Date of Award
8-2024
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management
Committee Chair/Advisor
Dr. Elizabeth D. Baldwin
Committee Member
Dr. Robert S. Brookover, IV
Committee Member
Dr. Matthew T.J. Brownlee
Abstract
The fire community is one of transparency and learning, and embedded in its culture is an openness of sharing successes and failures in order to learn and adapt. United by a shared desire to effectively understand and utilize controlled burns to successfully extinguish wildfires and research their lasting effects, fire managers and fire scientists coexist in partnerships commonly referred to as knowledge exchange networks. This research examines one such network, the Consortium of Appalachian Fire Managers and Scientists (CAFMS), through the experiences of some of its members, serving to develop an understanding of how the consortium functions as a knowledge exchange network for different sectors of the fire community. Data for this research was collected via interviews with 11 CAFMS members using a modified Irving Seidman interview model that served as the framework for the instrument. The resulting transcripts were analyzed, and the coding of salient statements determined the overarching themes of the findings. Themes were developed to better understand the CAFMS network through the experiences of its fire managers and fire scientists and to formally define the flow of information within the exchange. Results indicate that, in the CAFMS network, managers have a clear need to connect with other managers for support and benefit from the information exchange that occurs in interactions with scientists. In turn, it has been determined that scientists need to connect with managers to facilitate their research efforts. The effectiveness of this consortium is partially due to virtual connections but mainly stems from face-to-face engagement. Moreover, this network can serve as a model for other land management systems concerned with the flow of information.
Recommended Citation
Little, Coleman Lloyd, "Learning From Burning: Connecting Fire Managers and Fire Scientists" (2024). All Theses. 4386.
https://open.clemson.edu/all_theses/4386
Author ORCID Identifier
0000-0002-3462-2962