Systems analysis as applied to forest policy and management issues
Research Training Workshop, ENGREF, Nancy 19-21 June, 2008
Background
The training workshop will be run in conjunction with the Small-scale Rural Forest Use and Management: Global Policies versus Local Knowledge International Symposium Gérardmer, France, 23–27 June 2008 organised under the auspices of IUFRO 3.08 Small-scale Forestry. The conference website is http://www.uq.edu.au/forestry/index.html. The training workshop follows on from a highly successful workshop held in conjunction with the IUFRO 3.08 conference held in Ormoc, the Philippines in June 2007.
Objectives of the Workshop and Target Audience
This workshop is designed to provide an introduction to the important concepts in systems analysis and its application to forest policy and management issues. The workshop is designed particularly for young researchers, managers and policy makers, including postgraduate students, who have had limited exposure to policy research, systems thinking and modelling methods. However, it will also be useful for established researchers, including those who may administer rather than conduct projects.
The first part of the workshop will provide participants with a background to forest policy research. It will include a ½ day field visit to explore a local forest policy/management issue, which will then be used as a case study for other components of the course. The second part of the workshop will provide an introduction to systems thinking and systems modelling and an appreciation of the methods they can use to study forest systems from a holistic (as distinct from reductivist) perspective, of some relevant systems analysis and modelling tools, and of relevant literature on systems modelling. The use of systems thinking in helping to address complex forest policy and management issues will be highlighted, thus linking the two segments of the course together. During the course, the use of Bayesian Belief Networks (BBNs) in policy related research will be demonstrated. An introduction to Bayesian networks will be provided (Bayes’ Rule and conditional probability tables) followed by the basics of building a Bayesian network (reasons for building Bayesian networks, structuring models, populating models, evaluating models, limitations of models) and the use of Bayesian networks in decision support (predictive analysis, diagnostic analysis, sensitivity analysis and the identification and assessment of interventions). Workshop participants will then use Bayesian network software to develop a model based on the local forest policy/management issue explored during the field visit.
Presenters
- Professor Ockie Bosch (University of Queensland)
- Professor Gerard Buttoud (ENGREF)
- Dr John Herbohn (University of Queensland)
- Dr Irina Kouplevatskaya (ENGREF)
- Dr Carl Smith (University of Queensland)
- Professor Tom Dedeurwaerdere (Université Catholique de Louvain)
Location and Timing
The training workshop will be held at the ENGREF campus at Nancy. The course will run from 19 to 21 June.
Registration fees
Download registration form
The registration fee for the training workshop is AU$250 (150 Euro), which covers course fees and lunches. Participants are responsible for arranging their own accommodation and all meals except lunch. The following two hotels are recommended:
- Hotel des Prelats (3 star), 56 place Mgr. Ruch, Nancy; tel.: ++33 3 83 30 20 20; fax.: ++33 3 83 30 20 21; (www.hoteldesprelats.com ) XVIII century building on the cathedral square, centre, 5 minutes walk to ENGREF; 100 m from Stanislas Square; old building with recently modernised rooms; tramway station in front; no restaurant; around 130 Euros per night for a double standard room breakfast included.
Contact: contact@hoteldesprelats.com
- Hotel de Guise (2 star), 18 rue de Guise, Nancy; tel.: ++33 3 83 32 24 68; fax.: ++33 3 83 35 75 63; www.hoteldeguise.com XVIII century building in a narrow street of the Middle-Ages district, old city, 15 minutes walk to ENGREF; 500 m from Stanislas Square; old building with classical old Europe rooms, no restaurant; around 105 Euros per night for a double room/suite breakfast included.
Contact: contact@hoteldeguise.com
http://www.uq.edu.au/forestry/index.html.
Provisional Program
Thursday 19 June
8.30-9.00: Welcome. (J. Herbohn, G. Buttoud and O. Bosch): Introduction to systems thinking as applied to management and policy
9.30-12.00: POLICY (French team)
Systems analysis for understanding forest policy changes (G. Buttoud & I. Kouplevatskaya): the concept of policy system; dynamics of a policy system (conceptual frameworks and theories; examples).
Lunch
14.00-18.00: Site visit to a forest near Nancy: an example of the adaptation of policy and management measures in a suburban area (State Forest Agency Nancy).
Friday 20 June
MANAGEMENT (Australian team)
8.30-10.00: Systems analysis for understanding decision making in forest management; research application on systems modelling (O. Bosch & J. Herbohn)
10.30-12.30: The influence diagrams (O. Bosch & J. Herbohn): methodology, case study developed as an example.
Lunch
14.00-16.30: The Bayesian Belief Networks and their application to management issues (C. Smith): theory and application.
16.00-17.30: Case studies in systems modelling using BBNs (C. Smith, O. Bosch & J. Herbohn)
Saturday 21 June
POLICY (French and Belgium team)
8.00-10.00: The concept of resilience of socio-ecological systems, and adaptivity of decision making processes in a complex: (I. Kouplevatskaya, T. Dedeurwaerdere & G. Buttoud);
10.30-12.30: Stakeholders’ networks and the theory of the double spiral (I. Kouplevtaskaya, T. Dedeurwaerdere & G. Buttoud).
Lunch
14.00-16.00: Short presentation and discussion of case studies based on participants’ experience
16.00: Closure of the Research Workshop
* For more information about the training workshop please contact Kamel Chorfi at chorfi@engref.fr