1. ESRM 450 Wildlife Ecology and Conservation SYSTEMS THINKING Developing Frameworks for Understanding, Analysis, and Management

2. Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area Siuslaw National Forest

3. Management areas as systems Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area Management challenges include: Offroad vehicle use Wetlands Western snowy plover protection Exotic species Economic interaction with local community Restricted access

4. Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area SYSTEM MAP

5. Management processes as systems Eastern Oregon national forests Plan to increase area of hazardous fuels treatment Critical issues: Public involvement and support Understanding of ecological issues Effects of management actions Effects of no actions Effects on local communities

6. Fuels Management SYSTEM MAP

7. Fuels Management SYSTEM MAP - revised

8. COMPLEXITY Detail vs. Dynamic Detail complexity emphasizes variables, inventories, lists, reviews Dynamic complexity emphasizes connections, interrelationships, synergies, collaboration; may have unintended or unexpected consequences

9. SYSTEMS THINKING Systems thinking goes beyond linear and nonlinear thinking to look for “ripple effects” throughout the system; true integrative thinking that can manipulate mental models to explore relationships and possibilities. Types of systems Natural system (organisms) Designed physical system (machine) Designed biological system (agriculture) Designed abstract system (mathematics) Human activity system (an organization)

10. BASIC COMPONENTS OF SYSTEMS Element Relationship Input Output Boundary Environment Feedback loop

11. SYSTEM CONCEPTUALIZATION

12. BEYOND STATIC SYSTEMS Emergent properties Hierarchy Communication Controls Transformation of inputs into outputs of the system itself

13. COMPARING LINEAR, NONLINEAR, AND SYSTEMS THINKING LinearNonlinearSystems StructureChaosRelationships Problem solvingOrder, no predictabilityAssociations Hypothesis testingRandomnessUnpredictability Cause and effectHigh complexityQualitative ReductionistMulti-directionalQuantitative RationalityIterationEmergence QuantitativeQualitativeMulti-directional ComparisonTransformation Feedback

14. SOME SYSTEMS THINKING QUESTIONS What kind of systems model is being used? Where is the system bounded? What happens when the boundary changes? Which dynamic forces drive the system? What are the key emergent properties?

15. SOME SYSTEM MAPPING QUESTIONS Does the map highlight driving forces and key aspects of the system? Does the map illustrate dynamic complexity and detail complexity? Can the map be used in a public meeting and with a planning team? Does the map promote common understanding and foster learning?

16. How can organizations use team learning? Team learning differentiates successful and unsuccessful organizations. If teams do not learn, then the organization cannot learn. Examples of decision-making teams: Management teams Crisis teams Interdisciplinary teams

17. Learning Teams and Systems Thinking Ongoing discussions Mutual learning Willingness to test ideas Constructive skepticism Advocacy and inquiry Seeking the unpredictable Quantitative and qualitative Looking for connections and relationships Awareness of external and internal pressures

18. Is a coffee maker a system? Can we develop a system map of the coffee maker?