17 pages., via online journal, By analyzing interview and survey data from U.S. Forest Service
employees, we examined the strategies used for communicating about
climate change within the agency and their effectiveness from the
perspective of agency employees. We found a limited awareness among
employees regarding climate policy. We found that horizontal information
flow through informal social networks was an important way in which
climate-change information was communicated. We also found a lack of
confidence among employees in their ability to provide feedback to
agency leadership. Our results suggest that (1) agency leadership’s ability
to set priorities and deliver positive vision is important for increasing
employee awareness and inspiring actions, (2) the agency could play a
role in facilitating formal and informal networking among employees, and
(3) using advanced information technologies may contribute to information flow horizontally and vertically, formally and informally.
29 pages., via online journal., Managers’ emotions play a significant role in natural resource decision-making processes relative to conflict. Although conflict and emotion are present in many aspects of most resource managers’
careers, the role of the primary decision maker’s emotions in natural
resources decision-making processes is neither well understood, nor well
documented. The ideas presented in this article derive from a literature
review and an independent four-year qualitative study of the USDA
Forest Service. The major finding of the study was that natural resources managers’ emotions do indeed have an influence on their decisionmaking processes and in conflict situations. Furthermore, communication is a component of decision making; conflict is a component of decision
making; and communication is a component of conflict. The authors review the literature in neuroscience and psychology on emotion and conflict. We explain how this information is important to any decision making process, and then relate emotions and decision making to conflict at the USDA FS. We offer insights and suggestions as to how managers
10 pages., via online journal., Uncertainty, insufficient information or information of poor quality, limited cognitive capacity and time, along with value conflicts and ethical considerations, are all aspects that make risk management and risk communication difficult. This paper provides a review of different risk concepts and describes how these influence risk management, communication and planning in relation to forest ecosystem services. Based on the review and results of empirical studies, we suggest that personal assessment of risk is decisive in the management of forest ecosystem services. The results are used together with a review of different principles of the distribution of risk to propose an approach to risk communication that is effective as well as ethically sound. Knowledge of heuristics and mutual information on both beliefs and desires are important in the proposed risk communication approach. Such knowledge provides an opportunity for relevant information exchange, so that gaps in personal knowledge maps can be filled in and effective risk communication can be promoted.
