Boundary Spanning and Co-production with Management Partners in Arctic/Boreal Systems: Lessons from 10 Years of the Alaska Fire Science Consortium

Abstract:

Given the extensive public lands in many northern regions, federal, state, local, and tribal land and resource managers are logical, but sometimes overlooked, partners for knowledge co-production. Mandated to use the best available science to support their decisions, agency managers are highly interested in accessing and/or developing actionable science appropriate for their needs but face significant challenges in boreal and arctic systems due in part to sparse data, dynamic ecosystems, and rapid rates of climate change. Conversely, researchers are keen to make their research useful for management but may be constrained by inadequate knowledge of agency personnel, priorities, and operational systems and constraints. Both groups are challenged by limited time and resources to bridge these gaps. The Alaska Fire Science Consortium (AFSC), one of the 15 Joint Fire Science Program (JFSP) Fire Science Exchanges, is a boundary organization working at the interface of science and the interagency wildland fire management community in Alaska. Established in 2009, AFSC has been able to build on a long history of science-management collaboration in boreal ecology, climate science, and fire dynamics, which seeded the trusted relationships and valuable shared understanding that are key for knowledge co-production. This history of collaboration, combined with specific AFSC boundary spanning activities and resources, has helped researchers and managers establish a sustained effort to co-produce the usable science needed to address the changing climate’s effects on Alaska’s fire regimes and fire management. This presentation will review AFSC’s approach to boundary spanning and knowledge co-production, including how specific elements of the JFSP Fire Science Exchange Network’s structure are essential to bridging the science-management gap over the long term. These elements include ongoing evaluation, continuity of relationships, and an open mandate to meet users’ needs. We will also discuss key partnerships with other boundary-spanning organizations, such as the NOAA RISA in Alaska, the Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy (ACCAP), as well as specific projects, including student internships, that offer models for developing actionable science and fostering science-management collaboration.