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Natural Resource Planning & Single Best Advice for Anyone About to Launch A Planning Career Dear Management Doctor: I hope you will forgive a cold call from a fellow planner. I obtained your name from the natural resources planning literature. I am writing to ask you what the three most important things a new planner or planning major needs to know about natural resources planning. I have been involved in (mostly water resources) planning as a practitioner since the 1970s. With a friend and colleague I authored a Planning Manual some years ago. http://www.iwr.usace.army.mil/docs/iwrreports/96r21.pdf. When public comments were invited for the rewrite of the Principles and Guidelines mandated by the Water Resources Development Act of 2007 I was excited by the opportunity. I am leveraging this point in time to write a natural resources planning textbook (to be published by CRC), intended for planning majors at the undergraduate and graduate levels. So I thought it wise to ask the expert. What absolutely needs to be in a foundations of natural resources planning textbook (3 most important things)? And what's the single best piece of advice you'd offer to anyone about to launch a planning career? Thank you for considering this request. I’d be happy to share the working outline if your interest extends that far. Sincerely, Dear Charles, I am not an expert in this field but will see if any of my emailers can give you some ideas. Take a look at APA’s new e-brochure, Environmental Planning Education Products. AICP is also starting an exam for Certified Environmental Planner. It’s hard to come up with a single word of advice for someone about to launch a planning career. Here are a few thoughts
Good luck on the new book, The Management Doctor P.S. I am the Management Doctor but not a Doctor Reader Responses Here are my responses:
Lastly, learn to be patient and persevere and be willing to volunteer or accept a low-paying job in order to gain experience for that first, meaningful employment opportunity. I do hope this input is useful. Regards, Every college and graduate program should involve some experience with different types of planners local, regional, transportation, environmental, etc. With a course going over the basic skills for each type of planner. For instance, I am a town planner, employed by a small town where I do both jobs of the planner and the zoning enforcement officer. In my last job I was a town planner and a wetlands enforcement officer. In both jobs, I need the following skills: site plan reading and site inspection also how to recognize erosion problems and how to address them, general wetlands knowledge, basic knowledge of soil types, wetlands and watercourses and how they are legally defined and identified in my state, computer skills, verbal and written communications, the concept of zoning so I can explain it to the public, professional approach to enforcement of the regulations, permit review, how to conduct a public meeting. Necessary things they need to know that apply to all states: FOIA and 1 acre=43,560 SF. Also, each student should be required to attend land-use meetings for at least three different land-use boards to get the idea of how development is reviewed in the public forum with land use commissions, etc. In college, I only had to attend one meeting which did not provide very much insight into the process. Delia P Fey As a graduate of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in Natural Resources Management back in the 70's, I have have two comments. First, I agree with the advice of taking what you can get as a job to get into the organization. I took a job as a temporary secretary in the Planning Division of a City just to get in the door and learn. They put me at the public counter and I worked my way up from there. Secondly, I would suggest that students learn more about the practical applications of CEQA if working in California. Over the years I have been surprised at the lack of CEQA knowledge when hiring planners. Sherry Jordan In my opinion, the three most important things for a municipal planner to know are:
Good luck! Laurie Connors Your advice to Dr Yoe was sound. You didn't solicit responses, but my response to a new planner trying to break into natural resources planning would add:
Bill Klubben |
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