Abstract - Paul Smith's College



Reinvigoration of the Champlain-Adirondack Biosphere Reserve: Stakeholder PerceptionsBy Nicholas G. CoolidgePaul Smith’s CollegeCapstone 2018Table of Contents TOC \o Abstract PAGEREF _Toc386729667 \h 3Introduction PAGEREF _Toc386729668 \h 4Background PAGEREF _Toc386729669 \h 5Literature PAGEREF _Toc386729670 \h 7Methods PAGEREF _Toc386729671 \h 13Data Analysis PAGEREF _Toc386729672 \h 20Findings PAGEREF _Toc386729673 \h 29Limitations PAGEREF _Toc386729674 \h 35Conclusions PAGEREF _Toc386729675 \h 36 Works Cited 38Appendix 39AbstractThe Champlain-Adirondack Biosphere Reserve (CABR) was designated by the United Nations in 1989. This reserve spans the entire Adirondack Park, and includes the Lake Champlain Valley in Vermont as well. Biosphere reserves focus on conservation at a global level, and use international knowledge from lessons learned to best benefit each specific biosphere. Although CABR was designated in 1989, it became classified as inactive soon after. In 2016, Brian Houseal, Director of SUNY's College of Environmental Science and Forestry Newcomb Campus, prepared a periodic report to UNESCO on CABRs current status. The goal of this research was to determine the probability of stakeholder support to bring CABR out of inactivity, almost 20 years after it was designated originally. The research performed focused on stakeholders’ awareness and perceptions of the CABR, along with past indications of concerns and resistance among local residents. The research addresses this deficit and identifies and clarifies our representative’s samples perceptions of the designation. The research revealed that land use rights were still the major concern. The research revealed that this was still a concern because there is still a major lack of information on the CABR land classifications/land use rights. Information on CABR was concluded to be one of the largest challenges at this time. This research revealed that 68% of the residents were unaware of CABR until the periodic review was published in 2016, and over 40% of the residents had no idea what CABR was until they received an invite to come to the focus group. Introduction The Adirondack Park and its surrounding area is a truly unique landscape. The ratio of human population to land area is low and forests make up the majority of the region. The dominant forest cover types within the Adirondack region are temperate deciduous and temperate coniferous. Tourists from all over the world come to visit the Adirondacks to see its beauty first hand. It is in fact so unique and pristine that is was designated by the UN as a world biosphere reserve in 1989, and named the Champlain-Adirondack Biosphere Reserve. The Champlain-Adirondack Biosphere Reserve [CABR} is 3,990,000 hectares, and straddles Lake Champlain (MAB 2007). The central features of the reserve are the Adirondacks in New York, and the Green Mountains in Vermont. While visitors travel to appreciate the Adirondack Park’s natural beauty, the Biosphere takes on different meaning for those living within its boundaries. The 2016 Champlain Adirondack Biosphere Periodic Review (Houseal, 2016) revealed that residents within the biosphere on the New York and Vermont side have maintained a skepticism about government influence on local property rights. There was the same skepticism in 1989 once it was designated, and many residents felt that they had no say in the designation that they would have disagreed with (French, 2002). The purpose of this research is to identify the key stakeholders’ knowledge, awareness and perceptions of the Champlain-Adirondack Biosphere Reserve, specifically on land rights.Background:The UN designated the Champlain-Adirondack Biosphere Reserve in 1989. A biosphere reserve is unlike a national park, national forest, wilderness area, or forest preserves in several important ways. It encompasses many of the same conservation and sustainability goals, but has a more globally integrated approach to conservation. A Biosphere Reserve acts as an umbrella organization that unites many separate local agencies to meet its overarching aims. Biosphere reserves have three equal aim:. First, is the conservation of genetic resources, species and ecosystems. This aim is very similar to the concepts that already exist through the Adirondack Park Agency [APA], and like the APA, it is enforced through the New York Department of Environmental Conservation [DEC]. The second aim of a biosphere reserve is scientific research and monitoring. This aim is a practice within the park, but it is not vigorously applied through the APA or DEC. Research and monitoring is handled through a separate New York State agency, called the Adirondack Long Term Monitoring Program [ALTM]. They focus on collecting, analyzing and documenting any chemistry changes in the lakes, ponds and streams due to pollution and acid rain in the Adirondack Mountains. The United States Geological Survey [USGS] is in charge of monitoring and researching the geological aspects of the Adirondack Mountains and recording any changes in formation. Another separate agency, the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation [ALSC], is in charge of monitoring the many Adirondack Lake’s structures. The last Biosphere Reserve aim is promoting sustainable development. This aim is promoted by New York's State Environmental Quality Review Act [SEQR], and enforced by the nearest local or state government agency to where the development is proposed. They require an environmental impact analysis for any development that is over a certain size, but don’t usually deal with development on the residential level (About DEC 2018). So while the Biosphere has clear goals, the implementation of those goals and objectives are delegated to a variety of State and Federal agencies that do not necessarily collaborate and communicate cohesively within the parameters of the Biosphere’s charge. Having the Adirondack Park as a part of the larger Champlain-Adirondack Biosphere reserve has distinct advantages. It may open new doors for funding, moving from the national level to the global. Having the Adirondack Park part of the biosphere reserve also has the potential to increase the sustainable tourism industry through broader marketing and more sustainable recreation practices. It can also increase awareness of the local citizens on new sustainable practices and potentially galvanize the community to act upon them (Hill and Gale, 2009). The Champlain Adirondack Biosphere Reserve through UNESCO does this in part by coordinating and communicating with the different local government and state agencies regarding the three overarching goals; conservation of genetic resources, scientific monitoring, and sustainable development. LiteratureThe literature review focuses on four distinct dimensions; the unique history and properties of the Adirondack Park; the origins and applications of the UN Biosphere Designation; long term effects from a similar biosphere designation, and lastly literature concerning reactions to the CABR designation since it was designated in 1989. 1). The History of the Adirondack Park:The destruction and overexploitation of what are now the Adirondack Park forests started becoming a concern by the 1850’s (Adirondack Park Agency 2018). The logging industry was harvesting as much wood as they could sell, with no regard for future generations. Lumber mills wanted the Pine and hardwoods, the paper industry wanted the Spruces and Firs, the tanning industry wanted the Hemlocks, and the charcoal industry took the rest. This overexploiting logging practice reduced the soils ability to hold water, and was causing major erosion and flooding events. In 1892, a bill was passed by legislature, and the Adirondack Park was born. Three years later, in 1895, a constitutional protection was added to the Adirondack Park Forest, deeming it forever wild, which meant it shall be kept as wild forest lands and set aside for the use of people forever. The Adirondack Park Agency was created in 1971to develop land use plans within the park boundaries, and in 1972 the New York governor signed the State Land Master Plan. It classified public lands in the Adirondack Park into 5 categories: Wilderness, Primitive, Canoe, Wild Forest, and Intensive Use. In 1973, the Adirondack Park Land Use and Development Plan was signed into law classifying the Adirondack Park's private lands. It was designed to limit any future growth in the park to the areas that already had existing roads, utilities, services, and communities. This plan classified private land into 6 categories: Hamlet, Moderate Intensity, Low Intensity, Rural Use, Industrial Use, and Resource Management (Adirondack Park Agency 2018). 2). The Origin and Applications of the UN Biosphere Designation:United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) strengthens the ties between nations and societies through coordinating international cooperation in science, culture, education, and communication (MAB 2007, UNESCO 2018). It allows people to benefit from all scientific advances, and to have access to diverse environmental and cultural knowledge throughout the world. The United Nations established the Man and the Biosphere Programme in the early 1970’s, which promoted sustainable interactions between humans and the natural environment. A biosphere reserve is a social-ecological system, which combines biodiversity conservation, sustainable development practices, and openness for scientific research. Areas that get a designation are rare diverse areas, such as the highest mountaintops, the deepest rivers, and the most diverse rainforests. The overarching goal of the designation is to protect and conserve the ecosystem diversity for future generations to visit and learn from (MAB 2007, UNESCO 2018). While there is an abundance of international case studies that identify adverse reactions and aftermath effects to a biosphere designation, there is a dearth of such case studies in the United States. However, these international examples reflect similar concerns and sentiments that emerged through the CABR periodic review. The following cases are representative of the issues found in abundance throughout the literature. 3). The Long Term Effects from a Similar Biosphere Designation:In the Sichuan Province in China, there was a lot of opposition to the area becoming a biosphere reserve because of fear of negative consequences economically and toward land use rights. The Sichuan Provincial Academy of Forest Sciences (SPAFS) conducted a comprehensive scientific study on the Jiuzhaigou Biosphere Reserve (JBR) in China in 2004. The JBR area was suffering from major land degradation before 1997 when UNESCO stepped in and designated it as a biosphere reserve. Contrary to concerns regarding negative economic consequences, there were two in depth case studies that indicated positive outcomes for the natural resource base and the local economy. One of these studies focused on sustainable tourism, and the other on land cover type. Sustainable tourism went from 45% of GDP in 1996 to 65% in 2002 (p. 78). The land cover study on page 81 shows the percent changes of land cover over time, before and after it was designated as a biosphere. Forests went from -8% (1987-1997) to +2% (1997-2003). Bare land went from +5 (1987-1997) to -15 (1997-2003). Lastly, residential land area went from -28 (1987-1997) to +119 (1997-2003). The biosphere reserve designation has not only increased the vegetative cover, but it has also increased sustainable tourism +20% in just five years after implementation. It has also increased the standard of living for the locals, as well as promoting a more sustainable economic market, and way of life (Hill & Gale 2009).While there are numerous international case studies, the literature review revealed a paucity of information related to local reactions to the designation within the CABR. 4). Concerning Reactions to the CABR Designation:One available source of information regarding local reactions to the designation in the Champlain Adirondack Biosphere Reserve, is an online article by Dale French, vice-president of Private Property Rights: Alliance for America (French 2002). The article has numerous comments purporting that the designation was approved behind closed doors, and without any community involvement. Specifically, the site expresses local residents’ concerns that the biosphere designation may impact public and private land use regulations in the region to the point where their land would be unusable. There have been multiple claims about what the biosphere will restrict for land use rights, but these claims are speculative. The Private Property Alliance held a community meeting, it was concluded that the community did not want their private land classified as a biosphere with new land right policies. Locals believed that their land use rights should not be left to another “country” to dictate what they can and cannot do on their own land. At the meeting, it was brought up that, “When 'our government' gives up our lands to a foreign government's restrictions and regulations, i.e., the United Nations, has it not given also our sovereignty into the hands of that foreign entity?” (French 2002). French stated that this designation was a treaty that completely violates his core rights as a landowner, and he believes it’s in no way a harmless designation. He shared a case study on a biosphere reserve from India, where the reserve requirements meant the removal of much of the local population, to support habitat for tigers. He is afraid that this extreme may happen here, and French wants the Adirondack Park to withdraw from the designation (French 2002).Given this dearth of research related to stakeholders’ awareness and perceptions of the CABR, along with past indications of concerns and resistance among local residence, our research addresses this deficit and identifies and clarifies our representative’s samples perceptions of the designation. MethodsThis study measures awareness of the biosphere reserve parameters, and the restrictions or changes the designation will bring to landowners within the Champlain-Adirondack Biosphere Reserve boundaries. Through the generation of focus group data analysis, major concerns and looming questions were identified. Focus groups are a technique for gathering data on topics of interest. A focus group is an informal discussion, run by a moderator, between a small group of people with similar economic or social backgrounds, about a specific issue (Masadeh, 2012). Focus groups encourage a dynamic discussion, and aim to gather diverse opinions and perspectives, not to develop a consensus. These groups are effective ways of gaining a large amount of opinions and perceptions in a short time. Kelly Cerialo, Assistant Professor of Hotel, Resort and Tourism Management at Paul Smith’s College, acted as the moderator for the CABR focus groups, and each group had between 6 and 10 people (Focus group 1 had six, focus group 2 had ten, focus group 3 had 6). Each group had between 5-6 questions, and lasted for two hours each.The data were collected from focus groups hosted at Paul Smith’s College, University of Vermont, and Old Forge New York. The members at the focus groups were key stakeholders in the region. This included business owners, non-profits, government employees, and other stakeholders in the region (See figure 1 below). The focus groups were generated through purposeful selection to derive key stakeholder group representation. N= 22 Figure 1. Focus Group ParticipantsPrivate Business. Recreation FieldEducation Field Government FieldNon-Profit EnvironmentalNon-Profit Community DevelopmentAg.Focus Group 1. Paul Smith’s College032010Focus Group 2. University of Vermont041401Focus Group 3 Old Forge New York101130Total:174541The overarching goal of these focus groups is to identify key perceptions of stakeholders on the issue of reinvigoration of the biosphere reserve title. The data collected from the focus groups identifies the Champlain-Adirondack Biosphere Reserve focus groups’ current knowledge and perception of the biosphere designation, and reveals possibilities for future development. Each of the focus groups was done in different counties with various economically diverse communities widely spread within the Champlain-Adirondack Biosphere Reserve boundary, which includes Vermont and the Adirondacks. The effort to host each focus group in dissimilar communities within the reserve was done in hopes to capture the different community perceptions and compare overarching themes and sustainable development goals from each. The focus participants for this study are all full-time (year-round) residents of the Champlain-Adirondack Biosphere Reserve, who are influential thought-leaders in the region, for example local government officials and recreation business owners (see figure 1 above). This sample of participants was selected in collaboration with?the Champlain-Adirondack Biosphere Reserve working group?and was?based on the?participants' capacity to influence environmental, economic, and social development in the region.? The approximate age range for participants is 35?-70 years old and?includes 59% males and 41% females.??Locations for the focus group?were selected based on geographical territories in the biosphere reserve.? In order to get a representative sample of diverse stakeholder interests across the biosphere, the Champlain-Adirondack Biosphere Reserve?working group obtained a sample set from Vermont, the western side of the biosphere reserve (Old Forge), and the?Northern Adirondacks.? Each of these areas have distinct economic drivers, environmental practices, and social/cultural heritage (with some overlaps).? However, a limitation of the study is,?considering the expansive territory of the biosphere and current population, the sample set is not representative of all socio-economic classes, educational backgrounds, interests, values, and beliefs?within the biosphere.? Future studies should disseminate a survey to capture a wider and more representative sample population. The first focus group was held at Paul Smith’s College, which is located in Paul Smith’s, New York. The surrounding area is a more affluent area than the rest of the park, and is an area that relies on the tourism industry. The high peaks and Whiteface Mountain are two of the major attractions for this region. The second focus group was held in Burlington, Vermont. The surrounding area is mainly agriculture, and the local economy relies on the farms, tourism and the state government. The third and last focus group was held in Old Forge, New York. Old Forge’s economy is driven by tourism and small local businesses. Tourism is the main driver in this community, whether it be for the summer recreation opportunities, such as the Enchanted Forest Water Safari Park, or the snowmobiling and skiing industry in the winter months. Traditional focus group techniques were utilized to enhance issues of reliability and validity (Masadeh, 2012). Those techniques included, recording and transcription, multiple note takers, member checking, and open thematic coding. The findings from this study will be used by the Champlain-Adirondack Biosphere Reserve working group to develop a management and communication plan for the entire biosphere reserve area. The results from the focus groups will also be used to assist with engaging stakeholders throughout the reinvigoration process. The data will then be analyzed using theoretical thematic analysis, which records patterns or themes across the dataset.??Thematic analysis is similar to the concept of content analysis, but it more specifically focuses on the qualitative aspects of the information to capture a richer narrative. Content analysis requires establishing common categories, and keeping track of how many times they are used in the text that is analyzed. It is a quantitative method, which applies a numerical value to the frequencies of each category (Marks & Yardley 2012). This method can be problematic when it comes to extracting themes. For example, the word ‘concern’ may come up multiple times, which the content analysis category would place into the ‘concern’ category. The issue with simple word coding this way is that there are different reasons for concern, and there are different levels of concernment. Thematic analysis combines the systematic element of context analysis with analysis of each frequency of code in each category, to make it truly qualitative. It analyzes each code in the context it was brought up in the text, rather than the numerical frequency it was brought up in the text (Marks & Yardley 2012). The themes that are derived from the thematic analysis are placed into new categories based on similar manifest content of the data.This research utilized theoretical thematic analysis, which uses a top down approach. This means that the research questions were set prior to the analysis, and doesn’t evolve based on the data. Codes and themes are identified based on the context of each of the research questions, and are driven by the researchers’ prior knowledge on the topic. For the CABR focus groups, there were three main research questions: What are residents’ levels of knowledge about the CABR designation? What are residents’ perceptions of the designation? What are residents' thoughts/ideas/worries about future development of the designation? There may be specific themes that a researcher is looking for that match the themes concluded from another study, or the prior knowledge might simply set the direction of themes to look for. This data analysis method provides a more focused analysis of the interest specific aspect of the overall data, but requires a certain level of knowledge on the subject before the data can be analyzed (Braun and Clarke 2006). There are six important steps to doing a proper thematic analysis, outlined by Braun and Clarke (2006). First, before the coding can begin, it is important for the analyzer to become familiar with the data. The researchers that conducted the CABR data analysis were present at each of the focus groups, where they took notes, recorded the entire meeting, and then transcribed each of the focus groups at a later date. The second step is to generate initial codes across the entire data set. This step is to organize these data into basic categories based on similarity (Braun and Clarke 2006). The CABR focus group data was coded by each researcher separately, and then was brought together to compare the codes that they each had identified, to increase the validity of the coding. Focus group data were coded based on each response to each question, extracting all the themes and patterns that were frequently brought up, and writing them in the margins. The third step is to search for themes. This step required CABR researchers to sort all the coded data into categories based on similar meaning, which became the candidate themes. CABR researchers used the latent approach, which means themes were developed by interpreting and theorizing the underlying ideas, assumptions, and concepts to obtain a better understanding of the big picture (Braun and Clarke 2006). The fourth step is to review the candidate themes. With the CABR data, certain candidate themes were grouped together to make a new theme, and others were broken down into separate themes. Some candidate themes were not included because they lacked clarity necessary to formulate a cogent theme. For CABR purposes, the parameters for a theme were set to an idea/opinion that comes up a minimum of three times per question per focus group. Step five is defining and naming themes (Braun and Clarke 2006). To define a theme, the researchers were required to organize each theme’s supporting data extracts into a detailed paraphrased narrative that identifies what is of interest about each theme and why. There should be minimal overlap between themes, but each should have a clearly detailed narrative that justifies the relation to the research questions. Step six is doing the final write up, and producing the final report (Braun and Clarke 2006). This is the final product, the argument in relation to the research question, where the narrative is validated by the themes and the data extracts that support them. Data AnalysisFigure 2 (below) shows the questions breakdown per focus group. Focus Group #1 was a pilot, and some questions were edited and updated for Focus Groups #2 and #3. Specifically, question #5 was omitted after Focus Group #1 and replaced with question #4. Also, Question #7 was added for Focus Groups #2 and #3 to connect the Regional Values and Trends to Future Development. Figure 2. Questions by focus group.Focus Group #1: Paul Smith’s College, NYFocus Group #2: University of Vermont, NYFocus Group #3:Old Forge, NYRegional Values/Trends Question #1. What do you like most about living in this area? What first drew you to this region (did yougrow up here?) And what has most encouraged you to stay?XXXRegional Values/Trends Question #2. What do you consider to be the most significant trends, events, and developments currently shaping the future of this region?XXXKnowledge and Perception of the Champlain Adirondack Biosphere ReserveQuestion # 3. When and how did you first hear about the Champlain-Adirondack Biosphere Reserve designation? Please explain the context and share information that you learned about the CABR.XXXKnowledge and Perception of the Champlain Adirondack Biosphere ReserveQuestion #4. Based on your current knowledge of the CABR, what is your perception of the designation? Are you excited by it, confused, skeptical, intrigued? Please explain.XXKnowledge and Perception of the Champlain Adirondack Biosphere ReserveQuestion #5. Based on your current knowledge of CABR, do you think CABR is useful, important and timely in NY and VT? ?Do you need to know additional information to answer this? If so, what?XFuture DevelopmentQuestion #6. Of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals listed on the screen, please write down the 3 goals that you think are most important for your community to address at this time. Please explain why you selected these goals and why it is important that they are addressed now.XXXFuture DevelopmentQuestion #7. Think back to your response to our first questions - things that you enjoy most in the regionand current trends and developments. What role (if any) can an umbrella organization with a global network such as the Champlain-Adirondack Biosphere Reserve play in supporting the aspects that you value the most in this region and current trends/developments?XXFigure 3 (below) shows the key themes per focus group with exemplar quotes.Focus Group QuestionsKey Themes by Focus Groups Exemplar quotesRegional Values/Trends 1. What do you like most about living in this area? What first drew you to this region (did yougrow up here?) and what has most encouraged you to stay?Focus Group #1FamilyOutdoor recNatureVacation/tourismFrom cityJobs/businessesLove of placeSense of communityKid connection Focus Group #2FamilyOutdoor recNatureVacation/tourismFrom cityJobs/businessesLove of placeSense of communityKid connection CollegeFocus Group #3FamilyOutdoor recNatureVacation/tourismJobs/businessesLove of placeSense of communityKid connection “we were living in a big city and realized, my wife and I, that we wanted out kids to grow up connected to a place, a part of a community that was older and more – just the permanence of being in the Adirondacks where there is the history of the Park, and we wanted our kids to be part of that”“picture from 1918 of my grandmother doing a fire on a slant rock, up here in the high peaks, and there is a spruce tree on it, you can go to the photos and see lake spelled differently, in the park agency and you can see slant rock in 76 with the same damn spruce tree on it, and so I think that’s it. ?I just really had to be somewhere where some of this beauty would be untouched.”“Something that I will always remember is the rural town, the rural area of the town, driving on the dirt roads when I was brand new in the town, nobody knew who I was, but if they were standing out they would wave when I went by. Nobody did that in Mass, and that’s what I’ve loved about VT ever since.”“I grew up in Connecticut, and my parents took me skiing in Vermont as a kid, I believe I was 6 years old, and I remember the moment when I decided I would live in VT the rest of my life” “I came to VT for college at UVM, and the mountains, the lake, the culture just made it the place I want to be. The whole state makes it feel like a good community, and the community conversation as a state”“As an adult, I just didn’t like, I’m not comfortable with a lot of people around, I just didn’t like the traffic, the density...so my wife retired and we moved to our place in Boonville. So I like the lower density, and that’s really it. And I think that the people are just more genuine. Sense of community, I mean Boonville is its own community. We have a newspaper, a radio station, a bank, it’s the big city, but its just a small community. There are disadvantages to small communities at times, but it is just the life, and the values.”“I went to college to have careers and everything else, and I would find times to get back here as much as I could, because it was a place I had really good memories as a child, but also as an adult they were good memories, but there were never enough. When the opportunity came that said I could live here full time, it was a no-brainer for me. So what keeps me here is the sense of community, people are friendly, they will support you, they will tell you what they think no matter what, and you know where people stand. It’s a good quality of life”“I was working in NYC, and walking out of my apartment, all the noise just hit me, and I was basically like I got to live where there were more trees than people. And I thought where could I do that, and ohh I got the perfect spot. And what that did was basically change my direction of life and moved it from city dweller to living up here in the mountains.”Regional Values/Trends 2. What do you consider to be the most significant trends, events, and developments currently shaping the future of this region?Focus Group #1Land useInstitutional transitionsTourismFocus Group #2Land useAging populationClimate changeNatural resource management (water, energy, etc.)LocalizationRefugee resettlement (agriculture, climate, water refugeesAgricultureFocus Group #3Affordable housingAging population Need for tech/high speed wifi to appeal to tourists and youthLack of access to health and human servicesTourismEnvironment“Churches are closing. ?Schools are consolidating. ?But out of this chaos, there are new institutions emerging, and I am thinking of the Wild Center, not only a museum but it offers classes, and Shelburne Farms in Vermont – full educational program there. ?So different organizations are picking up pieces that used to belong other institutions. I think we are looking at either having to change or not survive. I am interested in this reserve because it is a new model of thinking about institutional growth.”“In the context of climate change, VT can expect to have an increasing population due to climate refugees, water refugees. I met someone this summer from Long Island, whose home was destroyed by Hurricane Sandy, and now his wife is scared of the ocean, so they moved to VT. I see the increasing population movement into VT for these climate scarcities.”“One of the problems with the rural areas is that we don’t have enough access to high speed internet, and if we want to keep people here, if we want to help local businesses, we need high speed internet, not the stuff we get where I am on Moose River road, and so we need the technologies to help keep the families and younger people here”Knowledge and Perception of the Champlain Adirondack Biosphere Reserve3. When and how did you first hear about the Champlain-Adirondack Biosphere Reserve designation? Please explain the context and share information that you learned about the CABR.Focus Group #1Email invitation to CABR focus group, 2018Within last 2 yearsBrian Houseal, Director of SUNY ESF NewcombUniversity of VermontFocus Group #2Email invitation to CABR focus group, 2018Within last 2 yearsBrian Houseal, Director of SUNY ESF NewcombUniversity of VermontFocus Group #3Email invitation to CABR focus group, 2018Within last 2 years“During the first 6 months of doing research on the exhibits, ran across the fact that we CABR and was like, wow, thought it was so cool. But everybody else was like no, don’t talk about it, hush. One of my coworkers said the reason why was that there was the fear men in white suits and guns were going to come in here, blue helmets, and do something defendable.” “the first time I heard about CABR was last summer in a conversation with my college, and he shared with me that we actually live in a biosphere reserve, and I was embarrassed that my career was all about protecting wild areas, and I didn’t know this. I went online to try to find out some more on it, and only found a pdf with minimal reference to our reserve, and all of the links in it were debunked. I couldn’t even find a picture of the boundaries of this, which was pretty shocking.”“Your email… what does a biosphere reserve mean”?Knowledge and Perception of the Champlain Adirondack Biosphere Reserve4. Based on your current knowledge of the CABR, what is your perception of the designation? Are you excited by it, confused, skeptical, intrigued? Please explain.Focus Group #1N/A ?- Question was not asked in Focus Group #1.Focus Group #2IntriguedSkeptical/cynicalFundingBoundariesPoliticsFocus Group #3Intrigued Skeptical but hopefulLand use“I am open to anything that promotes connectivity, regionalism, regional planning and I think of the whole ability for connectivity in a sense of how animals species and communities will migrate and adapt to things like climate change, so the less fragmented and the more connected the better. If this gives us help to spark creativity, and thinking in a more bioregional way, then great”“skeptical, but hopeful. It has the potential. We’ve had the designation since 1989, and it really hasn’t meant anything in the ADKs, but that doesn’t mean it couldn’t. It’s a different instant communication world now, and it just takes a really smart marketing.” Future Development5. Of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals listed on the screen, please write down the 3 goals that you think are most important for your community to address at this time. Please explain why you selected these goals and why it is important that they are addressed now.Focus Group #1SDG #1 - No povertySDG # 8 - Decent work and economic growthSDG #11 - Sustainable cities and communitiesSDG #12 - Responsible production and consumptionSDG #13 - Climate ActionFocus Group #2SDG #1 - No povertySDG #11 - Sustainable cities and communitiesSDG #12 - Responsible production and consumptionSDG #13 - Climate ActionFocus Group #3SDG #6 -Clean water and sanitationSDG # 8 - Decent work and economic growthSDG #11 - Sustainable cities and communities“we need the most help with responsible production and consumption. No poverty and Decent Work can’t be separated, they go together”“Poverty is a driver, sustainable cities relates to VT well for jobs, transportation, clean water. And responsible production and consumption is something I can envision myself being more part of.”“Our infrastructure is aging, and it also needs to be expanded. We have come to that age where things are breaking down, and it's just so important to have clean water and sanitation to keep your sustainable community going. And then the opportunities for jobs, to promote economic growth”Future Development6. Think back to your response to our first questions - things that you enjoy most in the regionand current trends and developments. What role (if any) can an umbrella organization with a global network such as the Champlain-Adirondack Biosphere Reserve play in supporting the aspects that you value the most in this region and current trends/developments?Focus Group #1N/A ?- Question was not asked in Focus Group #1.Focus Group #2International knowledge sharing lessons learned. (Recreation, agriculture, cultural history, industrialization, climate change, consumption, working landscapes)Can help at local level (climate refugees to VT, managing sustainable population increase due to climate disruption, could act as a place to learn about sustainable recreation, agriculture and forestry)Opportunity for fundingFocus Group #3Opportunity for funding, (clean water projects, invasive species, economic development) Can help at local level, (reduce town favoritism, assist with problem solving, addresses the needs of local healthcare, affordable housing/EPA restrictions on housing)Breaking down government barriersAggregating current organizations and resources“I think it is at that scale of thinking more globally, and its probably the idea of exchanges, sharing ideas, that is probably the most fruitful avenue for an effort like this.”“Where we live is special, and there are reasons why it should be preserved internationally, and here is how we can tap into resources and collaborative networks and make that happen. I think that this is super powerful and could be greatly utilized.”“The role I see is that this big umbrella organization can act to help coordinate the resources to act as a clearing house for whether it’s a small town in VT or the village of Racket Lake. When they have a problem, they can go to CABR, and CABR acts to see where these issues are, the similarities and how others dealt with it, and to aggregate more resources because it's easier to get the resources if you are CABR than if you are a small village. That’s the role I see, not as a regulator, but an aggregator of help for the community.”“It should bring things together, but also make it easier to navigate the challenges that are here, but not create any new barriers”“help leverage funding for clean water projects, invasive species, or economic development.”Knowledge and Perception of the Champlain Adirondack Biosphere Reserve*7. Based on your current knowledge of CABR, do you think CABR is useful, important and timely in NY and VT? ?Do you need to know additional information to answer this? If so, what?Focus Group #1Yes usefulYes timelyNeed to know moreFocus Group #2N/A ?- Question was not asked in Focus Group #2.Focus Group #3N/A ?- Question was not asked in Focus Group #3.I would answer yes useful, yes timely, and yes I need to know more… I think it is good to help draw people to this destination. People are getting more of a sense of a connection, and I think it’s timely, and doesn’t need to be scary like it was.”“Can we convince the rednecks here that there won't be blue helmets running around with guns?”“What is the benefit of bringing it out of inactivity? Is there financial benefit to this being active?”Figure 4 (below) shows how key themes were defined and named based on coding categories. This table validates the over arching themes, and shows the researchers thought process for naming the main themes from the focus group responses. Figure 4. ?Defining and naming key themes by coding categories Key ThemesCodes to Inform Key ThemesApplicability to Research Question(s)Theme #1: Love of Place (kid connect, rec, vacation, from city, sense of community)FamilySense of communityKids to connection to placeVacationOutdoor recreationNatureFrom cityMountainsQ3. What are residents' thoughts/ideas/worries about future development of the designation?Theme #2: Climate Action (natural resource management, clean water)Land useRefugee resettlementNatural resource managementAgricultureEnvironmentNatureQ3. What are residents' thoughts/ideas/worries about future development of the designation?Theme #3: Aggregator of communities, organizations, and resources (funding) instead of regulatorLack of access to health and human servicesOpportunity for fundingAffordable housingInternational/national knowledge sharing and lessons learnedBreakdown government barriersReduce favoritism Refugee resettlementQ2. What are residents' perception of the designation?Q3. What are residents' thoughts/ideas/worries about future development of the designation?Theme #4: Sustainable communities (economic development, sustainable tourism, cultural preservation, business opportunity)Outdoor RecreationVacationLand useInstitutional transitionsSustainable tourismNatural resource managementLocalizationClimate changeSense of communityLack of affordable housingJobs/businessesNeed for tech/high speed wifiInternational/national knowledge sharingOpportunity for fundingAggregating current organizations and resourcesCan help at local levelQ3. What are residents' thoughts/ideas/worries about future development of the designation?Theme #5: ?Need for circular economyNatureJobs/ BusinessesLand useInstitutional transitionsSustainable tourismClimate changeNatural resource management LocalizationAgricultureEnvironmentInternational/ national knowledge sharingAggregating current organizations and resourcesQ3. What are residents' thoughts/ideas/worries about future development of the designation?Theme #6: ?Land management (public/private, fragmentation, CABR boundaries, etc.)Outdoor recNatureVacation/tourismFrom cityJobs/businessesLove of placeSense of communityLand useInstitutional transitionsClimate changeNatural resource managementLocalizationAgriculture Aging populationEnvironmentRestrictions surrounding affordable housing developmentDemand for tech/high speed wifiFunding Boundaries Politics/regulationsSkeptical about fragmentation and zoningSharing lessons learned Breaking down government barriersCan help at local level and reduce town favoritism. Q2.What are residents' perception of the designation?Q3. What are residents' thoughts/ideas/worries about future development of the designation?Theme #7: Poor info availability about CABR (intrigued, skeptical, need to know more, lack of info, last 2 years - 15/22First heard about CABR through focus group invitation email 2018- 9/22First heard about CABR within the last two years-15/22Needs to know moreUsefulTimelyIntriguedSkeptical/cynicalFundingBoundariesPoliticsLand use managementCABR objectivesCABR benefitsNature/wildlife managementSocial, environmental, and economic impact of CABRQ1. What are residents' level of knowledge about the CABR designation?Findings Through focus group data analysis, seven key themes were named, and six of them addressed residents' thoughts, ideas, or concerns about future development of the CABR designation (Figure 4). Exemplar quotes were extracted to convey the sentiment of the themes. Pseudonyms were used to protect anonymity of participants. Theme 1: Love of place. This theme was brought up the most in each of the focus groups, and it seemed to carry the deepest meaning. Many participants discussed their childhood connection to this area, and how it hooked them at a young age. A great example of this is this quote from the UVM focus group: “I grew up in Connecticut, and my parents took me skiing in Vermont as a kid, I believe I was 6 years old, and I remember the moment when I decided I would live in VT the rest of my life” (Focus Group 2). Not only do residents born and raised within the region love it here, but so do tourists and, as shown above, even children develop a strong sense of place in the biosphere reserve. It was made clear that residents want to see this area being preserved so that their children can enjoy nature just as the previous generations had. One of the participants from focus group one stated, “we were living in a big city and realized, my wife and I, that we wanted out kids to grow up connected to a place, a part of a community that was older and more – just the permanence of being in the Adirondacks where there is the history of the Park, and we wanted our kids to be part of that” (Focus Group 1). Per the participants, this ties back into land use regulations. In order to preserve a natural area, there must be certain land use restrictions in place to keep it natural. Theme 2: Climate action (natural resource management, clean water).The most prevalent concern the residents had about the future of this designation was about the environmental impacts. This included the land use regulations, and resource management. The need for clean water was brought up often. Residents feel that clean water is one of the drivers for life, so properly managing natural resources to keep the watersheds clean and free of contaminants is critical. Land use regulations set the requirements a community must obey to reduce unnecessary negative human impacts to the environment. Simply protecting a forested area from development, or requiring homes to be a certain distance from the water improves water quality. The natural environment, specifically plants and pervious soils, act as a filter to our water, so the more natural the surrounding area to a town is, the cleaner their water supply. This all gets decided by the land use regulation, which either allow the land to be altered or developed, or for it to be protected. Theme 3: The preference of the CABR acting as an aggregator of communities, organizations, and resources, instead of regulator. The focus group participants shared their concern that many of the small towns in the Adirondacks need better access to funding. Residents are hopeful that CABR “can act to help coordinate the resources to act as a clearing house for funding whether it’s a small town in Vermont or the village of Racket Lake. When they have a problem, they can go to CABR, and CABR acts to see where these issues are, the similarities and how others dealt with it, and to aggregate more resources because it's easier to get the resources if you are CABR than if you are a small village. That’s the role I see, not as a regulator, but an aggregator of help for the community” (Focus Group 3). Issues of affordable housing and local healthcare were noted as they stated these issues are difficult for small towns to deal with because of the government barriers. Many of these barriers pertain to land use regulations. Residents articulated the importance of having an umbrella organization that can find ways to navigate through these regulations, which allows for increased economic development, as well as conservation of the land. Small town favoritism is also an impediment that residents would like to see CABR help solve, by removing these barriers and making funding more widely available. Theme 4: Transition to more sustainable communities. Residents recognize the importance of protecting this unique area, and how CABR could be beneficial “Where we live is special, and there are reasons why it should be preserved internationally, and here is how we can tap into resources and collaborative networks and make that happen. I think that this is super powerful and could be greatly utilized” (Focus Group 2). But at the same time, residents see the value in the tourism industry, and the business opportunity within the conservation of the natural environment. They want CABR to increase economic development and the sustainable tourism business opportunity, but in a more sustainable manor that preserves both cultural and environmental aspects of this region. Theme five: The need for a circular economy. This encompasses both the need for decent work, and responsible production and consumption. “Our infrastructure is aging, and it also needs to be expanded. We have come to that age where things are breaking down, and it's just so important to have clean water and sanitation to keep your sustainable community going. And then the opportunities for jobs, to promote economic growth” (Focus Group 3). This quote is an example of how the current condition of many communities within the biosphere are declining, and need to be reinvigorated. In order to build a more sustainable community, there must be more available job opportunities. Land use is a big part of this, zoning in particular, because it limits what types of industries are allowed in the area. It also limits the types of housing developments that are allowed here, such as the struggle to develop affordable housing, which the APA restricts. CABR is perceived by the residents as an opportunity to boost the economy in local communities, and help navigate the government bureaucracy to deal with these institutional transitions. Theme six: Land management (public/private, fragmentation, CABR boundaries, etc.). This theme is the residents most amplified concern about the reinvigoration of CABR. The degree to which the land within the reserve boundary is managed or restricted impacts everyday life here. Outdoor recreation is a huge attraction for this area, so if new restrictions are imposed by CABR, it affects the entire tourism based economy. Others love the place for how it is currently, and their only goal is to maintain, not further protect. Residents here all seemed to agree that CABR is beneficial and useful, but were skeptical when it came to this aspect, which leads to theme seven. Theme seven: Lack of available information about the CABR. Out of the 22 total focus group participants, 15 of them hadn’t heard about CABR until the last two years. Of those 15 people, 9 of them had first heard about CABR through the focus group invite. This was surprising because the CABR designation has been here since 1989, and many of the participants had job fields relating to the environment that may be impacted by the CABR. This quote reflects CABR information availability, “the first time I heard about CABR was last summer in a conversation with my colleague, and he shared with me that we actually live in a biosphere reserve, and I was embarrassed that my career was all about protecting wild areas, and I didn’t know this. I went online to try to find out some more on it, and only found a pdf with minimal reference to our reserve, and all of the links in it were debunked. I couldn’t even find a picture of the boundaries of this, which was pretty shocking” (Focus Group 2). Based on the seven themes that the thematic analysis captured about residents' thoughts, ideas, or concerns about future development of the CABR designation, it can be concluded that the residents’ goals reflect the overarching goals of UNESCO. The seventh theme revealed the major problem with the biosphere, which hasn’t changed since 1989. The lack of available information on the specific regulations CABR utilizes was the the most sought after question of the 2018 focus groups, and will most likely continue to be the limiting factor for the reinvigoration of the biosphere reserve unless it is acknowledged and addressed. Limitations: The sample population for this focus group was restricted based on time and resources. Moving forward, a more diverse sample could be obtained both geographically and in terms of affinity groups. While the three different focus group locations addressed geographically related perceptions residents have towards CABR, it only target a specific socio-economic class. All participants were college educated though the average level of educational is a bachelor’s degree. Survey research could triangulate the findings adding rigor. A survey for this purpose was developed, but time constraints precluded its implementation. (see appendix). Conclusions:According to the results from this research, one of the biggest challenges associated with the reinvigoration of CABR is the lack of information available. The research revealed that 68% (15/22) of residents were unaware of CABR until the periodic review was published in 2016, and over 40% (9/22) of the residents had no idea what CABR was until they received an invite to come to the focus group. Another significant finding was that over 75% of participants thought CABR was beneficial and had potential for positive outcomes, but only 56% of the participants thought that now was a good time to reinvigorate it. 69% of participants were still skeptical about CABR, specifically the lack of information concerning land use right’s changes and the specific biosphere zone boundaries. It is also significant that back it 1989, just after CABR was designated, there was such a large amount of local objection to it and there were, and still are, almost no available facts about the specific land use changes CABR would entail. Land use rights, once again, seemed to be a central concern. The most common questions related to what changes, or where exactly the new land classification boundaries CABR uses (core, buffer, and transition) actually are. Participants wanted to know exactly how reinvigorating CABR would specifically affect them and other residents. There is still no information on where each of those zones is, and of how it will indeed affect this region. Based on the research, it can be concluded that until the public is made aware of the specific land rights CABR plans to prescribe, that this reinvigoration will not be moving forward. There is a great amount of overlap between the goals a biosphere has and the goals participants identified. This alignment, if clearly articulated and widely disseminated, suggests the necessary buy-in may be more a question of sharing information than combating conflicting values. Works Cited:About DEC. (n.d.). Retrieved February 12, 2018, from Park Agency. (n.d.). Retrieved April 04, 2018, from , V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology.?Qualitative Research in Psychology,?3(2), 77-101. doi:10.1191/1478088706qp063oaFrench, D. (2002, December 18). Story of a Biosphere: The Champlain Adirondack Biosphere Reserve. Citizen Review. Retrieved February 6, 2018, from , J. L., & Gale, T. (2009). Ecotourism and environmental sustainability principles and practice. Farnham, England: Ashgate.Houseal, B. (2016). Champlain-Adirondack Biosphere Reserve Periodic Review (Rep.). CABR, NY: UNESCO MAB.Introducing UNESCO. (2018, January 26). Retrieved February 08, 2018, from , P. J. (2009, October 17). The Meaning of the Champlain-Adirondack Biosphere Reserve. Retrieved March 05, 2018, from , UNESCO. (2007, February 13). Champlain-Adirondack Biosphere Reserve Directory . Retrieved February 6, 2018, from 45Marks, D. F., & Yardley, L. (2012).?Research methods for clinical and health psychology. Los Angeles: Sage.Masadeh, M. A., PhD. (2012). Focus Group: Reviews and Practices.?International Journal of Applied Science and Technology,?2(10), 63-68.Smith, C., & Greshko, M. (2017, June 14). UN Announces 23 New Nature Reserves While U.S. Removes 17. Retrieved February 08, 2018, from , N. G. (2012, October 09). Biosphere. Retrieved February 08, 2018, from Land Classifications. (n.d.). Retrieved February 12, 2018, from UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Program: What’s It All About? (n.d.). Retrieved February 06, 2018, from , K. S. (2006).?Globalization & new geographies of conservation. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.Appendix:Champlain Adirondack Biosphere Reserve (CABR) SurveyWhat is the purpose of this study? To determine Champlain-Adirondack Biosphere Reserve residents’ knowledge and perception of the biosphere designation, and to explore possibilities for future development.What will be done with this information? Findings from this study can be used by the Champlain-Adirondack Biosphere Reserve working group to develop a management and communication plan for the biosphere reserve.Section 1: Regional Trends and Values1. Where within the region are you currently residing? (city and state) PRIVATE "<INPUT TYPE=\"text\" TABINDEX=\"0\" NAME=\"entry.1078405023\" VALUE=\"\" DIR=\"auto\">" MACROBUTTON HTMLDirect Your answer2. What do you like most about living in this area? Please explain.Your answer PRIVATE "<TEXTAREA TABINDEX=\"0\" NAME=\"entry.1871606902\" DIR=\"auto\"></TEXTAREA>" MACROBUTTON HTMLDirect 3. What do you value most about your community? Please explain.Your answer PRIVATE "<TEXTAREA TABINDEX=\"0\" NAME=\"entry.813773713\" DIR=\"auto\"></TEXTAREA>" MACROBUTTON HTMLDirect 4. In your opinion, what are 3 current trends/developments you feel will most benefit this region in the future (environmental or economic)?Section 2: Knowledge and Perception of the Champlain Adirondack Biosphere Reserve5. How would you describe your current level of knowledge on the Champlain Adirondack Biosphere Reserve (CABR)?I have no knowledge of CABR12345I fully understand what CABR entails6. What approximate year did you first hear about CABR? PRIVATE "<INPUT TYPE=\"text\" TABINDEX=\"0\" NAME=\"entry.9826435\" VALUE=\"\" DIR=\"auto\">" MACROBUTTON HTMLDirect Your answer7. Where did you first hear about the CABR designation?From a friendFrom a government organizationFrom a magazineFrom the newsOther: PRIVATE "<INPUT TYPE=\"text\" TABINDEX=\"0\" DIR=\"auto\">" MACROBUTTON HTMLDirect 8. Based on your current level of knowledge of CABR, what is your perception of the designation? Are you excited, intrigued, concerned, skeptical, or confused? Please explain.Section 3: Future Development17 Sustainable Development Goals9. Of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals listed above, please choose 3 goals which you think are most important for your community to address at this time and why you feel they are most important.Your answer PRIVATE "<TEXTAREA TABINDEX=\"0\" NAME=\"entry.1041331024\" DIR=\"auto\"></TEXTAREA>" MACROBUTTON HTMLDirect 10. Think back to the things that you enjoy most in this region and the top trends and developments you listed in section. What role (if any) can an umbrella organization such as the Champlain-Adirondack Biosphere Reserve play in supporting the aspects that you value the most in this region and your current trends/development goals?Your answer PRIVATE "<TEXTAREA TABINDEX=\"0\" NAME=\"entry.1424346692\" DIR=\"auto\"></TEXTAREA>" MACROBUTTON HTMLDirect BACKSUBMIT ................
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