Malcolm and Ecolog:
I know nothing about the trustees, nor do I know anything about the museum's
charter, but I do have a bit of experience with other museums and am
acquainted with present and past (some fired in proportion to their
dedication to principle) staff members of a number of museums and other
institutions.
There has been a trend toward populating boards and CEO positions with
individuals of great political power, but with increasing rarity, any
significant qualifications in fields relevant to the originally stated
purposes of the institution. I will not go into a litany of horror stories
that span the last forty years or so, but it should suffice to say that such
boards and "directors" are commonly impervious to persuasion, often as a
point of pride (a bunch of pointy-headed, nattering nabobs of negativism,
etc. are not going to tell ME what to do; these people just don't understand
how an enterprise must be run, and a museum is just another kind of
business, etc.). "CEO" is an indicator species.
I will say that once these kinds of ideologies are in place it takes more
than a few letters to move them. It takes a STRATEGY, and it has to be
appealing to power if it is to be persuasive. Threats are
counter-productive, and placation and diversion are almost instinctive among
such people (they did not get where they are without "people skills); they
will promise anything then morph back into their original forms when the
crowd of "environmentalists" aren't looking.
The staffs of such organizations are understandably horrified at such
prospects and commonly set up quite a fuss, which gains them little but
makes them feel better (or worse). Often they get laid off. Often they are
replaced with "more cooperative" staff, especially those willing to kiss
butt and screw their way up the ladder.
Interim CEO's can be even worse, and writing them can often serve as useful
intelligence, providing time and data for counter-insurgency planning and
execution.
I would get a list of the trustees, get a copy of the charter and any other
governing authority (Carnegie's original will, statement of intent or
purpose etc.), and a list of "members," even if they can't vote. Many
museum's do not permit "members" to vote, this right having been taken away
by legal (or illegal) modification of the charter, sometimes by making
"associate" membership only available to the "general public" (not part of
the chosen clique).
If it comes to a real (as opposed to a straw-man) showdown, then, and only
then, is an all-out fight called for--but once begun must be for the
duration and fought hard, letting them know that you are in it 'till the
end. Even dirty tricks of a sort might be required; that's where good
intelligence pays off. It's a lot of hard work, and it's often for no
reward. Most people are gullible enough to buy the sweet-talk cranked out by
the powerful, but enough carefully thought-out hell-raising, if it comes to
that, may be absolutely necessary to amplify your power, largely through the
media. The other way is through the courts, and it may be that there is
enough shady stuff going on to prevail. Get to the staff (and be VERY
careful WHICH staff), get them to understand that it's best for them to keep
quiet and feed you information as part of a best possible strategy. That is,
try persuasion, then barely evident, subtle implicit threats with any
connection to the main effort concealed (e.g. public opinion), then if those
don't work, go to the mat with all you've got! Don't give up, and don't be
misled by smooth talk--get it all in writing.
Have others had similar experiences? Other ideas?
I'm reluctant to write until I know more about the strategic plan, but
certainly will once I think it will do more good than harm--not that I have
a dog in this fight, just because I love dogs, particularly brave underdogs.
WT
----- Original Message -----
From: "malcolm McCallum" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, August 26, 2010 10:32 AM
Subject: [ECOLOG-L] Powdermill Nature Reserve important!!
I have recently become aware that Carnegie Museum trustees are currently
considering allowing gas wells in the Powdermill Nature Preserve.
(article:
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/westmoreland/s_696394.html)
For those of you who are unfamiliar with PNR, here is a link:
http://www.carnegiemnh.org/powdermill/
This reserve in Pennsylvania has been the focus of many different kinds of
field/wildlife ecology research. There has been extensive marking of
wildlife on the grounds. Birds have been marked since 1961, and
they have in excess of 100,000 marked at last report.
I cannot over-emphasize the travesty that this decision would bring.
It would be good for people to voice their disenchantment with this
possible decision.
Notice, they HAVE NOT MADE THIS DECISION YET, BUT THEY ARE CONSIDERING
IT SERIOUSLY.
I strongly encourage people to forward letters and notes voicing your
disenchantment
with the proposed policy change.
As the reserve does not currently have a director, you should forward
letters or
emails to:
David M. Hillenbrand, President and CEO,
Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh
4400 Forbes Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
[email protected]
Below is exerpted from Meshaka, WE, J.N. Huff, and R.C. Leberman.
2008. Amphibians and Reptiles of Powdermill
Nature Reserve in Western Pennsylvania. Journal of Kansas Herpetology
25:12-18 (available at:
http://www.cnah.org/pdf_files/942.pdf).
Powdermill Nature reserve (PNR) is an 890.3 ha field station located in the
the Laurel Ridge of the Allegheny Mountains in w...@estmoreland County
of western Pennsylvania. PNR was founded in 1956 by Dr. M. Graham
Netting, herpetologist
and Director of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Pittsburgh. The
initial gift of 469.4 ha (1160 a) that year brought Netting's dream of
a proteccted long-term
research field station into reality. The reserve now encompasses
890.3 ha of mixed
forests, fields, ponds, and streams located in the Ligonier Valley
southeast of Pittsburgh.
Netting's goal in establishing
the Reserve was to provide Museum scientists and researchers from
other institutions
a permanent area for long-term studies of ecosystems and the flora and
fauna comprising
them. In addition to being a wild area for natural history research
the reserve was to
provide a venue for natural history eduction.
In 1961, PNR initiated what is now one of the longest coninuous
runnning bird banding programs
in the country. Herpetologically, a demographic study of the Wood
Turtle and Eastern
Box Turtle has been in progress since 1960. The single greatest
change to the landscape of
PNR since its founding has been a gradual succession from farmland to
mixed deciduous forest.
--
Malcolm L. McCallum
Managing Editor,
Herpetological Conservation and Biology
"Peer pressure is designed to contain anyone with a sense of drive" -
Allan Nation
1880's: "There's lots of good fish in the sea" W.S. Gilbert
1990's: Many fish stocks depleted due to overfishing, habitat loss,
and pollution.
2000: Marine reserves, ecosystem restoration, and pollution reduction
MAY help restore populations.
2022: Soylent Green is People!
Confidentiality Notice: This e-mail message, including any
attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may
contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized
review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not
the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail and
destroy all copies of the original message.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 8.5.441 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/3096 - Release Date: 08/26/10
18:34:00
