https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.s7h44j1d8

Description of the data and file structure

These data are responses to survey questions (see below) given to staff associated with natural resource management on the Colorado Plateau, U.S.A. The survey was intended to understand how managers perceived: 1) the degree to which managed lands have experienced drought, wildfire, and related stressors; 2) the current and future responses of ecosystems to these stressors and associated changes to natural resource condition; 3) the role of natural resource management interventions in preparing for stressors and ecosystem response; 4) limitations and barriers to management interventions. The survey consisted of quantitative questions, including a combination of close-ended (yes or no) questions, select-all-that-apply questions, ranked choice questions, and 3-point, 5-point, and 11-point Likert-scale questions. The survey also included qualitative open-ended and fill-in-the-blank questions. The survey was implemented within the Qualtrics program hosted at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona. The numbered questions below (Q1, Q2, etc.) correspond to the columns in the spreadsheet, with possible answers chosen by survey participants indicated below each question. Each participant is a row in the spreadsheet. All identifying information of the participants has been removed to maintain their anonymity. 

Geolocation: Colorado Plateau, U.S.A.

Temporal coverage: Responses were recorded from April to October 2022

Survey Questions (column letter given first):

A - source of response

Survey Questions:

B - Q1. How would you characterize the degree to which the ecosystem(s) in which you work have experienced drought? (1-5)

• Not at all
• Slightly
• Moderately
• Substantially
• Completely

C - Q2. How would you characterize the degree to which the ecosystem(s) in which you work have experienced wildfire? (1-5)

• Not at all
• Slightly
• Moderately
• Substantially
• Completely

D- Q3. How would you characterize the extent to which the ecosystem(s) in which you work have been stressed (small change in ecosystems you work in) or transformed (large change in ecosystems you work in) by these stressors? (1-5)

• Not at all
• Slightly
• Moderately
• Substantially
• Completely

E- Q4. How would you characterize the degree to which the ecosystem(s) in which you work can adjust or recover from drought and wildfire impacts without management intervention? (1-5)

• Not at all
• Slightly
• Moderately
• Substantially
• Completely

F -Q5. If you are noticing impacts, are the disturbances you are seeing on the lands you manage happening at scales and timeframes outside what you would characterize as “normal?”

• Yes
• No

G- Q6. If “yes,” what is the scale you are experiencing?

• Small spatial scale
• Medium spatial scale
• Large spatial scale

H- Q7. If “yes,” what is the time frame you are experiencing (how quickly are changes occurring)?

Slow (gradual)

Moderate (between gradual and fast)

Abrupt (fast)

I - Q8. How would you characterize the degree to which climate change and associated stressors have impacted the lands on which you work? From (1) barely at all to (10) severe transformation?

Scale bar (0-10)

J - Q9. How do you anticipate the degree to which climate change and associated stressors will impact the lands you work on in the future? From (1) barely at all to (10) severe transformation?

Scale bar (0-10)

K -Q10. How would you describe your organization's responses to climate change and associated stressors, including drought and wildfire? (Select all that apply)

• Proactive
• Reactive
• Adequate
• Inadequate
• Suitable
• Limited
• Strategic
• Unplanned
• Supported
• Unsupported
• Flexible
• inflexible

L- Q11. Do you have a clear understanding of the concept of adaptation in the context of managing for novel stressors?

• Yes
• No

M -Q12. Do you see adaptation actions being implemented in the systems in which you work?

• Yes
• No

N -Q13. How do you define adaptation in the context of the work you do?

Short answer

O - Q14. Relative to other organizations, is your organization: doing less, more, or the same, in terms of adaptation actions?

• Less
• More
• The same

P - Q15. Have you or your organization implemented any actions that you consider to be adaptation in the context of drought and wildfire induced changes?

• Yes
• No
• Somewhat

Q- Q16. If “yes,” what actions have been taken?

Short answer

R - Q17. If “somewhat,” are there any actions that have been taken? Which actions?

Short answer

S - Q18. If “no,” why have actions not been taken?

Short answer

T - Q19. Are the actions planned for the future the same as actions that have been taken in the past?

• Yes
• No

U - Q20. What specific actions would you like to take next?

Short answer

V - Q21. What is the likelihood that you will be able to facilitate these adaptive actions?

• Extremely unlikely
• Somewhat unlikely
• Somewhat likely
• Extremely likely

W - Q22. How much control do you have in shaping the direction of ecosystem/natural resource responses to climate change and related stressors? From 0-1 (no control) to 9-10 (full control)

Scale bar (0-10)

X - Q23. Do you feel confident in your ability to implement adaptation strategies in the work you do?

• Yes
• No
• Somewhat

Y - Q24. How much flexibility do you have in planning projects or work tasks out in advance (anticipatory) versus addressing what has already happened and needs attention (reactionary)?

• Anticipatory
• Moderately anticipatory
• Both anticipatory and reactionary
• Moderately reactionary
• Reactionary

Z- Q25. Do you have enough information to respond to climate induced changes, including drought and wildfire?

• Yes
• No

AA Q26 - If no to Q25, why do you think this is?

AB Q27. On a scale of 1-10, how optimistic are you that your agency will be able to successfully address forthcoming conservation challenges, related to wildfire and drought? From (1) being very pessimistic to (10) being very optimistic?

Scale bar (0-10)

AC Q28. What information is most valuable to you?

Short answer

AD Q29. What information would you need the most to better prepare/respond/adapt?

Short answer

AE Q30. Do you have sufficient resources to prepare/respond to climate induced changes, including drought and wildfire?

• Yes
• No

AF Q31.What resources would you need the most to prepare/respond/adapt?

Short answer

AG Q32. Based on the scope and the questions, is there anything else you want to share or inform us of?

Short answer

AH Q33. What is the organization you work for?

Short answer

AI Q34. How long have you been in your current position and had experience with this type of work?

• < 2 years
• 2-10 years
• > 10 years

AJ Q35. What ecosystems do you work in?

Short answer

Note: The survey included a series of short answer questions that were optional for participants and the blank cells in the dataset are due to participants opting out of responding to that particular question.

Sharing/Access information

Data was derived from the following sources:

• Qualtrics