Program ID: Innovation Anthology #307
Program Date: 04/15/2010
Program Category: Conservation, Environment, Forests, Natural Resources, Science Communication, Wildlife
SFM Network Conquers Knowledge Transfer
Company managers and politicians are not going to read academic articles filled with technical jargon and complex concepts.
But having access to that scientific information is critical to changing forest practices.
Scientific Director Dr. Jim Fyles explains how the Sustainable Forest Management Network overcame the hurdle of knowledge exchange.
DR. JIM FYLES: So we worked very hard to develop our knowledge exchange program, starting off with specialized publications where we would synthesize the research knowledge, trying to communicate it in plain language to make it more accessible to a broader range of people. So we developed this research note concept that would be two or three or four pages that would just be oriented to capture the main themes, the main critical issues around the research , and that somebody could actually essentially read while they were standing at their desk going through their mail. Those were very successful. We will continue to produce those research notes and synthesis reports to the very end. We’ve still got a whole set of notes in the works right now.
Dr. Jim Fyles says a series of electronic lectures has also proved successful for the Sustainable Forest Management Network, and these have attracted participation from people around the world.
FOR INNOVATION ANTHOLOGY
I’M CHERYL CROUCHER
Images
Dr. Jim Fyles, Scientific Director, SFM Network
