Deb Whitall, Ph.D. Social Scientist, Pacific Southwest Region Sierra Cascade Dialog Session February 24, 2011 Sacramento, California

What does an iceberg and an orange have in common? There’s more to them than first meets the eye…

Iceberg Model

Distinguishing between Positions, Interests, and Values: Position is what you say you want: “I want to build a campground here,” Interests are the reasons why you take that position, “Because I want a quiet camping spot with a good view of the mountains,” and are based on Values, “Being in natural settings is a spiritual experience”

There are instances, however, in which conflict results from a clash of values:  If individuals or groups have radically different ideas about the best way to live they are likely to stress the importance of different things and have very different, even incompatible interests.  Values tend to be stable and non-negotiable.  Thus, interest-based problem solving is effective in interest-based disputes, but it should not be applied to disputes involving deep differences in values.

 Values can also take on a more specific meaning in the context of public land management including the desirability of various benefits or opportunities associated with forest management compared to other opportunities.  These opportunities tie in with the notion of desired conditions, a critical foundation for land use planning.

 What you value related to forests and forest ecosystems matters: be it aesthetic, ecological, biologic diversity, recreation, education, ethical, historical, cultural, therapeutic, scientific, intellectual, economic, subsistence, or spiritual in nature…