• "The real value of science is in its ability to understand, apply, and improve the world around us." - Neil deGrasse Tyson

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Google Search returns January 19, 2024

After 8 hours of hard research it hits you - this is an enormous task.  There is so much out there.  It would be very helpful if you had a streamlined way to get to the research you need and not have to deal with all the ads, gatekeepers and irrelevant search returns.  Wouldn't it be great if you had a curated library of cumulative effects studies already organized that you could start with?  And even if it didn't have every  study, you could zero in a lot faster and utilize the bibliographies to get to the info you need so much faster.  Wouldn't that be great?

I have felt this way 🤓 so many times! 

6 years ago I started thinking, there's got to be a better way than starting from scratch every project.  I came up with the idea of a curated library of research, published and applied or 'grey literature'. I had started to compile my own library to make it easier for myself but was still finding that folders on my hard-drive or external backups didn't work well for searching 🧐

"So that's why we created the CFX Library"

I needed a way to catalogue and search reports for terms I'm always interested in.  And I thought many of my CFX colleagues, subscribers and fellow applied scientists are probably wanting something like this too.  If I put something together on the ☁️ cloud, then many could benefit from it - not just me.

So that's why we created the CFX Library.  A searchable, carefully curated compendium of research, case studies, policy, multi-interest collaborative initiatives to give us a fast lane to the research we need for our projects.  An online library available from any platform (even a 📲 phone) so we can access data or info on the fly as needed. One that will continue to grow and help subscribers do their work more efficiently and thoroughly.

It hasn't been easy but we've got it going now!  My team and I have been working away on this for 3 years 😅 - trying to get it populated with a range of references and searchable to help narrow down what we want fast.  And it's certainly not the full library yet by a long shot. 

This is what is called the Beta Version - its our first test release.  We've focused most of our time so far on the technical website stuff to make it work.  We have X documents in there now but this will grow.  We're also going to set up a way for subscribers to add their research to the CFX Library to share with others and in the future, significant contributors will get rewards for helping build this.

I'll be honest with you that this does require money to develop and maintain and so we are going to charge a small monthly fee for subscribers to help us pay for the site development, uploading of new references, storage, search requests, downloads, etc. as well as the continuing upkeep and currency of the website

I'm very excited to say that it is our plan to open the Beta Version of the CFX Library for subscribers first, fingers crossed🤞next week and we'll offer a time-limited discount for subscribing early and helping us tweak the site before opening it more broadly to others.  I will send you a quick email when we are ready to open the Beta version of CFX Library so you have first access!

Project Management

Street Smarts & Book Smarts

OK so you are going to work on a cumulative effects assessment. You, your team and your client have done your planning.  You have your project Vision, Key Priorities, SMART Goals, and project work breakdown structure completed.  

Oh, you haven't?  Do you have a Project Charter?  Because of my experience as a consultant for 25 years, I've had to learn how to assemble these vital elements of project success fast and efficiently.  Over the next several weeks I'll be sharing some of my best practices learned by doing and guided by the Project Management Body of Knowledge.  These are tried and tested methods you'll be able to pick up and utilize for your work. 

Watch for this section in my regular updates.  Right now, read more about planning.

10 Crucial Requirements To Get Cumulative Effects Right

Here's 10 crucial requirements for getting Cumulative Effects Assessments done right and meeting today's decision-making needs: 

• Comprehensive cumulative effects assessments are a critical component of resource management decision-making
• Cumulative Effects Assessments must be undertaken across meaningful time and space relevant to the values being assessed, not constrained by an individual project’s lifespan.
• Baselines should be measured from historic conditions like pre-European contact and incorporate Range Of Natural Variation.
• Regional Management Frameworks are needed that define Cumulative Effects targets and thresholds at the landscape scale for all human land uses and natural disturbance.
• We must not isolate a project out of the context of the landscape and the culture in which it resides. If we do, which is the status quo in most areas, frustration will continue to rise and lead to conflict.
• Environmental Impact Assessments are not meeting this landscape level cumulative effects assessment need – but they are probably not the right instruments. A big problem today is that EIA’s are often the only point of entry to the discussion – and this leads to conflict because EIA’s are only meant to be a test of the project.
• Frameworks need to be put in place now, and be mandated by policy and/or legislation so that decision makers, e.g. the regulators, have a better basis to implement cumulative effects management.
• Inclusion of Indigenous People and Stakeholders in the assessment needs to start at the beginning of the assessment, not at the end.
• Trust has been lost because the current process is not adequately providing for input from Indigenous People, Stakeholders and the public.
• Social and cultural indicators are the weakest in current cumulative effects assessment – effort needs to be put here to improve

Read more here: https://www.barryjwilson.com/blog

  Everything Is Connected

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