Friday afternoon, March 18, 1:00–3:00

Friday afternoon, March 18, 1:00–3:00

Session 206 • Maurepas (3rd floor) • Business Meeting (open to all registrants)

NPS Climate Change Response Strategy

Chair: Leigh Welling, Climate Change Response Program Manager, National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO

In 2010, the National Park Service launched a new program and released a Climate Change Response Strategy for understanding and responding to the challenge of climate change. Learn about the program, meet new staff, and discuss strategies for meeting the goals and objectives put forward by the strategy.
Session 207 • Borgne (3rd floor) ) • Business Meeting (open to all registrants; continued from Session 201)

National Park Service Cultural Resources Programs Business Meeting II

Chair: Stephanie Toothman, Associate Director, Cultural Resources, National Park Service, Washington, DC

See under Session 201 for abstract.

Who’s on First? Clarifying NPS Marine Jurisdiction and Policies to Protect Ocean and Coastal Parks

Chairs: Julia Brunner, Policy & Regulatory Specialist, Geologic Resources Division, National Park Service, Lakewood, CO

Jeffrey Cross, Ocean and Coastal Resources Branch Chief, Water Resources Division, National Park Service

A multitude of problems confront National Parks in conserving ocean and Great Lakes resources, not the least of which is uncertainty about who’s in charge. The complex picture of marine jurisdiction can muddy the waters, and uncertainty can discourage parks from addressing activities that they are in fact empowered to regulate. This meeting will discuss clear, fundamental concepts of NPS jurisdiction in ocean and coastal park units, and preview changes in a draft Director’s Order on Ocean and Great Lakes Stewardship. Come prepared to ask questions: the answers may surprise you. Cross- cutting topics include federal and state agencies’ jurisdiction; the interaction and perceived conflict between NPS regulations and nonfederal ownership of most submerged lands in parks; commercial and recreational fishing, aquaculture, dredging, and water quality. Participants will come away with a toolbox of jurisdictional authorities and policies to manage and protect ocean and coastal resources.
Session 209 • Salon 828 (8th floor) • Affinity Meeting (open to all registrants)

Establishing New National Parks and Protected Areas: Rethinking Our Processes

Chair: Kevin McNamee, Director, Park Establishment Branch, Parks Canada Agency, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

One of the starting points for rethinking protected areas in a changing world is the actual process of establishing new protected areas. Climatic change, working with other governments, engaging communities and establishing the relevance of protected areas are all issues that are implicated in the establishment process. And these are issues that currently challenge the establishment process administered by Parks Canada and the National Park Service. The purpose of a affinity meeting / or workshop focused on establishment would be to provide a forum to exchange views on the challenges and opportunities that exist in Canada and the United States to re-think protected areas through the establishment process. Furthermore, it would allow for the identification of steps that could lead to an ongoing dialogue between the two countries on future actions and specific steps. Topics for discussions could include: (a) comparative analysis of Parks Canada’s and the National Park Service’s approach to systems expansion and opportunities for cross-border collaboration; (b) lessons learned from recent national park establishment projects; and (c) suggestions on how to better engage communities, Aboriginal people and other governments in the establishment process.

Building the Next 50 Years of Research at Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute (ALWRI): A Discussion

Chair: Cindy Swanson, Human Dimensions Program Manager, USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Missoula, MT

The Director of ALWRI retired January 2, 2010. His retirement provided an opportunity to take a fresh look at the direction of ALWRI and reach out to managers and other researchers to incorporate the many new challenges that face wilderness areas, such as climate change, urban development on the wilderness fringe, changing recreation patterns, and more intense natural disturbances (wildfire, drought and insects/disease). A series of 6 detailers from multiple federal agencies and a representative from the Wilderness Society came to ALWRI for an average of a month each to be the acting Director. The objectives of these detailers included; 1. Outreach to federal land managers, researchers and employees, non-government organizations and the public to identify wilderness management challenges across the United States, 2. Develop a strategic vision and identifiable landmarks for the next generation of wilderness research, 3. Develop a pathway to expand partnerships and build internal research and science delivery capacity, and 4. Identify the strategic roles, responsibilities, skills, abilities and duties for the position of Director. This session will share a synthesis of the recommendations provided by the detailers and facilitate a discussion of these recommendations.

Putting the USA’s National Parks and Protected Areas on the Global Map Workshop III

Chairs: Charles Besancon, Head of Protected Areas Programme, UNEP-WCMC, Cambridge, United Kingdom

Cyril Kormos, IUCN WCPA Regional Vice Chair for North America and the Caribbean

Lisa Duarte, Stewardship Coordinator USGS Gap Analysis Program

Arianna Granziera, WDPA Content Officer, UNEP-WCMC

See under Session 204 for abstract.