THE STATE OF COLLABORATION Red Lodge—five years later The questions remain the same—Who sits at the table? Who defines and agrees on proposed resolutions? How do we go about the simplest tasks of organization, building capacity? Thus the Red Lodge Clearinghouse. Yes, the small groups built around "unlikely" bedfellows are still in the field, but there are now large institutional players, federal and state agencies, academics, mega-foundations and the need for big, big bucks for landscape restoration programs. Below, a sample of what's happening and what isn't happening. THE STATE OF COLLABORATION Collaboration in the Northwest BY NATALIE HENRY BENNON Jim Walls of the Lakeview Stewardship Group wasn't surprised when he got a call recently from a lumber mill that wanted to start a new group to work collaboratively on resource issues. Nor was he surprised when someone at a biomass conference asked him how to get a group started. "This is the way to get around the battles and stay out of court–coming to agreement and working on areas of common interest. I don't think there's any other way to do business anymore," Walls said.   READ MORE >> Views from the field A quiet revolution GORDY SANDERS AND LOREN ROSE, PYRAMID MOUNTAIN LUMBER, INC. In restaurants, fire halls, mill conference rooms and other venues historical adversaries are discovering common ground when discussing land management alternatives. READ MORE >>   Collaboration is a whole mindset MAIA ENZER, SUSTAINABLE NORTHWEST You can't just measure the success of collaboration based on the projects that come out of the collaborative dialogue. You have to look at the indirect benefits as well. It changes the atmosphere in which you work. READ MORE >>   Limitations hinder collaboration NICK FIORE, WOLF EDUCATION & RESEARCH CENTER Collaborative groups can play a role in bringing people closer to a resolution regarding wildlife and environmental problems, but their success is limited by legal and practical restrictions. READ MORE >>   Collaboration hasn't worked for us SCOTT GROENE, S. UTAH WILDERNESS ALLIANCE Our rather extensive experience with collaborative groups has been very poor. None have ever resulted in on-the-ground protection. After the Washington County land use planning experience we will be even more wary of participating in such in the future. READ MORE >> However, not every issue gives way to collaboration Witness the fate of the Coalition for Otero Mesa. Hear Linda Baker of the Upper Green River Valley Coalition: "We want to work it out, we're not against energy development, we're in favor of best practices, but when the ranchers see me coming they go the other way." Read the willing but not able participation of a diverse group of Pinedale citizens asked to "participate,"—willing but not able. Sit in with an unlikely political coalition trying to iron out difference over a Colorado split estates bill.   Stakeholders at the table

IN THE NEWS Chimps display hallmark of human behavior: cooperation One of the hallmarks of being human is cooperation. No other primate exhibits the same kind of helpfulness to others. Humans have made even violence a highly cooperative effort, and scientists have wondered how far back in evolution this trait goes. New studies on chimpanzees suggest that this part of human nature may have already existed millions of years ago, perhaps before the human and ape lineages divided. SEE FULL STORY >> FUNDING OPPORTUNITY Community Assistance Program The National Forest Foundation is accepting applications for this program until April 28, 2006. The program will support organizations that intend to proactively and inclusively engage the local community in forest management and conservation issues on and around National Forests and Grasslands. READ MORE >> SEARCH FOR OTHER FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES >> COLLABORATION STORIES Gila Watershed Partnership After failing to overcome deep mistrust and long-standing contentions between government agencies, ranchers, and environmentalists, this unique collaboration has agreed on one thing—they would never get together in the same room again. So, the group is now trying to improve the watershed health and water quality of the Upper Gila River via e-mail. READ PROFILE >> IN THE NEWS Environmentalists, loggers find common ground Even as environmentalists and timber interests are squaring off for a fresh fight over salvage logging in Southern Oregon’s 2002 Biscuit burn, here on the Siuslaw the two camps are coming together to back sales such as this one. SEE FULL STORY >> IN THE NEWS Reports: Agricultural lands vanishing Agricultural land is vanishing from Colorado and the Rocky Mountain West at a jolting rate, according to recent studies by Environment Colorado’s Research and Policy Center and Colorado College’s State of the Rockies Report Card SEE FULL STORY >> CONTACT US Ross Johnson 32 South Ewing, Suite 326 Helena, Montana 59601 Phone: (888) 495-1069 Toll Free: (888) 495-0757 Fax: (406) 495-1074   The Red Lodge Clearinghouse is a program of the Liz Claiborne Art Ortenberg Foundation. HOME PAGE INDEX To view an index of past home pages from our site, click here.

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