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A Soft Systems Approach to Watershed Management: A Road Salt Case Study

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Abstract

Watershed management requires integration of social and ecological understanding. Participatory approaches to planning and management incorporate stakeholder knowledge and understanding. An action research strategy using focus groups with Michigan State University operations units helped generate a soft systems model of watershed impacts of organizational decision-making regarding road de-icing. The results reveal tensions and inconsistencies between the mission and operation of the institution. These tensions are exacerbated by inadequate communication among various elements of the campus watershed management system. The action research approach facilitated the researchers’ understanding of the complex institutional system and helped identify possible areas for making improvements. Specifically, the researchers were able to facilitate improvement in some linkages between scientists developing campus watershed models and the operations staff responsible for handling many of the inputs being modeled.

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Acknowledgments

This research was made possible by help from, among others, Garry Parrot and Roger Thelen from the MSU Grounds Maintenance Department; Brian Graf from Agronomy Farms; Barry Darling from University Farms; and Bob Nestle from Engineering and Architectural Services. We would also like to thank the men and women of these MSU operations units for their time and input. This project was supported by a grant from the MSU-WATER project and benefited from research assistance by doctoral candidate Tim Hadlock. All opinions expressed, errors, and omissions are the authors’ alone.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Department of Sociology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824-1222, USA

    Geoffrey B. Habron

  2. Department of Resource Development, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA

    Michael D. Kaplowitz

  3. Department of Resource Development, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA

    Ralph L. Levine

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  1. Geoffrey B. Habron
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  2. Michael D. Kaplowitz
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  3. Ralph L. Levine
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Appendix a: Focus Group Script

Appendix a: Focus Group Script

Introduction

  • The purpose of the focus group is to understand how the participants think about and interact with the Red Cedar watershed

  • “There are no right or wrong answers, we are simply interested in your perceptions and insights”

Discussion Questions

  1. 1.

    Tell me how you came to work for the organization?

  2. 2.

    What type of training did you have?

  3. 3.

    What types of things do you do for your organization?

  4. 4.

    Let’s talk more in depth about [one of the tasks a participant mentioned or one of the tasks predetermined as important based on documents from the organization]

  5. 5.

    What types of activities do you think affect the water quality of the Red Cedar?

  6. 6.

    What types of environmental regulations do you have regarding your work?

  7. 7.

    What would you like to see done differently?

Conclusion

  • Do you have any questions about our research?

  • Are there any things about the Red Cedar that you’d like to talk about that we haven’t discussed yet?

  • Thank you for taking the time to help us out here today.

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Habron, G., Kaplowitz, M. & Levine, R. A Soft Systems Approach to Watershed Management: A Road Salt Case Study. Environmental Management 33, 776–787 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-004-3043-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-004-3043-9

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