effecting the nabci vision: expectations of joint ventures scott c. yaich director of conservation...

EFFECTING THE NABCIVISION:

EXPECTATIONS OF JOINT VENTURES

Scott C. YaichDirector of Conservation ProgramsDucks Unlimited, Memphis, TN

Joint Ventures: An Introspective Look

“I always wanted to be somebody,…

…but I should have been more specific.” Lily Tomlin

Objectives:To meet the external expectations ofthe JV’s, stimulate consideration of…

1. What should JVs be? - 2 basic models

2. What should Board members consider in charting the future of the LMVJV and other JVs?

Objectives:To stimulate consideration of…

3. What should JV Board members be? - Board member characteristics - How can JV Board members advance the JV vision in their day-to-day, non-JV world?

Effecting the NABCI Vision:…

“Populations and habitats of NorthAmerica’s birds protected, restored orenhanced through coordinated efforts

at international, national, regional, stateand local levels, guided by sound science

and effective management.”

Expectations of Joint Ventures?

FWS Director’s Order No. 146: Joint Venture Administration

• Fosters expectations of JVs

•“Constitution” for JVs

• Defines JVs

• Provides guidance re: rolesand functions of JVs

“A self-directed partnership of agencies,organizations, corporations, tribes, or

individuals that has formally accepted theresponsibility of implementing national or

international bird conservation planswithin a specific geographic area or for a

specific taxonomic group, and has receivedgeneral acceptance in the bird conservation

community for such responsibility.”

Joint Venture Definition:

Local Projects

Regionally-basedJoint Ventures:

Continental and National Initiatives

Context for Joint Venture Functions:

What do the Initiatives provide?

•Continental population goals and priorities

•Range-wide assessment of limiting factors

•Range-wide monitoring and evaluation

•Biological expertise organized into

national and regional workgroups

What do the JVs Provide?

• Coordination

• Planning and design

• Project development and implementation

• Communications and Outreach

• Monitoring, evaluation and applied research

P l a n n i n g a n d D e s i g n

U s e s c i e n c e t o u n d e r p i n c o n s e r v a t i o n s t r a t e g i e s .

D r a w f r o m n e e d s a n d p r i o r i t i e s i d e n t i f i e d i n b i r d c o n s e r v a t i o n p l a n s .

D e v e l o p a n d i n t e g r a t e e x p l i c i t c o n s e r v a t i o n g o a l s a t e c o -r e g i o n a l a n d l o c a l s c a l e s .

D e s c r i b e f u t u r e c o n d i t i o n s , i . e . l a n d s c a p e d e s i g n s , n e e d e d t o s u p p o r t d e s i r e d p o p u l a t i o n l e v e l s o f t a r g e t s p e c i e s .

P r o j e c t D e v e l o p m e n t a n d I m p l e m e n t a t i o n

F o c u s b o t h n e w a n d e x i s t i n g p r o g r a m s o n t h e i n t e g r a t e d o b j e c t i v e s d e r i v e d f r o m b i o l o g i c a l p l a n n i n g .

A s s i s t m a n a g e r s a n d b i o l o g i s t s f r o m p a r t n e r a g e n c i e s d e v e l o p p r o g r a m g u i d a n c e a n d p r o j e c t p r o p o s a l s t h a t h e l p a c h i e v e o b j e c t i v e s .

S o m e t i m e s : s u p p o r t p r o j e c t d e l i v e r y s t a f f o r p r o v i d e s e e d m o n e y f o r h a b i t a t c o n s e r v a t i o n a c t i o n s .

C o o r d i n a t i o n

W o r k t o b u i l d a n ds u s t a i n t h e J V p a r t n e r s h i p .

D e v e l o p a n d s u p p o r t s t a t e a n d l o c a l s t e e r i n g c o m m i t t e e s .

J o i n a g e n c i e s a n d o r g a n i z a t i o n s w i t h l i t t l e e x p e r i e n c e w o r k i n g w i t h e a c h o t h e r .

C o m m u n i c a t i o n s a n d O u t r e a c h

P r o m o t e J V a c t i v i t i e s a t t h e l o c a l , r e g i o n a l , a n d n a t i o n a l l e v e l s .

I n t e r n a l l y , w o r k t o d e v e l o p a c o m m o n u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f b o t h t h e c o n c e p t s a n d d e t a i l s o f o b j e c t i v e s a n d d e s i g n .

E x t e r n a l l y , b u i l d a n d m a i n t a i n c o n n e c t i o n s w i t h o t h e r p u b l i c a n d p r i v a t e e n t i t i e s a n d t h e p u b l i c a t l a r g e .

M o n i t o r i n g , E v a l u a t i o n , a n d A p p l i e d R e s e a r c h

I n c r e a s e u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f p o p u l a t i o n / h a b i t a t r e l a t i o n s h i p s a n d t h e e f f e c t s o f m a n a g e m e n t t e c h n i q u e s .

T o s c i e n t i f i c a l l y t e s t p l a n n i n g a s s u m p t i o n s o r m a n a g e m e n t u n c e r t a i n t i e s .

O r g a n i z e a n d l e a d t e a m s t o c o n d u c t m o n i t o r i n g a n d e v a l u a t i o n a c t i v i t i e s .

S u p p o r t t h e d a t a a c q u i s i t i o n , s p e c i e s a n d h a b i t a t s u r v e y s , a n d r e s e a r c h p r o j e c t s .

D e t a i l o f J V F u n c t i o n a l E l e m e n t s

D R A F T

External expectations of Joint Ventures: Long-term...

All elements fully developed and functioning to provide a logical

and coordinated approach to the conservation of all birds.

A commitment to build the capacityto conduct regional-scale landscapedesign that integrates priorities and

objectives of all bird initiativesinto JV implementation plans.

External expectations of Joint Ventures: Short-term....

LMVJV Business Model:• Vehicle for monitoring and managing CHANGE

Currentstate

Vision

“Unmanaged Evolution”

“Managed Evolution”

Two FundamentalBusiness Models:

• Conservation Delivery

• Conservation Enterprise

HOWEVER, these models exist as points along a continuum of JV evolution and function

ConservationDelivery

ConservationEnterprise

CentralActivity

Composition

Delivery of habi-tat conservation

Planning, delivery,evaluation,

monitoring andresearch

• Administrators, managers• Internal networks

• Administrators, managers, scientists• Internal and external networks

ConservationDelivery

ConservationEnterprise

Structure• Administrative oversight• Technical groups

• Administrative oversight • Technical groups

• Programmatic• To advance 1 sphere of bird conservation

• To advance 3 spheres of bird conservation

ConservationDelivery

ConservationEnterprise

Function• ID, design, and develop funding for habitat projects

• Landscape design needed to fulfill birds’ biological needs

• More opportun- istic; less context

• JV benefits: Additive

• Context for JV and partner activities• JV benefits: Multiplicative

ConservationDelivery

ConservationEnterprise

• Coordination• Planning and design

• Project devel- opment and imp- lementation

• Communications

• Monitoring, evaluation and applied research

JV JVInitiatives

(JV)

JV JV

JV andInitiatives

JV JV

Initiatives(JV)

JV andInitiatives

ConservationDelivery

ConservationEnterprise

• Planning, design, monitoring, evaluation and applied research

• Project devel- opment and imp- lementation

Initiatives(JV)

JV JV

JV andInitiatives

ConservationDelivery

ConservationEnterprise

• Planning, design, monitoring, evaluation and applied research

Initiatives(JV)

JV andInitiatives

Existing broad, national, more regionalExpertise continental depth

Regional general, with localKnowledge national context familiarity

Future outside JV within JVCapacity

ConservationDelivery

ConservationEnterprise

• Planning, design, monitoring, evaluation and applied research

Initiatives(JV)

JV andInitiatives

Coordination from fromand Direction outside JV within JV

Level of additive multiplicativeBenefits

Relevance of greatest to greatest to Product Initiatives JVs

ConservationDelivery

ConservationEnterprise

• Planning, design, monitoring, evaluation and applied research

Initiatives(JV)

JV andInitiatives

Responsibility Ultimately, YESand Accountability NO

Leadership Contextual Results- oriented

Management BoardRepresentation

• Administrator with responsibility for all bird conservation programs

• Someone with direct access to and credibility with same

- should be coupled with informed, committed Administrator

How Can JV Members AdvanceThe JV Vision in Their Day Jobs?

• Apply the principles of the Conservation Enterprise model to all activities affecting bird conservation

• Remember to use the products developed by the JV to address your broader needs

• Use the expertise and personnel resources available through the JV partnership

2. Translate population goals of the Initiatives into regional population goals and then into explicit landscape designs and habitat objectives.

External expectations of Joint Ventures:

1. Build the biological foundation for regionally-based bird conservation.

External expectations of Joint Ventures:

3. Coordinate regional monitoring and research to evaluate assumptions in the biological foundation and assess progress toward population goals.

4. Collaborate on addressing continental scale information needs.

External expectations of Joint Ventures:

5. Coordinate and deliver conservation from a common strategy.

6. Speak with a common voice and reach out to potential partners that use habitat conservation to attain their own unique goals.

“Thanks” for theLower Mississippi Valley

Joint Venture’sLeadership!

KEEP IT UP!