Developing a Science Integration Strategy for JFSP

Authors

Jamie Barbour, USDA Forest ServiceFollow

Date of this Version

2007

Document Type

Article

Citation

Final Report to the Joint Fire Science Program JFSP Project # 06-S-02

Comments

US government work.

Abstract

The mission of the Joint Fire Science Program (JFSP) is to produce high quality research findings to inform wildland fire and fuel managers’ decisions. Since its inception in 1998, the program has funded nearly 400 studies and has generated a tremendous amount of information and analytical tools. As the JFSP moves into the future, a Science Delivery Strategy is needed to: 1) ensure that this base of information finds application, and 2) create a more systematic way to identify and organize new work that will encourage its rapid assimilation by the management community. The attached Science Delivery Strategy was developed in conjunction with the JFSP Program Office Staff and has been approved by the JFSP Governing Board. In addition to Jamie Barbour (PI), the drafting committee included Rachel White (Science Writer) and David Seesholtz (Science Liaison), both with the USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station’s Focused Science Delivery Program, and Tim Swedberg (JFSP Communication Director). Several past and current JFSP Governing Board members also participated in developing the strategy. The contents of this report document the process used to develop the strategy and factors we considered. We concentrated on describing a focused systematic strategy that is fully integrated with the entire research and development process rather than added on, ad hoc, after the fact. We also built in flexibility so that the JFSP can incorporate feedback from its customers as new approaches are tested. In this way, we can help the JFSP stay relevant to its customers by continually assessing whether new approaches work and what remains to be learned.