Welcome!Working in Urbanizing Areas: Changing Roles for Natural Resource Professionals

Nicole WulffChanging Roles Program Training Coordinator

US Forest Service

Raise your hand if you…• Are concerned about fragmentation of forests?• Are seeing different types of landowners moving out

to more rural areas?• Are curious about trends in land-use change over

time?• Are seeing urbanization growing into previously

rural areas?• Are tired of landowners not listening to your advice?• Are interested in learning tips for managing

conflict?

Workshop Goal and Objectives Why are we here?• At the end of today, you will be able to:

1. explain challenges, stakeholders, and issues in urbanizing areas and how they’re interrelated.

2. identify interface issues that are of the greatest concern to resource professionals in this region of OR

Workshop Goal and Objectives Why are we here?• At the end of today, you will be able to:

3. explain characteristics of Oregon landowners including their motivations for owning land and main concerns, as well as identify professional services and programs to meet their needs.

4. understand trends in land-use change on non-federal land in OR and

5. identify a few solutions to a local WUI issue

For the fabulous prizes, of course!

Keep in mind: At the end of the day today, I’m going to ask you:• What concepts/facts/ideas can you use in your work?• What concepts/facts/ideas will you share with others?• What remaining questions do you have?

Agenda• Exercise- Icebreaker• Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) Overview• Case Study• Break• Exercise- Prioritizing Interface Issues• Lunch

Icebreaker 30 min.Piecing Connections Together• Each person take 2 puzzle pieces• Form a group with your tablemates• Find a partner within your group• In pairs, discuss how the topics on your puzzle

pieces are related or connected• Share with the group

Icebreaker• Place puzzle pieces on table for everyone to

see• Discuss the connections between your puzzle

pieces and the other pieces• Assemble puzzle• Available on-line:

http://www.interfacesouth.org/products/pdf/mod1ex1.pdf

Exercise 1.1: Discussion Questions• Who are the players in wildland-urban interface

(WUI) issues?

• Who can we work with to solve problems?

• Can we manage interface resources differently to reduce problems?

Terminology• Urban Wildland Interface• Wildland-Urban Interface• Rural Urban Interface• Rural Fringe• Exurbia• Peri-Urban Interface • Urban Sprawl, Rural Sprawl, Rural Clusters,

Clustered Sprawl

Where people who live in the city go to feel like they are in the country, and where people who live

in the country go to feel like they are in the city.

- Jim Hull

When I say “wildland-urban interface” what comes to your mind?

The WUI froma resource management perspective..

We need:– new skills and approaches to better understand

and effectively work in the interface.

..the WUI is an area where increased human influence and land conversion are changing

natural resource goods, services, and management therefore..

Wildland-Urban Interface Continuum

Isolated (2nd homes) Classic (competing land-uses)

Intermix (changing land-use) Islands (surrounded by urban)

More Wilderness More Urban

Smaller fragments of

forest

Wildlife is pushed out of ideal habitat and into less beneficial

areas

Deer eat landscape shrubbery and carry

ticks. Bears and alligators eat pets

…increased auto

accidents, wildlife

fatalities, human

fatalities

Wildlife

Wildlife

Wildland FireSmaller fragments of

forest

More residents unfamiliar with smoke

of prescribed fire

More roads and traffic increases risk

of accident with smoke of

prescribed fire

…wildfires are suppressed,

fuel loads build = increased risk

Wildland Fire

More impermeable surfaces; more

channeled streams; stormwater runs off

faster.

More septic tanks and wells

Less native vegetation

……decreases in water quality,

decreases in water quantity

Water

Water

More roads, less wildlife, fewer trees

More traffic, more time

driving

Less time enjoying life

……increased stress and

obesity, decreased

mental health

Quality of Life

Quality of Life

WUI Challenges

Solutions

Trad

ition

al

Fore

stry Urban

Forestry

Wildland-Urban Interface

Case Study – Aerial Adventure Park

Location: Rural Near Metro Area•Special use in Exclusive Forest Conservation (EFC)•26 acre property• Habitat and travel corridor for wintering elk and deer•Smaller 2 acre forested area proposed for active adventure park, larger forested area for passive recreation• Access road is a County 2-lane gravel road•Residential dwelling, outbuilding•Improvements:

Welcome center

Parking

Storage facility for solid waste and recycling

Structure for portable toilets

Passive nature education trails, ziplines, cables,

platforms, ropewalks, tunnels, nets, tethering of

trees, climbing walls, swing bridges and steps

Action at Tree-to-Tree

Oregon’s Statewide Planning Goals and Guidelines

• GOAL 4 Forest Lands OAR- 660-015-0000(4)USES

Forest operations, practices and auxiliary uses shall be allowed on forest lands subject only to such regulation of uses as are found in ORS 527.722. Uses which may be allowed subject to standards set forth in this goal and administrative rule are: (1) uses related to and in support of forest operations; (2) uses to conserve soil, water and air quality, and to provide for fish and wildlife resources, agriculture and recreational opportunities appropriate in a forest environment; (3) locationally dependent uses; (4) dwellings authorized by law.

• Type II Land Use Review

Surrounding Properties• Site surrounded within .25 mile by a 16

properties that are mix of forested residential and commercial forest properties

– Sizes range from 2-80 acres– Near Henry Hagg Lake, 1521 acre

government owned water resource area – Stakeholders

Issues Addressed in Development Review and Appeal

• Wildlife Impacts• Increased traffic on rural road • Impacts on forest operations• Impacts of forest operations on adventure park• Fire hazard issues• Others?

Case Study Analysis:• Discussion Questions

– What are some unique challenges faced? What are other types of emerging recreational/tourist/other uses in forest areas?

– How should natural resource professionals be involved in the issue? What role can we play?

– What do natural resource professionals need to know or be able to do in order to effectively address the issue?

– What would be additional challenges/issues if this property were closer to an urban area

Break

Prioritizing Interface Issues 30 min.• Objectives:

– identify interface issues of importance in your state/region– prioritize the most important issues that will affect your

work• Individually list the issues that need to be addressed

in the wildland-urban interface area of your state.• Combine like issues at your tables.• We’ll create a final list.• Use sticky dots to prioritize.• Identify top issues and discuss.

DiscussionPrioritizing Interface Issues• How would the priority issues change across the

region/state?• Which issues are the consequences of other issues?• If one issue were resolved, which others would

disappear?• What are some of the solutions to these interface

issues?

Exercise 2.1 30 min.Who Lives in the Interface?• Objective: Know the different landowner market segments

which exist in the interface.

• Reference Fact Sheet 2.1

• For your market segment answer the following questions:– What type of professional service and agency program would

best serve your landowners?– How do you make these landowners aware of your services and

programs?– Is this landowner worth your time or should you focus your

scarce energies elsewhere? Why or why not?– Do you have similar interface residents or market segments in

the area? – Do you need to revise your message reach this audience?

DiscussionWho Lives in the Interface?• Describe your market segment and summarize your

responses to these questions.• Which of the six market groups is most in need of

natural resource advice? Why?• Which market segment would be the most difficult to

advise? Why?

Understanding Interface Landowners

Nicole WulffUS Forest Service

Changing Roles Training CoordinatorWorking in Urbanizing Areas

Overview• Oregon forest ownership• Characteristics of family forest owners• Types of types of forest owners• Interface region characteristics

Federal60%

State3% County & Municipal

1%

Tribal2%

Large Private*19%

Small Private*15%

Oregon Forest Ownership

Oregon Facts and Figures 2011

Who are Oregon’s family forest owners?

Who are Oregon’s family forest owners?

U.S. Forest Service, National Woodland Owner Survey,

How much do they have?Oregon family forest holdings

U.S. Forest Service, National Woodland Owner Survey

Why do they own their land?

Oregon family forest owner objectives• Privacy

• To enjoy beauty or scenery• For land investment• Part of home or vacation home• To pass land on to children or other heirs

U.S. Forest Service, National Woodland Owner Survey

What are they concerned about?

Oregon family forest owner major concerns

• High property taxes• Misuse of forestland such as vandalism or

dumping• Trespassing or poaching• Keeping land intact for heirs• Fire

U.S. Forest Service, National Woodland Owner Survey

Motivations of New Landowners

Education and Information “What topics are of most interest to

you?” Top 5 listsNew Owners

1. Invasives2. Reducing Fire

Risk3. Wildlife4. Restoration5. Reforestation

Other Owners1. Invasives2. Estate Planning3. Silviculture4. Forest Health5. Wildlife

Source: OSU Extension Service, 2010

Types of Forest Owners• “Timber managers”

– Property as an investment, follow best management practices, well educated, also want to conserve resource base.

• “Resident conservationists”– Preserving natural beauty, wildlife and natural values, own

fewer acres, moderately educated• “Affluent weekenders”

– Second homes on land, well educated, not interested in making money but are in amenities

• “Low-income rural residents”– Inherited the land, less well educated, own smaller forests,

sell timber but don’t manage, eager to use land to make money.

Interface Region Forest Characteristics

Tourist destinations (recreation, wine)

Photo: kewing, flickr.com

Retirement destinations

Photo: camerasutra, flickr.com

Trade and Professional Centers

“Counterculture Opportunities”

What management activities do they implement?

Size of Forestland in Acres

Management Activity All 10 or less 11 – 40 41 – 80 81+

Controlled unwanted vegetation 74% 60% 76% 79% 81%

Reduced fire hazard 66% 58% 65% 64% 79%Maintained a road 64% 37% 57% 74% 86%Planted trees 58% 45% 51% 61% 76%Harvested trees 51% 31% 41% 59% 73%

Conducted pre-commercial thinning, pruning, or fertilization activities 44% 29% 39% 53% 56%

Improved fish or wildlife habitat 38% 20% 38% 46% 50%

Developed or updated a written forest management plan 20% 8% 17% 22% 32%

None/no activities 5% 11% 5% 3% 1%Not sure/refused 4% 7% 5% 3% 1%

Source: Eiland 2004. Family Forestland Survey: A Report for Oregon Forest Resources Institute Source

What are the management interests of new owners of small

forests?

What are their five-year plans?

Oregon family forest owner

U.S. Forest Service, National Woodland Owner Survey

Percent of Family Forest Land

Willingness to cut trees for…

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

Timber $ Health Scenic

Probably will not doMight doAlready do

Willingness to…

0%

10%20%

30%40%

50%

60%70%

80%90%

100%

Test Soil Inspect Land Write Plan UseHerbicide

Plant forPrivacy

Probably not Might doAlready do

" I would be willing to accept less money from a timber sale if the logging actions

protected other forest qualities."

49%

35%

16%AgreeNeutralDisagree

Landowners feelings towards professional

foresters

Perception of Forestry• Many Interface landowners are unsure whether

to trust foresters. • ¾ were neutral or skeptical of foresters’

ecological ethics• 31% believed that foresters are more interested

in making money than in sustaining ecological health of the land.

Trusting foresters

Cutting Timber

30%

45%

25%AgreeNeutralDisagree

Making Money

31%

46%

23% AgreeNeutralDisagree

Foresters are more interested in ____ than the health of my forest.

Professionals can help because

• Many landowners do not know:– possible management options– the amount of funds required for management– the benefits of management

Addressing Challenges • Work to develop trust• Try new methods of

reaching landowners• Find tools to produce

amenity and ecological quality

• Work with landowners to develop a formal management plan

Fabulous Prizes!! Ask a question!

Exercise 4.8 15 min.Knowing the CommunityObjectives: Identify what you already know and what you need

to know about your community. State how to find the info you need in order to understand your audience.

• Reference Fact Sheet 4.5 and Worksheet 1

• Think about the audiences you work with and answer the questions- 8 min.

Discussion Knowing the Community• Do you know enough to know what people in this community

care about?• What things are important to them?• What information about the community are you most

comfortable with?• What are you least sure of?• How could you discover more about this community?

Discussion Working with Conflict• Answer the following questions:

– What are the positions of the parties involved?– What are the interests of the parties involved?– What could everyone agree on?– What strategies could a natural resource professional use to

assist in the resolution of this conflict?

Exercise 4.9 45 min.Working with ConflictObjective: Explore the interests that underlie conflicts and

suggest strategies to move parties toward common ground.

• Reference Fact Sheet 4.9

• Form groups of 6-7 people.

• Choose a scenario from the Handout: Scenario Cards

• Discuss your scenario. Use your imagination and experience to fill in detail blanks.

Review