Download Elements of a Strategic Plan * Typical timeline: 3

USA National Phenology Network -- Five-year Strategic Plan (FY14-FY18)
Draft; September 2013
I. Executive Summary
II. Vision
The USA-NPN is broadly recognized as the national leader for collection, organization, synthesis
and application of high-quality phenological data and information for science and society. Our
products, tools and information are widely and regularly used for research and to facilitate
decision-making relative to ecosystem services and climate change adaptation for natural
resource management, agricultural systems, and human well-being.
III. Mission
The USA-NPN, a network of scientists, resource managers, educators, and volunteer observers,
serves science and society by discovering, collecting, organizing, describing, summarizing and
distributing phenological information, including data, tools and products, to a variety of
stakeholders to aid societal decision-making and adaption to variable and changing climates
and environments.
IV. Values
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Evidence-based approach: We rely on science- and evidence-based approaches as the
basis for all operations and activities
Data quality: We encourage the accumulation and dissemination of phenology data
collected according to standardized, broadly vetted, transparent, and published
protocols and methodologies with appropriate and documented updates
Data accessibility: Data we collect are readily and freely available to all users according
to clearly documented terms of use, and data are documented and maintained in a
manner that assures its relevance, accessibility, and usability forever.
Partnerships: Partnerships with a broad range of stakeholders – including data
providers and data users – are critical to our long-term success
Engagement: Public support for science and proactive resource management depends
on public understanding of the scientific process and the natural world, which can best
be reached through public participation in science which provides for active learning
and engagement in meaningful activities
V. Goals, Objectives, and Key Activities
Goal 1. Improve understanding of plant and animal response to environmental variation and
change
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Objective 1.1. Describe spatial and temporal patterns of plant and animal phenological
activity on a national scale
Rationale: Variations in plant and animal phenology are linked to many natural processes that
affect human society, including allergy seasons, wildfire seasonality and intensity, pests and
disease, changes in species abundance and distribution, carbon and nutrient cycling in natural
ecosystems, agricultural practices and cultural festivals. Thus, descriptions of local, regional
and national patterns in phenology can be used to better understand the broader role that
phenology plays in ecosystem services and climate adaptation processes that support human
well-being in an era of rapid environmental change. USA-NPN is unique in that it provides a
national perspective on spatial and temporal patterns in plant and animal phenology through
the compilation of high-quality historical and contemporary phenology datasets. This is
facilitated by setting international standards for data collection, storage, analysis and
application, and delivery of raw or derived phenological information to a variety of users (such
as federal agency monitoring programs) for a variety of applications (such as decision-making
for resource management).
Key Activities
 Develop and promulgate standardized protocols for phenology monitoring
 Collect, organize, describe and deliver new data across the nation on critical plant and
animal taxa
 Develop and implement evidence-based quality assurance and quality control tools for
all data collection activities
 Organize, describe and distribute historical datasets that serve as baseline for longerterm analyses
 Develop and distribute “signature” products for science, applications and
communication (e.g., Spring Indices, “greenwave” maps and forecasts, phenology
calendars)
 Promote and participate in the development of models to extrapolate and interpolate
patterns and processes for hindcasting, forecasting and projecting trends and variation
in phenology
Metrics [quantities will be established once we agree upon categories]
 Agencies and organizations adopt published USA-NPN protocols for monitoring
 Observations on key species accumulated in USA-NPN database
 High-priority historical datasets integrated into USA-NPN database
 Discovery and description of historical datasets held by partners
 Data downloads and visualization tool views
 Collaborative monitoring projects with key federal organizations
 Scientific publications documenting historical and potential future trends in phenology
based on data in National Phenology Database
 Signature data products are produced and delivered
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Data and data products are used in decision-making processes by resource managers
and policy-makers
Objective 1.2. Determine relationships between observed patterns of plant and animal
phenology and other biotic and abiotic drivers such as weather and climate, hydrologic
conditions, land-use change, altered disturbance regimes, biological invasions.
Rationale: Variations in weather and climate are known critical drivers of phenological
variation at scales from individuals to landscapes. However, the relative contribution of various
drivers of phenology (e.g., temperature, soil moisture, day length) within a multi-stressor
landscape context (e.g., habitat fragmentation or degradation, novel species interactions,
alterations in hydrological condition), are generally unknown. Improved understanding of the
various drivers of phenology would facilitate our ability to forecast phenological responses to
climate variability and change across managed and unmanaged ecosystems. High-quality raw
and derived data across multiple spatial scales should be delivered in a manner that facilitates
integration with key ancillary datasets (e.g., climate, remote imagery, population performance).
Key Activities
 Collect and deliver high-quality phenological data in standardized formats
 Promote the improvement and accessibility of physical datasets with appropriate spatial
and temporal resolution needed to derive relationships between physical drivers and
biological responses
 Develop and disseminate methods, standards and tools to support collation, integration
and delivery of phenological and associated biophysical datasets for research
 Facilitate and promote research by the broader research community on relationships
between phenology, climate and other driving variables
 Collaborate with data management partners to create a portal for discovery and access
of phenological data and complementary physical or remotely sensed datasets
Metrics
 Customizable derivations of raw data are available and documented on USA-NPN data
download tool (DDT)
 Derived datasets are organized and delivered in a manner that facilitates data
integration with key ancillary datasets
 Key ancillary datasets are delivered by web services via DDT
 Scientific publications that integrate phenological and ancillary data
Objective 1.3. Understand how changes in phenology affect the structure and function of
populations, communities and ecosystems, and goods and services provided by ecosystems
to society
Rationale: Although recent research suggests phenology can be a leading indicator of changes
in the abundance, distribution, genetics, and interactions among organisms, there are few
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generalizations that can actually inform species and landscape assessments (e.g., vulnerability
to climate change, invasiveness, implications of land-use change) or decision-making processes
for resource management planning and action. For example, an understanding of relationships
between phenology and performance could be used for ecological forecasting, rapid ecological
assessments, etc., particularly for resource management agencies charged with sustaining trust
species and habitats within protected areas. Researchers need access to high-quality,
longitudinal phenology data to facilitate understanding of relationships between phenology and
populations, such as performance (e.g., decline, stable, increase) and community dynamics.
Federal agencies are emphasizing and supporting the integration of ecosystem services
concepts into their science and management activities, so a clear elucidation of how
phenological understanding contributes to ecosystem services is required.
Key Activities
 Promote and facilitate research on phenology across multiple spatial and temporal
scales, particularly to understand relationships between phenology and:
o species performance (abundance, distribution)
o community interactions (pollination, competition, exotic species invasions,
emergence of novel assemblages)
o ecosystem structure and function (carbon dynamics, insect outbreak and
disease, perturbations to disturbance regimes such as fire)
 Describe linkages between phenology and ecosystem services
Metrics
 Scientific publications that describe relationships of phenology to populations,
communities and ecosystem processes
 Scientific publications that describe relationships between phenology and ecosystem
services
Objective 1.4. Promote a broad, integrative, multi-disciplinary community of practice focused
on phenology research and applications
Rationale: Although phenology can serve as a construct to investigate and understand impacts
of environmental variation on biodiversity and ecosystems, phenological data are limited, there
are few conceptual frameworks for research, and there are even fewer coordinated
applications of phenological information to decision-making for natural resource management.
In addition, phenology is often overlooked as a tool to understand impacts of environmental
change on biodiversity and ecosystems. To define and demonstrate the value of phenological
information to science and society in a time of constrained budgets, we must leverage existing
resources to develop and maintain communities of practice for science, management, and
policy applications. We must leverage existing or new resources to develop and maintain
communities of practice (e.g., science, management applications) in the production and
delivery of co-branded research and applications. Promulgation of other national networks,
and production of international datasets for assessments or science applications, will
strengthen and demonstrate the position of the USA-NPN on the world stage.
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Key Activities
 Conduct outreach and communication about the importance of phenology to a broad
audience including researchers, managers, decision-makers, educators and
communication specialists
 Develop and facilitate interactions among a broad and inclusive network of researchers,
resource managers, educators and decision-makers interested in application of
phenological information
 Describe and demonstrate the use of phenological information by engaging with a broad
variety of stakeholders to develop and implement products and tools.
 Increase communication, coordination and collaboration among existing phenology
networks, and promote the development of new (e.g., national) phenology networks
Metrics
 Multi-disciplinary collaborative teams working on phenology projects
 Scientific publications that describe specific applications of phenology to decisionmaking outcomes
 Number and strength of operational regional and national phenology networks
 Protocol sharing and data integration for research among national and international
networks
Goal 2. Help natural resource managers understand how to better manage plants and
animals in increasingly variable and changing climates
Objective 2.1. Promote phenology as a tool to guide conservation and natural resource
management
Rationale: Because phenological variation is an important component of processes within
natural ecological systems (e.g., immigration or emigration and reproduction of populations,
species interactions including predation, pollination, or temporal niche differentiation), then an
increased understanding of phenological processes can greatly aid decision-making in
management of natural resources (e.g., setting of hunting seasons, timing of management
activities, timing of resource assessments). Phenology has often been overlooked as a tool for
natural resource management activities which tend to focus on local-scale management of
populations or habitats. As such, coordination, communication and collaboration on
phenology-related activities are critical, as both proof-of-concept via local implementation but
also for setting high-level organizational or programmatic priorities that enable local
implementation within the organizational culture or hierarchy.
Key Activities
 Promote the importance of phenology monitoring to support adaptive management,
conservation of biodiversity, and human adaptation to changing environments
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Develop and deliver decision-making frameworks for using phenology information in
conservation and natural resource management
Develop collaborative activities with natural resource management agencies or local to
regional field sites to serve as bottom-up case studies or examples
Develop communications and agreements with natural resource management
organizations at the national or headquarters level to facilitate top-down approval for
collaborations
Metrics
 Resource managers identify management activities that rely on, or need, phenology
information
 Local projects that use phenology monitoring or information for decisions
 Organizations that describe phenology as a priority activity at the national level
Objective 2.2. Provide a framework for standardized monitoring of plants and animals in
protected or managed areas
Rationale: Although a number of phenological datasets exist across the nation, they tend to be
species-specific, site-specific, or of relatively short duration, and they almost always employ
non-standardized methodologies for monitoring which constrains integration and synthesis.
The development and promulgation of conceptual frameworks for monitoring phenology,
including standardized protocols and advanced tools for integration, analysis and synthesis,
would facilitate data interoperability and leverage the value of participating organizations
within a national network. There is an opportunity to collaborate with large key partners (e.g.,
NPS, USFWS, USFS) to develop conceptual frameworks for implementing phenology activities
across their organizations, and to maximize the value of participation through new
partnerships. Partnerships among organizations with USA-NPN as a “hub” for standardized
protocols, data management, and communication tools and materials ensures that data are
interoperable and available for broader contexts.
Key Activities
 Collaborate on development of conceptual frameworks for science and monitoring to
support site-, program- or network-based management objectives
 Assist and advise on the planning and implementation of site-, program or networkbased monitoring, information management and data summarization and analysis
 Provide standardized protocols and methodologies for monitoring to facilitate
extensibility of partner activities and integration of data
 Develop and distribute custom content to facilitate communication and coordination
about phenology monitoring activities for key partners
Metrics
 Development of conceptual framework documents in collaboration with key partners
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Key partners that implement phenology monitoring within their organization according
to standardized protocols
Partner-generated communications materials that rely on repurposed content from
USA-NPN
Scientific publications or other reports that provide joint attribution for collaborations
with USA-NPN
Objective 2.3. Develop data, data products and tools to help natural resource managers
apply phenology information and science to natural resource management
Rationale: USA-NPN can provide information management services and value-added products
to critical partners to facilitate their participation as well as the continued growth and
development of the National Phenology database. Data contributors must have quick and easy
access to their own data -- in both raw and synthetic form -- as well as that of other
contributors, to maximize confidence in participation and increase value and usability of the
data. The reality of limited data requires modeling to understand trends and variation within
and among species and habitats over time at scales appropriate to resource management (e.g.,
within protected areas). Resource managers need quick and easy access to value-added
synthetic data products and tools and model outputs -- with associated best practices for
interpretation and implementation -- that facilitate decision-making for natural resource
management.
Key Activities
 Engage stakeholders in processes for identifying key data needs, data products and tools
 Develop collaborative relationships for monitoring and data sharing with key
stakeholders, particularly federal agencies charged with tracking status and trends of
species on protected areas
 Develop and distribute new methodologies for derivation and production of standard
data products with limited customization for key partners
 Develop and describe models to interpolate or extrapolate phenology data across space
and time at spatiotemporal scales appropriate for resource management decisionmaking
 Develop enhanced online data download and visualization tools with limited
customization for key partners
Metrics
 Number of stakeholders engaged that are collecting data to meet key data needs,
particularly in support of decision-making activities or custom tools
 Methodologies for production of data products developed independently or in
collaboration with stakeholders
 Decision-support tools that rely on USA-NPN data for parameterization or validation
 Presence of portals for discovery and integration of datasets from multiple platforms
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Goal 3. Improve public understanding of science and environmental and climatic change to
build public support for science and proactive adaptation to environmental change
Objective 3.1. Engage the public in meaningful scientific activities focused on understanding
patterns and trends of phenology, and climatic drivers of phenology, within natural and
managed ecosystems
Rationale: A society composed of individuals who better understand the purpose and
methodology of scientific research will be more supportive of science as an important activity
with societal benefits, can relate changes in their own environment to broader-scale ecological
changes, can understand implications of environmental variation and climate change on their
own welfare and that of future generations.
Key Activities
 Engage the public as collaborators with scientists and resource managers in the
collection and organization of phenology data for plant and animal species across the
nation
 Provide a diverse set of opportunities for participation in phenology-related activities for
multiple audiences, including people typically underrepresented in science
 Create a phenology-focused community of practice that invites the public to engage
with USA-NPN NCO staff and USA-NPN-affiliated researchers or resource managers
Metrics
 Field campaigns are developed and implemented to support relevant research
 Observers, including underrepresented audiences, engage in phenology-related
activities
 Participant or partner organizations ask and answer science questions of their own
design
 Youth and peoples typically underrepresented in science elect to pursue careers in the
scientific field
 Participants have improved understanding of local impacts of global change on local
trends and patterns in phenology
Objective 3.2. Communicate and translate scientific information to the public to improve
public understanding of phenology, science, climate change and climate change impacts on
natural and managed ecosystems
Rationale: The public must receive scientific information in a way that is both understandable
and meaningful to them before they can understand the impacts of variable or changing
climates on natural and managed ecosystems.
Key Activities
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Develop and distribute to a broad audience materials that communicate how phenology
and other climate-relevant data are being used for research and decision-making to
benefit science and society
Cultivate relationships with media outlets and journalists to increase awareness of
phenology as an indicator of change via marketing and outreach
Develop educational and curricular materials appropriate for formal, non-formal and
informal education related to the science of climate change and phenology
Metrics
 Number and type of materials that describe local, regional and national changes in
phenology linked to environmental change and variation that affect human society
 Number, quality and reach of media reports that communicate information relevant to
scientific research, data collection protocols and examples of phenological changes
through time
 Number of curricula for formal, informal and non-formal educational settings used in
the field
Objective 3.3. Sustain data collection and participant engagement directly and through
partner organizations
Rationale: Educators at formal and informal institutions are more likely to participate in a
national program if it is meaningful to their community and local program needs. Moreover,
having standard partner resources will ease implementation and long-term participation.
Participants are more likely to participate in a national program if they see a connection to local
environmental issues. A distributed network of trained environmental education specialists can
implement activities locally, as well as conduct trainings, answer questions, and build long-term
relationships with participants.
Key Activities
 Develop workshop materials to promote long-term meaningful engagement through an
understanding of humans and human activity as part of the local community and
broader ecosystem
 Create standardized training and materials for use or repurposing by partners
 Assist partners in developing meaningful, locally focused science, management, and
research questions
Metrics
 Participants attend workshops and return to training locations to collect observations
and engage with partner/site leaders
 Partners use and provide feedback on training and workshop materials
 Participants and partners collect data and analyze results of local science, management
and research questions, and understand how the results relate to regional and national
issues
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VI. Implementation Plan
This Strategic Plan is designed as a “goals-based” (aka vision-based, purpose-driven, outcomeoriented) strategic plan, and is a “living” document that charts the direction of the entire
organization on a 5-year time frame with periodic updates as described below. Implementation
of the Strategic Plan will be accomplished through the development of Business Plans and
Action Plans.
Business Plans focus on a particular product, service or program, for a fixed period of time.
They include specific activities such as the development and delivery of national data products
such as Spring Indices, national “Greenwave” maps, or state or region-specific phenology
“calendars” as requested by our stakeholders in a national workshop in May 2012. These are
developed through NCO team-level planning, or by teams composed of NCO staff and
collaborators, and are periodic and ad-hoc; evaluation is generally continuous.
Action Plans focus on activities of different components of the organization (e.g., Science Team,
Partnerships Team) that describe with more detail short-term (i.e., 1-2 year) activities to meet
the specific Objectives listed above. This is typically accomplished through team-level actionplanning, with significant inter-team communication. Specifically, around the turn of each fiscal
year, we will develop implementation (“Action”) plans that support the Objectives and Key
Activities outlined in the Strategic Plan. This process will also include programmatic
assessments that inform updates of this Strategic Plan. In addition, we will maintain the USANPN NCO with appropriate mission and staffing by developing a base budget, work-force plan,
and contingency plans, which will be assessed and modified annually.
VII. Evaluation
The various Goals, Objectives, and Key Activities described in this Strategic Plan are designed to
help us meet our Vision. We will evaluate our progress towards that Vision through annual
assessments of quantitative “living” Metrics: progress towards Metrics will be used to
periodically modify the Metrics themselves, as well as the Objectives and their associated Key
Activities. Note that the Metrics listed above require assignment of quantitative criteria before
they can be evaluated. One- to two-year Action Plans (presented elsewhere) will be annually
evaluated and adjusted to meet the new or modified Metrics, Key Activities and Objectives.
VIII. Communicating Progress
We will employ a variety of tools for communicating our progress towards the Vision, Goals and
Objectives outlined in this Strategic Plan. Overall progress towards Goals will be reported to all
stakeholders (i.e., funders, participants, Advisory Committee, and existing and potential
partners) through our Annual Report, with highlights featuring projects or activities that
support each Goal or select Objectives. Material for the Annual Report will be drawn from
more detailed Annual Impact Statements prepared for each Goal and its Objectives. Annual
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evaluations of our 1- to 2-year Action Plans will be used to refine subsequent Action Plans and
to modify the Strategic Plan, but will be available to key funders and the Advisory Committee as
appropriate. NCO staff will provide high-level reports on progress via periodic public
presentations; occasionally, assessments may be communicated through formal programmatic
reviews or through the peer-reviewed literature.
IV. Resources and Supplemental Materials
We used an evidence-based approach to develop this strategic plan, including (1) organizational
resources for development of effective strategic plans, (2) examination of strategic plans that
contained approaches or elements useful to development of our plan, and (3) comparison to
strategic plans for organizations with similar missions or activities. The following sections
provide a few examples for each category:
Resources for effective strategic planning
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From Purdue Cooperative Extension (Developing Vision and Mission Statements):
http://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/EC/EC-720.pdf
University of Wisconsin-Madison (Strategic Planning, Models for planning, Benefits of
Planning, Elements of Successful Planning):
http://oqi.wisc.edu/resourcelibrary/uploads/resources/Strategic%20Planning%20in%20
the%20University.pdf
State of California Guidelines for Strategic Planning (an extensive, how-to guide):
http://www.cdpr.ca.gov/docs/dept/planning/strg_pln/spguide.pdf
Strategic Planning Models: http://www.slideshare.net/ezendu/strategic-planningmodels-11150946
Strategic Planning Guidelines (Nonprofit Works – download MS Word Document):
http://bit.ly/16RVyX9
Other strategic plans that contained approaches or elements useful to development of our
Strategic Plan
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Loyola Marymount University Strategic Plan 2012-2020 (example of internal structure
that we employed, including Goals aka ‘themes’, Objectives, Rationale, Actions and
Metrics): http://academics.lmu.edu/strategicplan/strategicplan20122020/strategicplantableofcontents/
USDA-NRCS Strategic Plan:
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/about/acc/strategy/
USDA-USFS Southern Research Station ("Framework"):
http://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/about-the-station/the-work-we-do/strategic.html#top
Strategic Plans for other similar science activities or science networks
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AIBS Strategic Plan: http://www.aibs.org/about-aibs/2012AIBSStrategicPlan.pdf
CA LCC Strategic Plan (a close model for the USA-NPN: Goals, Objective, Actions):
http://californialcc.org/sites/default/files/basic/Strategic%20Plan.pdf
Ameriflux Strategic Plan: http://public.ornl.gov/ameriflux/about-strategic_plan.shtml
LTER Strategic and Implementation Plan (including metrics in a table/matrix format):
http://intranet2.lternet.edu/sites/intranet2.lternet.edu/files/documents/LTER%20Histo
ry/Planning%20Documents/LTER_SIP_Dec_05_2010.pdf
NEON (a sprawling strategic and implementation plan, but we might all be familiar with
this): http://www.neoninc.org/sites/default/files/NEON_Strategy_2011u2.pdf
USGS Ecosystems Science Strategy: http://pubs.usgs.gov/circ/1383c/
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