Changing Expectations for Science and Scientists in Natural Resource Decision Making: A Case Study of the Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) Program

虽然大多数理论家和参与者都有规范性的期望，包括生态科学家和科学信息将提高自然资源决策的质量，但很少有实证研究明确证实这种好处。事实上，我们以前对这个问题的研究揭示了科学家，自然资源管理人员，非政府组织的领导人，以及在太平洋西北地区的关注公众之间的显着差异科学和科学家应该在政策过程中发挥什么作用。有趣的是，科学家们对他们研究的客观性、他们提供科学答案的能力以及有效参与环境政策进程的能力最持怀疑态度（Lach等人，2003年; Steel等人，2002年）。然而，这些模式在太平洋西北部以外的范围内仍然存在疑问。这项研究扩展了我们以前的工作由国家科学基金会资助的参与长期生态研究（LTER）计划的国家科学家小组，并包括选定的LTER网站的深入案例研究。我们的目标包括：（1）描述参与者对生态科学家的作用和科学信息在自然资源决策中的使用的看法、经验和期望;（2）检查和描述可能阻碍或促进科学和科学家在环境政策过程中的使用的场地具体特征的影响;（3）描述在资源管理决策中有效整合科学的手段、障碍和策略;（4）扩大我们对科学家及其科学知识如何在资源决策和管理中得到利用的理论和经验理解。 本研究的目的是复制我们的区域试点研究全国范围内，并收集数据，从全方位的科学家和其他参与者的资源管理，他们的态度和期望不断变化的生态科学和科学家在环境政策过程中的作用。这项研究将分两个阶段进行：（1）使用试点研究中制定的协议，对所有现有的LTER科学家进行一次全国调查;（2）在LTER科学家参与政策问题的地点开展五项案例研究。案例研究的数据将从三个来源收集：（1）关于该网站的公开报道和LTER科学家关于其政策互动的文件;（2）与四个群体中每个群体的代表进行的焦点小组访谈（生态科学家、资源管理者、利益集团领导人和关注的公众）;以及（3）向每个研究地点的管理人员、利益集团代表和关注的公众成员进行邮寄调查。 拟议的研究将扩大参与者对生态科学和科学家在政策过程中的适当作用的期望的一般理解。我们将能够更好地描述参与者如何看待生态科学和科学家在公共决策过程中的性质和功能，如何努力让生态信息和科学家参与管理过程和科学家的公共宣传工作受到科学作用的影响，以及各种场地因素（例如，所采用的科学类型、所调查问题的性质及其背景）影响这一进程。还将向感兴趣的科学家提供关于有效参与资源决策的培训。

While most theorists and participants have normative expectations that including ecological scientists and scientific information will improve the quality of natural resource decisions, there is little empirical research that clearly verifies such benefits. Indeed, our previous research on this topic reveals significant differences among scientists, natural resource managers, leaders of NGO's, and the attentive public in the Pacific Northwest about what role science and scientists should play in the policy process. Interestingly, scientists were the most skeptical about the objectivity of their research, their ability to provide scientific answers and, to effectively engage in the environmental policy process (Lach et al, 2003; Steel et al., 2002). However, the extent to which these patterns hold outside the Pacific Northwest remains in question. This research extends our previous work funded by the National Science Foundation to the national group of scientists participating in the Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) program and includes in-depth case studies of selected LTER sites. Our objectives include: (1) describing the perceptions, experiences, and expectations of participants regarding the role of ecological scientists and the use of scientific information in natural resource decision making; (2) examining and characterizing the impact of site specific characteristics that may impede or promote the use of science and scientists in the environmental policy process; (3) characterizing the means, obstacles, and strategies for effective integration of science in resource management decisions; and (4) expanding our theoretical and empirical understanding of how scientists and their scientific knowledge are utilized in resource decision making and management. The purpose of this study is to replicate our regional pilot study nationally and collect data from a full range of scientists and other participants in resource management about their attitudes and expectations for the changing roles of ecological science and scientists in the environmental policy process. The research will be conducted in two phases: (1) a national survey of all current LTER scientists using the protocol developed in the pilot study and, (2) development of five case studies at LTER sites where there has been engagement in policy issues by LTER scientists. Data for the case studies will be collected from three sources: (1) published stories about the site and documentation by LTER scientists about their policy interactions; (2) focus group interviews with representatives from each of the four groups (ecological scientists, resource managers, leaders of interest groups, and the attentive public); and (3) a mail out survey to a sample of managers, interest group representatives, and members of the attentive public at each study site. The proposed research will extend general understanding of the expectations that participants have about the appropriate roles of ecological science and scientists in the policy process. We will be able to better describe how participants view the nature and functions of ecological science and scientists in public decision processes, how efforts to involve ecological information and scientists in management processes and public outreach efforts by scientists are affected by perceptions of the role of science, and how various site factors (e.g., types of science employed, nature of the issues investigated, and their context) influence the process. Training will also be provided to interested scientists about effective engagement in resource decision-making.