Natural Resource Conflicts Section, Human Dimensions, Day 5:

Important Reminder: Keep an eye on D2L for the link to this afternoon’s debriefing with Dr. Akamani (Zoom) at 4pm Central USA time.


For a detailed understanding of Lesson 5: Natural resource conflicts and wicked problems, please read Rittel and Webber (1973), Nie (2003), and Brooks & Champ (2006). All readings are available in the “Reading Materials” folder on D2L. Please see the full citations of the readings below:

Brooks, J. J. & Champ, P. A. (2006). Understanding the wicked nature of “Unmanaged recreation” in Colorado’s front range. Environmental Management, 38, 784-798. (D2L)

Nie, M. (2003). Drivers of natural resource-based political conflict. Policy Sciences, 36, 307-341. (D2L)

Rittel, H. W., & Webber, M. M. (1973). Dilemmas in a general theory of planning. Policy Sciences, 4, 155-169. (D2L)



  1. Based on Rittel and Webber (1973), what are wicked problems, and what are some of their defining characteristics? Please provide some examples of wicked problems in recreation planning. (D2L discussion topic)
  2. Based on Nie (2003), what driving forces contribute to the formation of wicked natural resource conflicts? (D2L discussion topic)
  3. Nie (2003) makes a distinction between environmental conflicts that are wicked by design and those that are wicked by nature. How important is this distinction for conflict management purposes? (D2L discussion topic)
  4. How useful are the recommendations Nie (2003: 335) provides for managing conflicts that involve conflicting values and knowledge uncertainties / disagreement? (D2L discussion topic)
  5. Based on the case study on unmanaged recreation from Brooks and Champ (2006), what recommendations would you provide for the successful management of wicked problems in the field of parks and recreation planning? (D2L discussion topic)

Important Reminder: Keep an eye on D2L for the link to this afternoon’s debriefing with Dr. Akamani (Zoom) at 4pm Central USA time.


Begin learning your knots, bends, hitches, and lashings:



You already know this one, so learn when it’s used for safety and when *not* to use it.

Extend the life of your safety gear and your own life by learning to coil (“flake”) your lines to avoid tangles and fiber breakdown.

Each knot serves a specific safety or functional purpose; you need to use the right one for each situation.