SAMAB is evolving as a dynamic organization with a rich history, an organization with many strengths, and an organization that, by its very complex nature, faces many challenges. To provide a "Situation Analysis" (in strategic-planning jargon), this appendix outlines SAMAB's history, provides a summary of its accomplishments, and outlines current conditions/challenges and critical success factors as summarized from recent strategic-planning workshops. SAMAB History (To be developed by Tom Gilbert from previous work) SAMAB Accomplishments Periodically SAMAB is called on to answer questions similar to the following. What positive impacts has SAMAB had on tangibly changing public policy that strengthens resource protection? How have public investments been re-routed more effectively as a result of SAMAB's work? These questions are central to SAMAB's strategic-planning process. The following bullets summarize some of SAMAB's accomplishments. A 1992 SAMAB workshop on regional air quality led to the formation of the Southern Appalachian Mountain Initiative (SAMI), the purpose of which is to identify and recommend emission management strategies to address adverse air quality effects in the Southern Appalachians, focusing on the 10 Class I areas in the region. SAMI has presented interim results and is scheduled to complete its assessment and recommendations to the 8 participating states in spring of 2001. SAMAB played a key role in having emphasis placed on "Ecosystem Management" by the Federal government. This included testimony before the US Senate Subcommittee on Agricultural Research, Conservation, Forestry, and General Legislation; hosting a visit by the Federal Interagency Task Force on Ecosystem Management using SAMAB as a case study; hosting a visit by the GAO for the purpose of identifying ways to facilitate ecosystem management for testimony before the House Budget Committee; and provision of materials to the Congressional Research Service for a conference on ecosystem management (1994). SAMAB's Southern Appalachian Assessment (SAA) has been used nationally and internationally as a model of interagency, interjurisdictional regional assessment for ecosystem management. The SAA won a Vice Presidential "Hammer Award" and a Forest Service "Chief's Ecosystem Management Award." It was recognized and selected for use as one of three prototypes for a national assessment effort (1995). The SAA provides a regional framework or context for the revision of national forest plans; assessment of regional needs for conservation, corridors, and recreation areas by resource-management, development, and regulatory agencies; and is used for development of GIS software (e.g., by ESRI), training of students in GIS techniques, and by NGO and community organizations in ways that will influence development policy in many areas of the US and the world for years to come. SAMAB has distributed 20 copies of ArcView (donated by ESRI) to a variety of public and private community organizations to enable greater use of the SAA data in local land-use decision making. SAMAB has worked directly with a number of communities grappling with tourism-related and sustainable development issues to improve economic development policy in those communities. Communities include: Pittman Center -- Sustainable Development Strategies report (1990) and subsequent planning support (resulted in adoption of community vision and growth plan and designation by National Trust for Historic Preservation as one of 12 "distinctive destinations" in US in 2000; Townsend -- strategic planning (1994), Sustainable Community Initiative (1996); Gatlinburg -- Land Use and Economic Development Assessment report for the city (1998); Chattanooga -- sustainable development indicators, Chattanooga Institute (1998-99). The informal network among leaders and on-the-ground "doers" in southern Appalachian agencies, organizations, and communities enables discussion and resolution of issues before they reach ecological, social, or legal crises. Forest Service officials received quick response from Fish and Wildlife Service and Park Service officials and staff to keep discovery of the endangered Indiana bat in western North Carolina from shutting down timber harvesting for longer than a short period of time. Informal communication among NGOs (e.g. Southern Appalachian Forest Coalition and Southern Environment Law Center, both represented on the SAMAB Foundation Board) and agency officials has increased understanding of perspectives and reduced litigious approaches to resource management. SAMAB has produced a variety of educational materials that have been used in K-12, university, and continuing education settings. Tangible impacts of these are difficult to ascertain, but are surely wide-ranging and long-term. dogwood anthracnose brochures; "From Mountains to the Sea" program on water (video, poster, teachers guide); habits of black bears (brochures, posters); "Understanding Air Pollution in the Southern Appalachians" brochure; "Forest Health Monitoring" brochure; materials on neotropical migratory birds; red wolf recovery brochure and poster; "Watchable Wildlife" and "Engangered Species" posters (set of 6); 5-CDROM Southern Appalachian Assessment data set (also on Web site); Watershed Conservation Clearinghouse on the internet/SAMAB Web page; materials on use of native plants; brochures on recognizing and controlling invasive species. SAMAB has (co)sponsored a large number of workshops on ecosystem management, sustainability, and specific topics in resource protection. These provide opportunities for resource managers and community stakeholders of a wide variety to interact with researchers, enabling transfer of information and needs among all parties. The annual SAMAB fall conferences in recent years have also been aimed at meeting the needs of practitioners in addition to providing a forum for researchers to report their work to colleagues. With the exception of the creation of SAMI as an outgrowth of the 1992 Air Quality conference, it is difficult to directly attribute policy or resource management decisions to these SAMAB meetings, but they surely are influential at many levels. Ecological Assessment Workshop; Sustainable Economic Development Conference for western North Carolina; Threats to Forest Health in Southern Appalachia (3 workshops); NEPA Coordinators Workshop; Biocontrol Control Initiative Workshop (led to kudzu biocontrol effort that, if successful, will have impacts far beyond region); Integration of Human Health and Natural Resources Workshop; Community Sustainability Indicators Workshop; Sessions at East Tennessee Economic Summit in 1997 and 1999; Stewardship Through Plantsmanship Symposium. SAMAB leadership of and participation in numerous international workshops and training sessions provide influence in ecosystem management globally. These have included: EuroMAB Biosphere Reserve managers workshop in France (1994); 5-day SAMAB workshop in Czech Republic (World Bank GEF, 1995); 3-day SAMAB workshop in Slovak Republic (USAID, 1995); Workshop for Biosphere Reserve managers from Poland, Germany, Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, Indonesia, and China (Smithsonian, German Marshall Fund, GEF, 1995); two groups from Czech Republic and one from South Africa (1996); group from India (Smithsonian, 1997); group from Turkey, Slovak Republic, Macedonia (USDA Intl Office, 1997); Workshop for Advancing Bioregional Policy, Chiapas Mexico (1998); EuroMAB III Conference in Finland (1998); group from Cypress (1999). A book entitled "Ecosystem Management for Sustainability: Principles and Practices Illustrated by a Regional Biosphere Cooperative" was published in 1999 by Lewis Publishers (edited by John Peine, USGS-BRD with contributions from numerous SAMAB organizations and participants). This book is selling hundreds of copies nationally and internationally, with royalties going to the SAMAB Foundation. Current Conditions and Challenges Issues (a PDF file) raised at May 1-2, 2000 Visioning and Strategic Planning Meeting Draft for review and comment-10/13/00 Return to Top of Page