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A Conceptual Framework for Knowledge Exchange in a Wildland Fire Research and Practice Context

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Applied Data Science

Part of the book series: Studies in Big Data ((SBD,volume 125))

Abstract

Wildland fire is an important natural disturbance in many vegetated areas of the world. However, fire management actions are critical not only to prevent and suppress unwanted fires, but also mitigate and recover from the negative impacts of fire on people and communities. Advancements in wildland fire science can help inform these necessary actions in wildland fire management. How science is created and integrated into these fire management decision-making processes, whether through collaborations with external researchers and/or with scientists within a wildland fire management agency itself, requires a conscious understanding of how the science is useful and goes beyond the simple existence of knowledge. This chapter outlines the goal of integrating fire science and management using a conceptual knowledge exchange (KE) framework, informed from existing work on KE. We provide a review of the KE literature relevant to wildland fire management and develop a KE framework for the fire management context. In this context, we address the potential barriers and facilitators throughout this process followed by a discussion of an active learning approach aimed at developing effective data translation skills amongst students in a data analytics consulting course.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Knowledge can be classified into explicit (for example codified) and tacit knowledge (for example has a personal quality) [28]. Knowledge and knowledge creation occur over a range of domains from fundamental research to local communities [34]. It is important to recognize that the knowledge systems described here are derived from Western perspectives. The authors acknowledge the value of Indigenous and traditional ways of knowing and of knowledge exchange that are not represented in this paper. Indigenous ways of knowing celebrate the intimate connections between humans and the biophysical world. Fire has been used as an important tool for Indigenous Peoples for a variety of reasons, including in hunting and gathering activities, to regenerate land and safeguard resources, for cooking, heating, and ceremony, and for communication [24]. Indigenous Peoples hold important place-based knowledge about fire and fire management and have played a key role in wildland fire management through time.

  2. 2.

    A researcher is a person who studies a subject and carries out academic or scientific research especially in order to discover new information or reach a new understanding (for example, a fire research scientist) (adapted from Cambridge Dictionary [4].

  3. 3.

    A practitioner is a person actively engaged in a discipline, or practices a profession for example, fire management staff, personnel, or managers [23].

  4. 4.

    Innovation is the adoption of the products and related organizational, administrative or policies related to fire management agencies (adapted from Damanpour and Gopalakrishnan [8]. In this way innovation is viewed as an outcome of knowledge exchange. Adoption is synonymous with implementation and integration.

  5. 5.

    Knowledge transfer is a sub-process of KE for disseminating broader learning aimed at changes in strategic thinking, culture and providing inputs to decision-making [13]. This embodies the underlying principles which may include considering aspects such as organizational design and culture. This is a systematic approach to collect and share knowledge so ideas, research results and skills enable innovative new products to be developed [14].

  6. 6.

    Technical transfer is a sub-process of KE for disseminating knowledge with a more narrow-in-focus than knowledge transfer and aimed at processes, products, tools, data or models [13]. This may include considering aspects such as policy, procedures for acquisition, application and archive of information [56].

  7. 7.

    Knowledge brokers (data translators; opinion leaders, boundary organizations) are the intermediaries between the knowledge producers and those who use it. They are the human force behind finding, assessing and interpreting evidence, facilitating interaction and identifying emerging research questions [28, 29, 49]. Knowledge brokers may be specialized to certain domains such as data translators who bridge the expertise gaps between technical teams in data science [22]. Knowledge brokers may also be opinion leaders who are trusted information sources [3]. There are also boundary organizations which are coordinated groups that are intermediaries that develop long-term relationships and collaboration to increase the impact of science in fire management [16].

  8. 8.

    See footnote 4.

  9. 9.

    The knowledge and technical interface is where concerted bi-directional flow of collaborative learning, shared understanding of key concepts and co-evolution towards common purpose, intent and action takes place [34]. We contend this is where tacit and explicit knowledge exchange can be the most impactful and therefore important for the positioning of knowledge brokers.

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Acknowledgements

This work was completed in part to support the WildFireSat mission fire management engagement planning. We also acknowledge the support of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the Ministry Natural Resources and Forestry. We thank Meghan Sloane for technical support and assistance with the literature review. We also thank the Editors and reviewer for their helpful comments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services, Dryden Fire Management Centre, Dryden, ON, Canada

    Colin B. McFayden

  2. Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service, Great Lakes Forestry Centre, Sault Ste. Marie, ON, Canada

    Lynn M. Johnston, B. Mike Wotton & Joshua M. Johnston

  3. Department of Statistical and Actuarial Sciences, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada

    Douglas G. Woolford

  4. Ontario Ministry Natural Resources and Forestry, Science and Research Branch, Centre for Northern Forest Ecosystem Research, Thunder Bay, ON, Canada

    Colleen George

  5. Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Aviation Forest Fire and Emergency Services, Sault Ste. Marie, ON, Canada

    Den Boychuk & Daniel Johnston

  6. Graduate Department of Forestry, John. H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

    B. Mike Wotton

Authors
  1. Colin B. McFayden
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  2. Lynn M. Johnston
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  3. Douglas G. Woolford
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  4. Colleen George
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  5. Den Boychuk
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  6. Daniel Johnston
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  7. B. Mike Wotton
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  8. Joshua M. Johnston
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Colin B. McFayden .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Statistical and Actuarial Sciences, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada

    Douglas G. Woolford

  2. Faculty of Education, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada

    Donna Kotsopoulos

  3. Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Boba Samuels

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McFayden, C.B. et al. (2023). A Conceptual Framework for Knowledge Exchange in a Wildland Fire Research and Practice Context. In: Woolford, D.G., Kotsopoulos, D., Samuels, B. (eds) Applied Data Science. Studies in Big Data, vol 125. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-29937-7_12

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