Installation-specific knowledge by natural resources staff is critical to effective INRMP implementation. To be able to communicate with trainers, Range Operations, military personnel from the lowest to highest levels, installation Facilities/Public Works offices, and natural resources personnel, it is essential to “know the installation.” This is especially true for staff who are new to an installation, as it allows them to communicate well with others and better understand the military and natural resource context. Types of information related to knowing the installation mostly fall into the following categories: 1) training units, missions, activities and impacts; 2) installation infrastructure, ranges and training areas, access and coordination; 3) natural resources components, patterns and dynamics.
This knowledge can be gained through first-hand experience (e.g., learning the road system by driving it), academic study (e.g., reading The Range and Training Land Program (RTLP) and INRMP) and by learning through interaction with others (e.g., meeting with and getting to know long-time staffers such as the range officer, forester, rangeland manager, etc.). Time in the field spent observing your surroundings and making notes is crucial to developing site-specific knowledge. ITAM staff are also a valuable source of information about training activities, locations and impacts. More details on “knowing the mission” are in the Mission and the INRMP section above.
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Author
David S. Jones, RA IV, Ecologist/Project Manager
Center for Environmental Management of Military Lands
Warner College of Natural Resources
Colorado State University