Linking Community-BasedEntrepreneurial Development

and Natural Resource Management

Ruth McWilliamsNational Sustainable Development Coordinator

USDA Forest Service

New American Communities E-Search Conference

December 10, 2002

Entrepreneurship

Focuses on individuals or groups…not businesses

Applies to public as well as private sectorPublic role – Building communitiesPrivate role – Building businesses

(Center for Rural Entrepreneurship)

Entrepreneurial Development

U.S. is one of the most entrepreneurial countries in the world

(Kauffman Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership)

Key individual attributes:Motivation – spark, vision, drive, energyCapacity – business skills, networking, partnering

(Center for Rural Entrepreneurship)

Community Roles

Create positive community climate for entrepreneurship

Provide basic community infrastructure, keeping pace with needs

Package community support for local entrepreneurs

(Center for Rural Entrepreneurship)

Sustainability as the Goal

Starts with a commitment to the land

Links people and natural resources

Addresses all sectors and functions of society

Embraces civic involvement

Creates opportunities and preserves choices

Sustainable Development

Is present and future oriented

Connects environmental, social, and economic concerns

Is place-based

Present and Future Oriented

“…the capacity to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”

(Brundtland Commission, 1987)

Environmental, Social, and Economic Dimensions

“…to enhance human productivity, reduce poverty and foster economic growth and opportunity together with environmental quality”

(U.S. Government Vision Statement for World Summit on Sustainable Development, 2002)

Place-Based

“We believe sustainable development begins at home…”

(U.S. Government Vision Statement for World Summit on Sustainable Development, 2002)

Conservation in the

21st Century

Short- and long-term focus Comprehensive / simultaneous

solutions Public and private sector

collaboration Place-based actions at multiple

scales

USDA-Forest Service Mission

“Sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present

and future generations”

(FS Strategic Plan, 2000 Revision)

Land Type in the United States

Other26% Croplan

d20%

Forestland28%

Rangeland26%

(FS RPA Assessment, 2000)

Forest Land Ownershipin the U.S.

Non-IndustrialPrivate

Landowners52.2%

Federal Government

27.4%

State & Local Government9.3%

Forest Industry9.1%

(FS RPA Assessment, 2000)

Stakeholders

Federal agencies Tribal, state, and local units of

government Private landowners Business and industry Conservation and environmental

groups Regional and community-based

organizations Other citizens

Forums and Networks

Multi-stakeholder Roundtables Communities Committee of the 7th

American Forest Congress National Network of Forest

Practitioners National Urban & Community Forestry

Advisory Council Alliance of Community Trees Lots more!

Criteria for Sustainable

Forest Management

Biological diversityProductive capacity of forest ecosystemsForest ecosystem health and vitalitySoil and water resourcesForest contribution to global carbon cyclesSocio-economic benefitsLegal, institutional, and economic framework

(Montreal Process, involving 12 countries including U.S.)

History of U.S. Commitment

1992 Earth Summit

1993 International Seminar of Experts; and Presidential Decision

1995 Santiago Declaration

1999 Roundtable on Sustainable Forests

2000 Federal Interagency Cooperation

2003 National Report on Sustainable Forests

(Check FS webpage for document with more history)

Roundtable on Sustainable Forests

National multi-stakeholder forum focusing on sustainable forest management through:

Better data Better information Better decisions

(Website: http://www.sustainableforests.net)

Multiple Sector-Based Efforts

Forests

Rangelands

Minerals / Energy

Water

Resource-Related Issues

Forest fragmentation and conversion, especially in urbanizing areas

Water quality and quantity, and watershed restoration

Fire prevention and restoration, especially in the wildland/urban interface

Resource Issues, continued

Exotic and invasive plants replacing native systems

Stewardship jobs and business opportunities

Forest land ownership changes Ecological benefits as

community services

Local to Global Actions

Local Unit Criteria & Indicator Development (LUCID)Community-based measurementState resource planningEco-regional and national-level

assessmentsUnited Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF)

Leadership Issues

Address issues broad in scope Work at multiple scales Work across boundaries Work with reduced resources Mobilize partners and stakeholders Work for meaningful outcomes

Challenge

Make sustainable forest and

resource management real

to people where they live, work,

and play in urban, suburban,

and rural places

Basic Premises

Vital communities are part of healthy ecosystems

No community is in and of itself sustainable

Communities represent a scale and set of interactions that people can comprehend and affect

Sustainable Community Model

EnvironmentEnvironmentEconomyEconomy

SocietySocietyEnvironmentEnvironment

EconomyEconomy

SocietySociety

(Maureen Hart, Sustainable Measures)

Interconnected and Interconnected and integrated integrated

Grassroots Opportunities

Strengthen rural-urban linkages through regional cooperation

Protect “working lands” in rural as well as urbanizing areas

Integrate “green infrastructure” into local and regional plans

Educate landowners about sustainable resource management practices

Opportunities, continued

Unlock small business alternatives Reduce water pollution from land-

based activities through agroforestry

Address the impact of invasive species on agricultural and natural resources

Foster intergovernmental and civic involvement in sustainable resource management

Benefits of Collaboration

Add expertise and resources to process

Gain additional perspectives on solutions

Develop common information and data bases

Build ownership and support for decisions

Develop trusting relationships

Forest Service Vision

“People working together, sharing knowledge and resources,

to achieve desired futures for our forests and communities.”

(FS National Collaborative Stewardship Team, 1997)

Many Approaches

Search Conferencing / Participative Design Workshops

Communities of Interest / Open Space Decision-Making

Collaborative Learning Economic Renewal Lots of ‘home grown’ methods

Multiple Community Concepts

Communities of Place

Communities of Interest

Spectrum of Methods

Assisted negotiations e.g., facilitation, mediation,

conflict assessment

Consensus-based processes e.g., community-based

collaborations, negotiated rulemaking, policy dialogues

Public & Private Investments

Sustainability

ConservationPractices

Landowner Planning

PublicEducation

Community Planning

Development Tools

Collaboration Lessons

Build common ground Create new opportunities for interaction Craft meaningful, effective, and enduring

processes Focus on problem in new/different ways Foster sense of responsibility and

commitment Remember…partnerships are people Use proactive and entrepreneurial approach Get help…give help (Wondolleck and Yaffee)

Collaboration Needs

Commitment – Support innovators Internal communication – Involve

staff in projects External communication – Do

outreach to key stakeholders Competence – Provide training and

technical support Credibility – Fund and do monitoring

(Brett KenCairn, Indigenous Community Enterprises)

Measuring Progress

Progress Triangle

Procedures

Relationships

Substance

(Steve Daniels on Collaborative Learning)

Desired Community Indicators?

Increased use of the skills, knowledge, and abilities of local people

Strengthened relationships and communication Improved community initiative, responsibility,

and adaptability Developed appropriately diverse and healthy

economies, including family-wage jobs and locally owned businesses

Sustained healthy ecosystems with multiple community benefits

(FS Economic Action Programs Strategic Plan, 2000)

Recap of Key Concepts

Entrepreneurship Sustainable development Sustainable forest /

resource management Collaboration Measurement Criteria and indicators

Contact Information

Ruth McWilliamsNational Sustainable Development CoordinatorUSDA – Forest Service1400 Independence Avenue, S.W.Stop Code 1123Washington, D.C. 20250-1123

Phone: 202/205-1373; Fax: -1174rmcwilliams@fs.fed.uswww.fs.fed.us/sustained