MappingthesociallandscapeofworkinggrasslandsintheCornBelt:stakeholderpercep.onsofthemul.func.onalityofIowagrazingsystems

MaeRosePetrehn,M.S.DefensePresenta=onJanuary10,2011

GraduatePrograminSustainableAgricultureDepartmentsofSociologyandNaturalResource,Ecology&Management

IowaStateUniversity

Ames,Iowa

MappingtheSocialLandscape•  OverviewofthefuncEonsofgrazinginIowagrasslands

•  StudyArea•  Researchdesign•  Methodology

•  Results&Conclusions•  Acknowledgements

StateofIowaGrasslands

Private/FarmLevelBenefits

•  Dependentongrazingmanagement•  What'sinitforproducers?

– Bufferagainstfluctua=ngcostoffeed– Landsunsuitedforcropproduc=on– Alterna=ve&emergingmarketchannels– Economicwinnerwhensubsidypaymentsnotconsidered

CherneyandKallenbach2007;Janovicketal.2001;Digiacomoetal.2001;Entzetal.2002;MathewsandJohnson2010;Acevedoetal.2006;Hogbergetal.2005;Floraetal.2004.

Pasturesepitomizeagricultures’provisionof‘mul=plefunc=ons’

•  Inaddi=ontoprivatebenefits,theselands(perennialsystems)canbemanagedwithgrazingforecosystemservicesforpublicbenefit

– WaterQuality/Management– SoilHealthandCarbonStorage– BiodiversityviaHabitatMaintenance

ConEngentonmanagement...

Boodyetal.2005,2009;JordanandWarner2010;BurrasandMcLaughlin2002;Jacksonetal.2010;Sandersonetal.2009,Wiltshireetal.2010;Schulteetal.2008.

Whatkindofmanagement?Backtothebasics

•  Principlesofpasturemanagement:Maintainingperennialpolyculturesbymanipula=ngfrequencyandintensityofgrazing.– Sustainablestockingrate– Adequaterecovery=me

DrawingbyC.Petrehn

Mul=func=onalGrazing(MFG)

EcosystemServicesProvisionedbyPastureland

Fiber

Feed

Food

Soilconserva=on

Waterquality

CommonlyUnderstoodEcosystemServices

SoilCarbon

BiodiversityConserva=on

BiofuelFeedstocks

EmergingEcosystemServices

GrasslandBird

Habitat

AdaptedfromWallisDeVriesetal.1998

Grazingasalandmanagementtoolhasprovenbenefitsforgrasslandandgamebirdspecies

Herkert1994;seealsoPaineetal.1996,Walketal.2010,Vickeryetal.1995

LogicModel

Iowa'slandUseContext:Largescaleannualrowcropproduc=on

Remaininggrasslandscanbemanagedforecosystemservices

Grazingsystemsmanagedformul=plebenefitscanleveragetheseservices

Howdosocialdynamicsanddis=nctstakeholdergroupschallengeecosystemservicemanagement?

Stakeholdergroups:atthesametableaboutMFG?

Farmer/ Producer Federal Agencies IowaNRCS

HATRanch

ResearchObjec=veToexploresocialpercepEonsregardingtheabilityofMFGtobalanceproducEon&ecologicalgoalsinadesignatedbirdconservaEonarea.

•  DodivergentgoalspreventthesegroupsfromcollaboraEngtopromoteexpansionofMFG?–  Ifso,howcanthisbeaddressed?

•  Whatisa‘roadmap’forincreasingtheviabilityofMFGsystems?

PhotobyM.Petrehn

BirdConserva=onAreasinIowa•  IdeaconceivedbyPartnersinFlightincollabora=onwithregionalexperts

–  SeeJacobsetal.(2005),FitzgeraldandPashley(2000)

Guthrie,Carroll,GreeneCoun=es

RaccoonRiverBirdConserva=onArea

MapbyElizabethC.Hill

SocialgoalsoftheBCAsystem

•  “Tocreateapartnershipwithlandownersandfosteranunderstandingoftheimportanceoftheneedtoconserve...grasslandbirds.”

•  Hasthisbeenrealized?

BradJacobsetal.2005

TrendsinPastureUse:Iowa&Guthrie,CarrollandGreeneCoun=es

•  Fewerfarms

•  Farmshavefewercows•  Decliningforageandpastureuseingeneral

•  Tri‐County1992‐2007–  334fewerfarmswithbeefcows

–  1997‐2007:29,597feweracresofpasture

In2007,Iowafarmersgrazedapprox.32.9%feweracresofpasturethanin1982,withanaveragedecreaseof7.6%every5years

SocialLandscapeoftheStudyArea

Regenetal.(2008)surveyoflocalcommunityleadersandlandowners

CoonRapids,IA:

Popula=on1,300

Methods:StakeholderBasedCaseStudy

•  ‘how’or‘why’asocialphenomenonworks,withafocusoncontemporaryevents

•  Usefulfordatathatisexploratory,descrip=veand/orexplanatory

•  TheBCAisamanagerialunitwithinterconnectedscalesthatoperatewithinit

•  Qualita=vedatafromstakeholderswithinBCA

Samplingtechnique

•  ‘Snowballs’withinthestakeholdercategoriesthatwererelevanttothemanagementofaBCAinIowa

•  Interfacinginterviewandfocusgroupdata

Knight2001;Klapowitzetal.2001

20CaseStudyPar=cipants

University Research/Non-Governmental Organizations

3 Government Field Agents Who Manage Land/ Provide

Technical Assistance

5

FOCUS GROUP: IA DNR Private

Lands Biologists 5

Manage Crop and Beef

Enterprises 3

Exclusively Manage Cattle on Pastures

and/ or Feedlots

4

Makeallsamecolor

Semi‐structuredInterviews&FocusGroupLivestock Producers/ Farmers

Natural Resource Managers/ Experts

Context •  Land use History •  Reliance on grazing

•  Scope of job •  How involved with

graziers?

Community/ Place • Resources for grazing • Influence/ knowledge of RRSBCA

• Experience with livestock enterprises in area • Understanding of/ role in BCA

Characterizing Knowledge

• Benefits of grazing system • Understanding of pasture health

• View of grazing systems for multiple benefits • Examples

Characterizing barriers and

facilitating factors

• Grazing relative to goals • Factors that inhibit application

• Ability to promote implementation • Factors influencing viability

Vision • Ideal farm landscape • Vision for outreach and ways to influence implementation

Interviews&FocusGroup

•  Averageofonehour•  Conductedon‐site•  Recordeddigitallyandtranscribedverba=m:~200pagesofsinglespacedtext

AnalysistechniquesInthetradi=onof‘groundedtheory’

–  Opencodingisiden=fyingessen=alconceptsandpapernsthatemergefromdatauponreflec=onuponrawdata

–  Axialcodingisrela=ngandconnec=ngthesecategoriesand‘tes=ng’themagainsttherestofthedata

–  Selec.vecodingiswhendiscretecategoriesarefurtherdefinedtodevelopoverarchingprinciplesthathelpexplainasocialbehavior

•  TwomainanalysesI.Generalthemesintheen=retyofthedataavailable2.Preferencesregardingcommunica=onandeduca=onstrategies

tosupportbroaderapplica=onofMFG

GroundedTheory:Glaser,Strauss&Corbin

•  Resultsarederivedfromthestudy/phenomenarepresented;theyare‘grounded’

•  Offersplausibleexplana=ontosocialphenomena

•  Linksdiversefactsinacoherent,pragma=candusefulway

CorbinandStrauss1990;GlaserandStrauss1999

Example:Themeof‘ProducerBasedLearningNetworks’

•  Opencoding:ManagementandResources

ResourcesAvailablePhysical

Infrastructure

Knowledge/Informa=on

EconomicCapital

Management

Labor/=me

monitoring

Atfarmscale

Atlandscapescale

Philosophy/preferences

ownership

“Producer‐based

Networks”

TrustedNetworks

ExampleofAxialCoding

WhatisMFGtopar=cipants?

•  Allstakeholdersexpressinterestinthebroaderapplica=onofgrazingsystemsthatcanbalancelivestockandwildlifeneeds.

•  Somethinglearntthroughexperimenta=onandexperience

“Istartedoutwith5acresandthen10acresofswitchgrass,becauseIdidn’tknow...Ithoughtthatwasprairie….youknowthereisabenefittolightlygrazingna=veprairies…soyoucanhavebirds,insects,andyoucanhavediversityandyoucanhavereallygoodwaterquality,asopposedtoheavygrazing.”

–  Farmer/livestockProducer1

“Withcaplemenourinterestistotryandseewhatthebestgrazingratesareforthepasturelandsthatmightbemoreamenabletogetngsomeaddi=onalbirdnes=ngonthearea,itskindofanunfortunatefactinIowathatalotofpasturelandsarebadlyovergrazed,looklikepooltablesforthemostpart.

–  DNRWildlifeExpert1

Results:StakeholderAnalysis

Factorsthatpar=cipantsdescribedasinhibi=ngorfacilita=ngthedevelopmentofMFGsystems

Organizedas:I.Challenges

II.Needs

III.Vision

I.IdenEfiedChallengestotheDevelopmentofMFGSystems

•  DivergentLandownerGoals

•  AccesstoPasture•  AccesstoMarkets

•  VariabilityinTechnicalSupport

DivergentLandownerGoals

•  Recrea=onallandownershipincreasinginthearea,whodon’tperceivegrazingasposi=veforgamespecies

•  Prevalenceofovergrazingfuelsthesepercep=ons

“Ihearalotofpridefromlandowners,thatsay‘whenImovedhereitwasthatterriblesitua=on’,andtheysay‘wegotthem[beefcaple]off,wesavedit,yetIhavelessquailandturkey’...weblamecapleforbadmanagement.”

–  PrivateLandsBiologist1

AccesstoPasture

•  Conversionofpasturetocroplandlocallyoverthepastthreedecades

•  Compe==on

“...justfindingoutthatthegroundisavailable,itisrentedbeforeitcomesintothepaper,itisverymuchanetworkdeal...inmyopinionthereisalotofpasturegroundthatcomesupforrenteveryyearevenwiththeliquida=ons(inareabeefherds).Aguymightknowwhowillberen=nghisgroundbeforeheliquidateshiscows.”

–  Cow‐calfproducer1

AccesstoDiversifiedMarkets

•  Nega=vepercep=onsconsumershaveoflivestockproduc=onhindersapemptstodevelopalterna=vemarkets

•  Priceofgraingarneringmoreapen=ontocroppingenterprisesonfarms,whothenhaveless=metomanagegrazingsystems

“Why’dtheywanttomakeliple…grazingandhayinggroundthatwecanraise$5‐$6cornon....That’sthedownsideofpeople;theygowherethemoneyisat.”

–  NRCSemployeeandcow/calfproducer

VariabilityinTechnicalSupport

•  Dependentongeography•  Knowledgeofgrazingbytechnicalassistanceprovidersgenerallydescribedas‘foreign’:

“…Icanseethatbeingveryfrustra=ngforalandownerwhomaygointoanofficeandto[thestaff]cowsmightbelike[aforeignlanguage].SobythatImean,Ican’tcommunicatethewayyou’retryingtocommunicatewithme.”

–  SoilandWaterConserva=onTechnician1

SummaryofChallenges

• Associa=onofgrazingwithnega=vewildlifeoutcomes

DivergentLandownerGoals

• Conversionofpasturetootherlanduses• Compe==onAccesstoPasture

• Nega=vepercep=onsofanimalagriculture• CommoditymarketdynamicsAccesstoMarkets

• Dependentonloca=onandexper=seavailable

VariableTechnicalSupport

II.FactorsIdenEfiedasNecessarytoFacilitatetheExpansionofMFGSystems

•  Needs– Knowledgeexchange– Accesstotrustednetworksandmanagementsupport

– ShowcasingmodelsofMFG

•  Vision– Land‐useplanningthatallowsconserva=onmanagementprofessionalstotargettheuseofavailableresources

KnowledgeExchangeforMFG•  ValueofLocalExperien=alKnowledge•  Direc=onalityofLearningandExchangeto‘sell’amodel

“He[extensionagentwhoraisescaple]toldmeeverythingIhadreadinthismagazine,thatyouhavegottofillinthegaps...wellcanthisworkinourarea?Iwouldbeinterestedintalkingwithsomeonewhoisknowledgeableaboutdifferenttypesofgrasses…”

–  Cow/calfproducer2

“...getngfarmersintoit,showingfarmerswhatcanwork...theyarecau=oustotryanythingdifferent.Soweneedtogetafewpeopleineachcountytojumpin,youknowandhavethemsellit.Becausewecan’tsellitbyourselves.”

–  DNRWildlifeExpert1

AccesstoTrustedNetworksandManagementSupport

•  Geographicallyaccessible•  Abletonavigatebalancebetweenenterpriseneedsandecologicalneeds

“Wewantcleanwater,wewantrealenvironmentaliststothinkwearedoingtherightthingandsoyouhavetomeettheirsetofexpecta=ons…wearevoidoftheproduc=onelements,poundsonthehoofkindofthing,…they[livestockproducers]havetheirownwaysofdoingthings.So,that’swhyit’shardtofindthatmergepoint,thatmodel.Idon’tknowhowyouwoulddothatexceptfortalking…itissohighlylocalizedtoindividualneeds.”

–  WhiterockConservancyEmployee

NeedforDirectExperienceof&withModelsofGrazingforMul=pleBenefits

•  Demonstra=onareasaswellaswhotheexperienceiswith;producers’experien=alknowledgekeyforcredibility

“Weneedtogetallthesegroupstogether,theNRCS,naturalists,farmers,andcometosomekindofconclusionwhere...thewildlifeares=llthere...weneedmorepeopleinvolved…getguys[livestockproducers]togetherandtheywillexchangeideasthemselves.”

–  Cow/calfproducer3

SummaryofNeeds

• Valueoflocalknowledge• Direc=onalityofexchange

KnowledgeExchange

• Geographicallyaccessible• Abilitytonego=atetowardsa‘mergepoint’

AccesstoTrusted

Resources

• Demonstra=onareasemphasizingexperien=alknowledge

DirectExperience

III.VisionforOutreachthatSupportsDevelopmentofMFGSystems

•  Independentcharacteroflivestockproducersrequiresprogrammingtocatertopersonalgoals

“…thebenefitoforganiza=onslikeWhiterock...Theydon’thaveanimpactonastate‐widebasis…theyhaveadifferentcons=tuency.Theadvantageoftheimpactoftheseorganiza=ons...isintermsofgetnginforma=onoutandenergizingpeopleinthepresenceofaBCAoranumberofBCA’s.”

–  WildlifeResearcher1

OpportunityforConserva=ononWorkingLands:TheScaleoftheBCASystem

•  Lowawareness,somedistrust•  Idealscaletotargetscarcehumanandeconomicresources

“Birdconserva=on?That’saloadofcrap!”•  Cow/calfProducer2

“…ourthinkingiswiththeinfluenceoftheGarstsandtheINHFthatitwillprobablybeaselfstarter.Itwillinfluenceotherlandownerswithoutushavingtohavearoleinit.”

•  DNRWildlifeExpert1

A‘Map’toTakeHome•  SpectrumofstakeholdersareonthesamepageaboutMFGsystems

•  Amoredecentralizedapproachtoconserva=onplanning(i.e.BCA)withtheopportunitytocaterprogrammingandmanagementtolocallandowners

PhotobyM.Petrehn

Overview

•  FuncEonsofgrazinginIowagrasslands•  TheRaccoonRiverBCA•  Researchdesign‐CaseStudy•  Methodology‐QualitaEveinterviewsandfocusgroup

•  Results:Challenges,Needs&Vision

Acknowledgements

Par=cipantsFamily&Friends

TheMiddleRaccoonRiver

ThePLUSLab

SpecialThanks

WhiterockConservancy/MaePetrehn

•  “Prairieisaverycomplexcommunity.Inone’searlystudyitseemssomewhatelusive…Thisvaguenessofunderstandingcanbeovercome,oncethespeciesareknown,byvisiAngtheprairieseveralAmesthroughthegrowingseason,examiningitclosely…andalwayswithadefinitepurposeinmind.”

‐NaturalistJ.E.Weaver(1958),inreferencetoGuthrieCounty,Iowa’sremnantprairies.

Ques=ons/Discussion

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GrasslandsManagedwithGrazingareMulEfuncEonal

Foley et al. 2005, Doll et. al. 2009; Jordan and Warner 2010.

Whygrasslandmanagement?

1992RRBCALandcover(IowaGap)

GuthrieCounty,Iowa

CoolSeasonGrass

UplandForest

ForestedWetland

Crops

1800sGLOMap:RRSBCA

WarmSeasonPrairie

Prairie/=mber

Timber

GuthrieCounty,Iowa2002RRSBCAMapbyE.C.Hill

Briskeetal.2008

•  “Wecontendthatthishasoccurredbecauserecommenda=onshavetradi=onallybeenbasedonpercep=on,personalexperience,andanecdotalinterpreta=onsofmanagementprac=ces,ratherthanevidence‐basedassessmentsofecosystemresponses,whichisacommonphenomenoninecosystemmanagement(Pullinetal.2003;Sutherlandetal.2004).”

Selec=veCoding

QSR2008

WhytheBCAsysteminIowa?

County/ Regional Land Management Specialists

Organizations concerned with

grassland management

State and Federal

Regulatory Agencies

Landowner

Producer

Other‘SocialLandscapes’ofGrazingSystems

•  Researchmostlyontheprac==oners

•  Waspar=cipatory•  Associatedwithpre‐formednetworksofprac==oners•  Focustypicallyondairy•  Inspecificecosystem

•  Forexample:–  N.Hassanein(Wisconsin)–  J.F.NerbonneandR.Lentz(S.Minnesota)

–  J.G.Arbuckle,Jr.(N.Missouri)

Wheredoesacasestudyfitinnaturalresourcemanagement?

•  Environmentalproblemsarehumandecision‐makingproblems.

•  Humansimposeanthropogenicunitsontolandscapes.

•  Casestudiesareadaptabletomul=plescalesandallowtoolstoanalyzecomplexsocio‐ecologicalsystemsindepth.

•  Casestudiesareidealvenuesforinterdisciplinaryresearch.