Social and Policy Contexts for Environmental Modeling Courtland L. Smith

1. Social and Policy Contexts for Environmental Modeling Courtland L. Smith Department of Anthropology iEMSs W6: Developing tools to support management and policy July 12, 2006

2. NETS: Northwest Educational Trawler Simulation Some of my modeling experiences & lessons

3. Model design For whom Interacting with Making models social Social networks Values, beliefs, frames Complex systems & disciplines Possible pathways forward Social and Policy Context

4. End-users are persons, groups, or entities who might be informed or gain knowledge from modeling tools. Stakeholders are people affected by the policies adopted or plans created to resolve a particular environmental management action or issue. Clients have a financial interest in the modeling or software development. End-users, Stakeholders, Clients

5. Agent Properties Adapted from Benenson and Torrens (2004:156)

6. Agent Properties Adapted from Benenson and Torrens (2004:156)

7. People collaborate & work in groups

8. Projects require networking & partnerships: West Eugene Wetlands Project 1200 acres, 13 Years $40 million, 25 funding sources Many partners, including Eugene, Lane County, BLM, TNC, USACE, EPA, USFW, DSL, DEQ

9. Most human actions involve social networks Ames Creek Project communications network

10. The Goal? Source: Scott’s Fertilizer Company (www.scotts.com)

11. Watchful, judgmental neighbors “Most of my neighbors do an extremely poor job, that guy over there only comes out twice a year!” “People have been getting better, but most of them have a long way to go.” Perfect yard = no criticism Judgment Day From Nielson 2003

12. Also: frames, mental maps, beliefs

13. Sources of Information

14. Schematic of Milbrath’s findings representing the US public’s position on the DSP-NEP continuum. DSP is dominant social paradigm, NEP is new ecological paradigm. From Kempton et al. 1995:200

15. Schematic of Kempton’s findings representing the US public’s position on the DSP-NEP continuum. DSP is dominant social paradigm, NEP is new ecological paradigm FromKempton et al. 1995:201

16. Value orientations Normative behaviors Actions Normative goals Intentions Behaviors Values Theory Theory of Mind

17. Survey Behavior ENV ATTITUDES: New environmental paradigm score for representative sample of Oregon and Washington residents (n=3022 respondents) ENV ACTION: Frequency histogram of ALLVOTES yes (n=1516 ITUs)

18. Scale of Spatially-explicit values variance among 15,000 actors

19. Organize model and DIST development and design to incorporate people knowledgeable of social processes Three interconnected pathways Make modeling teams more interdisciplinary Conclusions & Pathways Forward

20. Social Process Diagram http://cesimo.ing.ula.ve/GAIA/SPD/spd_image.html

21. Organize model and DIST development and design to incorporate people knowledgeable of social processes Three interconnected pathways Make modeling teams more interdisciplinary Bring in end-users, stakeholders & clients early and often Conclusions & Pathways Forward

22. Experiential learning works best for young and especially mature learners

23. Organize model and DIST development and design to incorporate people knowledgeable of social processes Three interconnected pathways Make modeling teams more interdisciplinary Bring in end-users, stakeholders & clients early and often Build problem-focused tools Conclusions & Pathways Forward

24. Questions? Clarifications? Comments? Rebuttals? Elaborations? Time for discussion? Thank you for your attention.