How To

We’ve compiled these lists of resources to help you build your skills and knowledge for a variety of topics related to collaborative conservation. You can use the Table of Contents on the right to jump to a section that you are interested in learning more about, or scroll down to view them all.

You can also find CCC produced trainings and webinars here, or read our publications here to continue building your skills in collaborative conservation!

The Five Foundations for Practicing Collaborative Conservation

There is no “one size fits all” formula for how to do collaborative conservation. However, the following Five Foundations are helpful to consider. The CCC How-To Page is organized around these Five Foundations, offering helpful resources for each.

Foundation 1: Collaborative Cornerstones

Resources in this section cover the design of collaborative efforts, including considerations around the system, context, conditions, and capacity for the effort. A collaborative mindset is developed by first understanding the principles of effective collaboration and characteristics associated with successful efforts. As well, it is important to explicitly consider the stakeholder’s level of engagement, participatory power, and agency in the process.

Collaborative Conservation. CCC “How To” Series. A concise introduction, including five foundations for practicing collaborative conservation. (6 pp. guide)

UNCG Guide to Collaborative Competencies. Policy Consensus Initiative and University Network for Collaborative Governance (2011). A research-based framework, based on 5 foundational competencies, for building collaborative skills; includes a self-assessment tool with recommendations. (32 pp. guide)

Collaborating: Finding Common Ground for Multiparty Problems by Barbara Gray (1989). A classic work on navigating conflict through collaboration. (book)

Working Through Environmental Conflict: The Collaborative Learning Approach. Steven Daniels and Gregg Walker, 2003. Presents a theory-based approach for guiding stakeholders through conflict to decision-making; a hybrid of systems thinking and conflict management grounded in adult learning theories. (book)

Building a solid foundation for collaborative efforts. 2019. Forest Service National Collaboration Cadre. A helpful introduction to the importance of the 4 P’s: Purpose, People, Process and Products; includes worksheets and ideas for implementation. (10 pp. guide)

What Does Collaborative Capacity Make Possible? Prevailing Perspectives on the Relationship Between Collaborative Capacity and Landscape Stewardship Outcomes by Jamie Baxter and Seamus Land (2023). Includes a framework of the elements that enable collaboration to be successful. (23 pp. report).

Collaborating Consciously: The Four Cornerstones by Amy E. Mickel (2021). A research report documenting and characterizing specific behaviors of a collaborative leader that fosters or discourages collaboration. (34 pp. report).

Elegant Conservation: Reimagining Protected Area Stewardship in the 21st Century. Bobowski and Fiege (2023). Describes a compelling and comprehensive “pragmatic, holistic, inclusive” approach to conservation. (open-source academic paper)

Power – the elephant in the room. Robert Chambers. A brief description of different types of power, reversing power relations, and the implications for effective collaboration. (7 minute video).

Foundation 2: Engaging Stakeholders

A structured approach to engaging stakeholders allows collaborative conservation leaders to identify the type of engagement that is needed, who should be included, what the engagement looks like, and the governance structures that might be needed. Cross-cultural considerations guide meaningful engagement strategies, especially for Indigenous and other marginalized communities.

Stakeholder Analysis. CCC “How To” Series. A concise introduction to concepts and approaches, with additional references. (6 pp. guide)

Using a Multidisciplinary Approach to Conduct a Situational Analysis. USDA Natural Resources Conservation Social Sciences Team (2005). Step-by-step guide for getting a clear idea of the system and context in which you will be engaging stakeholders. (8 pp. guide)

Stakeholder Analysis in Environmental and Conservation Planning. Vogler, Macey, and Sigouin (2017). A clear synthesis of determining who to engage and how, including “hidden” stakeholders. (13 pp. article)

Field guide to developing partnerships. North American Bird Conservation Initiative. Useful considerations when engaging potential partners. (6 pp. guide)

Branching Out: Engaging Forest Stakeholders through Collaborative Design. Harvard Negotiation and Mediation Clinical Program and the National Forest Foundation (2016). A helpful guide outlining recommendations and strategies for ongoing stakeholder engagement, including a decision tree for specific design structures. (35 pp white paper)

The Multi-Stakeholder Partnership Guide. Wageningen University and Research. A multi-layered guide (offered in English, French, and Spanish) with companion toolkit (including process tools and videos) for working with multi-stakeholder partnerships. (148 pp. guide).

Aligning Expectations for effective collaborative work. USDA Forest Service National Collaboration Cadre (2021). The importance of understanding and managing stakeholder expectations. (7 pp. guide)

Trust, Trust Development, and Trust Repair. Lewicki and Wiethoff (2014). A book chapter that explores the different ways in which trust manifests, breaks down, and the implications for managing conflict. (4 pp. chapter)

Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants. Robin Wall Kimmerer (2015). Collaborative conservation brings together different knowledge systems to understand and address issues; this book is a great example of how our world view and perspectives can expand as a result. (book)

Toolkit for Meaningful Engagement with Indigenous Peoples in Conservation. CCC production (2023). Includes core context and considerations for engagement based on trust, relationships, and reciprocity. (50 pp. toolkit)

Black Faces, White Spaces. Carolyn Finney (2014) Understanding context is an important aspect of stakeholder engagement; this book explores some of the “real and perceived ways in which nature and the environment are racialized in America.” (book)

Foundation 3: Managing the Process

Resources in this section cover a lot of ground, but all relate to the importance of participation and co-production of knowledge. Collaborative conservation leaders create and implement successful processes that build trust and advance a shared vision wherein multiple priorities, knowledge systems, and values are given equal or equitable weight. This is a learning endeavor, and collaborative learning tools and strategies underlie efforts to constructively manage differences and tackle complex issues.

Maintaining the Foundation of Collaborative Groups. USDA Forest Service National Collaboration Cadre (2019). Introduces the 4-P framework – Purposes, People, Process, and Products – and the balance among these components. (5 pp. guide)

Linkedin.com Leadership Resources. LinkedIn. Trending videos, blogs, and other resources covering a wide range of leadership topics. (website)

Mastering Leadership: An Integrated Framework for Breakthrough Performance and Extraordinary Business Results. Robert Anderson and William Adams (2015). Excellent widely used and useful leadership framework grounded in adult development with a dual internal/external focus. (book)

Best Practices: Running an Effective Collaborative Meeting. National Forest Foundation Conservation Connect (2009). Helpful list of considerations. (2 pp. guide)

Liberating Structures. Keith McCandless and Henri Lipmanowicz. Facilitating groups with participation, learning, and relationships in mind requires activities and structures that creatively and effectively engage people. (website and resources)

The Facilitator’s Toolkit: Tools, techniques and tips for effective facilitation. UK National Health Service Institute for Innovation and Improvement (2009). A comprehensive toolkit of activities and strategies to promote interactivity and participation. (106 pp. toolkit)

The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters. Priya Parker (2018). An easy read for planning and creating meaningful and effective meetings and other gatherings. (book)

Empathic listening. Richard Salem, Beyond Intractability (2003). This brief essay lists skills associated with conflict-management behaviors, including empathic listening. (essay).

10 ways to have a better conversation. Celeste Headlee Ted Talk (2015). Don’t let the title fool you – these 10 behaviors are essential for collaborative leaders. (11 min. video)

Collaborative Learning for Ecosystem Management. Christine Baumann Feurt (2008). A case study that uses collaborative learning structures to integrate different knowledge systems, manage conflict, build shared understanding, and more. (20 pp. guide)

Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement without Giving In. Roger Fisher and William Ury (2011). Based on the work of the Harvard Negotiation Project, this short book presents the methods of mutual-gains negotiation, which prioritizes listening, trust-building, and collaborative decision-making. (book)

Interest-based problem solving. USDA Forest Service National Collaboration Cadre (2021). Explains interests vs. positions, with worksheets designed to help move parties beyond positions to interests. (6 pp. guide)

Conservation’s Blind Spot: the Case for Conflict Transformation in Wildlife Conservation. F. Madden and B. McQuinn (2014). Many human-wildlife conflicts have very deep roots that need to be addressed; this paper presents conflict transformation strategies and intervention models, which are focused on relationships and context. (journal article)

Rethinking Science for a Complex World: Co-Production of Knowledge between Science and Society. Vanya Bisht. A video that explains the process and practice of integrating different knowledge systems. (9 min. video)

The Power of Maps: Bringing the third dimension to the negotiation table. Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation ACP-EU (2016). Participatory methods such as mapping can be important tools to ensure all stakeholders have a voice and contribute to collaborative decision-making frameworks; this resource presents several successful case studies. (74 pp. resource)

Foundation 4: Achieving Conservation Impact

Strategic planning and project planning frameworks are helpful in setting agendas, creating goals, analyzing the systems at play, and moving a project forward. Planning and implementing conservation projects also requires technical knowledge and analytical skills. Because collaborative conservation projects often require a sustained commitment, conservation finance becomes important, including accessing capital in creative, innovative ways.

Collaborative Strategies. Collaborative Leaders Network. Presents in-depth “how-to” processes for a variety of planning and decision-making strategies, steeped in process design, systems thinking, and strategic planning. (website and resources)

Systems Thinking Toolkit. FSG consulting group. Presents a variety of tools (such as actor mapping and appreciative inquiry) that support systems thinking and practice; each tool considers context, connections, patterns, and perspectives. (website and resources)

Conservation Standards. Conservation Measures Partnership. A set of principles and practices for conservation project design, management, and monitoring. (website and resources)

Conservation Finance Toolkit. Conservation Finance Network. A collection of articles and other resources to help practitioners explore innovative financing strategies. (website and resources)

A Field Guide to Conservation Finance. Clark and Altman (2007). A comprehensive book on land conservation financing for community and regional conservation leaders. (book)

Enduring Arches: Building Conservation Finance Projects for Success. Conservation Finance Network. An assessment of the experiences and outcomes of 25 Conservation Innovation Grant projects that offers insights and lessons for impact investors, funders, and project proponent. (61 pp. report)

Foundation 5: Telling the Story

It is important to share the results and story of the collaborative conservation effort. Participatory research and evaluation methods help us understand the outcomes of the collaborative conservation effort, while outreach and engagement strategies utilize communication that is relevant, engaging, and audience specific.

Communicating Strategically: a Toolkit for Conservation. USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (2021). Includes steps and resources for creating a communication plan, crafting messages, and tactic considerations. (11 pp. toolkit)

Seeing is Believing: A Guide to Visual Storytelling Best Practices. Resource Media. How-to guide with research-based practical recommendations. (20 pp. guide)

The Language of Conservation: Updated Recommendations on How to Communicate Effectively to Build Support for Conservation. Lori Weigel (Public Opinion Strategies) and David Metz (2018). Research-based, easily-applied recommendations for crafting persuasive messages. (10 pp. memo)

Communication Toolkit. American Association for the Advancement of Science. Research-based resources and recommendations for public engagement with science. (website with resources)

Influencing Park Visitor Behavior: A Belief-based Approach. Michael Hughes, Sam Ham, and Terry Brown (2009). Explores the drivers of the behavioral decisions people make, with a step-by-step guide on how to influence them. (journal article)

Partnership Impact Evaluation Guide. A.E. Mickel and L. Goldberg (2019). Presents the “Partnership Impact Model”, a framework for evaluating the impact of a multi-stakeholder partnership. (34 pp. guide)

Collaboration Factors Inventory. Wilder Foundation (2018). A rubric for assessing different factors associated with collaborative success. (website and inventory)

A Framework for Assessing Collaborative Capacity in Community-Based Public Forest Management. Antony Cheng and Victoria Sturtevant (2011). Considerations for assessing the capacity of a collaborative effort, which can then be aligned to expectations. (journal article)

Participatory Methods. CCC “How To” Series (2024). Presents a variety of different methods designed to authentically capture participants’ knowledge and ideas. (15 pp. guide)