Inter-agency collaborative management of mule deer in Southeastern Utah: examining the social-ecological network
Class
Article
College
S.J. & Jessie E. Quinney College of Natural Resources
Faculty Mentor
Mark Brunson
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Abstract
Social-ecological systems governance literature often stresses that collaboration across natural resource management jurisdictions is necessary to work on the complex problems arising from socially and ecologically connected landscapes. In this case study we examine the potential for collaborative governance of rangelands in Southeastern Utah by researching one issue: inter-agency collaboration in mule deer management. In the greater Moab/Monticello area, deer populations travel from summer range, primarily on Forest Service (USFS) administered lands, to winter range, primarily on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) administered lands. Additionally, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR) is tasked with management of the deer themselves. The goal of this research is then to assess whether the BLM, USFS, and UDWR are collaborating and to what extent in managing a resource, mule deer, that crosses jurisdictions. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with those that manage mule deer and their habitats in the region to determine a social network of collaborative relationships in mule deer management. With the assistance of UDWR, a map of the primary winter and summer ranges and their connectivity was used as an ecological network. This resulted in a social-ecological network comprised of a social layer representing collaborative ties between agency personnel, an ecological layer of mule deer summer and winter range connectivity, and a social-ecological layer representing land patches that are monitored or managed by each agency. Using a mixed-methods approach of both qualitative analysis of interview transcripts as well as more quantitative social-ecological network analysis, using block-modeling, we were able to gain insight into institutional barriers to working across management jurisdictions and better understand where there is potential for future collaborations.
Location
Room 101
Start Date
4-12-2018 3:00 PM
End Date
4-12-2018 4:15 PM
Inter-agency collaborative management of mule deer in Southeastern Utah: examining the social-ecological network
Room 101
Social-ecological systems governance literature often stresses that collaboration across natural resource management jurisdictions is necessary to work on the complex problems arising from socially and ecologically connected landscapes. In this case study we examine the potential for collaborative governance of rangelands in Southeastern Utah by researching one issue: inter-agency collaboration in mule deer management. In the greater Moab/Monticello area, deer populations travel from summer range, primarily on Forest Service (USFS) administered lands, to winter range, primarily on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) administered lands. Additionally, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR) is tasked with management of the deer themselves. The goal of this research is then to assess whether the BLM, USFS, and UDWR are collaborating and to what extent in managing a resource, mule deer, that crosses jurisdictions. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with those that manage mule deer and their habitats in the region to determine a social network of collaborative relationships in mule deer management. With the assistance of UDWR, a map of the primary winter and summer ranges and their connectivity was used as an ecological network. This resulted in a social-ecological network comprised of a social layer representing collaborative ties between agency personnel, an ecological layer of mule deer summer and winter range connectivity, and a social-ecological layer representing land patches that are monitored or managed by each agency. Using a mixed-methods approach of both qualitative analysis of interview transcripts as well as more quantitative social-ecological network analysis, using block-modeling, we were able to gain insight into institutional barriers to working across management jurisdictions and better understand where there is potential for future collaborations.