Volume 6, Number 1 • Spring 2004
|
Agencies Face Unprecedented Challenges in Managing Nation's Natural ResourcesBETHESDA, MARYLAND-Government agencies charged with managing and protecting America's renewable natural resources are facing a crisis. Major changes in the federal workforce in the near-term will deprive agencies of significant numbers of senior scientists and managers. These demographic changes, shifting national priorities and decades of under funding are diminishing government's role in natural resources management and science.A consortium of leading professional and scientific societies has released a report, Federal Natural Resources Agencies Confront an Aging Workforce and Challenges to Their Future Roles. The report features findings and recommendations from more than 80 scientists, managers, and professionals, from 60 organizations, who attended the Renewable Natural Resources Foundation's "Conference on Personnel Trends, Education Policy, and Evolving Roles of Federal and State Natural Resources Agencies." The conference was presented in association with the American Association for the Advancement of Science, in Washington, DC, October 28-29, 2003. As increasing numbers of employees become eligible to retire, federal and state agencies are losing institutional memory and having difficulties in maintaining core scientific competencies. Conference delegates made numerous recommendations to mitigate the impacts. Some changes in government's role are occurring by default and omission-without discussion and deliberation about agency missions and priorities. Other changes are deliberate and reflect the view that less government is good, even when it comes to managing and conserving the nation's natural resources and sustaining its environmental integrity. These challenges to government's role are occurring as the number of stakeholders is increasing, management is becoming more complex, resource use is rising, and science knowledge grows. An energetic and sustained outreach program to the public is desperately needed. "Resource national security" is at risk. Compounding these demographic shifts and challenges to government's role, new fiscal stringencies are seriously threatening natural resources and science programs. Universities and professional and scientific societies must respond by aggressively supporting essential natural resources programs, and by assuring that newly educated professionals and scientists will be available. Partnerships engaging all parties, including federal and state agencies, universities, natural resource professionals, organized labor, and environmental groups, are essential in assuring that natural resources conservation and management remains a priority. Copies of the report are available for free at: http://www.rnrf.org. |