Bison Elk Management Planning Process: Situation Assessment and Pre-Scoping

Situation Analysis

US Fish and Wildlife Services, along with Grand Teton National Park, the National Elk Refuge, and Wyoming Game and Fish Department endeavored to update and develop new approaches to managing bison and elk in Northwestern Wyoming, especially focusing on the wildlife management on and around the National Elk Refuge in Jackson, WY. Flitner Communications was solicited to work with U.S. Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution (IECR) from Tucson, AZ, to conduct a situation assessment and assist with pre-scoping meetings throughout the state of Wyoming. Flitner worked with IECR and the federal and state agencies to develop goals for the situation assessment and pre-scoping process.

Objectives

• To identify the range of different interests of those affected by or engaged actively in the herd management issues;
• To learn directly from representative stakeholders about their concerns regarding herd management and, in particular, their perspectives on public involvement strategies; and
• to recommend options to the cooperating agencies on how to effectively involve the public in the management planning process.

Tactics

• Flitner and the assessment team conducted over 125 interviews with interested and affected parties to determine range of interests and make recommendations about ways to proceed in pre-scoping.
• Flitner and the team generated a report to the agencies and management team, outlining the range of interests and making recommendations for ways to proceed.
• Flitner, as part of the overall process approach, assisted the agency team in conducting a series of statewide meetings designed to address informational needs outlined in the situation assessment, and garner additional public input prior to entering into the formal scoping process required through the National Environmental Protection Act.

Results

The level of trust and cooperation among the agency leaders increased significantly with the pre-scoping work. Agency leaders were able to collaborate more effectively in their desire to increase the level of exchange among themselves and with the public.
Issues and concerns were clearly identified for the management team, by the public, prior to entering into a formal process. Agency leaders were able to offer more flexibility in their approach prior to the onset of the NEPA process, and the public also enjoyed more flexibility.

Decisions made by agencies were made with a higher degree of transparency, creating less conflict at later points in the process.
The public was involved from the beginning of the process, and maintained their involvement and ability to advise on the process into the formal process.

The agency team gained the confidence necessary to proceed into the scoping process under its own leadership.