Congress could have taken a tip or two on how to build relationships and get things done from RVCCers roaming the House and Senate halls last week.  From a contentious history, former foes have created a fruitful and effective alliance based on the common goals of sustaining our rural communities and stewarding the Nation's resources.  And it’s refreshing to know our hard work and impressive accomplishments are not going unnoticed.

The Rural Voices for Conservation Coalition, and our fearless leader Maia Enzer, were highlighted in the Spring 2011 issues of American Forests Magazine, as evidence that collaboration creates change.  My favorite quote from this article, entitled Conservation by Coalition, is Maia’s statement that “We’ve changed the conversation at the national policy level,” and it’s implication that we have much more that we’d like to say.  You can read the article in its entirety here.

Collaboration is making friends within the Forest Service too.  For those of you who heard Associate Chief Mary Wagner speak at the RVCC Reception, you already know that she is singing the praises of partnerships and coalitions.  Ever gracious and enthusiastic, she concluded her speech with the assertion “By building relationships based on mutual trust and respect, we can come together around shared goals and decide together how best to reach them.  That is our hope for the future.”  Her speech is posted on the Forest Service website.