Missing information and the circle of conflict

By Jon Dain, NRLI Director

It was about 8:30 at night, Karen and I were exhausted. We were on a high speed “bullet train”, the last leg of a long trip as we returned to Kyoto after a brief visit to the US. The train route from Tokyo-Kyoto was simple and familiar, but I had set my alarm to avoid any mishaps. Karen was sleeping and I dozed on-and-off as the train whizzed silently down the tracks. Suddenly, I was awakened by an announcement, first in English, then in Japanese. My phone alarm went off at almost the same time. I missed most of the English version as I fumbled to turn off the alarm, but when the announcement was made in Japanese, I definitely heard the name “Kyoto”. Glancing groggily at my watch I saw that we had been on the train for a little under two hours. I knew that the trip takes a little over 2 hours. My brain, mildly confused, quickly adjusted and filled in the missing bit information, this was a bullet train that travels close to 200 mph, we were probably ahead of schedule, “Time to get off”. I woke Karen and hurriedly gathered our bags and suitcase from the rack above the seats. As the train slowed, Karen, still half-asleep, glanced out the window and said, “are you sure this is it?”. With confidence in my voice, I replied “yes, it’s been 2 hours, let’s go!”.   I recall that it didn’t look exactly right, but there were advertisements that I recognized, and the vast Kyoto train station has multiple entrances/exits. My brain filled in the missing bit of information; this was probably an exit we had not used before, thus it looks different. We climbed into a taxi, and I gave the elderly driver our address. He looked puzzled, which was often the case when someone in Japan heard me speak, so I instead pulled out my phone and showed him our address in Japanese. He stared hard for a few seconds, looked briefly up and off into the distance, then returned his gaze to the phone. He turned and asked something that we did not understand. I took the phone back and showed him the location on google maps. He replied with some version of “Oh, OK” and began playing fiddling awkwardly with his car’s GPS. My brain filled in the missing piece of information, “just our luck, we got some old guy who can’t use technology and assumes that foreigners don’t know what they are talking about”. Reminding myself to be patient, I helpfully mentioned a major landmark near where we lived, any taxi driver would know it. He nodded carefully, but still no response; we had now been sitting in the taxi for almost 10 minutes. After another attempt with his GPS he politely said, “just a minute please”, climbed out of the car and called to a nearby taxi driver. The two huddled for a few moments, heads nodding. Our driver occasionally glanced back at us. There was a final nod and the driver returned to our taxi, started the engine and began to drive. Relieved I settled back into the seat relishing the familiar surroundings. As he pulled put of the parking lot in front of the station, the taxi turned left. Wait, shouldn’t it be a right turn? That “something is wrong” feeling washed over me, what was going on? My brain, filling in the missing bit information told me “Older, experienced driver = must know a shortcut”.  I was no longer worried. Karen, however, was now very worried.  Fully awake and fully concerned she looked at me and said (again) “Jon, this is not right”. Then it dawned on me, finally. I meekly asked the driver “Is this Kyoto?”. He looked in the rearview mirror and said, “No, this is Nagoya” (a completely different city)… 

The link between this story and NRLI is an activity we use each year called “Drama by the River”. We read off a simple tale about five people living along a river. Fellows are then tasked individually with evaluating and ranking the behavior of each character in the story based on what they have heard. Once individual rankings are completed, Fellows are then asked to form groups and come to consensus on those rankings, a far more complex task than it appears. When we lack complete information about a situation, especially a complex one, our brains fill in the missing pieces with images and ideas based on past experiences, knowledge, and unconsciously, our values, all of which can lead to incorrect assumptions. Sometimes we are right, sometimes we are wrong, and we all do this all the time; it is part of being human. We meet someone and make immediate assumptions based on appearance, “he is elderly and can’t understand technology”. We hear a story and immediately judge it to be right or wrong “she is half-asleep and thus incorrect”. We make decisions after interpreting incomplete data “they just mentioned Kyoto, we must be in Kyoto”.  

As anyone who cares about the environment knows, natural resource issues are far more complex than getting off at the right train stop. As are the interests and needs of associated stakeholders.  We never have complete information about either.  In Homestead, Class 22 was introduced to the “Circle of Conflict” (Moore 2014), a framework for helping uncover and understanding some of that missing information. Moore’s research has shown that when experiencing an intractable conflict, it is useful to look beyond competing interests to potential differences in values, issues with data, negative relationship histories, structural issues and/or real or perceived threats to an individual or groups’ identity or safety. 

In my train station fiasco, the initial issue was my assumption of location based on incomplete data*. It was subsequently exacerbated by numerous, cascading, and inaccurate perceptions and assumptions.  (There may also have been an issue with, um, not listening). We eventually arrived at our Kyoto apartment much later than expected but having suffered no major consequences. Incorrect perceptions and assumptions in addressing natural resource and environmental disputes can be far more costly.

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* What I heard was “…Kyoto”, what I missed was “Welcome to Nagoya, the next stop will be…”. Note: Japanese trains leave and arrive exactly on time, almost without fail, a fact I conveniently dismissed. 

Reflections on Biscayne

By Joni Petry and Erika Henderson, NRLI Class 22 Fellows

Class 22 took an adventure to Homestead, Florida for the October session. Our focus: Marine Protected Areas in Biscayne National Park. We began by reflecting on our experiences, professionally and personally, from Hurricane Ian’s landfall as a Cat 4 storm three weeks earlier. Some fellows evacuated and experienced losses at home. Others in the cohort had their work priorities redirected to post-storm activities, ranging from managing additional water to our ecological system, strategizing the logistics of removing boats from properties, organizing loan repayment programs - the list seems endless. Despite the impacts we all felt, every single NRLI fellow traveled to Homestead to participate in the session. As a group, we reconnected by sharing our concerns for the environment and the millions of people who will be recovering for years to come. As residents and friends of Florida, we all know hurricanes are a fact of life, but that knowledge rarely prepares us for the ripple effects from a major storm.

Our esteemed project team supplied us with new tools for our facilitator toolboxes! To recap, we were already equipped with the Triangle of Needs and Interests which reminded us to ask, ‘What matters, and to whom?’ This time, we dove a little deeper and were introduced to the Circle of Conflict AND the Situation Assessment Matrix. Whoa. There was much to unpack as we increased our awareness of the complexities that must be identified and analyzed when we aim to seek resolution on the myriad of natural resource conflicts we encounter. Respecting what matters most to our partners and getting to the root of why disagreement exists could open the opportunity for dialogue. A person’s essence is something we cannot change.

We discussed our 1:1 conversations with NRLI alumni from 13(!) of the 21 previous classes who either shared their time with us individually prior to the session or joined the group in Homestead. The insight we gained from alumni was greatly appreciated. It was rewarding to hear how the skills they learned in NRLI are regularly used to this very day. We wish to thank the generosity of alumni and look forward to furthering the opportunity NRLI provides for connection between classes in its vast network of professionals.

Biscayne Bay has been the subject of discussion about creation of marine reserves for 20 of the 42 years since Biscayne National Monument became Biscayne National Park (BNP). As one of only 2 national parks in the United States mostly surrounded by water, BNP is the country’s largest underwater national park. This presents a unique challenge to estimate the number of people who visit BNP. It’s amazing to think about the massive population growth that has occurred in the area and the direct impact recreational activities, and the footprint modern human presence have had on the park. Our guest speaker and stakeholder panelists added to our knowledge of the issue, while giving us more food for thought. We were reminded how different organizations and agencies have their own respective priorities and missions to uphold and must work within their regulatory authority.

Our group was able to experience a sunny day on the bay by kayaking or snorkeling with the Biscayne National Park Institute. The kayakers ventured out to the red mangroves and spied groups of small fish and manatees while learning about the role of mangroves as a rookery habitat. The snorkelers explored the reef shoals and the Mandalay 1966 shipwreck. Submerged underwater, the snorkelers were treated to a variety of colorful corals and schools of Bermuda chubs, several trumpetfish, and a mass of lobster. Even a nurse shark graced the group with its presence. The reds, purples, and yellows were just a small taste of the beauty of nature. Our cohort gained perspective on the importance of life in the bay with this wonderful immersive experience and saw the opportunity to educate the next generation about the concept of ‘Leave no trace.’

We wrapped up our time together with NRLI’s version of Speed Dating in search of our Practicum matches. It was an inventive way for us to brainstorm and get our creative juices flowing. Finally, there was a whole lot of Drama by the River as we listened to a wild and crazy story told by Jon. There were lightbulb moments as we debated the least and most awful characters in the plot. We recognized how much our own perceptions, values, and assumptions play a role in viewing a situation, leaving us with the question: can we truly agree to disagree, or do we hold fast to our principles in lieu of compromise?

India Riedel

Finance Director, City of Okeechobee

India is the Finance Director in her small town, the City of Okeechobee. Many hats are bestowed on her as her duties and responsibilities. One of the most rewarding opportunities is promoting stewardship of dollars receipted and providing the community awareness of how those dollars are spent.   

As part of a long generation of Floridians, she imparts her knowledge and history when the city faces additional needs and dilemmas - whether they are green space enhancements, storm water infrastructure or impact of future developments.

Through positive communication with citizens, staff, and elected officials regarding the budgeting of revenues and expenses, she can only hope that her past experiences can assist those officials to continue to be stewards of the land in controlled growth, enhancement of community activities, and continue services needed for the future.

India and her adult children and family continue to enjoy time spent on the land. Each Thanksgiving they have camped, cooked on the open fire, trail rode on horses to buggies, hunted, and of course lived by the mantra of “eat what you shoot” goes unsaid, while teaching each generation the love of the outdoors and that simpler things are the most enjoyable. 

Brian Seymour

Archaeologist, Planning and Policy Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District

Brian is an archaeologist with the US Army Corps of Engineers in Jacksonville, Florida. He has been digging up evidence of past human activity throughout Europe and the United States for over 17 years, and still can’t answer the question “what is the most interesting thing you have found?” Having earned an MSc in Maritime Archaeology, Brian was extremely excited when his career path took him from the landlocked Appalachian foothills of southwestern Pennsylvania to the submerged landscapes surrounding the Florida peninsula in October of 2020. In addition to putting sea-salt back into his diet, working for the Corps has allowed Brian the opportunity to broaden his horizons to include natural resources studies and planning.

When he is not busy diving and digging through the past, Brian is likely out on or under the water, climbing something, biking or skiing down something, or exploring untrodden paths with his dog, Sedna.

Tommy Van Trees

Captain, Division of Law Enforcement, FWC

Tommy Van Trees is a Captain in the Division of Law Enforcement for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. He started his career in 2009 in Collier County which was his first duty station after graduating the academy. Tommy then promoted to investigator in Collier County, and then to the rank of patrol Lieutenant in his hometown of Tampa. After serving as a patrol lieutenant and the investigations lieutenant in Tampa Bay, Tommy became the investigations Captain for the Southwest Region.

His most recent move has been to Tallahassee where he is now the Captain of Statewide Operations. This position has him coordinating statewide programs for FWC such as their Special Operations Group, K9 Program, Offshore Patrol Vessel Program, Drone Program, Unusual Mortality Events,and the Emergency Operations Center.

Tommy has a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Indiana University. He is a huge Tampa Bay Lightning Hockey fan, but his greatest love of all is his wife Sarah, and his small daughter Sylvie. 

Eliana Bardi Senior Planner, Alachua County Environmental Protection Department

Liza Bradford Director of Finance, Florida Farm Bureau Federation 

Michael Chase Program Administrator, Florida Department of Environmental Protection 

Emily Ducker Water Supply Program Manager, Suwannee River Water Management District

Vincent Encomio Florida Sea Grant Agent, UF/IFAS Extension 

Stephen Fulford Environmental Manager, Florida Dept. of Agriculture & Consumer Services

Erika Henderson President, Tangelo Farms | Membership Coordinator, WUFT 

Shelly Johnson State Specialized Agent, UF/IFAS Extension 

Amanda Kahn Lead Environmental Project Manager, South FL Water Management District 

Tiffany Lane Wildlife Biologist & Coastal Program Coordinator, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 

Brooke Langston Supervisor, Sarasota County Parks & Natural Resources 

Jennifer Mitchell Environmental Scientist IV, St. Johns River Water Management District

Daniel Nelson Biologist IV, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission

Joni Petry Environmental Administrator, Florida Department of Environmental Protection 

Matthew Posner Executive Director, Pensacola & Perdido Bays Estuary Program

Mark Rachal Florida Coastal Islands Sanctuaries Manager, Audubon Florida

India Riedel Finance Director, City of Okeechobee 

Daniel Roberts Environmental Specialist III, Peace River Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority 

Ashford Rosenberg Policy Director, Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Shareholders' Alliance

Linda Sapp Extension Agent, College of Ag & Food Sciences, Florida A&M University

Brian Seymour Archaeologist, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Jared Smith Smith & Johns, Inc. 

Tommy Van Trees Captain Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission

Jay Vogel Operations & Environmental Services Manager, Natural Resource Planning Services, Inc.