Shannon Lucas and Cassidee Shinn, CDFW Planning from Tahoe to the Bay Workshop

Shannon Lucas and Cassidee Shinn, CDFWPlanning from Tahoe to the Bay WorkshopNovember 20, 2013

Why?

Plans take too long to prepare Plans are too expensive to prepare Plans benefit from lessons learned

Methods

Many meetings to arrive at survey questions

SurveyMethods.com Sent to more than 1,200 people

• Survey #1: 181 responded (14% response rate)

• Survey #2: 100 responded (8.4% response rate) Thank you to those who responded!

Representation across the state

Survey #1: position or role of respondent

Survey #2: Delving Deeper- Planning Experience of Respondent

# of Plans worked on # of Years in nccp or hcp planning

Survey #1:Challenges in plan preparation

Top reasons for delays Difficulty reaching agreements Politics Unrealistic timelines Wildlife agency staff turnover

When funding was a problem, primary reason was unanticipated tasks

Preliminary Results

survey #2: Delving deeper - politics

In what way was politics involved? Local politics around

Cost of Plan Some stakeholders having more influences

than others Different goals

Politics not an issue (15%)

Preliminary Results

Survey #2: Delving deeper - unanticipated tasks

Unanticipated tasks: Additional information and analyses Additional drafts or revisions

Reasons why: Lack of guidance or evolving requirements

from Wildlife Agencies

Survey #1: Overcoming delays

Delays were (or can be) overcome by More frequent and structured

communication Adequate staffing levels Dedicated staff Effective initial planning framework and

timeline

Preliminary Results

SURVEY #2: DELVING DEEPER – COMMUNICATION

What should change? Increase high-level, decision-maker

involvement Clear process, requirements, expectations Regular summary of activities and results

Communication not an issue (20%)

Critical FactorsRelative

Rank

Regular wildlife agency engagement High

Political will and leadership High

Local government commitment of resources Medium

Effective consultant Medium

Plan "champion" or advocate Medium

Stakeholder leadership Medium

Public involvement Low

Public process transparency Low

Use of a facilitator Low

Survey #1: Most critical for maintaining momentum

Survey #2: Delving Deeper - Use of Facilitator

How did a neutral facilitator help?

  Yes NoI Don't Know

Was a facilitator used? 31% 60% 9 %

If yes, critical to maintaining momentum?

45% 25% 30%

If no, would one have been useful? 30% 32% 38%

Preliminary Results

Kept discussions or process on-track and focused

Summary OF Results

There is a critical need for: Political will and leadership Guidance and tools focused on process,

timelines, and problem-solving Wildlife agency engagement and

consistency in staffing Decision-maker/high-level management

involvement Clear and realistic expectations

Survey #2:Approximately how long

did it ACTUALLY

take?

Approximately how long did you EXPECT it

to take?Phases of Plan preparation

  (Average #

years) (Average #

years)Decision to develop the NCCP or HCP 4 3Compilation of baseline information 3.5 2Planning agreement 2.5 1Administrative Draft (preparation of draft chapters)

5.5 2.5

Review of Drafts and Negotiations 5.5 2

Next steps

Develop targeted guidance materials (examples): Political will

Promotional videos

Guidance and tools Example timelines

Actual Plan Preparation Timelines

Thank you

Shannon.Lucas@wildlife.ca.gov Cassidee.Shinn@wildlife.ca.gov