32.2 Project Organization
Kentucky
Georgia
Evergreen Fore I
_
Deciduou Fore I
on-Fore t
473
FIGURE 32.1. Forests cover 70% of the land in the Southern Appalachians. (Courtesy of the U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Forest Service)
gional Office and Forest Service Research, made a
commitment to conduct a regional assessment. At
the same time, SAMAB agencies had decided that
a regional assessment was needed to focus and coordinate interagency planning. The decision to consolidate these efforts through SAMAB was a natural one. Thus the stage was set to conduct an
interagency Southern Appalachian Assessment
(SAA).
32.2 Project Organization
32.2.1 Organizing the Leadership
Because the assessment was an interagency effort,
an interagency leadership group was necessary to
make policy, facilitate support, and provide liaison
between the agencies and the assessment. The
analyses would be conducted by four technical
teams, and technical support would be provided by
three facilitating teams: a database management
and geographic information system team, a technical writing and editorial team, and a public involvement and media relations team (Figure 32.2).
As planning progressed, two of the technical teams
further divided their work into subgroups.
Selection of team leaders proved to be a critical
step in the process. Team leaders were selected by
a joint effort of the SAMAB Policy Group and the
members of each team. Team leaders were expected to have some experience working with diverse groups, good communication skills, a vision
of the final product of the assessment, and immense
patience. Technical expertise in the assessment
topic was also helpful, not only to gain the confidence of the team members, but also because the
team leader was usually the spokesperson with the
public.
Partitioning the work into the four technical
analysis areas was a logical approach and had several advantages, but it also had some disadvantages.
One clear advantage is that technical specialists
communicate best with each other when they share
Kentucky
Georgia
Evergreen Fore I
_
Deciduou Fore I
on-Fore t
473
FIGURE 32.1. Forests cover 70% of the land in the Southern Appalachians. (Courtesy of the U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Forest Service)
gional Office and Forest Service Research, made a
commitment to conduct a regional assessment. At
the same time, SAMAB agencies had decided that
a regional assessment was needed to focus and coordinate interagency planning. The decision to consolidate these efforts through SAMAB was a natural one. Thus the stage was set to conduct an
interagency Southern Appalachian Assessment
(SAA).
32.2 Project Organization
32.2.1 Organizing the Leadership
Because the assessment was an interagency effort,
an interagency leadership group was necessary to
make policy, facilitate support, and provide liaison
between the agencies and the assessment. The
analyses would be conducted by four technical
teams, and technical support would be provided by
three facilitating teams: a database management
and geographic information system team, a technical writing and editorial team, and a public involvement and media relations team (Figure 32.2).
As planning progressed, two of the technical teams
further divided their work into subgroups.
Selection of team leaders proved to be a critical
step in the process. Team leaders were selected by
a joint effort of the SAMAB Policy Group and the
members of each team. Team leaders were expected to have some experience working with diverse groups, good communication skills, a vision
of the final product of the assessment, and immense
patience. Technical expertise in the assessment
topic was also helpful, not only to gain the confidence of the team members, but also because the
team leader was usually the spokesperson with the
public.
Partitioning the work into the four technical
analysis areas was a logical approach and had several advantages, but it also had some disadvantages.
One clear advantage is that technical specialists
communicate best with each other when they share