(108) OK or NOT OK: The Role of Value Judgements in Parks' Natural Resource Management

Park resource managers are usually well-versed in the technical aspects of natural resource management, but they frequently miss the value judgements of their constituents. Often this includes constituents they hadn't engaged from underserved communities. The average person makes their decision of whether something is OK or NOT OK in two to three seconds based on their value judgements, often with little knowledge or regard to why a management practice is being used. This can have profound impacts on your conservation plan implementation. This session will go into how value judgements are formed. Go through the need for proactive outreach being critical to a park departments conservation plans. Throughout the session, attendees will be asked OK or NOT OK to complex park related natural resources issues. Based on attendees backgrounds, everyone will see significant differences in OK or NOT OK. Stakeholder engagement, outreach, media relations and professionalism are all critical. 

Learning Objectives: 

1. Identify three factors that will influence constituents value judgements of their actions. 

2. Articulate three ways to minimize negative interactions with the public regarding their natural resource management. 

3. Identify three ways to encourage diversity and inclusiveness in their natural resource planning.