History of the team

The Beginning (2016)
The USACE NRM Innovations Team was established in the summer of 2016 within the Tulsa District. Spearheaded by Jason Knight and Kent Dunlap, the initiative aimed to address the issue of valuable, innovative ideas from field personnel being lost or overlooked. The core mission was to create a structured program to capture, develop, and implement these grassroots concepts to boost morale and operational efficiency. The inaugural Innovations Summit was held on October 19, 2016, with 13 field personnel, officially launching the team.

Early Growth and Key Partnerships (2017-2019)

• Season 1 (FY 2017): The team quickly gained recognition by presenting at the National NRM Park Ranger Workshop. This foundational year saw the development of key projects, including the RETS Starter, the USACE Jr. Ranger App, and the Park Ranger Mobile App.

• Season 2 (FY 2018): A pivotal partnership was formed with Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU), allowing their Capstone students to develop innovations for college credit. This provided the team with critical technical resources at no cost. Piloted innovations from this season included the RETS Starter, USACE Jr. Ranger App, and Self-Service Campgrounds.

• Season 3 (FY 2019): The team officially became a Multi-District Team, expanding to include several other districts. This growth brought a wider range of ideas and expertise. The team's work earned national recognition:
  • 2018: Shawna Polen won the National Hiram M. Chittenden Award for Interpretation for the USACE Jr. Ranger App.
  • 2019: Sarah Noel received the National Innovation of the Year Award for the USACE Bid Assist app.

• Season 4 (FY 2019): The team continued its expansion and tackled several new projects. Innovations from this season included the initial concepts for the Interpretive Contacts Counter and the Virtual Reality 360 App. The team also began work on a Volunteer Hours Tracker and the ARPA App, though the latter was eventually tabled due to a loss of archeologists and lack of GIS support.

National Expansion and Formal Recognition (2020-Present)

• Season 5 (FY 2020): The Season 5 Summit brought together members from 14 districts across 7 divisions, highlighting the team's growing influence. Work began on projects like Digital Comment Cards (PARCS), Self-Reporting Traffic Meters, and the Sign Pro App. The team also explored a new partnership with Oral Roberts University.

• Season 6 (FY 2021): Now representing 22 districts and all 7 USACE divisions, the team hosted a virtual Innovations Summit. Key projects from this season included Caching Wildlife, the Corps Marketplace, and Hologram Park Rangers.

• Season 7 (FY 2022): This season saw continued development on existing projects and the introduction of new ideas like the AR Lifejackets and the Sign Translator Tool. However, the translator tool was placed on hold due to liability concerns with translation accuracy. The Corps Catch Game prototype was developed but was not supported for further development by USACE HQ.

• Season 8 (FY 2023): The team revisited and advanced several key projects. Electronic Citations 2.0 was revived, and the Digital Ranger Log entered open pilot testing. New ideas like the Hazardous Tree App and Interactive Trails entered the discovery phase. However, support for the Corps Watch Expansion ended, and the project was tabled.

• Season 9 (FY 2024): The focus of this season was on continuing the development of promising innovations. The ERGO Tool prototype was expected, and the SMS Mass Notification System was completed as the capability was restored by another system (R1S). Work on Interactive Trails continued in partnership with the Institute for Water Resources (IWR) to avoid duplicating efforts.

• Official National Status (2022): A landmark moment occurred on March 17, 2022, when USACE Headquarters officially designated the group as the National NRM Innovations Team, recognizing it as the representative body for the entire NRM community. Team leader Abby Jones also received the American Recreation Coalition's Agency Leadership Award for her innovative efforts.

Season 10 and Future Direction
As the team moves into its tenth season, it is shifting its focus away from the reactive posture of the COVID-19 era toward proactive process improvement and addressing core NRM challenges. This season emphasizes refining the team's internal structure and outreach to better serve the NRM community. Key initiatives for Season 10 are organized into three main working groups:

• Recruitment & Retention: Focused on increasing team membership and engagement.
• Marketing & Communications: Aimed at boosting internal and external awareness of the team's innovations.
• Team Operations & Administration: Tasked with refining the innovative development process and establishing a mentorship program.

In line with this evolution, the team has proposed significant updates to its charter to streamline leadership and create more flexible membership terms. This renewed focus and restructuring demonstrate the NRM Innovation Team's commitment to adapting and maturing as a program to meet the future needs of the USACE NRM community.