Course Toolkit

Variation on the Instructions to Issue Tree Activity in Module 3

When managing for Ecological Integrity it is critical that we consider the variety of viewpoints. Disagreement over management approaches is often because different people see the original problem differently. "Your" solution may work fine for "your" problem but "your" problem is not "the" problem. Having a diversity of people buying into a solution provides a higher assurance of success. This requires agreement, first, on defining the problem and then developing management approaches.

The Issue Tree activity can be designed in a way to illustrate these points. Try this: pick a single issue for the whole "class" to deal with but ask each group to represent a different perspective. For example, ask one group to represent the views of a local rancher, another to represent an environmental group, another to represent an aboriginal perspective, another to represent park management, and so on.

It may be interesting to see how the different groups frame the issue and the strategies for managing them.

Caution: In doing the exercise this way, be careful not to have the groups fall into extreme stereotypes. One of the messages in successfully managing for EI is to view other perspectives with respect. Ranchers, environmental groups and, yes, even park managers can have positive contributions to make. Your job as trainer is to help foster this.