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Strategies for Creating
Successful Partnerships1
Luther Propst2
Here are some suggestions for park and refuge managers who want to build partnerships with
the communities and landowners on their borders:
Know thy Neighbor. Take the time to get to know local leaders. Working relationships with
community members are best developed outside of hearing rooms or council chambers. Don•t just
host an annual open house for the community--have lunch regularly with community leaders, give
them VIP tours of the park or refuge, or join them on a hunting, hiking, or fishing trip. Be sure to
interact not just with elected officials, but with everyone involved in local decision-making: bankers,
developers, environmental advocates, landowners, journalists, land-use planners, and business
owners. Make sure you•re visible before threats arise.
Become a Member of the Community. Developing good relationships with gateway communities
requires a full-time commitment to the well-being of the community. You won•t get results if you•re
only willing to tackle issues of importance to your park or refuge. Instead, participate in the whole
range of issues affecting the community. Get involved in the community as well--join a
neighborhood association, coach a Little League team, volunteer on community projects, join the
Rotary, or become an active member of a church. If possible, develop employee housing in the
community rather than behind the park boundary.
Get Involved Early and Often. Effective participation in a community•s decision-making process
requires early and ongoing involvement. The best opportunity to influence decision-making occurs
well before proposals are made public. This principle works both ways: Don•t expect to be invited to
a community•s preliminary planning sessions if you don•t include local leaders in your own.
Be a Team Player. As a member of the community, you are entitled to participate in local
decision-making processes and express concerns and opinions. Accept that you are one of many
who are trying to shape and influence decisions. Constructive participation in community
decision-making will only enhance your role as a legitimate member of the community.
Build Coalitions. Having a well-organized and thoughtful constituency is the best way to ensure
that local government listens to park or refuge concerns. A coalition of individuals or groups
working toward a common goal can be extremely effective in influencing decisions. Involving too
many is always better than leaving someone out. Establish partnerships between divergent interest
groups--an alliance between a downtown merchants association and a local .. Friends of the Refuge ..
group, for example, can have a powerful impact on local decisions. Do so before you need to--a
proactive group is typically more effective than one that organizes in response to a specific threat.
1
Many thanks to Gil Lusk, director of the National Park Service•s employee training programs, for
assistance in preparing these strategies which are excerpted from Balancing Nature and Commerce in
America's Favorite Towns (tentative working title) by Jim Howe, Luther Propst, and Ed McMahon.
2
Sonoran Institute, Tucson, AZ.
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Develop a Strategy. Don•t just go blindly into partnerships or community relations: Have a
strategy and tangible goals in mind. Understand both the concerns most important to you and
those where compromise can be sought. Instead of opposing projects, try to come up with
modifications that would allow you to support them or with alternatives that allow you to present
your concerns in a positive light.
Don't Get Ruffled by Criticism. Some members of the community will not appreciate your views.
Expect criticism and accept it without getting defensive. Resist the temptation to fire back. It's
important to maintain an open dialogue not only with those who share your views, but with
individuals and groups who may oppose you. At the same time, know which relationships will lead
to fruitful partnerships and which will simply keep the lines of communication open.
Understand the Full Range of Growth Management Strategies. Many local officials are
unaware or suspicious of growth management tools. To ease doubts about growth management,
every protected area manager should be familiar with the complete spectrum of public and private
land-use techniques--conservation easements, agricultural districts, cluster development, floodplain
regulations, zoning, etc.--and how they apply in your state or locality.
Lead by Example. Wherever possible, protected area managers should set the example for new
development. If a new park or refuge building is under consideration, involve the community in
determining its location and scale. Then design a new facility that serves as a model for other
projects in the community. Utilize architecture that blends in with the landscape, outside lighting
that keeps night skies dark, landscaping that makes use of native plants, and conservation-minded
plumbing and lighting. (Older buildings can be retrofitted, too.) Use interpretive signs and
brochures to make sure the public knows what's been done.
Demonstrate the Link Between Resource Protection and Economic Vitality. Local leaders
are more likely to pay attention to environmental concerns if they can be linked to economic vitality.
Develop data that demonstrate how your protected area contributes to the local economy through
increased property values, tourism, sales tax revenue, local purchases, or jobs. A local college can
help carry out this research. Also, wherever possible, hire from the community and purchase
products and services from local businesses.
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