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A Grand Experiment in Public Lands Management

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A Grand Experiment in Public Lands Management A GRAND EXPERIMENT IN PUBLIC LANDS MANAGEMENT: RESPONSIVENESS IN THE VALLES CALDERA NATIONAL PRESERVE by PETER LARRY GESS (Under the Direction of J. Edward Kellough) ABSTRACT The Valles Caldera National Preserve, created in 2000, is not managed by a traditional federal agency. Instead, it is operated as a public trust and governed by a nine- member board. Seven of the members are appointed by the U.S. president in consultation with the New Mexico congressional delegation. Five of the appointees must be from New Mexico, and each must have a specific expertise or represent an organization interested in the land and its resources. Additionally, the trust is to be financially self- sufficient by 2015, raising the funds necessary to carry out its multipurpose mission. The experimental institutional features of the Caldera represent a bid to circumvent much of the stalemate and gridlock facing public lands, as well as an effort to enhance responsiveness to various stakeholder groups. The arrangement raises questions regarding the optimal mix of political and expert decision-making, the appropriate role of citizen input and participation, and accountability to national and local interests. This research examines whether the unique management structure for Valles Caldera leads to a higher level of responsiveness to important stakeholders than typically found under the usual bureaucratic approaches. The research design is built on a qualitative case study. Data sources consist of interviews, documents, and direct observations. Interview subjects include Preserve trustees and staff members, as well as external actors. The cluster of unique institutional features comprises the independent variable, and a series of dependent variables intended to measure responsiveness are conceptualized and evaluated. Evidence on the extent to which the Caldera experiment enhances responsiveness is mixed. Many of the policies and procedures of the Preserve promote trust and create a positive view of the role of public lands management. However, many others, including less than transparent decision-making, inadequate communications, and a lack of opportunities for meaningful citizen engagement, leave stakeholders feeling disenfranchised. However, most of the shortcomings are associated with problems common to the creation of new organizations and the implementation of new procedures and programs, rather than being intrinsic to the experimental model. This research concludes with a discussion of theoretical and policy implications, as well as advice for key actors. INDEX WORDS: Responsiveness, Accountability, Public Trust, Institutional Structures and Processes, Public Lands Management, Public Participation A GRAND EXPERIMENT IN PUBLIC LANDS MANAGEMENT: RESPONSIVENESS IN THE VALLES CALDERA NATIONAL PRESERVE by PETER LARRY GESS B.Comp.E., The Georgia Institute of Technology, 1991 M.S., The Georgia Institute of Technology, 1994 A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of The University of Georgia in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY ATHENS, GEORGIA 2006 © 2006 Peter Larry Gess All Rights Reserved A GRAND EXPERIMENT IN PUBLIC LANDS MANAGEMENT: RESPONSIVENESS IN THE VALLES CALDERA NATIONAL PRESERVE by PETER LARRY GESS Major Professor: J. Edward Kellough Committee: James E. Kundell Laurence J. O’Toole Hal G. Rainey Electronic Version Approved: Maureen Grasso Dean of the Graduate School The University of Georgia August 2006 DEDICATION I would like to dedicate this endeavor to my two children, Madeleine and Simon, whose wide-eyed wonder at the next bend in the river or trail taught me the true importance of intergenerational equity in the provision of public lands. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS As anyone who has been through the process of conceiving, researching, analyzing, writing, rewriting, defending, and rewriting a dissertation can attest, the effort would be impossible without professional and personal support of just about everyone. It goes without saying that I am especially indebted to Dr. Ed Kellough, my chair, who offered guidance and support throughout. Most importantly, he modeled a great mentor- student relationship: without a doubt this final product is much better than it would have been without his participation. The other committee members—Dr. Jim Kundell, Dr. Larry O’Toole, and Dr. Hal Rainey—contributed not only to improving this research endeavor but also to my development as a public administration and environmental policy scholar. My time with the great faculty members of the Department of Public Administration and Policy at the University of Georgia (UGA) has both challenged me immensely and rewarded me professionally. My academic development has deeply profited from my parallel employment at the Carl Vinson Institute of Government (CVIOG), with its philosophy of scholarly engagement and commitment to public service. Then CVIOG Director Hank Huckaby and International Center for Democratic Governance (ICDG) Director Steve Wrigley valued my assistance in building a very important international mission, as well as stressed the importance of PhD pursuit. For most of my time with ICDG, Director Dan Durning has given me both more work responsibilities and more space to progress on the v dissertation; I have benefited from his knowledge, wisdom, and wry humor concerning the academic process. Long time ICDG colleagues Njeri, Rusty, and Willia have also provided invaluable support and encouragement. Finally, various student comrades employed at CVIOG helped more than they could have imagined. Most notably Mark was an important sounding board who kept me focused and grounded, and helped me laugh at myself. I also wish to acknowledge the very important financial support I received which allowed me to travel back and forth to my research site in New Mexico. Dean Maureen Grasso of the UGA Graduate School awarded a dissertation completion grant, and UGA Vice President for Public Service and Outreach Art Dunning provided a travel grant. It was a pleasure working with all of the kind, knowledgeable, and committed board and staff members of the Valles Caldera National Preserve, who bought into the grand experiment and my efforts to evaluate it. Too many folks opened their documents and their minds to mention here, but I would be remiss for not thanking Dr. Bob Parmenter, Preserve Chief Scientist. In Bob I found a UGA graduate who values the role of good research in public lands management, and advocated on my behalf with the Board of Trustees. I am also indebted to Marty Peale and many other members of the Valles Caldera Coalition who shared much information and spent a lot of time answering my questions. By no accident do I leave my family to last. For as long as I can remember, my parents, Niki and Larry, and more recently my parents-in-law, Emogene and Jim, have modeled the importance of service to others and an unwavering quest for knowledge. Perhaps most importantly, they empathized throughout, having gone through the process vi themselves. My sister Becky and her husband Ben provided love and support through this endeavor, and perhaps not-so-subtle pushes with questions like, “Now when are you going to finish?” Five years ago I was able to support my wife, Jennifer, as she wrote her dissertation. Now I realize how easy I had it; I simply had to give her space so I spent a lot of time at spring training games or on long hikes in the Tucson area. Jennifer, on the other hand, had to handle work and household responsibilities, as well as the needs of our two young children. Further, during the seemingly bleak periods of this investigation, Jennifer was always there with soft words of encouragement. To say this study would have been impossible without her unwavering love and graciousness is a huge understatement. Finally, I want to thank my children. Madeleine and Simon motivated me to wrap this up, mostly to spend more time with them discovering the spirit, wonder, and challenges of the world’s great public lands, so exemplified in a place like the Valles Caldera. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.................................................................................................v LIST OF TABLES............................................................................................................. xi LIST OF FIGURES .......................................................................................................... xii CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................1 Background ...................................................................................................2 The Purpose of this Research ........................................................................6 Responsiveness, Accountability, and Public Lands Management ................7 Research Questions .....................................................................................32 Significance.................................................................................................33 Organization of the Dissertation..................................................................34 2 THE VALLES CALDERA NATIONAL PRESERVE IN DETAIL..........36 A Brief History............................................................................................36 Location of the Valles Caldera National Preserve ......................................45 The Valles Caldera Trust and Management of the Preserve.......................46
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