Our Story

The Center for Collaborative Conservation (CCC) was established in CSU’s Warner College of Natural Resources in 2008 to inform, promote, and support collaboration on tough conservation issues across Colorado, the American West, and the world. We invite you to read about the CCC’s first decade of impact in 10-Year Report: Transforming Conservation through Collaboration.

CCC’s first decade set a strong foundation for even greater impact for nature and people in the next decade. Our vision and mission express our aspirations. Our values inform everything we do.

Vision and Mission

We envision a resilient world where diverse people work together to conserve nature and build healthy communities. Our mission is to build the capacity of organizations, communities, and future leaders to achieve conservation impact, while applying Colorado State University’s world-class research and education. We do this by:

Training students and professionals on the theory and practical aspects of collaborative conservation.
Networking people working on conservation.
Build “capacity” (skills and tools) of people doing collaborative conservation through training, “how to” resources, and mentoring
Educate, mediate, facilitate and/or manage on-the-ground conservation projects.’
Research theory of collaborative conservation.

VALUES

At the CCC, we believe all our work must rest on a strong foundation of values. The values that guide all our work are:

Conservation Impact

We bridge scholarship and conservation action. We build the capacity of people, and resilience of human and natural communities. We integrate nature with human well-being. We engage people who can deliver outcomes.

Honoring Diversity

We embrace natural and human diversity. We inquire humbly and listen carefully. We support under-represented and marginalized groups. We value Indigenous and local perspectives. Our actions reflect that individuals and communities matter.

Shared Learning

We actively learn with those who study and practice collaborative conservation. We engage CSU faculty in a common research agenda. We learn with community members. We are open and curious as we strive for improvement.

Commitment to Relationships

We nurture networks among staff, partners, and clients. We relate in a spirit of reciprocity with nature and with people. We put effort into good communication. We support each other with kindness, while challenging each other to grow.

Accountability and Excellence

We honor the trust supporters, clients, and partners place in us. We carefully steward University and donor resources. We fulfill promises, big and small. We deliver conservation impact with quality research, teaching, products, and services.