In many places across the American West and around the world, community-based collaborative initiatives are seeking ways to bridge the gap between conservation and livelihood goals.  One of the persistent challenges is sustaining these efforts over time – keeping partners at the table, working through bureaucratic inertia, adapting to changing government policies, or securing resources. 

This conference will bring together people with experience working collaboratively to achieve both conservation and livelihood goals in tribal nations, rangelands, forests, watersheds, agricultural lands, and urban areas, to develop strategies to sustain these efforts. 

Session panelists will discuss their work on water, invasive species, fire, energy, forest health, ecosystem service payments, biodiversity, urbanization, climate change and other issues.  We will identify strategies to build a broader system for networking, support and learning across diverse collaborative conservation initiatives.

This event is a companion to the Western Stewardship Summit hosted by Sustainable Northwest in Fall 2008.  Sustainable Northwest is an official sponsor, serves on the advisory committee for this event, and will participate in talks and panel discussions.