While collaborative groups and processes around natural resource management have come a long way since the birth of the Applegate Partnership in 1992, it is still surprisingly easy to feel like you’re struggling through the wilderness of collaboration alone, tucked away into your own little corner of the country.
In truth, there are collaborative groups tackling ecological, social, and economic issues across the U.S., from the south to southeast Alaska – sometimes it can just be a little tough to find them all. That’s where NFF’s Collaboration and Capacity Building Workshop comes in.
More than 40 collaborative group leaders and partners gathered at the Peaceful Valley Ranch outside of Lyons, Colorado, for three days of training, peer learning sessions, roundtable discussions, and good old-fashioned face-to-face conversation. As a first-time participant at one of NFF’s Collaboration and Capacity Building Workshop, I felt very fortunate to be learning from both experienced and novice collaborative groups. Our collective experiences formed a wealth of knowledge on the challenges to collaboration, but also the keys to success.
Through numerous in-depth discussions, we explored issues on landscape-scale restoration, project implementation, collaboration with agency partners, volunteer coordination, and fundraising, to name a few. Barbara Wyckoff of Dynamica Consultingled a lively group activity on strategic planning and monitoring. Mark Haggerty ofHeadwaters Economics introduced us to innovative software that allows users to easily compare county socio-economic data. We were also joined by several Forest Service partners to discuss new Forest Service initiatives and tools for collaboration.
Over the course of the week I explored approaches, tools, and techniques that could be applicable to the collaborative effort I am working on for the Angeles National Forest. In the future when I am stumped by a particular issue, I now have a whole list of people to reach out to who can help me find answers. The true value of the workshop was summed up by a partner who has attended every NFF Collaboration and Capacity Building Workshop: “Every single workshop I have attended has been useful because the participants are different every time.” So here’s to peer learning!
Learn more about Conservation Connect, the NFF’s Collaboration and Capacity Building program, by clicking here.
