Reflecting community values in Hood Canal
Presentation Abstract
“Respect for people, communities, and cultures” is one of The Nature Conservancy’s five core organizational values. A more lengthy description explains: “Enduring conservation success depends on the active involvement of people and partners . . . we forge relationships based on mutual benefit and trust.” In 2013, the Conservancy completed feasibility for restoring multiple estuaries in Hood Canal – the Hood Canal Large Estuaries project. The project assessed risks and opportunities in both ecological and social realms for multiple-benefit, community-driven restoration projects in one or more estuaries. Overall six were evaluated for benefits/impacts to salmon and shellfish, as well as social enabling conditions: community support, landowner support, potential political support, local sponsor engagement and likelihood of funding. Over 50 interviews provided social data. For the Quilcene, community meetings with local businesses, community activists, treaty tribes, resource managers, educators, landowners, local government represented needs and interests identified during the assessment. The community meetings were listening sessions. No projects were proposed, although the Conservancy and local sponsors articulated their interest in restoration that advanced community needs. From the meetings, a set of co-equal goals were developed for all the interests, including, but not elevating ecological restoration. The project group then took the draft goals back to the community for a validity check: 1) This is what we heard, is it right? 2) What changes are needed to fully capture your goals? Community engagement at the earliest stages has been reinforced as the Big Quilcene project progressed, led by the Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement group, as well as the importance of establishing co-equal goals. The Conservancy’s process was guided by a foundational respect for local communities, and the deliberate and consistent follow-through on that value set the stage for positive project development where everyone has a voice and sees benefit.
Session Title
Insights from Community-Based Approaches to Salish Sea Restoration Projects
Conference Track
SSE6: Communication
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2018 : Seattle, Wash.)
Document Type
Event
SSEC Identifier
SSE6-457
Start Date
5-4-2018 1:30 PM
End Date
5-4-2018 1:45 PM
Type of Presentation
Oral
Genre/Form
conference proceedings; presentations (communicative events)
Contributing Repository
Digital content made available by University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Community-based conservation--Washington (State)--Hood Canal; Estuarine restoration--Washington (State)--Hood Canal; Restoration monitoring (Ecology)--Washington (State)--Hood Canal; Feasability studies--Washington (State)--Hood Canal
Subjects – Names (LCNAF)
Nature Conservancy (U.S.). Washington State Chapter
Geographic Coverage
Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.); Hood Canal (Wash.)
Rights
This resource is displayed for educational purposes only and may be subject to U.S. and international copyright laws. For more information about rights or obtaining copies of this resource, please contact University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225-9103, USA (360-650-7534; heritage.resources@wwu.edu) and refer to the collection name and identifier. Any materials cited must be attributed to the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference Records, University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Type
Text
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Reflecting community values in Hood Canal
“Respect for people, communities, and cultures” is one of The Nature Conservancy’s five core organizational values. A more lengthy description explains: “Enduring conservation success depends on the active involvement of people and partners . . . we forge relationships based on mutual benefit and trust.” In 2013, the Conservancy completed feasibility for restoring multiple estuaries in Hood Canal – the Hood Canal Large Estuaries project. The project assessed risks and opportunities in both ecological and social realms for multiple-benefit, community-driven restoration projects in one or more estuaries. Overall six were evaluated for benefits/impacts to salmon and shellfish, as well as social enabling conditions: community support, landowner support, potential political support, local sponsor engagement and likelihood of funding. Over 50 interviews provided social data. For the Quilcene, community meetings with local businesses, community activists, treaty tribes, resource managers, educators, landowners, local government represented needs and interests identified during the assessment. The community meetings were listening sessions. No projects were proposed, although the Conservancy and local sponsors articulated their interest in restoration that advanced community needs. From the meetings, a set of co-equal goals were developed for all the interests, including, but not elevating ecological restoration. The project group then took the draft goals back to the community for a validity check: 1) This is what we heard, is it right? 2) What changes are needed to fully capture your goals? Community engagement at the earliest stages has been reinforced as the Big Quilcene project progressed, led by the Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement group, as well as the importance of establishing co-equal goals. The Conservancy’s process was guided by a foundational respect for local communities, and the deliberate and consistent follow-through on that value set the stage for positive project development where everyone has a voice and sees benefit.
