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The CFER program is designed to be integrated at various
levels to produce a body of knowledge that will address complex scientific
and management information needs that span multiple disciplines, spatial
scales, and geographic regions in western Oregon. It is our hope that
the significance of the results will be enhanced through the integrated
nature of our studies. Integration is planned to occur during multiple
stages of research: planning, data
collection, interpretation, and presentation and synthesis of results.
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During the planning
process, efforts are made to define a broad, interrelated,
and integrated set of questions pertaining to a particular
research theme. As a result of this planning process,
a series of individual studies are identified. Each study
is designed to address a key element of the larger set
of questions and to address multiple objectives. Whenever
possible, studies are designed to incorporate the expertise
of two or more investigators and to be interpreted in
the context of the broader set of studies and questions.
Although in many cases the emphasis of integration is
within a research theme, important integration will take
place across themes as well. Efforts will also be made
to integrate results from the CFER program with findings
and efforts of other research groups.
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 Whenever
possible, data sets for multiple studies are collected
at the same sites using multidisciplinary crews. This
allows for efficient use of programmatic resources, but
more importantly facilitates integration. Multidisciplinary
crews help ensure that data collected for different subcomponents
of a project will be interpreted in the context of the
broader set of questions being posed. |
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Following collection
and analysis of data from individual studies, results
will be discussed by CFER team members during regularly
scheduled CFER meetings and through periodic programmatic
review of written materials. When possible, attempts will
be made to broaden these discussions to include additional
scientists in other pertinent disciplines. This will help
ensure that interpretation of results from an individual
study will be made in the broader context of the questions
being addressed by a research theme and the program as
a whole. |
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Presentation and
synthesis is probably the most important aspect of the
plan for integration. During this step, results from each
individual study and each major research theme will be
synthesized to provide answers to questions concerning
multidisciplinary resource management questions.
Although the most appropriate mechanisms for transmitting this information
are still being formulated, it is anticipated that this
will likely involve production of white papers, review
articles, and summary documents; as well as participatory
events such as field tours, symposia, and roundtable discussions
with forest planners and managers. CFER's principal investigators
will meet regularly to provide a programmatic forum to
further develop these mechanisms for integration. |
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