Is collaboration the only workable solution for managing public lands?

Conflict, rather than collaboration, better describes the usual relationship between environmentalists and those that use the public lands for their livelihood. But there are some surprising examples and encouragement for finding common ground, and solutions that work.

John Freemuth
Professor, Political Science and Public Administration, Boise State University and Senior Fellow, Andrus Center for Public Policy

• We see what looked like a good example of collaboration just blow up . . . how do these things happen?
  
  

Wally Butler
Regional Manager, North Idaho and Rangeland Specialist, Idaho Farm Bureau

• There is quite a lot of difference in the terms "collaboration," "compromise," and "consensus."
  
  

Thomas, Cawley, Chenoweth-Hage exchange

• Defining consensus, growth of the conflict industry, and a big difference between chickens and pigs.
  
  

Wally Butler
Regional Manager, North Idaho and Rangeland Specialist, Idaho Farm Bureau

• Standards become a wedge . . . breeding these conflict industries.
  
  

Thomas, Cawley exchange

• Analysis paralysis, and questions about closure on the planning process.
  
  
  

Dan Dagget
Environmentalist with EcoResults! and author of Beyond the Rangeland Conflict

• How can we change this from this false choice, either/or, to make this really about the land, and the health of the land?
  
  

Dave Rittenhouse
Supervisor, USFS

• These are not new issues, they're not new conflicts, we don't seem to [be able to] do anything to change it.
  
  

Gregg Cawley

• Public posturing prevents meaningful progress.
  
  

John McCarthy
Conservation Director, Idaho Conservation League

• There are a lot of things that can be done to improve situations for communities, for wildlife, for water quality, but I say these things come with a price tag.
  
  

Lunte/Thomas/Chenoweth-Hage exchange

• I've heard some pretty discouraging things about collaboration . . . Help us make this collaborative process work. (Lou Lunte)
• "Collaboration is the only game in town, and there are no rules." (Jack Ward Thomas)
• "Collaboration can work so long as both sides approach each other with mutual respect." (Helen Chenoweth-Hage)
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Tom Glass
Board Member, Blue Ribbon Coalition

• They don't seem to want to cooperate.
  
  

Mark Pollot
Attorney

• At what point do we say, "You have to share!"