Beyond Consensus: Improving Collaborative Planning and Management

Preface

Preface This book is based on over fifteen years of research on collaboration in natural resources, land use planning, social services, and transportation planning. Much of this work is drawn from case study research, because I believe that theories for guiding practice need to take into account the complexities of real-world settings (Yin 2009). I have found it particularly valuable to compare across the rich diversity of cases in several countries, supplementing this research with narrower studies of specific issues through large-sample surveys. The case studies span over sixty examples in two countries (see table 0.1), and I conducted the research both independently and with research partners. These case study investigations included site visits, interviews with participants, and the collection of written documents. During my years of research on collaboration, I also interviewed many individual participants involved in cases not listed in the table. For several of the studies I was involved in, we used surveys to assess phenomena from a broader perspective. The lessons from one or even forty cases are not necessarily transferable to every setting. Nevertheless, having researched collaboration in many different places, I believe that we can all learn some common lessons from this to improve the effectiveness of collaboration. A more detailed description of the research methods for these various cases is contained in the appendix. Throughout this book, I use quotes recorded in surveys, on audiotapes, and in research notebooks. I have kept the sources confidential, except where I had permission to use their quotes. In addition to my research, I have also been involved in several collaboration efforts. I worked for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and its Water Integration Team to develop policies for integrating water management activities across the agency. For four years, I was on the steering committee of the Long Tom Watershed Council in Eugene, Oregon, including roles as chair and vice chair. I continue to serve on the Southern Willamette Valley Groundwater Management Area Committee. Finally, I have facilitated a number of groups—some as a volunteer but others in a paid capacity. I call on a number of these firsthand x Preface Table 0.1 Case study data Case study Location Interviews Observation Other data Dates of study Black Earth Creek Wisconsin 4 No Reports, survey1 1993 Starkweather Creek Wisconsin 7 No Reports, survey1 1993 Lower Wisconsin River Wisconsin 11 No Reports, survey1 1993, 1997 Upper Wisconsin River Wisconsin 11 No Reports, survey1 1993 Milwaukee River Wisconsin 20 No Reports, survey1 1993 Lake Winnebago Wisconsin 11 No Reports, survey1 1993, 1997 Upper Mississippi River Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota 14 No Reports, survey1 1993 Lake Tahoe California, Nevada 4 No Reports 1993 San Francisco Estuary California 5 No Reports 1997 Chicamauga-Nickajack River Tennessee 5 Yes Reports 1997 North West New South Wales 6 Multiple Reports, survey1 1995 Illawarra New South Wales 4 Yes Reports, survey1 1995, 1998 Clarence River New South Wales 5 Multiple Reports, survey1 1995 Georges River New South Wales 11 Yes Reports, survey1 1995, 1997 Hacking River New South Wales 9 Yes Reports, survey1 1995 Berowra Creek New South Wales 4 No Reports 1998 Illawarra Integration Team New South Wales 5 No Reports 1998 Murray Darling Basin Multistate 5 No Reports, studies 1995, 2008 Goulburn-Broken Victoria 5 No Reports, survey1 1995 Preface xi Case study Location Interviews Observation Other data Dates of study Corangamite Victoria 3 No Reports, survey1 1995 Mount Lofty Ranges South Australia 2 No Reports 1995 Lockyer Valley Queensland 4 Yes Reports, studies, survey1 1995, 1997 Condamine River Queensland 5 Yes Reports, survey1 1995 Mary River Queensland 7 Multiple Reports, survey1 1995, 1997 Pioneer River Queensland 4 Yes Reports, survey1 1995 Johnstone River Queensland 9 Yes Reports, survey,1 minutes2 1995 Trinity Inlet Queensland 10 No Reports, minutes2 1995, 1998 Tully River Queensland 4 No Reports 1998 Herbert River Queensland 3 No Reports, survey1 1995 South East Queensland 2001 Queensland 12 No Reports, survey1 1999 Denver Metro Vision 2020 Colorado 25 No Reports, survey,1 news3 2001, 2010 Long Tom Watershed Oregon 3 Multiple Reports, participation4 2001–2005 Southern Willamette Valley Groundwater Management Area Commission Oregon 0 Multiple Participation4 2003–present Umpqua Watershed Oregon 2 No Reports 2001 Salem Area Councils Oregon 2 No Reports 2001 Johnson Creek Watershed Oregon 1 No Reports 2001 Table 0.1 (continued) xii Preface Case study Location Interviews Observation Other data Dates of study Rogue Coordinating...