WCCN
Western Collaborative Conservation Network
healthy landscapes, vibrant communities, thriving economies
Who We Are
- Network of Community-based collaborative conservation efforts
- Starting with 7 states: MT, ID, WY, CO, UT, AZ, NM & expanding across the West.
- Working in forests, rangelands, & watersheds
- Private landowners, rural & agricultural communities, tribes
- Business and Industry
- Community-Based Collaborative Conservation leaders and practitioners
- State, sub-regional, and national conservation organizations
- Local, state, & federal land management agencies
- Academic institutions
- Conservation non-profits
Why We Exist
The West’s natural resources, communities & economies are under threat:
- increasing population demands on limited resources,
- declining land management capacity,
- uncertain climate patterns, &
- unpredictable natural events.
In response, diverse citizen-led groups are coming together, from the ground up, using inclusive approaches to address increasing complexity and conflict around conservation issues. This is Community-Based Collaborative Conservation (CBCC).
The WCCN works at the regional scale to remove barriers and fill critical gaps so CBCC efforts can implement durable and lasting conservation solutions for people and place.
What We Do
Advance the practice of collaborative conservation and build the collaborative capacity of CBCC efforts by:
- Increasing awareness of and support for CBCC approach
- Supporting state-level & sub-regional networks
- Engaging & preparing current & future collaborative leaders with collaboration skills & tools
- Promoting public policy to enable and sustain CBCC
- Building funding capacity for CBCCs
How We Work
WCCNs 3 C’s Approach
- Share knowledge and experiences
- Co-learn
- Pool & leverage resources
- Develop collaboration skills through peer-to-peer learning
- Share impactful stories
to create a stronger collective voice for collaborative efforts.
- Barriers,
- Needs of the communities,
- Gaps and opportunities
to build collaborative capacity for community-based collaborative conservation efforts.
- Solve and reduce barriers to collaboration issues,
- Fill critical gaps in collaborative capacity
- Transfer actions & best practices
to create more durable and lasting conservation solutions.
Get Involved
- Get connected to others
- Be seen on the upcoming interactive regional CBCC story map
- Promote your work via the upcoming Network directory
- Access to high quality collaboration skills trainings and new tools
- Get access to reduced rates from qualified collaborative conservation professionals
- Find a collaborator, intern, or coach
- Join a WCCN committee or working group to build a stronger voice & support for collaborative conservation and take action on critical issues
- Attend the WCCN launch event March 10-12, 2020
Awareness & Engagement Working Group
Capacity Building Working Group
Sustainable Funding Working Group
We Believe
The Western Collaborative Conservation Network believes that increased collaboration builds stronger communities and creates enduring conservation actions.
Contact: Heather Knight, Associate Director of Practice, Center for Collaborative Conservation,
heather.knight@colostate.edu www.collaborativeconservation.org/program/practice/