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Decoding ecosystem services in the neighborhood through the development and utilization of a framework
Citation:
Williams, K., J. Carlson, Dave Bolgrien, J. Hoffman, T. Angradi, AND K. Gilbertson. Decoding ecosystem services in the neighborhood through the development and utilization of a framework. St. Louis River Summit, Superior, WI, March 14 - 15, 2017.
Impact/Purpose:
This presentation will introduce a framework to sort and classify data, as well as identify ecosystem services, collected through inductive methods like participant observation and document analysis. This method will provide an example of how to conduct research in communities.
Description:
Remediation to Restoration to Revitalization (R2R2R) is a place-based practice that requires ongoing communication amongst agencies, local governments, and citizens. One of the challenges is that each of these entities have different relationships with and responsibilities to sites where R2R2R unfolds. Sediment remediation and habitat restoration project goals, community planning, and lived experiences diverge in scale, focus, and interaction depending on the agency or individual. In order to address this disconnect, we developed a framework to sort and classify data and identify ecosystem services collected through inductive methods like participant observation and document analysis. Data were collected between June 2015 and December 2016 and analyzed through content analysis as a first step. Participant observation was conducted in relation to the City of Duluth St. Louis River Corridor planning process at park planning public meetings, community group meetings, and City of Duluth technical advisory meetings. Document analysis was conducted on a variety of City of Duluth plans. The framework that emerged from the analysis includes neighborhood components that individuals, organizations, and local governments may discuss in the context of their community. The characteristics are a mix of built environment types, structural dimensions, personal experiences, and human-environment relationships and include: parks/open spaces, trails or connections, housing, schools, infrastructure, local businesses, macro-economy, natural features, governmental rules or regulations, demographics/crime statistics/health care facilities, safety, self-determination or participation, identity, social cohesion, sustainability, and aesthetics. We intend this framework to be utilized as a “decoder ring” to interpret distinct values and facilitate communication or comparison.