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2014 Autumn | Climate Change, Education & Outreach, Policy & Regulation, Sustainability

Why environmental professionals need project management training: a mitigation study

Student(s):

Alexa Ramos

Program or Department(s):

  • Program on the Environment
  • University of Washington

Site supervisor(s):

Bill Lewallen

Partner(s):

  • Snohomish County Airport

Faculty advisor(s):

Lauren Hartzell Nichols Program on the Environment, University of Washington

Advance mitigation banking is an important aspect of environmental preservation and restoration. But what nontechnical human elements contribute to the success of mitigation banking projects? I studied two successfully completed mitigation projects—the Japanese Gulch Creek Advance Stream Mitigation Project and the Snohomish County Airport Wetland Mitigation Banking Program. I interviewed and surveyed individuals involved in the projects. I also performed a thorough literature review. My results indicate mitigation success depends on technical design and nontechnical human elements. Therefore, most environmental projects will fall short of success if the identified nontechnical human project management elements are not effectively implemented.