Learning together: Scientist collaboration with the Bureau of Land Management

Background/Question/Methods

A large, on-going, multi-investigator research program, the Sagebrush Steppe Treatment Evaluation Program (SageSTEP), is hosted by numerous units of the US DoI Bureau of Land Management and other agencies. Program progress and scientists' and land managers' experiences of the collaboration were examined through participant observation, interviews and facilitated workshops.

Results/Conclusions

From this program, it can be seen that effective communication for collaborative research includes a mutual understanding of organizational structure and operating procedures. One implication is that shared project development and implementation facilitate incorporation of research results into land management.