Linking Community-Based Entrepreneurial Development and Natural Resource Management Ruth McWilliams National 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 sector Public role – Building communities Private 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, energy Capacity – 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 21 st 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 Other 26% Cropland 20% Forestland 28% Rangeland 26% (FS RPA Assessment, 2000)

Forest Land Ownership in the U.S. Non- Industrial Private Landowners 52.2% Federal Government 27.4% State & Local Government 9.3% Forest Industry 9.1% (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 7 th 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 diversity Productive capacity of forest ecosystems Forest ecosystem health and vitality Soil and water resources Forest contribution to global carbon cycles Socio-economic benefits Legal, institutional, and economic framework (Montreal Process, involving 12 countries including U.S.)

History of U.S. Commitment 1992Earth Summit 1993International Seminar of Experts; and Presidential Decision 1995Santiago Declaration 1999Roundtable on Sustainable Forests 2000Federal Interagency Cooperation 2003National 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:

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 measurement State resource planning Eco-regional and national-level assessments United 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 EnvironmentEconomy Society Environment Economy Society (Maureen Hart, Sustainable Measures) Interconnected and 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 Conservation Practices Landowner Planning Public Education 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 ProceduresRelationships 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 McWilliams National Sustainable Development Coordinator USDA – Forest Service 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W. Stop Code 1123 Washington, D.C Phone: 202/ ; Fax: