Policy Consensus E-News — March 2006
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In this issue:
- Shared Strategy Provides Leadership for Salmon Restoration in Puget Sound
- New GAO report Cites Practices that Can Help Federal Agencies Collaborate
- North Carolina hosts Symposium on Environmental Conflict Resolution
- PCI Workshop in June for State and University Based Programs
Shared Strategy for Puget Sound: Nonprofit Leads Collaboration on a Landmark Plan for Salmon Restoration
Shared
Strategy, a nonprofit group, is spearheading a local, regional, tribal
and state effort to restore salmon to Puget Sound. In contrast to other
large ecosystem restoration efforts, this one is led by a nonprofit organization.
Shared Strategy – the organization and the concept - was created by a group of civic leaders including former EPA chief William Ruckelshaus, former Gov. Dan Evans, former Washington Secretary of State Ralph Munro, and Indian leader Billy Frank.
They have provided leadership and a framework for salmon recovery planning that is an important departure from what has been done in the past.
New GAO Report Cites Practices to Help Federal Agencies Collaborate
The federal government faces many public issues that will be difficult, if not impossible, for any single agency to address alone. These issues cut across agency jurisdictions whose actions are not well coordinated. Moreover, agencies face a range of barriers when they attempt to work collaboratively.
In recognition of this, a new Government Accounting Office Report (GAO-06-15) examines the barriers to collaboration and identifies eight broad practices that can boost collaboration among federal agencies. It defines collaboration as “any joint activity that is intended to produce more public value than could be produced when the organizations act alone. “
Collaborating on Environmental Decisions: For Good? For Worse? For
Whom?:
North Carolina Universities Host Symposium on Environmental Conflict Resolution
 ECR Symposium Participants Listening During the Plenary Session. |
As collaborative decision-making enters the mainstream of environmental policy and natural resource management, can it continue to hold the promise of “fairness in process and wisdom in outcome”? Will collaborative processes become another forum for political maneuvering, stacking the deck and opportunity seeking?
Questions like these and more were contemplated and discussed at the February 10th Symposium on Environmental Conflict Resolution at NC State University’s campus. Sponsored by the Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences at Duke University, the Institute of Government at UNC-Chapel Hill, the Natural Resources Leadership Institute and the College of Natural Resources at NC State University, the symposium attracted in all, 179 participants and presenters.
PCI to Hold Workshop for State Programs in June
PCI will hold a workshop for state centers and programs June 27th and 28th in Boston. The meeting will begin at 1:30 PM on Tuesday, June 27th and continue Wednesday, June 28th from 9:00 to Noon.
It will precede the Association for Conflict Resolution’s Environment and Public Policy Sector Conference, which begins Wednesday afternoon, June 28th, and ends Friday afternoon, June 30th.
PCI’s workshop will focus attention on university-based programs. Other state programs are also welcome. Topics will include:
- How centers can serve as neutral forums for collaborative governance
- Steps to establishing a system for collaborative governance
- How programs are building working relationships and support outside their universities/institutions as well as within their institutions
- Research Issues– Developing a digest of current research, sharing research agendas, etc.
To register, download the registration form.
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