forestXchangeNew approaches in knowledge management

International conference25–27 October 2006, Freiburg, Germany

Abstracts

Editor: Michèle Kaennel Dobbertin

Publishers:Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and LandscapeResearch, WSL, Birmensdorf, SwitzerlandBavarian Forest Institute, LWF, Freising, Germany2006

Concept and Organisation:Roderich von Detten, Andreas Reinbolz

Forest Research Institute of Baden Württemberg, Freiburg, Germany

Michèle Kaennel Dobbertin, Reinhard LässigSwiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland

Marc HanewinkelForest Research Institute of Baden Württemberg, Freiburg, Germany

Christian LacknerFederal Research and Training Centre for Forests, Natural Hazards and Landscape, Vienna, Austria

Joachim Hamberger, Michael StreckfußBavarian Forest Institute, LWF, Freising, Germany

Scientific Board:

Frank FischerKnowledge Media Research Centre, Tübingen, Germany

Eeva HellströmForest Forum for Decision makers, Finland

Chris HollstedtFORREX, Kamloops, Canada

Michèle Kaennel DobbertinSwiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland

Joanne FrappierForest Information Management Division, Canadian Forest Service, Ottawa, Ontario

Werner KonoldInstitute for Landscape Management, Uni Freiburg, Germany

Max Krott Institute for forest policy, Uni Göttingen, Germany

Michael Pregernig

University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria

Mike Rauscher USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station, Asheville NC, USA

John Stanturf USDA Forest Service, Forestry Sciences Laboratory, Athens GA, USA

Klaus TochtermannUniversity of Graz, Austria

Recommended citation form:

Kaennel Dobbertin, M. (ed) 2006: forestxchange. New approaches in knowledge management. International

conference, 25–27 October 2006, Freiburg, Germany. Abstracts. Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and

Landscape Research, WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland; Bavarian Forest Institute, LWF, Freising, Germany. 61 pp.

Print run: 250

Available from:

Library WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111, CH-8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland

e-mail: publications@wsl.ch

© Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research, WSL, Birmensdorf, 2006

Organising Committee:

3

K. von Teuffel

N. Kräuchi

O. Schmidt

H. Mauser

Foreword

Discover the prospects of knowledge management in

forestry.

Knowledge management is of increasing importance in

forestry. Beyond classical approaches of knowledge transfer,new ways of communication between scientists and

practitioners are coming up. Community building, new

technologies, web-based knowledge exchange, peer-to-peer

communication, new ways of integrating experts intoknowledge management and a novel perception of the notion

of "knowledge" and "expertise" are opening the evolving field

of knowledge management in forestry.

The international conference in Freiburg, Germany (25 – 27

Oct. 2006) addresses these issues at an interdisciplinarylevel, bringing together knowledge management experts

from various areas. The conference promotes new theoretical

approaches and aims at the implementation of practical

knowledge management experiences from other disciplinesin forestry. The discussions will also address integrated

aspects of knowledge management, where technological

solutions (e.g. web-based knowledge exchange) meet

"communities of knowledge". The organisers of the event arethe initiators and operators of the joint transnational forest

information platform "www.waldwissen.net" and are lead

partners of an EU Interreg Project for knowledge transfer in

the Alpine Space (KnowForAlp).

We cordially invite you to this conference and would be

delighted to discuss with you the challenges for and novel

solutions in knowledge management in forestry.

Konstantin von Teuffel, FVA

Olaf Schmidt, LWFHarald Mauser, BFW

Norbert Kräuchi, WSL

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Contents

Foreword 3

Extension in Europe from North to South

Future in the Alps - a CIPRA project for knowledge transfer 9Wolfgang Pfefferkorn

Communication needs of non-industrial private forest owners in Southern Finland 10Teppo Hujala, Jouni Pykäläinen

Knowledge transfer to Portuguese and Spanish non-industrial private forest land owners(NIPF) 11Sandrina Pereira, José G. Borges, Manuel M. Marey

Networking Science

A Social Learning Approach with Decision Support Systems 12Harald Vacik, Manfred Lexer

EURO.NET.FOR - European Forest Planning Network 13Lorenzo Bonosi

The knowledge vision

Using Social Networks Analysis to enhance Knowledge Management at Forest-basedOrganizations 14Judd H. Michael

An Information Vision for the Canadian Forest Service 15Joanne Frappier

Relationship building in technology and knowledge exchange: A paradigm for customizedtechnology and knowledge discourse 16Delton Alderman, David Brinberg, Kent Nakamoto

Public communications

Struggling with a Ghost: How forestry is fighting the image of its industrial sector 17Michael Suda, Bernhard Goodwin

Forest education centres: Measuring impacts with regard to cognitive achievement andenvironmental attitudes 18Franz X. Bogner

Concept, development and evaluation of a multimedia simulation game on sustainableforest management 19Andreas Reinbolz, Nadia Stollenwerk, Christoph Mischo, Werner Riess, Marc Hanewinkel

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Interactive extension

Preferred Methods for Delivering Educational Information to a Forestry Audience 20Robert E. Bardon, Dennis Hazel, Kevin Miller

Enter the Principal: the Potential of Interactive Knowledge Systems and Infrastructure toEmpower Private Forest Owners 21Mark Rickenbach, Mary Sisock, Rebecca Gass, David Kittredge

Using a Web-Based Content Management System to Deliver Science to Natural ResourceManagers: The Forest Encyclopedia Network 22Bryan Jordin, H. Michael Rauscher, John M. Pye, William Hubbard

Knowledge Transfer in the Alpine Space in the Eyes of the Stakeholders 23Tobias Buser, Reinhard Lässig, Luuk Dorren

Planning research

Ethics, Equity, and Electronics: Science Delivery in the Cyber Age 24John A. Stanturf

Issue identification in forest research: visualizing and tracking trends in publications 25Michèle Kaennel Dobbertin, Michael Nobis

Managing participation in a national forest research agenda – an internet wiki approach 26Marc Hanewinkel, Andreas Reinbolz

Ca-SIF: A French catalogue of information sources on forest 27Sandrine Landeau, Guy Landmann, Damien Maurice

Knowledge services in management

Knowledge Transfer - the bridge between scientists and practitioners 28Joachim Hamberger

Knowledge Services and Forestry: A Conceptual Model 29Albert J. Simard

Using information and communications technologies to improve knowledge and skillsdevelopment of South African forestry contractors 30Dirk Längin, Siegfried Lewark, Pierre Ackerman

Herding Cats: Sharing ideas and knowledge to improve the effectiveness and productivityof professional staff in the forestry wood chain 31Michael von Kutzschenbach

Science and politics

Forest Academy - Generating Knowledge in Cross-Sectoral Dialogue 32Eeva Hellström, Kai Lintunen

Innovative knowledge management and decision-making support in forest and wood-basedindustries: Applying the cluster concept to forestry in Germany 33Uwe Kies, Thorsten Mrosek, Martin Raubal, Alfred Schultz

Information flow between forest research and forest policy-makers: a case-study of theEuropean Forest Institute and its network 34Gerben Janse

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Integrating scientific knowledge in strategic decision making for sustainable regionaldevelopment 35Silvia Tobias, Olaf Tietje

Information market

A Multilingual Internet-based Approach to Transfer Forest Knowledge in the Alpine Space 36Reinhard Lässig, Martin Moritzi, Marcus Schaub, Roderich von Detten

Forest Science Information Services at Goettingen State and University Library 37Stefan Farrenkopf

Forest-pedagogic networking through participatory planning, implementation andevaluation of educational activities 38Thomas Aenis, Heidi Müller-Weichbrodt, Uwe Jens Nagel, Wolfgang Vogler

From Farmer to Farmer - Knowledge Management Methods in Soil Protection inSwitzerland 39Patricia Fry

Interactive web tool for protection forest knowledge transfer: a result from exchangebetween research and practice 40Luuk Dorren, Frédéric Berger

Students’ opinions about using virtual learning environments in forest management studies:PuMe simulator case study 41Sanna Härkönen

The planners' conception of the forest owner - a study of forest management planning inFinnish regional forestry centers 42Raili Hokajärvi, Teppo Hujala, Jukka Tikkanen

Why do we need a mission statement? 43Annette Schuck

WIS.2 - a computer-based knowledge integration platform to manage forest ecosystems 44Christian Rosset

Understanding and participation

Understanding Working Forest Landowners in North Carolina 45Robert E. Bardon, Mark Megalos

Knowledge Management (KM) for the Development and Classification of Assets in ForestrySector of India - A Domain-based Study 46Bharati Mohanty

Participatory, farmer-to-farmer and other contemporary extension approaches in EasternAfrica – Are there any lessons for forestry extension in Europe? 47Dietrich Darr, Jürgen Pretzsch

From bookshelf to information hub – new approaches for internet based KnowledgeTransfer in Central Europe’s forestry 48Roderich von Detten, Andreas Reinbolz, Marc Hanewinkel

Strategy Map Forest: Synthesizing Stakeholder Know-how on Regional ForestManagement 49Olaf Tietje, Nora Gasser

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Delivering science

Networking Structures and Data Potentials of International Data Sources according to thepan-European Criteria and Indicators for SFM 50Aljoscha Requardt, Michael Köhl

Ricercaforestale.it - Internet portal for Italian research and practice in forestry 51Giuseppe Notarangelo

The potential of a European forest information system to contribute to information andknowledge transfer on forests and forestry 52Andreas Schuck, Tim Green

The Advantage of Sharing Concepts - Scientists in Dialogue with Extension Professionals 53Ulrich Schraml

Knowledge management at the French National Institute for Agricultural Research - a fewexamples with special emphasis on forest research 54Michelle Cussenot

Organisational culture

Developing a Creative Organizational Culture 55Pablo Crespell, Eric Hansen

From transportation of knowledge to self-organised communities of experts - Specificconditions & constraints for Knowledge Management in Forestry 56Roderich von Detten

The “Social System Theory” after Luhmann and the Management of Knowledge in ForestryAdministrations 57Björn Uerpmann

Exploring knowledge exchange hurdles between organizations and the willing participants 58Jesse Piccin

Science Delivery at the Southern Research Station 59H. Michael Rauscher, Carol Whitlock, Susan Bowman, Donna Burnett, Jeff Duckworth, ZoëHoyle, Paras Kinariwala, Rodney Kindlund, Randy McCracken, Edward Mundy, Claire Payne,Alan Salmon, Pearly Simmons, Perdita Spriggs, Michael Weldon, Louise Wilde

Author index 61

Wolfgang Pfefferkorn

Networking and exchanging«Future in the Alps», a broad-based project by CIPRA, the International Commissionfor the Protection of the Alps, is aimed at promoting sustainable development in thealpine region. Its aim is to get people, businesses and institutions to network inorder to exchange and implement know-how and information, and as a result createnew incentives for sustainable development in the Alps. The Swiss Federal Institutefor Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL) is to monitor the project with ascientific approach.

Disseminating practical knowledge«Future in the Alps» is a knowledge transfer project. It promotes new and existinginitiatives aimed at achieving a harmonious balance between nature conservation,the needs of the population and economic objectives. Practical experience and thelatest research findingsare collated, evaluated and processed for further application (alpKnowhow). Theresults are then made available to a multitude of players (alpService). Sustainablepilot projects that apply this knowledge are in turn supported and monitored. Playerswho adopt an innovative and sustainable approach to their economic activities are toform part of the network «Enterprise Alps» (alpPerformance).

Creating platformsSuitable programs and products are made available so that the know-how can beutilised in the long term. Depending on the subject and the requirements involved,this is done in the form of- «Hands-on» good practice projects- Exchange and apprenticeship workshops- Internet platforms- Publications such as the Third Alpine Report etc.

Answering questionsSix key issues provide the theme-related foundations for this knowledgemanagement project. These issues were identified and defined with experts andplayers from the alpine regions as part of a preliminary project. The key issues areas follows:(1) Regional Value Added(2) Governance Capacity(3) Protected areas and their contribution to biodiversity and regional development(4) Tourism-, leisure- and commuter-mobility(5) New forms of decision making(6) Policy implementation.

Interim project results (May 2006)- Reports for each of the 6 questions, ca. 80 pages each- 200 best practice examples and 100 literature summaries in an online database- 570 projects of the competition 2005, all projects online- alpPerformance: 8 pilot projects and 2 follow up projects already started: DYNALP2(implementation of results of ´Future in the Alps´ and NENA (´Network EnterpriseAlps´, Interreg IIIB Alpine Space).

Wolfgang Pfefferkorn

CIPRA, Schaan, Liechtenstein

Session 1: Extension in Europe from North to South

Corresponding author: Wolfgang Pfefferkorn (pfefferkorn@cipra.org)

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Future in the Alps - a CIPRA project for knowledge transfer

Teppo Hujala (1), Jouni Pykäläinen (2)

During the next two decades, the socio-economic distribution of Finnishnon-industrial private forest (NIPF) owners is likely to change. These changesmotivated this present research project, which sought a deeper understanding of theFinnish NIPF owners' communication expectations and underlying motivations. Thisstudy formed part of a larger research project in which we used a qualitativeapproach to investigate NIPF owners' needs for information, communication andinteraction in forest planning services. Previous studies have shown that under thecurrent forest planning system in Finland, the range of customers' desires fordecision support remains somewhat unfulfilled. Consequently, we studied forestownership and management decisions, and acquired a thorough knowledge of NIPFowners' actual needs.

We selected 30 NIPF owners from two forest districts in Southern Finland bypurposive sampling for heterogeneity as interviewees. In semi-structured depthinterviews, we discussed three themes: the character of forest ownership, the desireto learn more about forestry, and the actual decisions concerning forestmanagement and ownership. For this particular study, we investigated statementsassociated with information needs, and the usage of different media anddiscussions between people. We classified and grouped the relevant content oftranscripts to support a conceptual interpretation of communication-relatedphenomena.

As the most essential result, we found that Finnish NIPF owners tend to preferpersonal communication in relaxed circumstances. As they are more or lessinterested in reading magazines or newspaper articles concerning silviculture,taxation or roundwood markets, they proactively desire occasional live consultancy.Relatives and acquaintances working in the field of forestry are rather equallypreferred as consultants. Representatives of local forest management associationsare considered the most reliable sources of information, followed by officers ofregional forestry centers. Farmer-owners expressed reservations about timberbuyers more often than did urban owners or wage earners.

To conclude, Finnish NIPF owners find interaction more important than simplymeeting one's need for information. While some owners are able and willing tobenefit from Internet-mediated interaction, live interpersonal cooperation is highlyappreciated, especially among older owners. Because the gap between generationsis notable, one should maintain several communication strategies simultaneously.This is a challenge from the viewpoint of the costs and quality of NIPF ownerservices. To determine the most beneficial live services to preserve in rationalisingwill require further research.

Teppo Hujala

Jouni Pykäläinen

1. University of Helsinki, Department of Forest Resource Management, Helsinki, Finland2. Finnish Forest Research Institute, Joensuu, Finland

Communication needs of non-industrial private forest owners in Southern Finland

Corresponding author: Teppo Hujala (Teppo.Hujala@helsinki.fi)

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Session 1: Extension in Europe from North to South10

Sandrina Pereira (1), José G. Borges (1), Manuel M. Marey (2)

Knowledge management is addressed in the framework of disciplines such aseconomics and sociology. Theories and models to explain knowledge management(e.g. diffusion of innovations theory, knowledge uti l ization model,communication-based model of technology transfer) tackle strategic, managerial,behavioral and operational issues. Portuguese and Spanish forest sector research inknowledge management has focused on extension methods and programmesbased on the knowledge-consulting paradigm (one way transfer). Yet, theknowledge-based economy and the advances in communication and informationtechnologies suggest a shift to the knowledge-sharing paradigm (two way transfer).

This paper discusses a knowledge management strategy for forest science transfer.It focuses on Non-Industrial Private Forest (NIPF) owners, as they represent,respectively, 85% and 63%, of the Portuguese and Spanish forestland. 106 personalsurveys to NIPF organizations in Portugal and Spain were conducted to study currentinteractions between researchers and forest practitioners, identify processes andmechanisms of knowledge transfer in the forest sector and explain how knowledgeis transferred from university to the landowner and what is the role of the NIPFOrganizations as intermediaries in the process.

Preliminary results show that knowledge transfer and adoption in small-scaledprivate property depend on the frequency, transfer methods and communicationskills between the NIPF Associations and the knowledge sources such as universitiesand governmental institutions. Survey analysis also suggests that the government'srole as a sponsor or knowledge diffuser in the forest sector is incipient andineffective due to the absence of a nation-wide strategy for forest knowledgemanagement. It further shows that the processes, mechanisms and methods usedin forest knowledge transfer and management may be updated to better addresscurrent NIPF needs and facilitate the science adoption process.

Sandrina Pereira

1. Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Departamento de Engenharia Florestal, Lisboa, Portugal2. Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Departamento de Enxeñaria Agroflorestal, Lugo, Spain

Session 1: Extension in Europe from North to South

Corresponding author: Sandrina Pereira (sandrinap@isa.utl.pt)

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Knowledge transfer to Portuguese and Spanish non-industrial private forest landowners (NIPF)

Harald Vacik, Manfred Lexer

Adaptive management is not a new concept in natural resource management, it hasbeen practiced for a long time. Approaches have been developed in many differentcontexts like “The scientific Method”, “Social Learning”, “The Learning Organization”,“Reflection-in-Action”, “Participatory Action Research” and “Adaptive Management”.Specifically, adaptive management is about (i) testing assumptions about naturalresource management in order to (ii) adapt the management, and (iii) learn fromsuccesses and failures. In this context computer-based decision support systems(DSS) have proved to facilitate the process of decision making in natural resourcemanagement. The problem type forest resource managers are usually facing ischaracterized by complex systems, spatio-temporal interconnectedness of site andstand attributes, diverse stakeholder interests and long lead times. DSS aredesigned to solve such “ill-structured” decision problems by integrating databasemanagement systems with analytical and operational research models, graphicdisplay, tabular reporting capabilities, and the expert knowledge of scientists,managers, and decision makers to assist in solving specific problems.

In applying DSS, decision makers combine different types of data (e.g. documents,figures, models) and knowledge (both tacit and explicit), available in various forms.At its best, DSS make it possible to virtually “test” assumptions that would beprohibitively expensive to actually conduct in an experimental design and allowsresource managers to envision things, which would be otherwise impossible toimagine. Multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) techniques have been integratedwith DSSs to help decision makers to model trade-offs between multiple andconflicting objectives in multipurpose management implicitly or explicitly. DSS givedecision makers the opportunity to analyse different management scenarios alongwith various stakeholder preferences and link that to monitoring results. BecauseDSSs are based on formalized knowledge, their application in decision makingfacilitates decisions that are reproducible and as rational as possible. The way adecision maker arrives at a decision is automatically documented; thus, by the useof DSS the process of decision making can be evaluated post hoc which allows tosupport learning under which assumptions, what actions have been implemented.The decision-making process itself results in improved understanding of theproblem and the process, and generates new knowledge. When solutions areevaluated and found effective, the acquired knowledge can be externalized in theform of best practices. Although decision making and processes for knowledgecreation are interdependent, research has not adequately considered the integrationof decision-support and knowledge-management systems.

Knowledge about natural resource management gains economic value when it isused to solve problems, explore opportunities and make decisions that improve theoverall performance. As the problem-solving process is the vehicle for connectingboth knowledge and performance, DSS have to address practices to enhance andpromote knowledge management in an adaptive management environment. In thiscontribution two different DSS approaches developed at the Institute of Silvicultureare analysed according to their potential, strengths and limitations in supporting theadaptive management concept in forest planning and decision making. The spatialdecision support systems CONES aims to assist the forester on site in compromisingsilvicultural and harvest operations in steep terrain using cable-yard systems. TheDSD application supports the consultation process of local forest authorities withforest landowners in the course of the management of secondary coniferous forests.The way, how these DSS are designed to support knowledge management processes(encourage decision makers to discover new problems and opportunities; allow thecreation of new knowledge; capture, retain and transfer knowledge; might help torecognize upcoming problems) in an adaptive management environment will beaddressed.

Harald Vacik

Manfred Lexer

University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences Vienna,Department of Forest and Soil Sciences, Institute of Silviculture, Vienna, Austria

A Social Learning Approach with Decision Support Systems

Corresponding author: Harald Vacik (harald.vacik@boku.ac.at )

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Session 2: Networking Science12

Lorenzo Bonosi

Forest planning and management in Europe are currently changing and searching fora new identity. The following appear to be among the most important guidelines forthese changes:

- For many years timber production has lost its importance as a guiding principle offorest management plans in favor of aspects relevant within the context ofsustainable management (e.g., biodiversity, international agreements, participationprocesses, recreation).- In some European countries competences at university level have been dismantledand experts have to face the problem of how to transfer and renew knowledge inthis sector.- Forest planning is more and more being constrained by planning at other levels(landscape, hydro-geologic, territorial). As a consequence, we must try tounderstand how to integrate planning at different levels and how to encouragecooperation between bodies with different competences.

Due to these changes forest planning in Europe must reinvent its role and has todeal with new tasks. As a consequence, and considering the need for confrontationon this subject that has arisen in Europe, the CRA-ISAFA (Forest and RangeManagement Research Institute, Trento, Italy) is establishing a European ForestPlanning Network (EURO.NET.FOR). The objectives of this network are:- To bring together European experts in forest planning and management- To share experiences on the respective national situations (basic elements,trends, outlook)- To search for common elements- To understand how to assure continuity to the network (financing and where-abouts)- To find tools supporting new communication methods suitable for the above.

The initiative is part of Pilot action 16 of the KnowForAlp project, which is financed bythe European Union within the Interreg IIIB program for the Alpine Space, whoseItalian participant is the CRA-ISAFA (Forest and Range Management ResearchInstitute, Trento, Italy).

Lorenzo Bonosi

CRA - Istituto sperimentale per l'Assestamento forestale e l'Alpicoltura (ISAFA), Villazzano, Italy

Session 2: Networking Science

Corresponding author: Lorenzo Bonosi (lorenzo.bonosi@entecra.it)

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EURO.NET.FOR - European Forest Planning Network

Judd H. Michael

Social network analysis is a set of methods that can reveal the otherwise hidden

connections between people, teams, or organizations. Social networks have beenrelated to knowledge management in a number of ways. First, a social networkanalysis (SNA) allows relationships between employees to be illustrated in a type of“fingerprint” that graphically displays who speaks to who, which employees aresought out for advice, who is sharing information, etc. It can also provide leaderswith key “gaps” between individuals or teams, or from their company to externalstakeholders (e.g., customers). A key benefit of SNA is that it goes well beyondwhat is known from an organizational chart; it is the informal relationships within anorganization that are often most important to knowledge exchange andmanagement. SNA is a means that is increasingly used to provide a unique view ofthe forces impacting knowledge management.

This presentation uses data collected from two forest-based organizations in theU.S.: a State forestry service and a large corporation, with a total of more than 150employees. Both of these organizations were undergoing a significant “changeinitiative” related to sustainable forestry, and hence there was a great need fordisseminating, storing, and retrieving knowledge among the organizations'foresters. We also collected data from foresters working for smaller wood-basedmanufacturers. Data were collected via surveys and by accessing records of emailcommunications between employees. Results indicate that social networks do haveimpacts on knowledge dissemination between foresters. For example, persons whoare in centralized or “gatekeeper” roles are relied on as information sources andthus have a greater influence on the knowledge that is transferred within theorganization. Other persons may have positions in the social network such that theycan act (either knowingly or innocently) as barriers to collaboration between eitherother individuals or groups. We also saw instances of employees with high levels ofknowledge who were isolated from their coworkers, and the detrimental effect thathad on the organization. Implications are drawn for organizational leaders seekingto improve communication and collaboration between foresters, managers, andothers, especially during a time of change.

Judd H. Michael

Penn State University, Forest Resources Lab, Sustainable Wood-based Enterprises, University Park, PA,USA

Using Social Networks Analysis to enhance Knowledge Management at Forest-based

Organizations

Corresponding author: Judd H. Michael (jh-michael@psu.edu)

1

Session 3: The knowledge vision14

Joanne Frappier

For more than 100 years, the Canadian Forest Service (CFS) has been known forconducting leading edge scientific research that has yielded tons of research papers,terabytes of data and an incommensurate quantity of knowledge. More recently,CFS has chosen to go beyond where it has been for many years and incorporate thenotion of linking science to policy-making as well as have its science client-driven.Innovation Management is the core process through which CFS intends to realize itsvision and creates successful policy and business outcomes. This process iscomprised of 7 fundamental operating sub processes designed to ensure that CFS iswell-equipped to satisfy its key stakeholders by making good investment decisionsand performing well relative to those decisions.

In particular, in its information vision, CFS states that it wishes to 'bring more valueto its clients and partners with the effective, efficient and innovative provision offorestry information so that it can become the Source of Choice for Information onCanada's Forest Sector'. This means that CFS will need to identify who its clients areand gain an understanding of their needs & wants; it will need to manage content asa strategic resource and treat information as a key deliverable to clients or as aninternal resource for demand driven forest policy.In as far as the business and information requirements are well-known; thefacilitation of better, more informed decision-making, the elimination of redundantprocesses, and the anticipated increased productivity will enable CFS to deliver on itsvision.

Through its National Forestry Information System (nfis.org), CFS has the technologyand information infrastructures necessary to manage and use content as well asdeliver on CFS' and multi-partner forest information needs and through the use ofinstruments that guide their actions on the information and knowledge fronts, CFSemployees have started and will be encouraged to unconditionally share theirinformation.

This presentation will be about the CFS's journey with information. Existing toolsand technologies will be highlighted as example of forward thinking actions that canbe undertaken to advance the information agenda.

Joanne Frappier

Canadian Forest Service, Forest Information Division, Ottawa, Canada

Session 3: The knowledge vision

Corresponding author: Joanne Frappier (Frappier@NRCan.gc.ca)

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An Information Vision for the Canadian Forest Service

Delton Alderman (1), David Brinberg (2), Kent Nakamoto (2)

To ameliorate the exchange of information and the adoption process, a customizedtransfer model is proposed, which focuses on the mode of technology/knowledgeconveyance. Our premise is that clients should select the preferred mode(s) ofdelivery and types of information they wish to receive (materials and deliverymethods, one-to-one interaction, or intermediary site visits, etc). Once trust-basedrelationships are established, opportunities exist for the introduction of newtechnology and knowledge.

We believe for technology and knowledge transfer (TKT) efforts to be successful; acustomer-based approach should be employed rather than the traditional, top-downhierarchal method. One objective is to create a salient “shortcut” in the customer'scognit ive schema; whereby they look to TKT providers first forknowledge/technology. Customized TKT is grounded in transaction cost economics,social exchange theory, and social psychology (i.e., constructs of perceived risk andtrust) and also is couched in the customer relationship management concept -creating a meaningful one-to-one communication channel with clients.

Transaction cost economics involve intermediate governance structures (IGSs), thecosts associated with alliances, stability and longevity of relationships, andcommitment of the parties involved. IGSs are integral to the formation of long-termrelationships and include transaction specific assets: Specialized training;experience; and source credibility (relationship consistency, dependability, andlongevity) (Williamson 1975, 1985). Social exchange theory suggests two discreteconstructs are important for understanding relationships: 1) Trust has a positiveimpact on a long-term relationship and 2) dependence among partners is critical forrelationship longevity. Perceived risk appears to drive the antecedents of trust andtrust also moderates some antecedents of perceived risk. Trust can be defined as“reliance on the exchange partner” (Moorman et al. 1992) and an “expectation heldby one partner about another that they will behave in an acceptable manner”(Dodgson 1993). Perceived risk is defined as a “perception regarding the uncertaintyand disadvantageous consequences of purchasing a good or service” (Dowling &Staelin 1994). By customizing TKT, we may ameliorate risk for risk adverse actorsand augment trust among providers and clients, and ultimately enhance theadoption of technology/knowledge.

We are working with 10 United States primary hardwood producers and early findingsindicate that clients do not know where to begin searching or ask for information.One aspect of our meetings with the producers is having them detail what types oftechnology and information they wish to receive and in what form and by whatmethod(s) they would like to receive the information.

Delton Alderman

1. USDA Forest Service Northeastern Research Station, Princeton, WV, USA2. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, R.B. Pamplin College of Business

and Alfred P. Sloan Forest Industries Center, Blacksburg, VA, USA

Relationship building in technology and knowledge exchange: A paradigm for customized

technology and knowledge discourse

Corresponding author: Delton Alderman (dalderman@fs.fed.us)

1

Session 3: The knowledge vision16

Michael Suda, Bernhard Goodwin

BackgroundForests do not appear in the media very often. When they do, they are oftenconnected to destruction and threat. On the other hand people's personal perceptionof forests is quite different: They don't see any damage to forests and if they areexposed to forest work they perceive it as maintenance work. There is a hugedifference between the personal picture people have about forests and the indirectpicture they perceive through the media.

The anticipated effect of the media constructFor the forestry-sector timber is the main source of revenue. The important actors inforestry share the deep-core belief that timber production (economy) is the basis forecological and pro-social behaviour. Actors in the forestry sector believe that themedia construct has negative effects. It is perceived as a threat to the status offorestry in society. There is the implicit assumption that a negative image of thestate of forests in general leads to a negative image of the forestry sector. Somealso assume that the bad image of the state of forests can be transferred to theimage of the product. A three-level model of the misconceptions of media effects isproposed.

Activities against the assumed effectsTo counteract the assumed disadvantages there are various activities by forestryactors. They want to adjust the media construct of forests and transport their owndeep-core beliefs (the utmost significance of timber production). Therefore forestryputs a lot of resources into education, public relations and marketing campaigns.These activities are designed to alter the negative image of the state of forests anddefine a positive role of forestry in it. This different picture does not reach thepopulation, because thinking of forests has little relevance for the public. Thefirst-hand experience of forests and the media construct are separated effectively inpeople's minds. Altering the latter to affect the former doesn't work and therefore itis indeed like struggling with a ghost.

Michael Suda

Bernhard Goodwin

Technical University of Munich, Forest Policy and Forest History, Freising, Germany

Session 4: Public communications

Corresponding author: Bernhard Goodwin (goodwin@forst.tu-muenchen.de)

17

Struggling with a Ghost: How forestry is fighting the image of its industrial sector

Franz X. Bogner

A major task of outdoor education centres focuses - besides a cognitiveachievement learning- on an intervention with adolescent attitudes and values. Theempirical measurement of both requires specific efforts with regard to psychometricvalidation. This is especially true for the field of attitudes and values which as amultifaceted task requires both the formulation of a theoretical basis thoroughlyfounded in the literature as well as the construction of an empirical, psychometricallysound measurement instrument, employing as a minimum requirementfactor-analytic techniques, cross-sample testing and/or cross-validation by otherstudies. The 2-MEV model based on the factors Utilization (U) and Preservation (P)provides such an instrument which emerges from a maximum likelihood factoranalysis yielding the two hypothesized orthogonal factors. Three cross-validationstudies shed additional light on this measurement approach, two of the authortogether with other research groups, a third one of a New Zealand group whichoriginally was undertaken in order to challenge the two-factor second-order structureas proposed by Bogner & Wiseman model (Milfont & Duckitt, 2004). The presentedpaper will detail the direct measurement of both higher-order factors U and P andhighlight the need to cross-examine an evaluation scale independently.

A major reason for the instrument's introduction lies in field course evaluationsdetailing the educators' background information and feed back of the programmequality. With a solid empirical basis of valid instruments, the impact of a week-longoutdoor education unit on the knowledge of students of conservation and theirattitudes towards nature and environment can be described. It uses a quantitativeexperimental approach. The week-long education programme consisted of anextra-curricular unit in a field centre within a National Park. It followed acognitive-emotional rationale, focusing on conservation and environmental issueswithin a nature conservation site. The programme effect was evaluated on apre-test/post-test basis, assessed by questionnaire batteries. Previously publishedwork had assured the validity of the empirical instrument quantifying thesepreservational and utilitarian views of nature and the environment. To avoidshort-term effects, the post-test was delayed for at least a month after participation.The programme caused both, a significant positive effect on the specific knowledgelevel of adolescents and a shift within the scale of environmental perception. Bothshifts within our pre- and post-tested variables are discussed in the context of threeother related studies using the same empirical survey instrument.

Franz X. Bogner

University Bayreuth, Centre of Math & Science Education, Bayreuth, Germany

Forest education centres: Measuring impacts with regard to cognitive achievement and

environmental attitudes

Corresponding author: Franz X. Bogner (franz.bogner@uni-bayreuth.de)

1

Session 4: Public communications18

Andreas Reinbolz (1), Nadia Stollenwerk (2), Christoph Mischo (2), Werner Riess (2),

Marc Hanewinkel (1)

Task of the introduced project has been to transfer results of research within the“Future-Oriented Forestry” programme launched in 1999 by the German FederalMinistry for Education and Research (BMBF) to pupils at the age of 12 to 15. Thisprogramme comprised about 100 research projects on forest conversion involving200 researchers in 5 project areas distributed across Germany reaching from theSouthwest (South Black Forest) to the Northeast (north-eastern lowlands) of thecountry.

Transfer was conducted using a forest simulation game aiming on the balancebetween ecological realism, pedagogic aims and an interesting gameplay. Thisgame was embedded in an educational framework and is distributed on an attractivewebsite. It is therefore significantly different from other forest simulation gamesfocussing on scientific realism. The proposed forest game in this project is based ona fundamental concept by the authors, concerning forestal, pedagogical andcommunication design issues.

In a second stage of this study the forest simulation game was evaluated on howfar it can influence system thinking of 12-14 year old secondary school students.This evaluation is a part of an international scientific project to develop “Didactics ofsystem thinking and dynamics” particularly in regard to “sustainable development”.The evaluation used standardized and concepts questionnaire in real schoollessons. The findings from this research are analysed both quantitatively andqualitatively.

Results revealed that the combined tuition unit of simulation game and adaptedschool lessons significantly improved the system thinking of the pupils. Thisimprovement could not be found using the game or the lessons alone. The mostsignificant change to students thinking was their newfound readiness to handle acomplex system like the simulation game, to use a graphic or narrative model todescribe a system and finally to recognize their personal involvement in the“sustainable development” of their environment.

The findings indicate that in order to inculcate the use of theoretical system thinkingtools and impart system thinking skills to the students, it is necessary to integrate ateaching program in the school curriculum that comprises a balanced integration ofthree factors: scientific background, the impartation of the skills required andpractical work in a simulation. The results of this study are a valuable guideline forsubsequent projects in knowledge management and transfer dealing with thegeneral public.

Andreas Reinbolz

Marc Hanewinkel

Werner Riess

Nadia Stollenwerk

1. Forest Research Institute of Baden-Wurttemberg, Freiburg, Germany2. University of Education, Freiburg, Germany

Session 4: Public communications

Corresponding author: Andreas Reinbolz (Andreas.Reinbolz@forst.bwl.de)

19

Concept, development and evaluation of a multimedia simulation game on sustainable

forest management

Robert E. Bardon, Dennis Hazel, Kevin Miller

In North Carolina, USA, non-industrial private forestland owners controlapproximately 78% of the state's forested resource (18.8 million acres). Becausethey provide benefits that contribute to the health and economic well-being of thestate, it is critically important that this diverse group of people is supplied withresearch-based forestry information and education to ensure the sustainablemanagement of North Carolina's natural resources. Researchers have evaluated theefficacy of non-traditional methods of information exchange and have determinedoverall preferences for information delivery methods, but have been unable thus farto satisfactorily connect particular information delivery preferences with othercharacteristics of landowners. The objective of this study was to seek out anddescribe groups within the population of non-industrial private forestland owners withparticular information delivery method preferences. Identification of these groupswill allow educational efforts to be more directed, making outreach efforts moreefficient and cost-effective.

A questionnaire was mailed to a stratified random sample of 2600 non-industrialprivate forestland owners from both urban and rural counties found within each ofNorth Carolina's seven Cooperative Extension districts. Using the questionnaireresponses, K-means cluster analysis, contingency tables, and frequency procedureswere performed to sort out distinct groups among landowners based only on theirpreferences for information delivery methods. Results of this study indicate that themost preferred method of information delivery is mail. However, furtherinvestigation revealed five distinct groups of landowners with particular deliverymethod preferences. These five distinct groups were then compared bysocio-demographic, land ownership, and management experience characteristics.Differences among these groups with regard to these aforementioned characteristicsallowed the recognition of associations between preference for particular informationdelivery methods and more easily identifiable aspects of non-industrial privateforestland owners and their land. Based on the results, it is recommended thateducators use mail-based materials and newsletters in marketing of educationalprograms and educating all landowners. Traditional education programs, such ashalf-day workshops, night meetings, and field demonstrations should be targeted atlandowners with forest management experience, while web-based delivery and otheremerging technologies should be directed at younger landowners that have lessforest management experience, but have higher levels of education and income.

This study identified associations between delivery method preferences and othercharacteristics of landowners, including socio-demographics, land ownership, andmanagement experience. Connecting such easily identifiable characteristics oflandowners with their preferences for information delivery methods should alloweducators to have a greater chance of success in delivering an effective educationalprogram.

Robert E. Bardon

Dennis Hazel

Extension Forestry, NC State University, USA

Preferred Methods for Delivering Educational Information to a Forestry Audience

Corresponding author: Dennis Hazel (dennis_hazel@ncsu.edu)

1

Session 5: Interactive extension20

Mark Rickenbach (1), Mary Sisock (1), Rebecca Gass (1), David Kittredge (2)

With few exceptions, private forest owners in the United States are embedded withina hierarchical knowledge system. By knowledge system, we refer to the actors,institutions, networks, sources, and information that inform a forest owner'sbehavior. In the existing system, private forest owners receive information andrecommendations from resource professionals with few, if any, reliable or accessiblechecks on quality or appropriateness. In short, foresters and other technical expertsdefine the parameters of acceptable outcomes and approaches. In terms offostering long-term forest management, this system has met with marginal success,particularly in regions where financial incentives from timber revenues are limited orunimportant (e.g., high amenity areas). National estimates indicate that only 3% offorest owners have a written management plan and just 16% have worked withforester. The purpose of this presentation is twofold. First, we critique this traditionalknowledge system through the lens of principal-professional theory. Second, wereflect on how knowledge systems might better address current imperfections andincrease the relative power of owners in the existing relationship given the localecological, market, and social contexts.

The existing knowledge system is epitomized in the dyadic relationship betweenowner and resource professional that equates to that found in principal-professionaltheory. This theory is a sub-theory of "agency" theory that explores the situationwhen someone ("the principal") employs another ("the agent") to complete a taskon his/her behalf. Principal-professional theory emerged to explain the special casewhen professional knowledge and experience are central to task completion (e.g.,client-lawyer, private owner-forester). An assumption of this theory is thatprofessional knowledge and experience are essentially unknowable to the principal.The theory identifies several challenges to the principal including knowledgeasymmetries and goal conflicts that can lead to professional opportunism.

Since 2003, we have conducted three qualitative studies that includedsemi-structured interviews, focus groups, and participant observation. Throughinterviews and focus groups, we recorded, transcribed, and analyzed theperspectives of over 120 forest owners. Our studies reveal that forest owners areoften distrustful of private and public sector foresters and skeptical of the market asa whole. Most would welcome the opportunity to exchange information with others,but few locally relevant and viable venues exist. Lastly, affluent and often exurbanowners will actively seek and even create alternative knowledge systems.

It seems apparent that creating locally relevant exchanges among forest ownersthat fit the ecological and market contexts could be beneficial. However, challengesexist relating to spatial scale, social structure, and the inherent difficulty of providingcollective goods. We discuss these and how existing knowledge systems might beimproved with a particularly emphasis on the potential to increase exchange amongprivate forest owners through real and virtual interactions.

Mark Rickenbach

1. University of Wisconsin, Forest Ecology and Management, Madison, WI, USA2. University of Massachusetts, Natural Resources Conservation, Amherst, MA, USA

Session 5: Interactive extension

Corresponding author: Mark Rickenbach (mgrickenbach@wisc.edu)

21

Enter the Principal: the Potential of Interactive Knowledge Systems and Infrastructure

to Empower Private Forest Owners

Bryan Jordin (1), H. Michael Rauscher (2), John M. Pye (2), William Hubbard (1)

The forest science community relies upon conventional means of transferringscientific knowledge to those that actively manage our nation's natural resources.Management bulletins, trade articles, and workshops have served as the primaryvehicle for this delivery in the past. While effective for their intended purposes,these methodologies provide a limited foundation and delivery system forknowledge.

Working collaboratively the USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station, theSouthern Regional Extension Forestry Office, and the Land Grant University Systemin the South developed a web-based content management system, the ForestEncyclopedia Network (http://www.forestencyclopedia.net), which creates a basis forthe scientific community to synthesize forest science for the use of the naturalresource management community. The system uniquely allows for the creation ofsets of thematic information while still contributing to overall body of knowledge.The content management system allows contributions of information, peer review,and management of the editorial process all via the web. This paper will detail theproject's purpose, development history, and future expansion.

Bryan Jordin

H. Michael Rauscher

William Hubbard

1. Southern Regional Extension Forestry, Atlanta, GA, USA2. USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station, Asheville, NC, USA

Using a Web-Based Content Management System to Deliver Science to Natural Resource

Managers: The Forest Encyclopedia Network

Corresponding author: Bryan Jordin (bryan@sref.info)

1

Session 5: Interactive extension22

Tobias Buser (1), Reinhard Lässig (1), Luuk Dorren (2)

Within the project “KnowForAlp - Knowledge Network Forestry in the Alpine Space” 19partner institutions from 7 countries form a network unique in terms of size,diversity and transnational orientation. KnowForAlp aims to facilitate and improvethe knowledge transfer between research, practice and politics in order to enhancingthe dialogue among the interest groups. To reach this goal it is crucial to know theneeds of the stakeholders and their information behaviour. A survey was carried outcovering the whole alpine region. Its main target groups were decision makers onthe operational and the strategic level, including public forest services,environmental departments, the private forestry sector, research institutes, andNGOs. These actors were addressed by a questionnaire distributed bothelectronically and as a hard copy.

The central issues of this questionnaire were the user demands regarding theirtopics of interest and their use and evaluation of different communication channelssuch as personal contacts, professional journals, internet or newspapers and if thereare obstacles in getting or exchanging information on forestry related topics.Besides, the participants of the survey had the possibility to announce their willwhether or not and how they feel up to providing their own knowledge andexperiences.

More than 1100 filled out questionnaires were returned. The results are a powerfulexpression of interest of different stakeholder groups. Concerning the userdemands the results clearly show the wide range of topics requested. Interests differconsiderably, for example, between different sectors of work, job positions andforest ownership. Regarding the use and evaluation of communication channelsclear favourites appear with only small differences between the different groups. Theoverall results reveal that there is a great potential for more participative ways inknowledge production, knowledge transfer and an active involvement of thestakeholders.

Luuk Dorren

Reinhard Lässig

Tobias Buser

1. Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), Birmensdorf, Switzerland2. CEMAGREF, Grenoble, France

Session 5: Interactive extension

Corresponding author: Tobias Buser (tobias.buser@wsl.ch)

23

Knowledge Transfer in the Alpine Space in the Eyes of the Stakeholders

John A. Stanturf

The social contract between the public and scientists is in the process ofrenegotiation and the ethical structure of science, mostly derived from 19th Centurymores of cultural elites, is increasingly unable to provide relevant guidance. Addingto the ferment caused by the globalization of science, commercialization of manydisciplines and increasing the use of science and scientists in policy debates is therevolution in communication technology. The products of the scientific enterprise cannow be stored, accessed, and disseminated in ways and at speeds that would haveappeared incomprehensible 20 years, or one generation of scientists ago. Thesechanges have transformed the ethical dimensions of science and research in waysthat directly impact the relationship of producers of science and consumers ofscience.

In this paper I will discuss forest science as a knowledge enterprise and the ethicaldimensions of the behavior of scientists as knowledge producers, holders, transferagents, and consumers, with emphasis on the effects of electronic communicationtechnology. The need to document “chain of custody” in knowledge management isviewed as one solution to several ethical challenges in electronic dissemination ofknowledge products.

John A. Stanturf

USDA Forest Service, Southern Resaearch Station, Athens, GA, USA

Ethics, Equity, and Electronics: Science Delivery in the Cyber Age

Corresponding author: John A. Stanturf (jstanturf@fs.fed.us, drdirt_ms@yahoo.com)

1

Session 6: Planning research24

Michèle Kaennel Dobbertin, Michael Nobis

Science administrators have rediscovered bibliometrics as valuable tools for researchmanagement. For example co-citation analysis has become a classical instrument toevaluate institutional activity and impact. This technique and others are also appliedto anticipate emerging research issues.

The present study focuses on the potential of word-use analysis for identifyingtrends in forest research. We hypothesized that technical and scientific words(terms) appearing in titles and abstracts of scientific literature journals are indicatorsof trends and paradigm shifts in a field of knowledge. We combined bibliometrics,computational linguistics, and the input of field experts to investigate the temporaldynamics of words used in forest science and policy. We sampled terms used intitles and abstracts of all articles published 1980-2004 in 12 international,peer-reviewed forestry journals. We then used Principal Component Analysis tocompare temporal trends in the occurrence and aggregations of terms. Finally, wefocused on case studies of bursting or emerging terms.

Our study will provide critical insights into issues such as life cycle of new terms, thebehavior of established terms through time, especially in reaction to their youngercompetitors, and the dynamics of terms within specific disciplines. It will examinethe potential for predicting the development of selected terms and their relevancefor future research.

Michèle KaennelDobbertin

Michael Nobis

Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), Birmensdorf, Switzerland

Session 6: Planning research

Corresponding author: Michèle Kaennel Dobbertin (michele.kaennel@wsl.ch)

25

Issue identification in forest research: visualizing and tracking trends in publications

Marc Hanewinkel, Andreas Reinbolz

The “Forest Based Sector Technology Platform” (FTP), created in 2004, is aEuropean Technology-platform that unifies essential actors from industry,administration, and science and the main stakeholders of the three economicbranches of the European forest based sector: wood-industry, paper-industry andforestry.

After having launched a vision for the next 25 years (FTP, 2005), FTP has publisheda Strategic Research Agenda in which “...stakeholders from all areas includingindustry, forest owners, researchers and public bodies, have taken an active part(...) with representatives from the European Commission observing.“(FTP, 2006).FTP is now entering the phase of implementing the strategic research agenda. Thismeans that in view of the 7 th framework program of the EU, planned investmentsin research and development of the forest bases sector have to be facilitated,existing research and development projects have to be activated and focussed andnational and European research programs have to be coordinated. In Germany, thisprocess is managed by the German National Support Group (GNSG) of the FTP.

The paper describes how the project management of the GNSG deals with the highlycomplex and participatory process of activating multiple stakeholders within theforest-based sector in order to identify and evaluate research priorities from theGerman point of view. Therefore round 300 researchers and stakeholders from thecomplete sector have to be involved both in designing the textual basis of thestrategic research agenda and the prioritisation of research objectives. The researchpriorities have at the same time to be harmonised with the national ERA-Netinitiative “woodwisdom” of the German Federal Ministry of Research and Educationand reported to the European management of the FTP in order to harmonizenational and European research priorities. In order to facilitate this process, theGNSG uses a web-based approach in which – supported by regularly moderatedworkshops – a wiki plays a crucial role. This is the first time a wiki is used tomanage strategic collaboration and expert networking throughout forestry.

A wiki is a type of content management system for a website that allows users toeasily add, remove, or otherwise edit all content. This ease of interaction andoperation makes a wiki an effective tool for collaborative writing. In essence, a wikiis a simplification of the process of creating textual content combined with a systemthat records each individual change that occurs over time, so that at any time, allindividual changes of a page can be examined by anyone and if necessary revertedto any of its previous states. This wiki system also includes various tools, designedto provide users with an easy way to monitor the constantly changing content of thewiki as well as a place to discuss and resolve the inherent disagreement over wikicontent, in this case the strategic research agenda. For the present task, the wiki iscombined with an evaluation tool that allows users to rank and prioritise researchtopics that are presented to the community by the GNSG.

The papers presents in detail the integrated concept comprising classical means ofcollaboration and adapted wiki-technology and reports about first experiencesgained in the ongoing participation process.

Andreas Reinbolz

Marc Hanewinkel

Forest Research Institute of Baden-Wurttemberg, Freiburg, Germany

Managing participation in a national forest research agenda – an internet wiki approach

Corresponding author: Marc Hanewinkel (Marc.Hanewinkel@forst.bwl.de)

1

Session 6: Planning research26

Sandrine Landeau, Guy Landmann, Damien Maurice

The growing need for reliable information on forests (certification processes,long-term effect of climatic change, conservation concerns, forest planning, etc.)calls for a reinforcement of data mobilization, structuration and accessibility.

A good knowledge of the available data and data providers is a first step towards anadvanced “Information System”. Such a general view is not yet available for theFrench forest sector. Numerous experimental and monitoring sites and networkshave been set up following various objectives and using various approaches.Collected data and information are abundant, potentially useful, but they arescattered, heterogeneous and insufficiently visible.

This situation led ECOFOR(1) to propose the construction of a common tool, aCatalogue of information sources on forest - Ca-SIF. The objective is to provideonline standardized descriptions of information and data sources. Thesedescriptions will be built with metadata standards to allow a good interface with otheremerging systems, especially the planned French Information System onbiodiversity promoted by the Ministry of Environment.

In this project, the data producers are central partners as they are both descriptionproviders and (often) information and data users. It is crucial to ensure that theissues and benefits of the proposed tool are well understood; then they can becomeactive stakeholders of Ca-SIF.

(1) ECOFOR (www.gip-ecofor.org) is a public coordinating office gathering nine embers,

institutions from research, management and monitoring. ECOFOR activities cover research,

extension activities, expertise in four areas: functioning of ecosystems, tropical forests, forest

management and information.

Sandrine Landeau

ECOFOR, Paris, France

Session 6: Planning research

Corresponding author: Sandrine Landeau (landeau@gip-ecofor.org)

27

Ca-SIF: A French catalogue of information sources on forest

Joachim Hamberger

It is the task of imparters of knowledge to overcome the knowledge gap and tobuild bridges between theoretical results and practical reality. As there arereservations and prejudices on both sides, imparters must help transform scientificdiscourse to make it suitable for practitioners at grass roots level. At the same time,they must gauge the needs of practitioners and channel them in such a way thatscientists develop interest and begin to work on and find solutions to the questionsposed.

Imparters are communicators and the driving force of a knowledge pump thatpumps information from the scientist to the practitioner, and questions in theopposite direction.

Producers of knowledgeScientists produce and store knowledge. For them, the primary goal is notknowledge transfer, but knowledge gain for the scientific community. By offering thescientists in our institute training in writing, rhetoric or presentation, for example, wetryA) to raise awareness for the necessity of knowledge transferB) to impart technical skills which make it easier for scientists to produce suitabletexts for practitioners

Imparters of knowledgeAn editing team of specialists prepares the knowledge for publication and feeds itinto various different media, ranging from flyers to books. Special attention is paidto the language used, which must be concise and comprehensible, and which variesaccording to the media. The editors make sure that the emphasis is on describingresults and not methods, as the latter are not of interest to practitioners. Specialattention is also paid to layout, pictures and charts, as the central message of thearticles should be clear from the diagrams to readers skimming through them.Where events are organized it is essential that there are opportunities to discussand thereby consolidate the knowledge gained.

Consumers of knowledgeIn order to reach specific target groups, written articles appear in various serialpublications, and training courses and conferences are offered on different themes.As knowledge and messages are best transferred if conveyed personally, our mainpublication, “LWFaktuell”, increasingly puts people in the foreground. Interviews withexperts should give a human face to the information presented.

Another way of personalising knowledge transfer is by generating models in theform of positive examples. A prize is thus to be presented publicly at the ForestOwners' Day. In our magazine “LWFaktuell”, a series called “The Doers” is to start.This introduces practitioners who really are putting knowledge into practice in thefield.

Through its existing knowledge transfer structures, the LWF can ensure that newknowledge reaches the end user.

Joachim Hamberger

Bayerische Landesanstalt für Wald und Forstwirtschaft (LWF), Freising, Germany

Knowledge Transfer - the bridge between scientists and practitioners

Corresponding author: Joachim Hamberger (jhh@lwf.uni-muenchen.de)

1

Session 7: Knowledge services in management28

Albert J. Simard

Natural Resources Canada established a Knowledge Services Task Group to defineknowledge services from the perspective of science-based departments in generaland the Canadian Forest Service, in particular. This was the first part of a three-stepprocess to define, measure, and manage knowledge services.

Analysis emphasized complex knowledge, where the challenge was to discoverpatterns and understand processes, using experience and tacit knowledge. Asystems approach enables analysis of the behavior of this complex system inresponse to component interactions, feedback, and delays. The model has anumber of attributes, including organizational focus, scalability, two drivers(organizational mandate and user needs), and two levels of resolution (performancemeasurement and classifying activities).

Four types of knowledge services are defined: content (objects, data, information,knowledge, and wisdom); products (e.g., databases, scientific publications, maps);services (e.g., advice, teaching, facilitation); and solutions (e.g., direction,coordination, position). A value-chain describes the flow of knowledge servicesthrough a sequence of stages, in which value is embedded, advanced, or extractedat multiple points along the chain.

A knowledge market is a group of related knowledge-service value chains thatinteract and function collectively. The value chains form a closed loop in acontinuous knowledge cycle. Model attributes include: relative positioning ofprograms in the cycle; both performance measurement and market evaluation; andorganizational mandates and resources limit what and how much is produced.

The knowledge services system includes nine stages: generate, transform, enable,use internally, transfer, add value, use professionally, use personally, and evaluate.The first five stages are internal to an organization; the remaining four stages areexternal. A component framework of who is working on what and why is used forevery stage. The system also includes seven parameters that affect multiple stages.

The model was used to prioritize initial knowledge-service system measurements.Selections focus on interactions that are key to shifting from a supply- to ademand-driven market approach. The model was also used to develop aservice-based content management framework that integrates six managementprocesses: collections, libraries, data, records, information, and knowledge. Acontent strategy includes: role in knowledge markets, market approach, intendedaudiences, richness spectrum, and management framework.

Conclusions include: knowledge services are richer and more complex than isdescribed by provider / user models; a value chain-based knowledge-market modelenables measurement and management; a knowledge services system comprisesnine stages that embed, advance, or extract value; and evaluating both systemperformance and market needs are necessary to support supply- anddemand-driven markets.

Albert J. Simard

Natural Resources Canada, Director, Knowledge Strategies, Ottawa, Canada

Session 7: Knowledge services in management

Corresponding author: Albert J. Simard (alsimard@NRCan.gc.ca)

29

Knowledge Services and Forestry: A Conceptual Model

Dirk Längin (1), Siegfried Lewark (2), Pierre Ackerman (1)

During the early 1990’s South African (SA) timber growers made policy decisions todrive outsourcing within their enterprises to the extent of almost complete relianceon contractors to execute all their forestry operations. This resulted in a flood ofinexperienced, poorly trained and unqualified contractors undertaking the rigors ofhighly complex outsourced forestry operations. Ultimately the outcome has been thedelivery of products of poor quality, inadequate quantity and at an unacceptablehigh cost per unit area or volume.

Although the situation improved for a brief period, with the more ineffectivecontractors disappearing from the scene, a needs and target group assessment,conducted by Stellenbosch University in 2002/03, identified a severe lack ofknowledge, skills and information flow amongst contractors themselves and betweencontractors, their principles and research institutions. Currently, several commonproblems related to the outsourcing of forest operations in SA can be described, (a)a lack of technical forestry and business skills among contractors, (b) the remotelocations of contractors, resulting in insufficient access to information, (c) insufficientprovision for training and skills development and (d) a lack of professional capacityin grower companies.

The objective of this paper is to share first experience gained within a joint researchand development project by the University of Freiburg, Germany and StellenboschUniversity, South Africa, looking at an innovative and integrated, “holistic” trainingand skills development intervention to address the above outlined problems. Themain objective within this project is to analyse the potential of modern Informationand Communication Technologies (ICT), especially the use of an online Communityof Practice (CoP) in combination with workshops and seminars to improve the currentsituation.

Recognizing the fact that those who may be interested in, or who are in need offurther training, may not be able to take the time off from work to attend shortcourses due to financial and time constraints, an online CoP was chosen, despitelimited internet infrastructure in Southern Africa, as a communication andknowledge exchange platform within this project. Based on the open source productPLONE, the online CoP has an umbrella function for the various components of thecontractors training and skills development initiative, as a portal supportingdocument sharing, discussion groups and access to latest research output. To meetspecific training and education needs, Blended Learning courses have beendeveloped, presented in oneday face-to-face workshops, combined with coursecontent, case-studies and examples available online.

The long-term vision of the project partners is to facilitate any industry short courseor workshop over the online platform, establishing this CoP as a national education,training and knowledge management facilitator for South Africa.

Dirk Laengin

Siegfried Lewark

Pierre Ackerman

1. Stellenbosch University, Department of Forest and Wood Science, South Africa2. University of Freiburg, Institute for Forest Utilisation and Work Science, Germany

Using information and communications technologies to improve knowledge and skills

development of South African forestry contractors

Corresponding author: Dirk Längin (dwl@sun.ac.za)

1

Session 7: Knowledge services in management30

Michael von Kutzschenbach

Knowledge management is increasingly recognized as an important issue in forestry.E-mail, internet and, web-based knowledge exchange have made it possible forprofessionals to create, acquire, and transfer information no matter where they arelocated. Among researchers there seems to be little doubt that Information andCommunication Technologies (ICTs) has tremendous potential for facilitating andenabling knowledge transfer, and thus capability building.

This paper investigates where learning takes place and the nature of what is learnedin the forest wood chain. The main assumption is that forest contractors learn byparticipating in communities and come to embody the ideas, perspective andpractice of that community. Building on interviews and focus group discussion withforestry contractors, social network theory has been used to gain a deeperunderstanding between whom knowledge is shared. Further, how personal sourcesof information contribute to actionable knowledge is investigated.

ICTs can increase the circulation of information and make it easier to link peoplewho have common interests. But learning and knowledge involves thinking withinformation. The technical challenge is to design human and information systemsthat not only make information available but help people to think together. On theother hand communities have to be developed that share knowledge and stillmaintain enough diversity of thought to encourage thinking rather than adapting.However, the information revolution is inspired by new information systems, but ittakes human systems to realize it.

Michael vonKutzschenbach

Albert-Ludwigs-University, Institute of Forest Utilization and Work Science, Freiburg, Germany

Session 7: Knowledge services in management

Corresponding author: Michael von Kutzschenbach (michael.kutzschenbach@fobawi.uni-freiburg.de)

31

Herding Cats: Sharing ideas and knowledge to improve the effectiveness and

productivity of professional staff in the forestry wood chain

Eeva Hellström, Kai Lintunen

Owing to the increasing complexity and cross-sectoral nature of forestry issues, ithas become increasingly difficult to build up knowledge from pieces of informationand apply it into practice through know-how generation. A strategic key issue forfuture information management is to learn how to organise and synthesizecross-sectoral information and increase its value added.

Despite modern technology, the role of key individuals and interactive dialogue inthe processing of cross-sectoral information is irreplaceable. Knowledge generationthrough cross-sectoral dialogue requires social capital, e.g. inter-sectoral networksand trust. Although social capital is formed spontaneously through everydayactivities, it can also be enhanced through specific, targeted communicationprogrammes. The Forest Academy concept offers such an approach.

The communication concept and working methods of Forest Academy are unique inthe forest sector. The concept is based on arranging forums that utilise a carefullychosen variety of modern educational working methods that are specificallydesigned to promote cross-sectoral knowledge sharing, mutual understanding, trustand networks. Moreover, the forums are utilised as a means for synthesizingcross-sectoral knowledge and transferring it into ongoing forest policy processes.

In Forest Academy, the generation of knowledge and know-how is essentially basedon personal interaction which takes place between scientists and policymakersrepresenting very different types of disciplines and interests. This multitude ofaspects is the core of generating new, integrated knowledge. This approach isparticularly applicable in dealing with issues where uncertainties related to scientificinformation, and where there is need to combine information of various types inorder to raise the level of understanding (e.g. scanning the decision-makingsituation and alternative future developments, facilitated problem solving).

This interactive communication concept has been utilised successfully in Finland forten years. More than 500 top-level societal decision-makers, most of them actingoutside the forest sector, have participated the Forest Academy forums, thusincreasing their knowledge, networking, trust and interest in the forest sector.Moreover, group works conducted during the forums have been directed to producecross-sectoral input for strategic forest policy processes (e.g. NFP). The ForestAcademy communication concept is now available for application in differentcountries and at the international level. In the presentation, the potentials,limitations and challenges of the approach are discussed.

Eeva Hellström

Kai Lintunen

Finnish Forest Association, Helsinki, Finland

Forest Academy - Generating Knowledge in Cross-Sectoral Dialogue

Corresponding author: Eeva Hellström (eeva.hellstrom@smy.fi)

1

Session 8: Science and politics32

Uwe Kies (1), Thorsten Mrosek (1), Martin Raubal (2), Alfred Schultz (3)

The forest industry currently lacks a holistic perspective when it comes to knowledgeof the forest resources, forest and wood-based industries, and the sustainable useof their primary resource: wood. Current statistical reporting and informationsystems, designed for branch-specific purposes, increasingly show limited potentialfor mapping the complex field of industry branches, production and value-addedchains and stakeholders. Consequently, industry and policy decision-makers haveonly limited access to a suitable information base, and the sector receives limitedpolitical support and public attention in Germany.

The objective of this research project was to develop and test a decision-makingsupport information system for the German forest and wood-based industry cluster.The European Union definition of the cluster concept in forestry was adapted todevelop a suitable methodological approach for an integrated analysis of this sector.The information system design process involved database programming, ageographic information system, spatio-temporal analysis methods and cartographicvisualization. Data was then collected via case studies across the national, state(Land), regional and local levels in Germany.

The cluster concept in forestry was further developed through a comprehensiveclassification of all forestry, wood-based and other industry branches related tonon-timber forest products and services. Both quantitative and qualitative clusteranalysis methods were used to define a structured approach for assessing forestresources availability and productivity, and identifying the socio-economicparameters of various industry branches within a spatial context at various scales.This cluster information system gives users access to a well-documented compilationof relevant research findings - including key variables, graphic analyses, visualmaps and information sources - via interactive user interfaces. The system caneffectively communicate scientific knowledge regarding the status and developmentof the forest and wood-based industries to decision-makers and stakeholders.

The information system currently faces data availability and quality constraints andfurther research is needed on the implementation and standardization of theseconcepts and methods for application in forest policy and management informationsystems. However, the research results indicate that the socio-economic role theseindustries play in Germany's national and regional economies is frequentlyunderestimated. The research has also produced a more standardised and empiricalview of forest and wood-based industries, offering a science-based framework and aseries of effective instruments for knowledge management and decision-makingsupport relevant to many other jurisdictions.

Uwe Kies

Thorsten Mrosek

Martin Raubal

Alfred Schultz

1. University of Munster, International Institute for Forest Ecosystem Management and Timber UtilizationNorth-Rhine/Westphalia, Germany2. University of Munster, Institute for Geoinformatics, Germany3. University of Applied Sciences Eberswalde, Faculty of Forestry, Eberswalde, Germany

Session 8: Science and politics

Corresponding author: Uwe Kies (uwe.kies@wald-zentrum.de)

33

Innovative knowledge management and decision-making support in forest and

wood-based industries: Applying the cluster concept to forestry in Germany

Gerben Janse

The purpose of the study is to gain insight into the flow of information from forestresearch to groups of end-users, with special emphasis on policy-makers sensustricto (i.e. government and forest administration). In other words: to see in whichway scientific information is received by different end-users; which types ofinformation are provided to and needed by end-users; which channels are used totransfer that information; and the possible impact of that information ondecision-making processes.

The method of assessment comprises two surveys. For the first part the EuropeanForest Institute's (EFI) network of member organizations is taken as a case-study.The approximately 140 EFI members organizations are asked to assess to whom(which end-users) they provide which types of information and how (which channels);for what reasons they are asked to provide this information; how frequent thecontact is; their self-evaluation of the impact of the provided information etc.Specifically, the organizations are asked to evaluate their communication withpolicy-makers and also to try to assess if their membership in the EFI network hashad any effect on their communication with policy-makers.

For the second part of the study a shorter questionnaire is sent out to policy-makers(e.g. the MCPFE participants list) asking them for the types of (scientific)information they need, the availability of that information, what information they aremissing, and how they actually see the role of the information provided to them.

The results of this study will hopefully benefit the understanding of thescience-policy interface, and thereby have a positive effect on the understanding ofthe role of scientific information in the forest policy-making process and helpincrease the mutual understanding between forest researcher and forest policymakers.

Gerben Janse

European Forest Institute, Joensuu, Finland

Information flow between forest research and forest policy-makers: a case-study of the

European Forest Institute and its network

Corresponding author: Gerben Janse (gerben.janse@efi.fi)

1

Session 8: Science and politics34

Silvia Tobias (1), Olaf Tietje (2)

This contribution presents the elaboration and implementation of a Strategy Map fordeveloping and controlling strategies of sustainable regional development. StrategyMaps are derived from Balanced Scorecards in business administration and connect -in a hierarchical order - the four levels of (1) strategic objectives, (2) externalreputation/measurable effects, (3) local processes and (4) local stakeholders andpotentials. Strategy Maps show complex systems of intended direct and indirecteffects. The maps are combined with proposed measures to achieve the overallgoals and related to the necessary contributions of the involved parties.

We present the principles of the Strategy Map in a case study of a peri-urban regionnear Zurich (CH), where a new motorway is being constructed and will improve theaccessibility of the region to the central city. The region seeks for economic profitfrom an increasing number of residents and enterprises, but without losing theecological and recreational benefits of the current quantity of open green-space. Inaddition, local image marketers want to enhance the regional identity of thepopulation to increase the region's reputation in the surroundings.

We established a first version of a region-specific Strategy Map on the basis of thelocal image marketers' objectives of sustainable regional development, the desiredexternal effects to enhance the region's reputation and their marketing projects toimprove the local processes in order to achieve the desired external effects. We nowintegrate scientific knowledge generated in the different projects of theWSL-research focus 'land resources management in peri-urban environments'(www.wsl.ch/programme/periurban). The research findings build the basis forrecommendations about the design of the regional marketing projects and ensuretheir efficacy by delivering relevant information on the requirements to achieve thedesired effects. A specific advantage of the Strategy Map approach is the ability tosynthesize and mutually validate scientific research findings. Our presentation willpresent the prototype of a region-specific Strategy Map.

Silvia Tobias

Olaf Tietje

1. Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), Birmensdorf, Switzerland2. SystAim®, Zurich, Switzerland

Session 8: Science and politics

Corresponding author: Silvia Tobias (silvia.tobias@wsl.ch)

35

Integrating scientific knowledge in strategic decision making for sustainable regional

development

Reinhard Lässig (1), Martin Moritzi (1), Marcus Schaub (1), Roderich von Detten (2)

The precious natural heritage of forests and forestry in the alpine region isbecoming increasingly imperiled. A trans-national cooperation of exchangingprofessional knowledge and know-how is necessary to keep the natural heritageattractive, to maintain its management as economically profitable, and to guaranteeits protection. A broad participation of all stakeholders is required in order to supplystrictly user-oriented information.

In this context, the development of a multilingual, internet-based informationplatform enables central cohesion and a supply of existing knowledge andknow-how. WWW.FORESTKNOWLEDGE.NET is intended to be the first trans-nationalwebsite in Europe which aims to supply practical knowledge on forests in auser-oriented way. Based on the initiative of four research institutes in SouthernGermany, Switzerland and Austria, this offer of information is being developed in aclose relationship of research and practice.

WWW.FORESTKNOWLEDGE.NET should work as a central hub for practitioners who arelooking for specialized knowledge or advice, or who want to get in contact withexperts. The access to the website is easy to use and issue-oriented. The user isdirectly guided to topics like forest management, forest protection, silviculture,nature and landscape protection and natural risk management. In the future, onewill find interactive modes and a calendar of events. The website will also serve as acommunication platform which enables an exchange of experience betweenpractitioners and researchers. Documents like research results, handbooks andguidelines etc., that have so far only been available regionally or nationally, areplaced at the disposal of practitioners. WWW.FORESTKNOWLEDGE.NET was launchedin its German version in February 2005. The Italian, French, Slovene and Englishversions will be enlarged in 2006 and 2007.

Roderich von Detten

Reinhard Lässig

Marcus Schaub

Martin Moritzi

1. Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), Birmensdorf, Switzerland2. Forest Research Institute of Baden-Wurttemberg, Freiburg, Germany

A Multilingual Internet-based Approach to Transfer Forest Knowledge in the Alpine Space

Corresponding author: Reinhard Lässig (reinhard.laessig@wsl.ch)

1

Session 9: Information market36

Stefan Farrenkopf

The Goettingen State and University Library maintains one of the mostcomprehensive collections of forestry literature in Europe. The collection of scienceliterature has a long tradition that goes back to the foundation of the GoettingenUniversity in the year 1734. Since 1949 the special subject collection of forestry,hunting and wildlife management is part of the nationally distributed library plan, aprogramme of the German Research Foundation (DFG) that supports sustainablenationwide library services. Today the information resources are available via threesingle access points. A Virtual Library of Forestry is in preparation.

The following databases and services are available:- ForCat is the library catalogue of the Special Subject Collection enriched byholdings of the Federal Research Centre for Forestry and Forest Products (BFH,Hamburg) and the Federal Biological Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry(BBA, Berlin/Braunschweig). In ForCat Global Forest Decimal Classification (GFDC) isused for subject classification. ForCat comprises about 150,000 records and isavailable at <http://gso.gbv.de/LNG=EN/DB=2.111/> and via Z39.50, SRU and XMLfor integration into external services.- OLC-SSG Forestry offers the content indices of 364 print and electronic journalswhich belong to the domain of the special subject collection of forestry and itsrelevant journals from adjacent disciplines (Biology, Agriculture and Geosciences).The database extends back to 1993 and comprises about 566,000 records. Freeaccess to the OLC-SSG Forestry database is available to registered researchinst i tut ions in Europe. The OLC-SSG Forestry is avai lab le at<http://gso.gbv.de/LNG=EN/DB=2.146/>.- The Forestry Guide allows browsing and searching records about forestry web-sitesall over the world. The Forestry Guide is available at <http://www.forestryguide.de>.Z39.50, SRU and XML interfaces are available.

All printed resources are available via (international) interlibrary loan and viadocument delivery services such as Subito and GBVdirekt within the legal restrictions.Electronic objects are available online by direct linking. Electronic materials withlicense restrictions are available through the intermediary EZB service (ElektronischeZeitschriftenbibliothek). ForCat, OLC-SSG Forestry and Forestry Guide are also partof the interdisciplinary german portal for scientific information vascoda which isavailable at: <http://www.vascoda.de>.

Stefan Farrenkopf

Goettingen State and University Library, Germany

Session 9: Information market

Corresponding author: Stefan Farrenkopf (farrenkopf@sub.uni-goettingen.de)

37

Forest Science Information Services at Goettingen State and University Library

Thomas Aenis, Heidi Müller-Weichbrodt, Uwe Jens Nagel, Wolfgang Vogler

Within the collaborative R&D project NEWAL-NET (2005-2009), educational measuresare seen as a key to institutionalise the sustainable development of(mixed-deciduous) forested landscapes in the north-eastern German lowlands.

Although a wide range of forest-pedagogic activities exist in the state ofBrandenburg, insufficient linkages between schools (teachers and students),non-formal education (forest wardens; rangers of the Naturwacht Brandenburg) andforest research have been identified as a major bottleneck to the dissemination ofinnovations within the forest-pedagogical knowledge system.

To overcome this problem, the subproject “Education and Communication” is testinga new participatory approach to networking as a pilot project: Teachers andsecondary school students of the Dathe-Oberschule (Berlin) and theEinstein-Gymnasium (Angermünde) as well as environmental and forestpedagogues and researchers of the NEWAL-NET consortium are jointly planning,implementing and evaluating “educational building blocks”. The latter are a mix ofexisting and/or newly developed educational measures, including the creation ofgames, production of films, the construction of nature trails, etc. The innovativecharacter of the approach lies both in the creative combination of instruments aswell as in the fact that they are targeted to a specific school audience. They areplanned in such a way that they meet the knowledge demand of different studentsin an optimal way. As a first activity, six-graders will discover and define the conceptof deciduous forests during a four-day school trip to the research area at theBiosphere reserve Schorfheide-Chorin in September 2006.

The concept of the pilot project will be presented as poster. Furthermore, first resultsof pedagogical activities will be demonstrated, i.e., two games as well as a video clipdeveloped by students of Humboldt-University.

Thomas Aenis

HeidiMüller-Weichbrodt

Uwe Jens Nagel

Wolfgang Vogler

Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Landwirtschaftlich-Gärtnerische Fakultät, Berlin, Germany

Forest-pedagogic networking through participatory planning, implementation and

evaluation of educational activities

Corresponding author: Thomas Aenis (thomas.aenis@agrar.hu-berlin.de)

1

Session 9: Information market38

Patricia Fry

Bridging the gap between science and practice is a major challenge duringimplementation. In order to find more successful ways for implementing soilprotection the author compared scientific and farmer perception of soil.

Farmers' and scientists' perception is directed and shaped by three distinctivecharacteristics, namely their respective aims, methods and context of work. Farmersfocus on production of foodstuffs while scientists focus on theories on soil functionand processes. These different aims obviously have to be achieved with completelydifferent methods and in different contexts. Farmers work the soil by using theplough or direct drilling systems under field conditions. A scientist on the other handquantifies certain soil properties by taking samples in the field and examining themunder controlled conditions in the laboratory. The key problem facing scientists ishow to standardize and generalize their achievements, in order that they arereplicable in different local contexts. On the other hand farmers face the mainproblem how to cope economically in a highly industrialized agriculture. They alsohave to cope with deceases, unpredictable weather conditions etc. The view offarmers is summarized as "broad", the view of scientists as "deep".

Because these views do not match following conclusion is derived for implementingscientific facts into practice: Move from knowledge transfer to knowledge exchange.The Swiss project "From Farmer to Farmer" (2001-2008) was conceptualized on thebasis of this research and with methods from knowledge management (Davenportand Prusak 1998) which help exchange knowledge between science and practice.

Approach: In a first step the project leader chose experienced farmers who hadalready implemented soil conserving methods successfully in collaboration with soilscientists during several years. During that time the aims, methods and contexts offarmer work as well as scientifically derived knowledge concerning soil conservationwere integrated in a way that led to sustainable farming. In a second step thearguments of these farmers were worked out by means of interviews and film.Because the films show farmers presenting soil conserving techniques in their ownwords the credibility is enhanced and personal identification is enabled. In a thirdstep these videos are shown at informal farmer assemblies as well as at agriculturalschools in order to trigger social learning processes.

By building and organizing an accompanying group - a trading zone - which consistsof all relevant actor groups, institutions of agriculture and soil protection as well asseveral agricultural associations the project also bridges the gap between scientistsand practitioners on the one hand as well as soil protection and agriculture on theother hand. Knowledge exchange within this group is considered to be a relevantoutcome of the project.

Five short films will be presented: "From plowing to soil conserving techniques","mulch seeding", "strip tilling", "direct drilling" and "soil regeneration". The style ofthe films as well as the experiences showing these films in farmer networks will bediscussed with respect to the effectiveness of the approach.

Patricia Fry

Knowledge Management Environment, Zurich, Switzerland

Session 9: Information market

Corresponding author: Patricia Fry (p.fry@bluewin.ch)

39

From Farmer to Farmer - Knowledge Management Methods in Soil Protection in

Switzerland

Luuk Dorren, Frédéric Berger

Foresters still very much work on the basis of their 'gut' feeling. Internet allowscreating tools that provide pinpointed information that could guide foresters indecision-making. We develop interactive, php-based web tools in which the usersubmits specific information about the forest to be managed. Instantly, key valuesfor the given forest management problem are presented on the web.

To develop a trilingual, publicly available web tool, called RockFor.NET

(www.rockfor.net), we combined and formalized the knowledge on rockfall protectionforests that we gathered in applied research projects over the last 10 years. Thetool quantifies the protective function of a given forest against rockfall and itprovides target forest stand values to optimize its function performance in the longterm. This information responds to the questions most frequently asked bypractitioners during common field visits.

During the last years, we spent as much time helping practitioners with specific

protection forest problems as doing real research. At present, RockFor.NET

allows

practitioners to perform analyses and serves therefore as an efficient assessmenttool, a management guide and a helpdesk at the same time. Important spin-off isthat users have been stimulated to get their teeth into the underlying principles.Critical questions are being asked and scientific articles explaining the tool arebeing requested. The amount of feedback via Internet, however, is reasonably low.More is given during face-to-face encounters. After almost one year online,

RockFor.NET

has been used in all the countries in the Alps (on average 24 visits per

week). It has been chosen as reference tool for both the French and the Swissmountain forest management working groups, which consist of public as well asprivate stakeholders. As such, the tool is also being used in field training courses inboth countries.

RockFor.NET

showed us that the user, as expected, appreciates a multi-lingual

userfriendly tool that provides clear and sound answers for specific forestmanagement cases. But, such a tool also proved to be a very effective means forknowledge transfer. Exchange between research and practice has been essential forthe development and improvement of the tool, whether by better explaining orincreasing precision of the used terms or by better defining knowledge gaps andrelated research questions.

Remark: We aim for an oral presentation during which we could, for example,present the development process of the tool (how to come from real-size rockfallexperiments in forests to a php-based web tool), interaction with users and how itled to improvements, and showing examples how the tool is being used intransnational field training courses.

Luuk Dorren

Frédéric Berger

Cemagref Grenoble, France

Interactive web tool for protection forest knowledge transfer: a result from exchange

between research and practice

Corresponding author: Luuk Dorren (luuk.dorren@cemagref.fr)

1

Session 9: Information market40

Sanna Härkönen

General interest towards the use of virtual learning environments and other ICTtools in education has been increasing recently. By utilizing ICT studying is notanymore restricted to a certain place or time and information can easily bedistributed all over the world. They can also be used for examining phenomenawhich can not be illustrated in practice. However, there are also many problemsrelated to use of ICT in education. For example, the lacking personal interactionbetween student and teacher and also among the students often affects learningnegatively and due to that the totally virtual systems have not been very successful.Also the didactic quality of the existing learning environments has often found to betoo low.

In this study we gathered the experiences of university level forestry students aboutusing simulation software called PuMe developed in Finland for forestry education.Student opinions were collected from six university level student groups (96students from 24 countries) during 2004-2005 in Finland, Sweden and Russia. Thequestionnaire was given to the students after they had done an exercise with thePuMe simulator in courses related to forest management. In the questionnaire therewere open questions about advantages, disadvantages and needs for developmentof 1) the PuMe software and additionally about 2) the virtual learning environmentsin forestry studies in general.

Among the students the simulator was mainly found to be clear and easy to use.Many students appreciated the possibility to quickly find versatile information aboutFinnish forestry and to easily compare different management scenarios. Asdisadvantage the students pointed out the low amount of tree species included inthe simulator and the focus on only Finnish conditions. In the groups who got onlylittle guidance when doing the exercise, the students were complaining that theywould have needed more advice from the teacher. Those foreign students who didnot have good knowledge about boreal forests before doing the exercise had oftenproblems in understanding the simulated results. Many of the students, especiallythose from outside of Europe, had not used any virtual learning environmentsbefore and they did not have many comments to the question about virtuallearning tools in general. However, it was pointed out that even though the virtuallearning systems have many advantages, it is important to remember that they arejust tools and cannot be used to replace the teachers.

While amount of foreign students in university level forestry courses is increasingrapidly, it is important to take into account the different backgrounds of thestudents when developing and using virtual learning tools. Based on the feedbackfrom multicultural student groups the following questions are discussed in thisstudy: Which kind of opportunities and threats the students see in using virtuallearning tools? According to the students’ opinions, what should be done in order todevelop better virtual learning tools? Are there remarkable differences in attitudesbetween the students from different countries?

Sanna Härkönen

University of Joensuu, Faculty of Forestry, Joensuu, Finland

Session 9: Information market

Corresponding author: Sanna Härkönen (anna.harkonen@joensuu.fi, sharkone@cc.joensuu.fi)

41

Students’ opinions about using virtual learning environments in forest management

studies: PuMe simulator case study

Raili Hokajärvi (1), Teppo Hujala (2), Jukka Tikkanen (1)

The current development of forest management planning in Finland calls for ownerorientation and multi-objective approach. There is need to emphasize thoseprinciples because the quantitative productivity objectives dominate in currentplanning practices. We have studied the realization of the forest managementplanning system in order to discover the owner orientation of the planners.

The aim of the study was to determine how the planners communicate with theforest owner to form their concept of the forest owner. The theoretical base for ourstudy is Activity Theory, a philosophical and cross-disciplinary framework for studyingdifferent forms of human practices as development process. In this study wepresent the planners' way of preparing the contact with the forest owner, the mainpoints of the planners' findings and the motivation and the goal of thecommunication.

The study material consisted of 19 semi-structured in-depth interviews ofprofessional forest planners from three regional forestry centers in Finland. Theanalysis of the transcripts was data-driven.

All planners contact the forest owner before fieldwork. We found four different waysof how the planners prepare for the contact: (1) Planner has poor information of theowner: gender, age and/or dwelling place; (2) Planner asks the owner to join thefieldwork; (3) Planner collects the data of silvicultural history of the estate; (4)Planner has informal discussions with other forest professionals. There may be oneor several contacts either by phone or face-to-face.

By contacting the forest owner the planner usually receives some information ondetailed wishes concerning the forest management and finds out whether the ownerwants final cuttings or not. Economic issues dominate in the planning process.

Motivation to contacts varies: marketing and finding out the wishes are regardedimportant, rationalizing one‚s work, activating the owner and enriching lonesomework are other reasons. There is a need to unify the practices of communication.However, it is necessary to clarify the goals of communication and planning processas well.

Raili Hokajärvi

Teppo Hujala

Jukka Tikkanen

1. Oulu University of Applied Sciences, School of Renewable Natural Resources, Finland2. University of Helsinki, Department of Forest Resource Management, Finland

The planners' conception of the forest owner - a study of forest management planning in

Finnish regional forestry centers

Corresponding author: Raili Hokajärvi (raili.hokajarvi@oamk.fi)

1

Session 9: Information market42

Annette Schuck

Who decides what is taught, how it is taught and who is taught? Demands for qualityassurance touch crucial questions: "what is quality in education" and "how do weevaluate educational quality". Changing societal demands force forestry educationinstitutions to ask crucial questions: What is forestry today? Who should studyforestry? How many graduates does society need? What should they know? Whereshould they find work? To implement changes it is vital to develop awareness aboutrelevant national and international processes in context to effectively changecurricula.

To map the current situation, we used triangulation to gather information aboutrecent curriculum developments from eight European universities with broad forestryeducation in Germany, Finland, the Netherlands and Austria and their respectivestudent unions. Additionally, national and international students in Finland as wellas Finnish stakeholders were polled using questionnaires. We found that in generalthere is a lack of effective communication tools between and within decision-makingbodies, institutions and stakeholders. Staff at forestry faculties across Europe isnowadays increasingly involved in faculty decision-making and the information flowworks more efficiently due to the Internet. However, there was general criticismabout the manifold political demands trying to influence university education ingeneral and forestry education in particular. Forestry student unions across Europewere frustrated with low student participation and ineffective communication tools foractive student involvement at faculty decision-making. Finnish forestry studentsliked the subject content of their studies, but were suffering from - in their opinion -too simple and rather not challenging courses, incoherent programs, low quality ofteaching as well as bad chances on the labor market. Foreign forestry students inFinland did not complain about the labor market situation, but - like their Finnishcolleagues - suffered from low quality of teaching and too simple studies. Finnishstakeholders in forestry education frequently had a problem to perceive the aim andprofile of a forestry degree from a university as opposed to one from a university ofapplied science, especially with the new addition of the university Bachelor degree.

If forestry faculties want to properly address different concerns, mission statementsare valuable tools that give a chance to openly address covert opinions ofstakeholders that can be recognized in surveys such as these we conducted.Provided we realize that a problem exists, we can try to find solutions or at leastgive sound explanations for faculty decision-making. Good communication not onlyconsists of the collection of feedback, but also of an analysis of the feedback andan explanation of the consequences taken based on the analysis creatingtransparency of the decision-making process. Faculties evidently do collectfeedback, but there is little evidence of true participation in form of a consistentdiscourse. This needs to be changed for effective quality assurance. A soundmission statement is a first step in this direction.

Annette Schuck

University of Joensuu, Faculty of Forestry, Joensuu, Finland

Session 9: Information market

Corresponding author: Annette Schuck (annette.schuck@joensuu.fi)

43

Why do we need a mission statement?

Christian Rosset

WIS.2 is a planning tool for the management of forest ecosystems which wasdeveloped a) to handle the significant spatial and time scales of a forest ecosystemin an integrated way (so-called multiscalarity) and b) to assess the intrinsicstructural diversity of forest ecosystems and their multiple utilities for the forestowners and the society, as well as to valorize this by silvicultural management(multifunctionality). Considering the liberal and very pragmatic view of silvicultureapplied in Switzerland (1), planning has to maintain the scope of action toimplement interventions as broad as possible. The approach to perform planning istop-down: from a vision in the very long term for a whole forest area(entrepreneurial strategy) to the interventions to be undertaken in the short term atstand level. Thus, the complexity of the planning can be handled step by step. Eachdecision taken has to solve a clearly defined managerial problem. A decision to takecan be considered as a task, which necessitates expertise and resources toaccomplish it, which among knowledge is essential.

WIS.2 was designed in three main stages, based on the methodology ofSchönsleben (2001) and Specker (2001):a) structuring and organization of the overall decision process in a coherenttasks systemb) determination of the necessary resources (information, knowledge, methods)for the support of each decision to takec) formalization and organization of these resources in a coherent system tomanage them

The integrated knowledge is manifold: e.g. growing functions to determine the rightmoment to intervene, silvicultural expert recommendations to determine the overallspecies composition target, forest products requirements profiles to visualize themultiple utilities of a forest area (highlight the added value of forest management)and to determine a target state of the forest ecosystem that guarantee in the longrun the availability of the desired products. A prototype has been developed basedon the resulting conceptual design. The user interface is structured according to theoverall decision process. The user can move freely through the process withoutloosing the overall picture. Resources are provided for each decision to recognizethe scope of possible actions, to determine variants and to test them in order toevaluate their appropriateness. Concretely, the user can conduct a light (focusing onthe main issues), flexible (easily adaptable to changes) and cost-effective (usingthe advantages of informatics) silvicultural planning. The resulting outputs help theforester to intervene at the right moment, at the right place, in a coordinate way tomeet the needs for the society and the forest owners.

WIS.2 is therefore a useful platform to integrate knowledge, to make it easilyavailable in concrete situations, but also to highlight lacks of knowledge to bettermanage forest ecosystems.

_________________(1) i.e. the trees are marked according to the local situation to achieve efficientlythe planning targets, e.g. the felling type is typically selected in the field.

Christian Rosset

Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), Birmensdorf, Switzerland

WIS.2 - a computer-based knowledge integration platform to manage forest ecosystems

Corresponding author: Christian Rosset (christian.rosset@wsl.ch)

1

Session 9: Information market44

Robert E. Bardon, Mark Megalos

Non-industrial private forest owners (NIPF) control 78% of North Carolina's forestedresource, an estimated 13.8 million acres. Managed private forests contribute topublic health, economic well-being and quality of life. The sustained flow ofprivately-grown forest products to regional, national, and international markets fuelsan annual forestry economy valued at $28.8 Billion dollars. North Carolina forestsare rapidly diminishing, over 1 million commercial forest acres were lost toresidential development and other uses from 1991-2001. Understanding the needsand pressures facing the owners of North Carolina's private forest control is critical totheir economic and ecologic sustainability.

To better understand active NIPF, the authors surveyed 1,200 participants at sixregional working forest summits held in North Carolina during 2005 and 2006.Participants were questioned about their educational, technical assistance andfinancial incentive needs. Landowners were asked to rate the effectiveness ofvarious public policy solutions to thwart the loss of forestlands.

The authors discuss the survey results as a means of increasing the effectivenessand efficiency of technology transfer and diffusion of information via the countyagent network. The authors detail how working forest landowner defined educationand technical assistance needs are being used to improve extension programming.The North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service strategic plan will reward regional,targeted, mutli-disciplinary, programming based on comprehensive environmentalscan. Unique to this effort is the identifying target audience preferences prior to thedelivery of issue-based programming. Survey results,by geographic area, weredisseminated to all 100 local offices to use in their future forestry and naturalresources programming.

Robert E. Bardon

Mark Megalos

North Carolina State University, Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, Raleigh, NC, USA

Session 10: Understanding and participation

Corresponding author: Mark Megalos (mark.megalos@ncsu.edu)

45

Understanding Working Forest Landowners in North Carolina

Bharati Mohanty

An attempt is made in this paper to use Knowledge Management (KM) tools andtechniques in the management of forestry sector assets in India. Although forestryis a state subject, development and utilization of such natural resources is always atthe discretion of the central government. India has a well-developed ForestDepartment at both national and state level for many years. However, there is noproper and organized database available that can be linked horizontally andvertically, and also cross segment-wise for strategic planning and decision-making.An effective system needs to be developed to enable better understanding of theselinkages. As an initiative, the “Afforestation Techniques”, as knowledge domain ofcore value in the forestry sector is considered.

The objective of the study is to identify and classify the knowledge resources in thedomain of “Afforestation Techniques”.

The author has devised two simple yet effective methodologies to achieve the goalsand objectives here. The first one is through group discussions among the foresters,chosen from different parts of country and with different levels of experiences. Theimportant issues were identified and classified through a series of brainstormingsessions. The second one is through structured questionnaire, which was circulatedamong selected foresters, scientists and NGOs.

Findings thus obtained were compiled, classified and presented in three categoriesi.e. documented experiences, tacit knowledge and the experts.

The documented experiences were basically publications on field research andexperimentation, books, journals, inspection notes on plantation and nursery,Working Plans, afforestation manuals and departmental newsletters. The secondcategory of tacit knowledge resource includes experiences of frontline forest staffwho are directly involved in raising nursery stock and plantations, experiences ofvillagers engaged in afforestation, forest officers who have gathered knowledge overa period of time through field visits and discussions etc. The third category includeschosen scientists, research scholars, foresters, NGOs, local level forest laborers,frontline forest staff etc of proven experience in this domain. This paper alsoidentifies the gaps and inconsistencies in data at different levels which is due to lackof capacity building and institutional mechanism.

The outcome of the present study needs further strengthening before developing aknowledge management system for its implementation in the forestry sector acrossthe country.

Bharati Mohanty

Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy (IGNFA), Dehradun, India

Knowledge Management (KM) for the Development and Classification of Assets in

Forestry Sector of India - A Domain-based Study

Corresponding author: Bharati Mohanty (bharatimohanti@yahoo.co.in)

1

Session 10: Understanding and participation46

Dietrich Darr, Jürgen Pretzsch

In spite of considerable efforts to develop and disseminate innovative agriculturaland tree management practices and technologies in the past, only few of them havegained large-scale acceptance among African farmers. Due to their limitedeffectiveness and efficiency, long prevailing top-down and persuasive extension haslargely been superseded by more flexible, decentralized, and participatoryapproaches. Basing upon the hypothesis that novel ideas and practices spread, andoften enough even evolve, through interpersonal interaction and communication inrural communities, most of these new approaches aim to facilitate exchange andnetworking among farmers, research and extension organizations.

In the first part of this paper, we briefly introduce the basic concepts and underlyingpresumptions of selected contemporary extension approaches, most of whichoriginally have emerged from the field of agricultural extension, and currently arepredominantly being adopted in developing countries. Using SWOT analysis, wepresent the opportunities and limitations of each of these approaches and try togauge their potential to enrich the discussions on the future of forestry extension inEurope.

Drawing from empirical data that was collected from four full sample surveys inselected agroforestry extension projects of Kenya and Ethiopia using semi-structuredquestionnaires, expert interviews, as well as observation, in the main part we thenillustrate how innovative farm management technologies disseminate throughindividual and group social networks within communities. Farmers' everydaycommunication networks, formal farmers groups, as well as informal labour sharingand cooperation schemes represent the distinct units of analysis. Data wereanalyzed employing sociometric and statistical software packages.

Dietrich Darr

Technische Universität Dresden, Institute of International Forestry and Forest Products, Tharandt,Germany

Session 10: Understanding and participation

Corresponding author: Dietrich Darr (dietrich.darr@forst.tu-dresden.de)

47

Participatory, farmer-to-farmer and other contemporary extension approaches in

Eastern Africa – Are there any lessons for forestry extension in Europe?

Roderich von Detten, Andreas Reinbolz, Marc Hanewinkel

For decades, scientific communication on forestry was borne by written publicationsand, to a lesser extent, by training courses. Ongoing changes in the forestry sectorweaken these means of communication. Decentralization and privatization lower therole of publications and training courses offered within tight forest managementauthorities in the past. Language problems and the decreasing availability ofofficial consulting constrict the availability of practical knowledge to forest users. Newdemands on multiple forest-uses and the so called "sustainable forestry"nevertheless raise the demand for scientific information in practical forestry.Additionally, knowledge in forestry has always been characterised by someparticularities: extremely long production periods and the adjacent risks, the spatialdistribution of practitioners and the relevance of tacit knowledge are someexamples.

The described challenges in the forestry sector on one hand and inherentdisadvantages of established means of knowledge interchange therefore requirenew instruments. Promising technologies are offered by the internet allowingbi-directional communication, the integration of databases, personalization andnear real-time interaction without regional limits. Other advantages are low costs percontact and the reusability of information in different media.

With regard to the most ambitious concepts of Knowledge Management at themoment, dealing with tasks and terms such as "communities of knowledge","expert co-operation" etc., new media plays a crucial role in the meantime.Astonishingly, the challenges and potentials of new media approaches with regardto the storage, exchange and amendment of knowledge and know-how could nottap the full potential. This is especially true with regard to a cross-boundary andcross-sectoral knowledge and the tension between scientific and tacit knowledge.Existing multi-media tools are hardly intuitively to use and cover rarely more thanone certain specialized area.

The possibilities of internet based knowledge management go much further than socalled "knowledge bases", mainly repositories of documents edited by a smallnumber of scientists and integrated in a navigation structure with additional searchtools. The key factor for more benefit is the possibility of bidirectionalcommunication. This feature liberates forest users from the passive role ofconsuming knowledge by giving them the chance to integrate into a community ofknowledge.

The authors are partners in the information platform waldwissen.net network andpropose an integrated approach to vastly enhance the services offered on thisplatform. They present a new concept for waldwissen.net that seeks to turn theinformation platform into a multi-functional communication platform for theexchange and building of knowledge and know-how in forestry. In this concept,alternative, problem based and scenario based access for users shall beimplemented and the direct input of forest practitioners, regarded as equal experts,plays a prominent role. Main change will be the advancement of waldwissen.netfrom repository to interaction platform. For this multiple techniques are usedcomprising an expert marketplace, specially adapted forums and an intuitivelyusable interface offering navigation and problem solving in natural language by thehelp of a chatbot software and a recommender-system in the backend. According tothe needs of practitioners, multiple levels of service are offered. While the proposedconcept is a technological challenge it also has high demands on the design ofcommunication and the preparation of the offered content. The main task ofguaranteeing a high quality level of information means that quality assurance hasto be implemented. Therefore an interdisciplinary approach comprising psychology,informatics and forest sciences has been chosen.

Andreas Reinbolz

Roderich von Detten

Marc Hanewinkel

Forest Research Institute of Baden-Wurttemberg, Freiburg, Germany

From bookshelf to information hub – new approaches for internet based Knowledge

Transfer in Central Europe’s forestry

Corresponding author: Roderich von Detten (Roderich.Detten@forst.bwl.de)

1

Session 10: Understanding and participation48

Olaf Tietje, Nora Gasser

Strategic planning for regional forest development has to combine differentperspectives on sustainable wood production: The administration perspectiveemphasizes societal requirements, such as ecology, biodiversity, (avalanche)protection, and recreational use. The perspective of the forest manager within acompany focuses on economic requirements, such as efficiency, efficacy, and costreduction.

To fulfil the administrational requirements the most forest companies provideadditional services, such as maintaining infrastructure for recreational use, for whichthey are not paid directly. To compensate for such services the Swiss governmentgenerally supports the forest sector by about 180 Mio CHF per year (not to mentionadditional support to compensate storm events like Vivian or Lothar). Therefore ithas to be negotiated, to which extent which projects are to be supported to achievethe goals of sustainability.

Our prototype of a strategy map Forest modifies the well experienced businessmanagement method. As opposed to a system model (in which "real" impacts andfeedback loops are shown) the strategy map exhibits intended impacts andsynthesizes the pathways, on which the stakeholders step by step want to and dochange their regional forest system towards their goals. The prototype shows how astrategy map supports

- different stakeholders communicating with each other on mutually accepted goals- combining the achievement of societal, economic, and ecological aspects ofsustainability- maintaining economic feasibility for forest companies- evaluating proposed projects or process improvements.

Using this strategy map, it is shown, how economic and administrationalstakeholders are involved into regional economic processes that contribute todifferent regional effects finally aiming at sustainable forest management. It isconcluded that strategy maps (1) improve the understanding of regional forestmanagement with respect to goals, desirable and necessary measurable regionaleffects, boundary conditions for economic processes, and stakeholders to beincluded and (2) efficiently support rational decisions and the collaboration of forestadministration and management.

Olaf Tietje

Nora Gasser

SystAim®, Zurich, Switzerland

Session 10: Understanding and participation

Corresponding author: Olaf Tietje (olaf.tietje@systaim.ch)

49

Strategy Map Forest: Synthesizing Stakeholder Know-how on Regional Forest

Management

Aljoscha Requardt, Michael Köhl

In order to monitor and report progress towards sustainable forest management(SFM), the fourth Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe(MCPFE) adopted an improved catalogue of pan-European criteria and indicators inVienna in 2003. The criteria and indicators cover economical, ecological andsocial-cultural aspects of sustainable forest management at the national andEuropean level. The six criteria and the 35 quantitative indicators require certainstatistical information, specified by a number of classifications and attributes. Thisinformation has to be reported at the national level in order to enable acomprehensive picture of forests and their management within Europe.

In fulfilling adequate reporting as required by the MCPFE, it will need to beinvestigated whether data sources and data for adequate reporting - both atnational and international level - are available and in how far those datasets areconsistent. Such an analysis of data availability and data potential is fundamentalfor getting an overview on reporting ability and quality but also to structure andunderstand the “big picture” of forest relevant information and collection initiatives.

The ways in which forest information is measured, collected, utilised and presentedat the different European national and international levels are multiple and various.There are many actors, stakeholders and users of the information throughout theforest and related sectors.

The various international conventions and agreements that are concerned withforests each have their own objectives and specified reporting requirements.Although several efforts to harmonise and streamline forest monitoring, assessmentand reporting are ongoing, the picture of forest information at the European levelcan be regarded as a complex one.

Numerous organisations and networks at the European or international level collateforest relevant national data such as: the UNECE/FAO with its regional forestresources assessment or Eurostat with its NewCronos Forestry Statistics Database.

By taking the pan-European criteria and indicators as an example of mostaggregated but complex forest data requirements, this paper shows in how faralready reported data are available on international level to fulfil theimplementation of C&I for the common reporting of SFM on national and Europeanlevel.The paper illustrates networking structures, information flows and informationpatterns of most relevant European and international data sources reflected by thecontext of pan-European criteria and indicators. The conducted network analysisenables to show what data preferences and structures do exist within the complexpicture of European information and data collection networks and initiatives.Close linkage of this survey is given to the development and implementation ofInternational Forest Information Systems (see projects like EFIS and NEFIS) as wellas to the ongoing initiatives of harmonising and streamlining reporting obligationsas for example conducted by the CPF. Furthermore the study supports strongly allC&I relevant work conducted by the MCPFE, the UNECE and FAO - in particularregarding on all those issues on monitoring, assessment and reporting forest dataand information.

Aljoscha Requardt

University of Hamburg, Department of Wood Science, Section World Forestry, Germany

Networking Structures and Data Potentials of International Data Sources according to the

pan-European Criteria and Indicators for SFM

Corresponding author: Aljoscha Requardt (a.requardt@holz.uni-hamburg.de)

1

Session 11: Delivering science50

Giuseppe Notarangelo

The project on www.ricercaforestale.it, the Italian portal on research and practice inforestry, which brings together the whole Italian scientific community, started in2005. The portal is currently (May 2006) under construction and will be completedwithin 2007. Main aim of the project is to establish a permanent scientific networkthat may function as an authoritative and qualified information provider for theforestry-wood industry-environment sector. Moreover, the project should:

- cover all scientific and technical topics of the sector- promote and increase communication between researchers, technical personnel,stakeholders and amateurs- re-organise acquired knowledge within each discipline and make it exploitablethrough easily accessible and continuously upgraded databases- provide experts a new working tool.

The project is further divided into the following subunits:

- Registry of competences: the who’s who and whereabouts on a given topic- Knowledge database: a interdisciplinary library with ‘grey literature’ documents ofdifferent kinds- Research projects database: an archive with up-to-date information on theexperimentation in a given field- Remarkable initiatives: a showcase of non-classified situations of interest- The rules: a commented collection of rules, divided by discipline and by institution- Technical and didactic aid: E-learning, by-distance learning (ex. tests for universitycourses)- State-of-the-art: update on the progress in each discipline- Historiography: to recover noteworthy documents of the past and make themaccessible (E-documents and Creative Commons licences).

Interdisciplinary database enlarge the basis of knowledge essential to any researchproject. Each researcher is enabled to link his research field with its complementaryones so as to develop synergies and common strategies. The same principleapplies for relating its research with similar work at international level. There won’tbe any more limitations in time and space, thus research work is optimised: a webportal is always and from everywhere accessible.

The project may create the conditions for spreading scientific culture on a broadscale, for diminishing fragmentation of the available knowledge, sharing informationwith institutions at different level (national and local public bodies, internationalorganisations) so as to improve the interfacing of research in Italy.

Approaching the taxpayers in a simple and direct way to research activity helpsraising sensibility for environmental topics as well as confidence in the positive roleof research within the broader context of scientific and technological progress.

GiuseppeNotarangelo

CRA - Istituto sperimentale per l'Assestamento forestale e l'Alpicoltura (ISAFA), Villazzano, Italy

Session 11: Delivering science

Corresponding author: Giuseppe Notarangelo (giuseppe.notarangelo@entecra.it)

51

Ricercaforestale.it - Internet portal for Italian research and practice in forestry

Andreas Schuck, Tim Green

The transfer and management of information assets have faced a number ofchallenges that have an impact on their accessibility, reliability and identification:(1) Over the past decades the amount of data and information has increasedextensively often causing difficulties in identifying appropriate and reliable sources;(2) The ability of individuals, products or systems to communicate in order toaccomplish a common task is fundamental. Only if interoperability between agentsis given (e.g. between IT systems or services) can they serve as effective andmeaningful tools for information and knowledge management; (3) Thecomparability of data from different sources for the same variable can show difficultas different definitions, scales, concepts or interpretations can underlie data.

In recent years the Internet has become an important source for data andinformation. It hosts a large number of information systems, services, portals orclearinghouses in the domain of environmental sciences including forests andforestry. Examples of such systems at the European and international level are: theEuropean Environment Agency European Environment Information and ObservationNetwork including e.g. the European Nature Information System; the Convention onBiological Diversity and the EC Biodiversity Clearinghouse Mechanisms; the GlobalForest Information Service; the Forest Information System of the FAO; the ForestFire Information System of the EC-Joint Research Centre; and data services ofEurostat.

This paper takes a closer look at selected European and international web basedinformation systems and services which have taken up the challenge to provideusers and stakeholder groups with reliable information on the environment andforests. It analyzes their aims and approaches of implementation and investigateswho are the targeted users. The paper will further present the work implemented onthe development towards a European Forest Information System, EFIS. The aims ofEFIS were to demonstrate the retrieval of data from remote sources and presentoptions to further explore and analyze those data with web based exploratory dataanalysis tools. This paper will highlight the potentials of an EFIS to serve as a data,information and knowledge transfer tool between targeted stakeholder groupsbased on the general analysis of information systems and services.

Andreas Schuck

Tim Green

European Forest Institute, Joensuu, Finland

The potential of a European forest information system to contribute to information and

knowledge transfer on forests and forestry

Corresponding author: Andreas Schuck (andreas.schuck@efi.int)

1

Session 11: Delivering science52

Ulrich Schraml

The changes in forest ownership structure of small private forests triggered anintensive field of research throughout Europe in recent times. Small scale forestowners constitute one of the most popular research areas in forest policy. Forestowners are classified into groups, types or life styles using forest managementpractices as well as their perceptions of forest value in social, economic andecological terms. The potential for the adoption of these newly developed conceptsand terminologies in applied forest policy and extension remains unclear.

This empirical study indicated significant differences between the scientific categoriesand terms and the ones employed by extension practitioners to characterise theirclientele. The author examined the classification of forest owners used by forestryexperts based on the example of a public forestry extension service in Germany.Their group opinions were analysed using group discussion material.

In a second step workshops were held for scientists and practitioners in order tojointly interpret survey material on small scale forest owners. Results of the processare shared concepts and terminology describing the group of forest owners as abasis for extension and scientific work.

Ulrich Schraml

Albert-Ludwigs-University, Institute for forest and environmental forestry, Freiburg, Germany

Session 11: Delivering science

Corresponding author: Ulrich Schraml (ulrich.schraml@ifp.uni-freiburg.de)

53

The Advantage of Sharing Concepts - Scientists in Dialogue with Extension Professionals

Michelle Cussenot

The French National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA) is a mission-orientedpublic research agency dedicated to the organization of agricultural research in thebroadest sense: sustainable production, diet and nutrition, food safety, ecology,regional development and landscape management. These different areas have tobe integrated into the construction of a European Research Area. INRA is the largestEuropean organization for agricultural research with a staff of nearly 9,000 and abudget of 680 millions euros. The aim of INRA is by definition to produce scientificknowledge. This knowledge has to be produced jointly and disseminated, both withinand outside the institute. Knowledge management at INRA therefore relies onvarious levels of expertise and a wide range of instruments. This presentation cannot cover all aspects of knowledge management in INRA but simply a few examples,if possible relevant to forestry, out of a wide range of different uses.

In order to support internal knowledge sharing, INRA has implemented, amongothers, «research-schools» which consist of transferring methodologies or concepts.These schools are organized in alternating sequences of appropriation, which allowthe participants to re-use their newly acquired skill in their own research fields, withmoments dedicated to scientific exchange, in order to create new synergies. The«Cahier des techniques de l'INRA», a best-practice bulletin produced for and by INRAtechnical staff, is published three times a year and distributed by paper (600 ex.)and on the INRA intranet.

As a mission-oriented institute, INRA also has to create knowledge in response toend-user questions and to share it, especially with people working in professionalsectors related to its research fields. Forestry is one of these research fields, with acurrent staff of approx. 350 in 6 main research sites in France mainland andoverseas. We will show how the biennial «scientific and technical days of Nancy» area window for knowledge management in forestry. Their target audience includesforest practitioners and forest owners' organizations.

Finally, INRA is engaged in an ongoing dialogue with the French society throughvarious channels. The INRA websites present research work to the general public in areadily understandable form. Partnership between INRA and journalists is highlydevelopped of an innovative nature. Lastly, we will consider «Archorales», whose aimis to archive the oral memory of people who have worked in INRA, from thebeginning (1946) to the present time.

Michelle Cussenot

INRA - Centre de Nancy, France

Knowledge management at the French National Institute for Agricultural Research - a few

examples with special emphasis on forest research

Corresponding author: Michelle Cussenot (cussenot@nancy.inra.fr)

1

Session 11: Delivering science54

Pablo Crespell, Eric Hansen

Innovation has been identified as a powerful way for firms to stand out anddifferentiate in an increasingly competitive marketplace.

This communication attempts to show how companies in the forest products industrycan boost creativity, and ultimately innovation, among their employees. A modellinking culture, climate, innovativeness and performance is presented along withdefinitions of each concept. Measurement of climate and culture are discussed indetail allowing the reader to gain a better understanding of the topic and realize thewealth of resources and knowledge available for those who want to engage in thequest for creativity and innovation in their own organizations. The authors considerthis contribution to be a call to foster a learning culture and innovativeness not onlyin the form of new processes or products, but in business systems as well, wherethere is much room for significant improvements. Results from a survey andqualitative interviews performed at several forest products companies in Oregon arepresented. The survey assesses such variables as: Organizational culture, workclimate, innovativeness, organizational commitment, job satisfaction, interest ininnovation, and financial performance. The main research question attempts toidentify the factors in the work climate that foster creativity and innovativeness. Themodel considers Innovativeness of an organization as a latent variable with thefollowing exogenous antecedent variables: Organizational commitment, Interest ininnovation, Innovation Strategy, and Climate for Innovation. The latter is assessedthrough 6 indicators: Autonomy, Challenge, Openness to innovation, Supervisorencouragement, team cohesion, and resources. Additionally, Innovativeness actsas a mediator variable between the four exogenous variables and financialperformance.

Pablo Crespell

Eric Hansen

Oregon State University, Department of Wood Science & Engineering, Forest Products Marketing,Corvallis, OR, USA

Session 12: Organisational culture

Corresponding author: Pablo Crespell (pablo.crespell@oregonstate.edu)

55

Developing a Creative Organizational Culture

Roderich von Detten

Though the term Knowledge Management resounds throughout the world for quite along time now, it is, however, in many cases just another fashionable word fortraditional, conventional ways of knowledge transfer, occasionally conducted by NewMedia.

In this regard, suchlike concepts under the name of Knowledge Management are notonly examples of false labelling, but problematic in raising expectations and stokingunqualified images of Knowledge Management as a steering process.

In fact, it is argued that concepts of Knowledge Management can only be successfuland sustainable if the implementation is based on a deliberate re-interpretation oftraditional concepts of "knowledge", "knowledge acquisition" or "expert" whileconsidering the specific conditions in the particular field. A theoretical background isof specific practical importance particularly with regard to taking on ambitious taskslike Knowledge Networking, Community-building, organizational learning, or thebuilding of expert systems.

This contribution shall be considered as a theoretical, epistemological contribution tothe discussion about the specific preconditions, requirements, and constraints for amodern Knowledge Management in Forestry in particular, and for Applied NaturalSciences in general.

The aim is to derive consequences for the assessment and configuration ofKnowledge Management processes out of specific conditions and constraints inforestry such as the- tension between local/regional & supra-regional knowledge & know-how,- the dynamics of natural (site, climate, growth etc.) and cultural (societal) changes,directly influencing the half-life of knowledge- the fundamental paradoxical situation of forest management, resulting from theconstraints of acting under uncertainty and contingency: knowledge becomesobsolete in long-term management - knowledge, however, is indispensable foractual management and there is limited possibility for "trial & error" management.- Different levels of knowledge (and know-how): procedural knowledge, theoreticalknowledge, organizational knowledge, explicit & tacit Knowledge etc.

The epistemological reflection based on studies of literature and experiences inknowledge transfer in forestry between research und practice leads to a rejection ofnaïve and too optimistic perception of knowledge management as a steering tool/process.

Instead, based on a systemic approach, it is argued that new forms and processesin Knowledge Management imply more modest expectations on one hand, on theother hand, however, imply deep-rooted changes in perceptions and validations,such as- A re-evaluation and enhancement of the terms of "knowledge" or "expert"- A re-evaluation of images of target-oriented knowledge transfer- A focusing on the allowance of organisational and procedural conditions underwhich the exchange, storage, and building of knowledge and know -how happensmore efficiently- new ways and institutions in knowledge management.

Roderich von Detten

Forest Research Institute of Baden-Wurttemberg, Freiburg, Germany

From transportation of knowledge to self-organised communities of experts - Specific

conditions & constraints for Knowledge Management in Forestry

Corresponding author: Roderich von Detten (Roderich.Detten@forst.bwl.de)

1

Session 12: Organisational culture56

Björn Uerpmann

There are no doubts that learning, the management of knowledge and successfulinformation processing are crucial for modern organisations. However, a generalproblem for practical management of knowledge is to find the suitable approach forthe specific problems that need to be solved.

The forest administration of Baden-Württemberg is stuck in the middle of acrisis-like upheaval. With regard to knowledge management the administration is inthe strange situation that high level expertise and special knowledge exists, butthat the administration cannot capitalize on this knowledge. The trouble is therealization and transformation of the knowledge within the organisation and itsoutside acceptance by the public, as well as the interrelation of both. Theadministration is aware of these problems and that there is no lack of knowledge,but rather a lack of its successful implementation. Despite of this insight it was notjet possible for the administration to overcome the problems.Concerning these problems it seems appropriate to evaluate how much cognitiveinsight into organisational learning processes of forest administrations might begained with the help of Luhmanns theory of social systems. Subsequently it ispossible to determine potential advantages of a system-theoretical approach toorganisational learning within the management of the administration as aself-organised learning organisation.

The System Theory is a theory of observation. It observes with the criterion ofdifference between system and environment. The differentiation of 'system' and'environment' is geared towards the operative combination of elements, by whichthe observed systems distinguish themselves from their environment. It is assumedthat the respective elements are constantly re-relating themselves all the time. Theelements which are attempted to be observed by the system theory are ephemeral,being events which possess no determined attributes - like ideas or communication.The system theory can therefore be described as a “relationistic” theory. In contrastto the theories of methodological individualism or methodological collectivism it candescribe systems as dynamic, attaining the most different conditions depending onhow the respective elements re-relate themselves through time or space. This canbe the foundation of a creative knowledge management of the self-organisingorganisational learning processes. The practical relevance is that processes ofself-control within the organisational information processing can be reflected by theorganisation in a way which is not technocratic but cybernetic, and that theorganisation can influence these processes according to its goals.

Björn Uerpmann

Albert-Ludwigs-University, Institut of Forestry Economics, Freiburg, Germany

Session 12: Organisational culture

Corresponding author: Björn Uerpmann (b.uerpmann@ife.uni-freiburg.de)

57

The “Social System Theory” after Luhmann and the Management of Knowledge in

Forestry Administrations

Jesse Piccin

Knowledge management systems are now a core method for information andknowledge exchange between laypersons, scientists and practitioners involved inforest policy and management.

While there are willing participants at the executive level who embrace knowledgemanagement systems to leverage their tacit and explicit knowledge, acceptance andeffective use of these systems by the users at the operations‚ level are veryproportional to how the users perceive their immediate, daily operational benefitsand reduced costs that should result from embracing these systems.

This proportional acceptance for knowledge management systems by the userstends to be lower than expected, due in part to the fact that most of the availableresources end up being dedicated and consumed by the forging of ideas and thetechnology implementation, while leaving user training, system buy in and outreachevents with little if any resources left to be effectively implemented. The resulting,change resistant environment, is even more personified when coupled with a highlycompetitive funding situation that exists with most government and non profitagencies where the knowledge holders are the ones that frequently maintain theconstant funding, and, therefore, are unsurprisingly the ones that have the most tolose from fully collaborating or leveraging their existing knowledge, data andtechnology systems with other organizations without compromising their fundingsources or leveraging power.

As a result, the loosely collaborative environment between users and theirknowledge management systems transforms into a tentative situation that can beone of smoldering uncooperativeness where the participants hold onto what they arefamiliar with and resist new ideas or systems that deviate from their comfort zone.The reality of overcoming these sociological resistant system use hurdles thatplague users in this environment is difficult, especially in a sustainable and effectivemanner, unless sufficient funding is provided and creative solutions areimplemented.

This paper summarizes a 6-year case study based on the Natural ResourceInformation Network (NRIN), a collaborative multi-partner metadata gateway thatprovides disparate sources of natural resource management science and innovationinformation to the public. The goal of this presentation will be to share andelaborate on the above experiences, examples and solutions, while exploring thesociological resistant hurdles associated with change management that results fromembracing and collaborating knowledge management systems. In addition, it willalso enhance the audience's understanding of the knowledge exchange hurdles thatwere encountered with NRIN, and the methods that were used to overcome thosehurdles, such as embracing various innovative participant buy in incentives,implementing cycle back funding for money saved from collaborating and providingunique branding opportunities that helped secure individual organization'sknowledge in their own comfortable design, while at the same time contributing tothe whole of the knowledge management collaboration.

Jesse Piccin

FORREX - Forest Research Extension Partnership, Integrated Land Management Bureau, Victoria, BC,Canada

Exploring knowledge exchange hurdles between organizations and the willing participants

Corresponding author: Jesse Piccin (Jesse.Piccin@gov.bc.ca)

1

Session 12: Organisational culture58

H. Michael Rauscher, Carol Whitlock, Susan Bowman, Donna Burnett, Jeff Duckworth,

Zoë Hoyle, Paras Kinariwala, Rodney Kindlund, Randy McCracken, Edward Mundy, Claire

Payne, Alan Salmon, Pearly Simmons, Perdita Spriggs, Michael Weldon, Louise Wilde

The USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station has been conducting research inall aspects of forest science since about 1921. Publishing in both peer-reviewedscientific journals and other formats suitable to a lay audience has been a priorityfor the Southern Research Station since its inception. Recently, the Station hasreorganized its technology transfer (TT) program to better meet the needs of thediverse audiences it serves.

This paper describes our new TT vision and covers in some depth: (1) the traditionalscientific paper publication process and products; (2) non-print products; (3) thedelivery system to end-users; (4) the Internet-based portal program; and (5) theInternet-based Forest Encyclopedia Network (www.forestencyclopedia.net). This is thefirst time that a thorough description of this complex and ongoing TT effort hasbeen assembled for publication. In our conclusion, we speculate on how and why ourTT program has changed over the years and what the transfer of technicalinformation may look like for the future.

H. Michael Rauscher

Carol Whitlock

USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station, Asheville, TN, USA

Session 12: Organisational culture

Corresponding author: Carol Whitlock (carolwhitlock@fs.fed.us)

59

Science Delivery at the Southern Research Station

61

Author index

Ackerman Pierre 30Aenis Thomas 38Alderman Delton 16Bardon Robert E. 45, 20Berger Frédéric 40Bogner Franz X. 18Bonosi Lorenzo 13Borges José G. 11Bowman Susan 59Brinberg David 16Burnett Donna 59Buser Tobias 23Crespell Pablo 55Cussenot Michelle 54Darr Dietrich 47Dorren Luuk 40, 23Duckworth Jeff 59Farrenkopf Stefan 37Frappier Joanne 15Fry Patricia 39Gass Rebecca 21Gasser Nora 49Goodwin Bernhard 17Green Tim 52Härkönen Sanna 41Hamberger Joachim 28Hanewinkel Marc 26, 48, 19Hansen Eric 55Hazel Dennis 20Hellström Eeva 32Hokajärvi Raili 42Hoyle Zoë 59Hubbard William 22Hujala Teppo 10, 42Janse Gerben 34Jordin Bryan 22Kaennel Dobbertin Michèle 25Kies Uwe 33Kinariwala Paras 59Kindlund Rodney 59Kittredge David 21Köhl Michael 50Laengin Dirk 30Lässig Reinhard 23, 36Landeau Sandrine 27Lewark Siegfried 30Lexer Manfred 12Lintunen Kai 32Marey Manuel M. 11Maurice Damien 27McCracken Randy 59

Megalos Mark 45Michael Judd H. 14Miller Kevin 20Mischo Christoph 19Mohanty Bharati 46Moritzi Martin 36Mrosek Thorsten 33Müller-Weichbrodt Heidi 38Mundy Edward 59Nagel Uwe Jens 38Nakamoto Kent 16Nobis Michael 25Notarangelo Giuseppe 51Payne Claire 59Pereira Sandrina 11Pfefferkorn Wolfgang 9Piccin Jesse 58Pye John M. 22Pykäläinen Jouni 10Raubal Martin 33Rauscher H. Michael 59, 22Reinbolz Andreas 19, 26, 48Requardt Aljoscha 50Rickenbach Mark 21Riess Werner 19Rosset Christian 44Salmon Alan 59Schaub Marcus 36Schraml Ulrich 53Schuck Annette 43Schuck Andreas 52Schultz Alfred 33Simard Albert J. 29Simmons Pearly 59Sisock Mary 21Spriggs Perdita 59Stanturf John A. 24Stollenwerk Nadia 19Suda Michael 17Tietje Olaf 35, 49Tikkanen Jukka 42Tobias Silvia 35Uerpmann Björn 57Vacik Harald 12Vogler Wolfgang 38von Detten Roderich 56, 48, 36von Kutzschenbach Michael 31Weldon Michael 59Whitlock Carol 59Wilde Louise 59