Introduction The United States Forest Service experienced many changes after the end of the Second World War. Resulting from the environmental movement of the Sixties and more interest in preserving natural resources, the Forest Service started to expand the scope of their activities and to receive increased feedback into their decision-making processes from a myriad of diverse stakeholder groups. Many stakeholder groups lobbied for changes to the way the Forestry makes decisions and advocated for even more changes in Forestry missions and goals. Dynamic federal laws, the Wilderness Act of 1964 and the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, “increased the visibility and complexity of decision-making” at the Forest Service. (Wilkinson, …show more content…
In order to develop a way for the Forestry to prioritize who makes what kind of input to their direction, it will be important to understand how different stakeholder groups communicate with one another and with local Forestry offices. Applying systems thinking to support decision makers and capture best practices born at the local Forestry offices with the goal of transferring learning to the organization at the institutional level, while maintaining the capacity for innovation and imagination across the Forest Service will provide a process for continuous improvement. I recommend the Forest Service implement Bryson’s ten-step Strategy Change Cycle in order to identify and implement feasible change and evaluate outcomes toward that continuous improvement. Bryson offers that the Strategy Change Cycle may be viewed in several ways. I propose we apply a “processual model for decision making” in order to implement change by baking the model in to the processes used by decision makers and learners across the agency. (Bryson, …show more content…
Besides the few formal public hearings to gather input required by law, guidelines state, "... the decisions as to which proposals or projects will require public involvement and its extent will rest with the Forest Service officer." (Devall, 1973) Forest Supervisors should be encouraged to use a variety of techniques, including informal gatherings and social media interaction to receive public inputs. Social media interactions live in public spaces and could be considered a prime output by concurrently informing all stakeholders of the positions of their peers, adversaries, and the Forestry. We have also discussed and should relay to the Forestry the importance of dialog and discussion differences and encourage more than listening to individuals and groups that provide input. It means keeping fully informed as well as being mindful of individual officials biases through development of personal mastery. It means seeking out and listening to stakeholders and groups that usually opposed certain structures of management at the Forest
These two sides of the issue bring about a major controversy in America today. Should the Pacific Northwest’s old growth forests and the welfare of the Northern Spotted Owl be sacrificed for America’s economy, and the jobs of the people in the logging industry? Which should be placed at a higher value, the forests in the Pacific Northwest and the northern spotted owl, or the American economy and the jobs and welfare of thousands and thousands of people?
Zielinski, E. (2012, April 25). The Northwest Forest Plan. Retrieved from U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIORBUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT: http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/info/history/sidebars/ecosystems/Northwest_Forest_Plan.html
With equal fervor Pinchot set to work. In the next two decades he raised forestry and conservation of all our natural resources from an unknown experiment to a nationwide movement. He became head of the Division of Forestry in 1898 and under President Theodore Roosevelt was named Chief Forester of the redefined U.S. Forest Service. National forest management was guided by Pinchot’s principle, “the greatest good of the greatest number in the long run.” His magnetic personal leadership inspired and ignited the new organization.
agencies set up to find solutions to questions like, "What is the sustainability?" yield of a forest?" These same agencies also decide where taxpayer money goes. within the logging business. In some cases, the money subsidizes the large companies for things such as logging roads in order to keep the cost of paper and other tree products down. These same companies ship their lumber to Japan.
Brinker Hadley believes in himself and his ideas, letting nothing stand in the way of his success. In A Separate Peace, Finny and
Thesis: Politicians are proposing sweeping changes in bills, which have caused great controversy, in efforts to correct the problems that the Forest Service has
Change is an inevitable function of any organization and is something that employees and leaders alike are bound to face during their careers. According to Ivancevich et al (2011), how leaders are able to handle the task of change can determine the success or failure of an organization. As organizational leadership students, it is important for us to begin to develop and sharpen the necessary skills to innovate and adapt to change effectively. Leaders should be familiar with a variety of elements within the organization including an assessment of employee and leadership strengths, relationships, skill level and capability, level of support, and the types of resources readily available. Assessing these elements prior and during change, as well as evaluating the process after the fact, helps prepare organizations and leaders for future success. The Harvard School of Business’ interactive change management simulation, Change Management Simulation: Power and Influence V2 (2013), was a valuable assignment to help teach us about change from the standpoint of a mid-level management position at Spectrum, a sunglasses company, looking to adopt a new sustainability initiative.
Hijjar, Reem, David G. McGrath, Robert A. Kozak, and John L. Innes. "Framing Community Forestry Challenges with a Broader Lens: Case Studies from the Brazilian Amazon." Journal of Environmental Management 92 (2011): 2159-169. ScienceDirect. 06 May 2011. Web. 30 Oct. 2011.
Newman, J. (2012). An organisational change management framework for sustainability. Greener Management International, 57, 65–75.
Perry, D. A. (1998). The Scientific Basis of Forestry, Annual Review of Ecology and System Thematic 29:435-466, Retrieved July 9, 2005 from: http://www.panda.org/about_wwf/what_we_do/policy/policy_and_events/index.cfm
The controversy over logging, and more specifically clearcutting, is not a new issue in America. Ever since the 1920's and 1930's, when this nation started to become conscious of conservation, citizens have weighed the consequences of logging. Critics have questioned whether the increase in jobs, tax dollars, and economic growth was worth the destruction of forest lands. Regardless of what they believe today, the logging industry had become so efficient that by the late 1980's nearly 100,000 acres of federal land had been clearcut since the industry began. Logging technology has advanced rapidly in terms of speed, to meet the increasing demands for lumber, paper, and other products derived from trees. This in turn has greatly impacted the environment by severely degrading watersheds, leading to increased soil erosion, the diminution in the quality of drinking water, and the decline of fish stocks, among many other consequences. In this essay I will examine the progression of logging equipment throughout the 19th and 20th centuries and discuss how these changes in technology have not only changed the relationship of those who work in the industry, but also haw this has changed the wider relationship of society and nature.
The change process within any organization can prove to be difficult and very stressful, not only for the employees but also for the management team. Hayes (2014), highlights seven core activities that must take place in order for change to be effective: recognizing the need for change, diagnosing the change and formulating a future state, planning the desired change, implementing the strategies, sustaining the implemented change, managing all those involved and learning from the change. Individually, these steps are comprised of key actions and decisions that must be properly addressed in order to move on to the next step. This paper is going to examine how change managers manage the implementation of change and strategies used
Bowen (2004), in his article also mentioned, “public hearings” these are similar the is a real life forum at which the public “can make formal statements about the issue at hand”. Oral statements are often conducted by written, short arguments; “a panel representing the sponsoring agency may ask questions of the presenter. The panel generally submits a final report with findings and recommendations”