0132-A1

Putting Information to Work in British Columbia’s Natural Resource Sector

Trina Innes^[1]

Abstract

Sustainability is a major driver of a number of international instruments including the Brundtland Report, the Rio Declaration and Agenda 21. All of these instruments emphasize the need to improve our management and exchange of knowledge.

Sustainable management of natural resources requires the integration of information from many sources and disciplines, as well as close collaboration between geographically dispersed team members. Natural resource managers make decisions every day - to make sound decisions, they must have access to the best available information.

Knowledge management systems address a variety of factors, including knowledge generation, knowledge organization, knowledge sharing and the application of knowledge. This paper demonstrates the value and applicability of various technology tools, including collaborative workspaces, Web conferencing, mailing lists, and internet portals/knowledge repositories. The experiences of two organizations, FORREX-Forest Research Extension Partnership and FORCAST (Coalition for the Advancement of Science and Technology in the Forest Sector) are used to highlight the benefits of these tools within the natural resource sector in British Columbia and beyond.

Introduction

Could your organization improve their management of information? Would you benefit from increased collaboration between employees/clients? Does your organization manage complex projects with geographically participants? Do you need better access from people inside your organization? If you’ve answered yes, to one or more of these questions, your organization would benefit from knowledge management. Knowledge management will help move us all one step closer to sustainability-healthy economic, social and environmental systems for the present and future.

Sustainability is a major driver of a number of international instruments including the Brundtland Report, Rio Declaration, and Agenda 21. All of these instruments emphasize the need to improve our management and exchange of knowledge. Ann Dale, Environment and Management Program Professor, Royal Roads University believes, "...competence in this area can never be based on complete knowledge but must rely on the best available information and expertise." (Dale and Hill 2001). Sustainable management of natural resources requires the integration of information from many sources and disciplines.

Lee Denny, recently retired Chief Information Officer of Government of British Columbia, points out that government information is not currently treated as an asset. It is not integrated, nor is the release of information maximized (Denny 2002). Financial, pharmaceutical, and telecommunications companies are leading the way when it comes to knowledge management (Coleman 1998), but in the author’s opinion, no industry needs knowledge management more than the natural resources sector.

Knowledge management systems address a variety of factors, including knowledge generation, knowledge organization, knowledge sharing and the application knowledge. Improved access to tacit knowledge (i.e., knowledge people carry around in their heads), and explicit knowledge (i.e., knowledge contained in documents) will help ensure we are using and applying current knowledge.

Access to tacit knowledge is improved by systems that enhance collaboration. This is especially important as more organizations operate in virtual teams. Access to tacit knowledge is also improved by sharing directories of expertise and organizations. Access to explicit knowledge is improved by linking, organizing, and sharing warehouses of information.

FORREX-Forest Research Extension Partnership provides extension services to support more informed decisions about sustainable ecosystem management. We leverage expertise contributed by diverse teams to create and deliver our programs. With specialists, partners, and working groups distributed throughout British Columbia, across different time zones, and using different computer operating systems, keeping everyone up to speed on projects can be a challenge. It is also challenging to ensure that everyone has access to current information.

We’re not the only organization addressing this challenge.. Government and non-government members of FORCAST (Coalition for the Advancement of Science and Technology in the Forest Sector) champion the importance of adequately resourced science and technology in the forest sector across Canada. They facilitate co-ordination and communication among forest science and technology providers and users.

Henry Benskin, a Director on FORCAST’s Board, knew that working with top executives and managers across Canada could be a challenge. He wondered how FORCAST committee members could stay on top of Board developments, look at huge documents, and collaborate with other members without wasting precious time and energy? This is especially important to FORCAST as their geographically dispersed membership includes senior people who have limited available time. To address this issue, FORCAST sought to establish a Strategic Knowledge System (SKS) in partnership with FORREX.

Using the experiences of FORREX and FORCAST, this paper explains how British Columbia recently reconfirmed the need for improved management of natural resource knowledge and demonstrates how FORREX is using knowledge management tools to support extension and move British Columbia towards sustainability.

Knowledge Management in British Columbia

Recognizing that natural resources information is geographically distributed across British Columbia, in government, non-government, industry, First Nations and academic organizations, and the need for improved management of knowledge, FORREX established a core information management program. The vision of FORREX is that improved access to scientific, indigenous, and experiential information, support with extension services will help solve real problems, and promote best practices in the natural resource sector.

The goals of FORREX’s Natural Resources Information Management Program are to:

• Identify gaps in information and technological capacity.

• Foster the establishment of necessary information sources to fill gaps.

• Facilitate and encourage cooperation between organizations and partners for effective implementation of information exchange.

• Provide strategic assistance and ongoing capacity building to organizations setting up or maintaining information exchange activities.

• Develop and promote use of mechanisms for exchanging and integrating information on ecosystems and their management.

• Pursue partnerships, funding strategies, and sharing of resources to ensure the sustainability of information exchange mechanisms.

In 2000, the need for improved information management was confirmed by FORREX during the identification of provincial knowledge gaps in the natural resource sector. The purpose of the knowledge gap study was to develop a strategic investment framework for Forest Renewal BC that supported sustainability. Close to 400 people participated in this study over a series of workshops and online activities (Hollstedt 2000).

Of the 60 problems identified for the province, 17 were identified information management and extension as a critical component of sustainability requiring investment (Forest Renewal BC 2001). In the resulting investment framework developed the following knowledge management goals were identified:

• Co-operative delivery of knowledge from science to users and back.

• Seamless, user-friendly access to natural resource knowledge.

• System-wide (users) awareness of knowledge, programs and expertise.

• Effective management and dissemination of data, information and knowledge resources.

• Adopt effective information management policies, procedures, and practices within natural resource management organizations.

• Establish collaborative mechanisms for the integration and bridging of disparate natural resource information over spatial and temporal scales.

• Provide open access to data, information and knowledge.

• Next generation mentorship of the non-competitive principles of open information exchange...

Looking forward, Information management and exchange is major deliverable of one of British Columbia’s new ministries, the Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management (MSRM). To guide their service delivery model, MSRM has adopted a number of principles, including:

Sustainability - Manage our natural resources to ensure that the needs of present and future generations of British Columbians are met by balancing economic, environmental and social values.

Science-based decision-making - Use the best available knowledge and technology to support consistent decision-making.

Shared stewardship - Exercise our stewardship responsibilities in a consultative and collaborative manner, to address diverse interests and build strong governmental, industrial and environmental partnerships.

Public and client consultation - Provide opportunities to contribute to decision-making and improvement of service quality

(Government of British Columbia 2002)

Echoing international and national sentiments, MSRM recognizes that "The public increasingly demands transparent decision-making, based on impartial, scientific information." (Government of British Columbia 2002). MSRM has assumed a government lead in improving access to information about natural resources, for land use planning purposes and for meaningful citizen involvement. They have committed to working with all natural resource agencies to provide integrated land and resource information services and a more scientifically-based framework for natural resource decisions.

While knowledge and information management are increasingly visible in government, efforts appear focused on increasing access to information. Improving access to information, does not necessarily mean that it will be used; government should establish processes/environments that encourage organizational and societal learning. FORREX is working together with a wide variety of partners to improve the understanding and application of current knowledge. Using FORCAST and FORREX as examples, the following paragraphs describe useful tools and approaches.

Collaborative Workspaces

Web-based collaboration workspaces are designed to increase participation in decision-making or planning, increase opportunities to generate ideas, or reduce the time and expense of travel. A variety of collaboration tools are available, each offering different features, delivery mechanisms, and pricing structures (see Table 1).

Table 1. Web sites highlighting various technology tools

Collaboration and Project Management

List Servers*

* Free and fee-based solutions are offered by these and other companies.

Knowledge Management Theory and Technology

After the internal implementation of a Web-based collaboration package called eProject, FORREX realized they could help other organizations with this technology. When FORREX offered to assist FORCAST in the development of their SKS solution, the first steps involved using eProject, enabling teams to share tasks, documents, discussions, schedules, Web addresses, and polls.

Benskin observed that one advantage of eProject is that documents don’t have to be distributed-FORCAST committee members do not have to cope with multiple electronic versions of a document or large e-mail attachments. All documents and communication are stored on the eProject Web site, and are accessible through any computer connected to the Internet. FORCAST is in the process of introducing its members to the full potential of eProject for sharing minutes and reports, and for notifying people of upcoming meetings. These systems would be especially useful to organizations involved in land use planning, where a variety of people need to access the same repository of knowledge.

Interested? Some companies offer free scaled-down versions of their product for small project teams. Examine your business needs to see if a collaboration package would help improve your organization’s efficiency and decision-making.

Web Conferencing

Do your employees have to travel far for training? Would you benefit from working with one of your colleagues on the same document, at the same time, from different computers? Web conferencing may help. It allows people to jointly view or edit documents, share applications, view presentations, or tour the Web. Some companies use Web conferencing tools to provide remote support for their computer networks.

FORREX brings people from different locations together using a tool called WebEx. Through a conference call, FORREX can provide remote computer training and demonstrations. For example, FORREX trained members of FORCAST from British Columbia and Ontario on how to use their Strategic Knowledge System. Participants access the meeting centre on the Internet, telephone into a conference call, and interact with a trainer who can share the contents of their computer with all participants.

FORREX uses WebEx to interact with graphic designers as they develop publications and Web sites, and to collaboratively plan conference programs with dispersed teams. Users can discuss document drafts and take turns making changes, as other participants watch.

Table 1 identifies a number of companies offering Web conferencing. Many offer free online demonstrations and training.

Mailing Lists

Mailing lists create networks of people with the same interests. They offer an excellent method for building communities of practice in which people can share their experiences and tacit knowledge. Discussion lists support collaboration by allowing subscribers to post questions to many people with experience on a topic. Responses can also be shared with all mailing list subscribers.

Lists can be public or private, with anywhere from two participants to many thousands of members., Mailing lists are often used to keep subscribers up-to-date with information about organizations, products or topic areas. FORREX uses mailing lists to share announcements about services, events and products with almost 2000 clients. To help FORCAST in their communication efforts, FORREX is hosting two mailing lists. One private list is for FORCAST members to discuss FORCAST activities, projects, events, and forest science and technology initiatives. Another is a public mailing list for anyone interested in discussing forest science and technology issues.

Mailing lists are available on numerous natural resource topics. For examples visit the Natural Resources Information Network (http://www.forrex.org). Table 1 provides a number of mailing list suppliers. Table 2 provides examples of mailing lists managed by FORREX.

Table 2. Mailing lists designed to increase awareness about forest practices and support improved sustainable management decisions.

Internet Portals/Knowledge Repositories

The word "portal" means "door". Internet portals often operate as hubs from which users can search and link to information. Many Internet portals share search tools, current news, collaboration tools and methods for cataloguing additional information.

The Natural Resources Information Network (NRIN; http://www.forrex.org/nrin) is an Internet portal which operates like a virtual library where the owner fills the shelves. NRIN helps information seekers-practitioners, professionals, researchers, decision makers, resource users and the public-by providing:

• Information about documents (published and unpublished), research datasets, research activities and direct links to electronic information

• A catalogue of provincial extension events, training courses, and conferences

• An on-line community for collaborating on natural resource topics

• Tools for searching, viewing, and ordering information

Developed by FORREX in collaboration with a wide variety of partners, NRIN helps bring information from FORCAST together with information from other government, non-government, First Nations, industry, academic organizations for easier search and discovery.

FORCAST has established a project to use NRIN to catalogue science and technology documents they wish to share. The have begun the process of documenting strategic information such as cost-benefit analyses and success stories within the forest industry -the sorts of things their membership needs in order to succeed. At the same time, this information is shared publicly through NRIN so other agencies can benefit through increased knowledge and awareness.

Connecting to NRIN decreases the time spent researching information and reduces the chance of research being duplicated. This leads to more informed sustainable management decisions that are based on innovative and current research.

Many technology solutions for managing Internet portals and information are available depending on your business need. Table 1 provides a summary of resources on knowledge management theory and technology.

Closing Comments

The world is undergoing a fundamental socioeconomic change from an industrial society to an information society and a knowledge-based society.
(Simard 2000).

With international environmental instruments such as Agenda 21 as a foundation, companies are now being judged on how well they manage their activities as part of a long-term sustainability agenda. This includes the management of knowledge. Only by building and supporting a culture in which knowledge-sharing is valued and encouraged will we achieve sustainable management.

Using current knowledge can translate into more efficient operations and better decisions, in the forestry sector and beyond. While collaboration tools, Web conferencing, mailing lists and Internet portals can help improve the transfer of knowledge, organizations can’t rely solely on technology to achieve these goals. A variety of internal factors that drive knowledge management must be addressed including: leadership, culture, business processes, people, skills and technology infrastructure.

A thorough knowledge management assessment forms the basis for the development of a knowledge management strategy-organizations will be most effective once they’ve established links between their knowledge management and corporate goals. As managing for sustainability is not a static goal, only the most responsive organizations-those with reliable access to current information-can hope to achieve it.

References

Coleman, D. (1998). Taking the best approach to KM. Computer Reseller News: 111-112.

Dale, A. and Stuart B. Hill. (2001). At the Edge: Sustainable Development in the 21st Century (Sustainability and the Environment, 6). University of British Columbia

Denny, L. (2002). Key Strategies 2001-2002. Government of British Columbia. Office of the Premier. [Online] http://www.cio.gov.bc.ca/Strategic_Initiatives/KeyStrategies2001.pps Accessed 14 July 2002.

Simard, A. (2000). Managing Knowledge at the Canadian Forest Service. 2000. Canadian Forest Service, Natural Resources Canada