Michael J. Dockry

Sustainable development education, practice, and research: an indigenous model of sustainable development at the College of Menominee Nation, Keshena, WI, USA

AbstractThe College of Menominee Nation Sustainable Development Institute’s theoretical model (SDI model) conceptualizes sustainable development as the process of maintaining the balance and reconciling the inherent tensions among six dimensions of sustainability: land and sovereignty; natural environment (including human beings); institutions; technology; economy; and human perception, activity, and behavior. Each dimension is understood to be dynamic, both internally and in relationship to each of the other five dimensions. Change within one dimension will impact other dimensions in a continual process of change. Change can be externally driven or inherent to the dynamic nature of any of the six dimensions. Sustainable development is a continual and iterative process. A central concept of the model is based on the experience of the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin and their profound sense of place and relationship with the land that has allowed their community to recognize and balance the tensions among model dimensions through time. This paper provides a detailed description of the SDI model and its development and concludes with short examples illustrating how the model has been used for course design and delivery in higher education, interdisciplinary community planning, and participatory research.n

Alternative Futures for Forest-Based Nanomaterials An Application of the Manoa School’s Alternative Futures Method

Forestry and forest products research has entered into a robust research agenda focused on creating nano-sized particles and nanoproducts from wood. As wood-based materials can be sustainably produced, the potential of these renewable products could be limitless and include high-end compostable electronics, paint-on solar panels, and lightweight materials for airplanes and cars. Others warn about potential serious negative health and environmental consequences. Either way, wood-based nanomaterials could disrupt forestry as we know it. This article is a summary and analysis of a collaborative research project exploring the futures of wood-based nanomaterials within the context of the futures of forests and forest management within the United States. We start by describing the history of forestry through the lens of the U.S. Forest Service, then describe nanotechnology in general and wood-based nanocellulose specifically. Next, we outline the Manoa School alternative futures method, and how we used it to design and carry out a “complete futures of x” project. Following the Manoa School approach, we describe four alternative futures for forestry and forest management. We conclude with implications for the future of forestry, forests, and forest-based nanomaterials, as well as a discussion on the implementation of a complete “futures of x” project.

Forest resources within the Lake States ceded territories 1980 - 2013

The Lake States ceded territories are the portions of northern Michigan, northeastern Minnesota, and northern Wisconsin that were ceded by tribes of the Ojibwe to the government of the United States of America in the treaties of 1836, 1837, 1842, and 1854. The tribes retain rights to hunt, fish, and gather in the 1837, 1842, and 1854 treaty areas. This report summarizes the results of a series of forest inventories in the region between 1980 and 2013. Inventory results show the region has 30.7 million acres of forest land with forests covering 65.3 percent of the total land area. Forest features reported here focus on the status of six species of trees (sugar maple, black ash, paper birch, northern white-cedar, hophornbeam, and balsam fir) that have special historic and cultural value to the Ojibwe, in addition to the standard reporting of volume, biomass, growth, removals, and mortality of all trees that are typically included in the state-level reports produced by the Forest Inventory and Analysis program of the U.S. Forest Service. Sections of this report also focus on carbon, standing dead trees, invasive plant species, and ground flora.

Setting Up a Horizon Scanning System: A U.S. Federal Agency Example

Managers and policy makers are continually working toward a desired future within a context of rapid and turbulent change. To be effective in this context, they must look ahead to anticipate emerging trends, issues, opportunities, and threats. Horizon scanning is a foresight method that can help managers and policy makers develop and maintain a broad and externally focused forward view to anticipate and align decisions with both emerging (near-term) and long-term futures. This article reports on the design and early stage development and implementation of a horizon scanning system established for the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), Strategic Foresight Group, and developed cooperatively with the University of Houston Foresight Program. The goal of the project is to develop an ongoing horizon scanning system as an input to developing environmental foresight: insight into future environmental challenges and opportunities, and the ability to apply that insight to prepare for a sustainable future. In addition, the horizon scanning system is supported by volunteers from within the Forest Service. By including participants from throughout the Forest Service, the project seeks to foster a culture of foresight within the organization, and eventually to develop a more forward looking organizational structure for the USFS and other natural resource management agencies. Lessons learned from the experience to date are shared as well as future challenges for keeping the horizon scanning system in good working order—current, relevant, and consistent.

A Special Issue of the Journal of Forestry—Tribal Forest Management: Innovations for Sustainable Forest Management

Native American forests and tribal forest management practices have sustained indigenous communities, economies, and resources for millennia. These systems provide a wealth of knowledge and successful applications of long-term environmental stewardship and integrated, sustainable forest management. Tribal forestry has received an increasing amount of attention from forest managers, academics, and tribal communities in recent years. Tribal forestry is seen as a way to provide approaches for solving our most complex social, economic, and environmental issues facing natural resource managers today. It is also considered as an important approach to build landscape- level partnerships and leverage funding for landscape- scale management. Tribal forest management provides numerous examples of balancing complex, multiple objectives in an era of shrinking budgets, novel ecologic interactions, and increasing human demands on our natural resources. This special issue of the Journal of Forestry seeks to capture a broad range of forest management practices occurring in Indian Country and beyond; to increase general recognition of the role that tribal forest plays in the greater landscape; and to engage broad audiences regarding the value of tribal forests and how they can serve as models for sustainability, integrated management, resilience, and restoration.

Building Bridges: Perspectives on Partnership and Collaboration from the US Forest Service Tribal Relations Program

American Indian tribes have inherent rights to national forestland and resources codified in treaties, the US Constitution, statutes, Presidential Executive Orders, and case law. These rights require a government-togovernment relationship between each tribe and the US Forest Service (USFS), which recognizes federal trust responsibilities and tribal sovereignty. This is implemented through government-to-government consultation. Along with consultation, the USFS seeks to create opportunities to work in partnership with tribes to support natural resource management for mutual benefit. The purpose of this article is to explore partnership building and collaboration between the USFS and American Indian tribes in the context of the USFS tribal relations program. The article outlines successful practices and barriers for building partnerships between federally recognized tribes and the USFS. Qualitative research methods were used to analyze 26 semistructured interviews with USFS employees with tribal relations duties to understand their perspectives on building partnerships and fulfilling the government trust responsibility with American Indian tribes.