APPENDIX F: FEDERAL AND STATE AGENCY ATTITUDES ABOUT THE LAS CIENEGAS ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM Eight people interviewed about Las Cienegas work for state or federal agencies. I asked each of them to explain whether or not they thought CAM was happening at Las Cienegas. Everyone interviewed seemed to be in agreement that the process was collaborative, inclusive and stakeholders felt like they had ownership in the RMP. Discussions were considered to be useful and the group consistently reached consensus on whether past decisions were good or bad and what should happen next. Representatives from various agencies felt like they learned from others and had an opportunity to teach by being involved in biological planning meetings. There was a mixture of responses, however, as to whether what is happening at Las Cienegas should be considered adaptive management. Everyone agreed that the data was analyzed by the group, but few interviewees could identify dramatic changes resulting the biological planning meetings. Interviewees could identify incremental changes that have taken place, such as adjustments to decisions about whether a parcel of land should be rested or burned. One interviewee explained that it is not always clear what to do in response to the data. Another interviewee was unclear if there was a formal BLM procedure for adjusting actions based on discussions in the group and thought the term “adaptive management� might be used too loosely to describe what is happening at Las Cienegas. Another interviewee said the amount of adaptive management seemed to depend on the availability of funding for projects. I also asked agency representatives if anything their agency does (or has done) has been modified in some way through their involvement in the Las Cienegas collaborative process. A few individuals said they have been convinced that the approach being used at Las Cienegas is useful even if it takes a lot of time and energy to implement. Some interviewees said there have been no changes in what or how their agency does what it does. The person
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