33.5 Major Types of Analyses Performed in the Assessment
493
ties data; and state-based records on property taxes
and current use assessment statistics.
Less known sources, such as state-based Outdoor
Recreation Plans, were also tapped. Many sources
were not public sources in the strictest government
sense, but ranged from little-known unpublished
masters degree theses to well-known studies developed by nongovernmental organizations. It is
impossible here to list even a small portion of the
data and information sources used, given the size
of the list. The Northern Forest Lands Study's selected sources listing stretches for five pages, while
the Northern Forest Lands Council Technical Appendix was a hardbound document 3 inches thick.
It contained bibliographies covering well over 100
pages.
33.4.2 Case Studies Developed
Specifically for the Study
and Council
Given the enormity of studying a 26 million-acre,
four-state area of land and public policy issues that
were national in scope, it was necessary to develop
case studies as an alternative means for understanding issues and developing findings relevant to
the effort. The largest case study completed for the
Northern Forest Lands Study was that of changing
land use, for which a county and, more specifically,
a town within the county were studied for each of
the Northern Forest states.
Under the Council effort, a report entitled New
Directions in Conservation Strategies: A Reconnaissance of Recent Experimentation and Experience (1993) reviewed cases of successful land
conservation strategies employed throughout the
United States in areas with similar forested
regimes.
33.4.3 New Data Collected by National
Forest Lands Council
The Northern Forest Lands Study relied primarily
on existing research and commissioned a few reports for its uses. The Northern Forest Lands Council relied on very few existing sources (except the
work of the Study itself) and commissioned no
fewer than 29 original reports and studies for its
assessment. In addition, the four state GIS offices
compiled the data to create 20 data layers for the
Northern Forest Resource Inventory project.
The largest new data source created by these efforts was the collection of primary data from towns
and counties on the changing land use, parcel by
parcel, which was accomplished through the Land
Conversion Study commissioned by the Council. A
private firm compiled a large database of information from this effort.
33.5 Major Types of Analyses
Performed in the Assessment
33.5.1 Northern Forest Lands Study
Analyses accomplished through the Study focused
on three areas: (1) reasons for significant change
in land ownership and use, (2) critical natural resources at risk, and (3) land conservation tools and
strategies. In all these analyses, two methods were
used in a reasonably consistent fashion. Step 1 was
to have research compiled or created either inhouse with staff or through outside contracted
sources. In all cases, the staff of the Study, with assistance from the Governors' Task Force on Northern Forest Lands, chose the research subjects based
on the charge given the project by Congress. Following completion of draft reports and compilations, expert volunteer working groups were assembled to critique the draft reports and
recommend revisions to the authors. Conclusions
from these analyses followed and were drawn primarily by staff of the Study.
33.5.2 Northern Forest Lands Council
Research and analyses in the Council process centered on seven major issue areas previously cited.
An eighth area, the Northern Forest Resource Inventory, functioned somewhat differently from the
seven major issue area efforts. The former operated
with only a core group of GIS specialists as the designers of the data compilation effort.
For the work of the seven major issue areas, the
analysis process used included research, expert
working groups, and public dialogue. More specifically, the analysis followed the following steps.
1. Identification of study topic by issue area work
group (a combination of the Council members,
experts and advocates, all volunteers).
2. Staff development of request for proposals on
subject or outline of topic needs, which was
reviewed and approved by the work group.
3. RFPs were issued or the topic outlined was
used in-house by staff (more commonly the
former).
4. Contractors were selected and hired for tasks
(or staff did work).
493
ties data; and state-based records on property taxes
and current use assessment statistics.
Less known sources, such as state-based Outdoor
Recreation Plans, were also tapped. Many sources
were not public sources in the strictest government
sense, but ranged from little-known unpublished
masters degree theses to well-known studies developed by nongovernmental organizations. It is
impossible here to list even a small portion of the
data and information sources used, given the size
of the list. The Northern Forest Lands Study's selected sources listing stretches for five pages, while
the Northern Forest Lands Council Technical Appendix was a hardbound document 3 inches thick.
It contained bibliographies covering well over 100
pages.
33.4.2 Case Studies Developed
Specifically for the Study
and Council
Given the enormity of studying a 26 million-acre,
four-state area of land and public policy issues that
were national in scope, it was necessary to develop
case studies as an alternative means for understanding issues and developing findings relevant to
the effort. The largest case study completed for the
Northern Forest Lands Study was that of changing
land use, for which a county and, more specifically,
a town within the county were studied for each of
the Northern Forest states.
Under the Council effort, a report entitled New
Directions in Conservation Strategies: A Reconnaissance of Recent Experimentation and Experience (1993) reviewed cases of successful land
conservation strategies employed throughout the
United States in areas with similar forested
regimes.
33.4.3 New Data Collected by National
Forest Lands Council
The Northern Forest Lands Study relied primarily
on existing research and commissioned a few reports for its uses. The Northern Forest Lands Council relied on very few existing sources (except the
work of the Study itself) and commissioned no
fewer than 29 original reports and studies for its
assessment. In addition, the four state GIS offices
compiled the data to create 20 data layers for the
Northern Forest Resource Inventory project.
The largest new data source created by these efforts was the collection of primary data from towns
and counties on the changing land use, parcel by
parcel, which was accomplished through the Land
Conversion Study commissioned by the Council. A
private firm compiled a large database of information from this effort.
33.5 Major Types of Analyses
Performed in the Assessment
33.5.1 Northern Forest Lands Study
Analyses accomplished through the Study focused
on three areas: (1) reasons for significant change
in land ownership and use, (2) critical natural resources at risk, and (3) land conservation tools and
strategies. In all these analyses, two methods were
used in a reasonably consistent fashion. Step 1 was
to have research compiled or created either inhouse with staff or through outside contracted
sources. In all cases, the staff of the Study, with assistance from the Governors' Task Force on Northern Forest Lands, chose the research subjects based
on the charge given the project by Congress. Following completion of draft reports and compilations, expert volunteer working groups were assembled to critique the draft reports and
recommend revisions to the authors. Conclusions
from these analyses followed and were drawn primarily by staff of the Study.
33.5.2 Northern Forest Lands Council
Research and analyses in the Council process centered on seven major issue areas previously cited.
An eighth area, the Northern Forest Resource Inventory, functioned somewhat differently from the
seven major issue area efforts. The former operated
with only a core group of GIS specialists as the designers of the data compilation effort.
For the work of the seven major issue areas, the
analysis process used included research, expert
working groups, and public dialogue. More specifically, the analysis followed the following steps.
1. Identification of study topic by issue area work
group (a combination of the Council members,
experts and advocates, all volunteers).
2. Staff development of request for proposals on
subject or outline of topic needs, which was
reviewed and approved by the work group.
3. RFPs were issued or the topic outlined was
used in-house by staff (more commonly the
former).
4. Contractors were selected and hired for tasks
(or staff did work).