conservation of our nation’s natural Resources requires immediate and careful attention. Research studies confirm this reality: Between 2004 and 2015, more than 77% of state fish and wildlife senior leadership will retire! More than one-half of Senior Executive Service employees of federal natural resource agencies will retire by 2007! And this alarming trend mirrors that of NGOs and corporate sectors."

Don't think you can't improve your skills if you can't participate in these opportunities. Leadership skills can be learned and require effort and practice. You can improve your leadership skills or do great works for nature even if you are not focused on a conservation career. One way to start is by learning more about leadership by reading the articles in the Leader to Leader Journal, many of which are available online. You can browse through the catalog of authors to find leadership articles that interest you.

Or, simply practice leadership by doing something for fish, forests, and wildlife. You can learn about how to help nature through the opportunities on the Web pages of the Missouri Department of Conservation. There is also information about how you can provide education to young people about conservation.

Census Atlas of the United States Has Insights for Conservation in Missouri

The U.S. Census Bureau has recently published the Census Atlas of the United States, which is a collection of maps and information about population and housing.

The individual chapters are large files to download, but contain useful insights for fish, forest, and wildlife management in Missouri.

In Chapter 2, the population distribution chapter, I was interested to see the trend for Missouri of increasing population in the major cities and southern part of the state. This is also confirmed in Chapter 14, about housing, in that the dates of housing construction are most recent in the same areas. The northern part of the state has a trend of declining population.

Increasing areas of construction in the past has generally indicated more impacts on habitat and water quality, which can alter the health of fish, forests, and wildlife.

You can read more about what you can do in your neighborhood and community to support fish, forests, and wildlife on the Web pages of the Missouri Department of Conservation and in the community conservation items in the strategic plan of the Department.

Census of Agriculture for Missouri Farmers and Ranchers

The Census of Agriculture is being conducted now. Completed forms are due by February 4, 2008. The Census of Agriculture is conducted every five years and is a complete count of the nation's farms, ranches, and the people who operate them.

For the first time, producers have the option of completing the Census forms online.

I use the information from the Census all the time to better understand what is happening in Missouri for land use and ownership trends, economics of agriculture, and the characteristics and production practices of farmers and agricultural operations.

The Census is the only source of comprehensive agricultural data for every county in Missouri.

If you have an agricultural activity or operation, you can participate in the Census by signing up on the Census of Agriculture Web pages.

A summary for Missouri from the 2002 Census is available and you can look up summaries for each county in Missouri.

Author Richard Louv at Missouri Natural Resources Conference Speaks About Getting Children and Adults Outdoors

Author Richard Louv spoke today at the Missouri Natural Resources Conference. He talked about the importance of getting children, and adults, outdoors. Louv has more information about his books and efforts on his Web pages. He included as he talked a message of the positive benefits that will result in the future as more people experience and rediscover nature and the outdoors.

Lorna Domke writes about Louv in her blog, Fresh Afield and notes how the Missouri Department of Conservation has programs to help children and families experience nature.

I also thought about the hunter education classes, taught by volunteer instructors in Missouri, that provide hunters of all ages the basic skills needed to go outside and hunt safely.

In addition, I listened to a talk in the afternoon about the Go Fish program of the Missouri Department of Conservation, presented by Denise Otto.

All of these efforts help to accomplish three things that Louv said are important:

1. Get information about nature, the outdoors, and outdoor activities to parents.
2. Encourage and help parents to go outside into nature with their children (this also helps the health of parents).
3. Institutions and organizations must help parents with support and information so they can take their children outside into nature.

Louv reminded the audience that many of them probably remember outdoor experiences as a child. I remember going outside as a child. I still go outside for a wide variety of outdoor activities. Those are great memories and experiences that have provided me with lifelong skills and interests. Surely spending all that time outdoors helped my health as well.

There are many ways to experience nature. You can find more information about where to go in Missouri on the Web pages of the Missouri Department of Conservation and the Department of Natural Resources.

Go outside!

Using Blogs and Social Media to Communicate Conservation Information in Missouri

The Missouri Natural Resources Conference is an annual conference in Missouri that is sponsored by four professional resource management societies.

On Thursday, January 31, 2008, I'll make a presentation at the conference about using blogs and social media to communicate conservation information.

You can view the program and more information on the conference Web page.

In the presentation, I'll show examples of blogs being used in business, government, and conservation. I'll highlight some of the online videos on Youtube from the Missouri Department of Conservation. I'll define a few terms about social media, like what a blog is, and some of the social media services like Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, Wikipedia, del.icio.us, Facebook, and MySpace.

Although I'll only mention the growing level of Internet use from recent surveys, this presentation at the Pew Internet and American Life Project has useful and insightful statistics about adult and youth Internet use.

I'm looking forward to the response and questions I might receive after the presentation at the conference.

Your Opinion Counts for Deer Management in Missouri

Your opinion certainly counts for the staff of the Missouri Department of Conservation. The Department of Conservation wants to hear from Missouri hunters about their opinions for deer management in Missouri. A series of 16 public meetings are being conducted to allow anyone the opportunity to provide comments. There will be two meetings in each of the Department's eight regions throughout the state.

You can read about the meetings on the Department's Web pages.

You can provide comments online if you can't attend a meeting.

You can hear about deer management efforts and why the Department wants to hear from hunters from online videos posted by Department staff on YouTube and MySpaceTV.

You can read about the meetings and efforts on the Department's blog, Fresh Afield.

You can read about the effort from an online fact sheet that includes a mailing address and comment card.

You can contact a regional office at the locations described on the Department's Web pages.

The video on YouTube:




And on MySpaceTV:

Deer Management Public Forums - 2008

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