Collaboration Topics

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2006 Environmental Collaboration Summit Summary

On Friday November 17th, 2006 over 80 leaders of local environmental organizations gathered for a day-long event to vision and plan for enhancing collaboration within the local environmental sector.

In preparation for the meeting Ecology Action implemented an on-line survey that netted 87 participants. Representatives from nine local environmental were also interviewed. A summary of information gathered from those efforts were distributed to event attendees in preparation for the meeting (Survey Summary, Interview Summary). As a result of the survey and interview, it was evident that collaboration is already quite present in the sector and there is still much potential to increase collaboration.

The Summit was structured such that participants self-organized to work on topics that were the most pertinent and of interest to those in attendance. The day started with a celebration of existing collaborations, which were written on a four-decade timeline as attendees arrived. The work process for participants was then as follows:

  • Participants proposed topics for break out groups.
    • Due to the large number of proposed topics, these were grouped into twelve topic areas. 
  • Attendees then self-identified which ideas they would like to work on and broke out into those groups.
  • Breakout groups had 45 minutes to develop their ideas and complete a “brochure” for their idea on large pre-formatted large easel pad paper. 
  • The ideas were presented in a “world-café” or marketplace fashion, and attendees roamed the room reviewing ideas, adding their thoughts, and signing up as either “participants” or “conveners” of projects or initiatives they were interested in.

At the end of the day, the group had developed 14 projects or initiatives on the topics that are outlined below, which constitute the Action Plan. The details are available for each topic in separate documents.

There is no superstructure or funding identified to move this process forward as a whole. Those persons who signed up to be “conveners” have agreed to take the next step to gather all the persons interested in the subject who signed up as “participants”.  It will be up to these individuals and other interested parties to gather and make progress on these initiatives. Any interested parties who did not attend the Summit are heartily invited to contact the listed conveners to get involved!

The Action Plan may also be used by planners and funders to understand priorities and needs identified by the sector to enhance collaboration. 

Ecology Action would like to thank the Community Foundation of Santa Cruz County for funding this important event, and to our Sponsor Team for advising and assisting us throughout 2006; County of Santa Cruz Water Quality Programs, Save Our Shores, O'Neill Sea Odyssey, Santa Cruz County Resource Conservation District, Valley Women's Club Environmental Committee and Watsonville Wetlands Watch.

Program Contact

Kirsten Liske

Ecology Action
Phone: 831.426.5925 ext. 123
Fax: 831.425.1404
Email

 

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