ENVIRONMENTAL DISPUTE RESOLUTION PROGRAM
EDR BLOG
The Wallace Stegner Center’s Environmental Dispute Resolution (EDR) Program fosters a culture of collaboration around environmental, natural resource, and broader public policy issues by helping people be more skillful in working through conflict. In particular, we focus on building capacity for collaboration through training, thought leadership, and collaboration assistance and advising.
The EDR Blog advances our mission by sharing key ideas, concepts, resources, tools, and lessons learned related to conflict and collaboration. Blog posts are written by EDR Program staff and partners and are carefully curated to focus on timely and relevant topics.
New blogs are generally posted once each month. For notifications of new blogs, please join the Environmental Dispute Resolution Program email list.
Emotions are data when dealing with conflict
Dec 01, 2024I find it very telling that when I ask people at the start of my classes and professional trainings what they think of when they think about conflict, the most common responses are emotions (particularly unpleasant emotions) such as frustration, anxiety, anger, or fear.
We need to talk about dysregulation
Nov 07, 2024Let me start with a provocative question: How are you feeling about the current state of U.S. politics? I encourage you to take a moment to really sit with this question and tune into how you are feeling.
To overcome divisiveness, we need to focus on interests (and not positions)
Oct 01, 2024In the hope that it helps us all navigate this challenging election season, I want to build on ideas I’ve explored in prior blogs to directly address the problem with focusing on positions and highlight some approaches for focusing on what really matters—our interests.
The problem with compromise
Sep 01, 2024In my classes and trainings, I often ask people what skills are necessary for effective conflict resolution. One of the most common responses I get is “compromise.” When people say this, I ask them a follow-up question: How does compromise make you feel? I encourage you to take a moment to sit with that question yourself.
To flourish, we need to teach people how to make conflict productive
Aug 01, 2024We live in a highly interconnected world in which people from all walks of life interact with each other on a daily basis. This unavoidable reality of modern life creates many amazing opportunities, including for greater creativity and innovation. However, it can be difficult to navigate if we don’t have skills for productively working through our differences.
When dealing with conflict, don’t just be nice—be kind and firm
Jul 01, 2024As I explain, being kind and firm helps us focus on what really matters and get good outcomes for ourselves and others when dealing with conflict—and, in doing so, it helps us avoid many of the problems people create by focusing on “just being nice.”
The power of “Yes and…”
Jun 01, 2024“Yes, and” thinking is a mindset and way of speaking that reflects the simple but profound fact that the world is complex, and seemingly contradictory things can—and do—coexist.
The power of “the BOP” when dealing with conflict
May 01, 2024In this blog, I want to build on those ideas by explaining a key source of power in negotiation and conflict situations: your ability to understand and exercise what I call the BOP–your “best option possible.”
Don’t give up your power when dealing with conflict
Apr 01, 2024Over my many years of doing conflict resolution and collaboration work, it has become very clear to me that we have a serious problem with power. People involved in conflict often describe themselves as powerless. Or they ask questions such as “How do you negotiate with people who have more power than you?” or “What do I do if they have all of the power?” Or they wonder how parties can collaborate when there are serious power imbalances.
Commitment: A core conflict competency
Mar 01, 2024Over the past year, I have published a series of blogs exploring the key skills that are necessary for making conflict productive, or what I call the core “conflict competencies.” Prior blogs have explored the conflict competencies of calm, curiosity, compassion, creativity, courage, and communication. In this blog, I want to explore one final core conflict competency: commitment.
Communication: A core conflict competency
Feb 01, 2024In 2023, I wrote a series of blogs exploring key conflict competencies. There are two competencies I identified in that blog that I have yet to fully describe: communication and commitment. In this blog, I am going to discuss communication. In my next blog, I’ll dive into commitment.
2023 EDR blog year in review
Jan 04, 2024As we enter the new year, we are reflecting on where we’ve been and where we’re going. As part of that, we’re looking back at the EDR blog topics we covered last year, which included an overview of the EDR program’s future direction, discussion of why conflict tends to be so challenging for people, and exploration of key conflict competencies—i.e., key skills for making conflict productive.
Destructive conflict tendencies vs. productive conflict choices
Dec 01, 2023In my last blog, I described what conflict competence is and summarized the key conflict competencies that empower us to deal with conflict skillfully and productively. In this blog, I build on those ideas to explore the choices we make when dealing with conflict and the way in which different choices lead to very different outcomes.
What is conflict competence and what are the core conflict competencies?
Oct 26, 2023In this blog, I want to pull these concepts all together by explaining what conflict is, what conflict competence is and why it matters, and what basic skills—or what I refer to as “conflict competencies”—are required to make conflict productive.
Courage: An overarching skill for making conflict productive
Oct 01, 2023I therefore believe that we need to develop an additional important, overarching skill or conflict competency in order to make conflict productive in our personal and professional lives: courage.
Compassion: A prerequisite for calm, curiosity, and creativity when dealing with conflict
Sep 01, 2023To get beyond this limiting mindset and to be calm, curious, and creative when dealing with conflict, I think we need to lean into another word that starts with C: compassion.
Curiosity is a superpower when dealing with conflict
Jul 26, 2023So how about curiosity? What does it mean and look like to approach conflict with curiosity, and how do we do this?
To make conflict productive, focus on co-creating mutual gains outcomes
Jul 02, 2023The mission of the EDR program is to foster a culture of collaboration around environmental, natural resource, and broader public policy issues. In other words, we strive to help people work together to create a better today and tomorrow.
The power of calm when dealing with conflict
Jun 01, 2023To make conflict productive and to avoid it becoming destructive, we have to get out of this win-lose mindset and instead focus on what really matters, and one key way to do this is to ask ourselves and others “What would be a productive outcome in this situation?”
How to focus on what really matters in conflict
May 01, 2023Over the last few months, we have published a series of blogs that start to explore why conflict is so hard for us, why it so often results in negative outcomes, and how we can make conflict an opportunity for positive change.
Want to make conflict productive? Focus on what really matters
Apr 01, 2023If you’ve been reading our recent blogs, hopefully by now you’re convinced that conflict “just is”: it is a healthy, normal, unavoidable part of life. Unfortunately, we tend to see the world through a win-lose, zero-sum mindset, which leads us to treat conflict as a threat. And when we do that, we tend to react poorly in situations of conflict, which leads to bad outcomes and reinforces our belief that conflict is a problem.
Why we tend to see conflict as a problem—and why it matters
Mar 01, 2023In our prior blogs, we have explained that conflict just is: It is a normal, healthy, unavoidable part of life. Therefore, we need to learn to deal with it effectively, and that is what collaboration is all about. And the good news is that doing so not only helps make life a lot easier; it can be enormously productive and beneficial for all parties involved in the conflict.
The problem with conflict is that we see conflict as a problem
Feb 01, 2023Even after many years of work in the field of conflict resolution and collaboration, I continue to be amazed by the extent to which productively working through conflict provides opportunities for positive change and growth.
The future of the EDR program: Extra (effective) dialogue required
Jan 03, 2023When Michele Straube founded the Wallace Stegner Center’s EDR program in 2012, she somewhat jokingly suggested the EDR acronym stands for “extra dialogue required.”
I abhor the word “compromise”
Oct 10, 2022I overheard a conversation the other day in which one person said that marriage is just one compromise after the other. I had a visceral reaction to that statement, partly feeling sad for the person’s marriage, but mostly just mad mad mad about the word “compromise.”
Introducing the Gateway & Natural Amenity Region (GNAR) Initiative
Sep 26, 2022The Wallace Stegner Center’s Environmental Dispute Resolution (EDR) program fosters a culture of collaboration around the environment, natural resource, and broader public policy issues, with a particular focus on Utah and the Mountain West.
Seeing the forest for the trees: An environmental psychologist’s guide to sharing ranching landscapes with wildlife
Sep 12, 2022Most aspects of life in the early 21st century go beyond easy analysis and resolution. The subject of ranching, particularly in the context of wildlife conservation in the American West, is bound then to aggravate anyone who demands singular causes and fixed solutions. The stories of ranchers have been told in countless forms over the years, yet rarely have they actually been told by ranchers themselves.
Meet EDR Initiatives Facilitator Jordan Katcher
Aug 29, 2022Meet Jordan Katcher (she/her), who joined the Environmental Dispute Resolution (EDR) program team at the University of Utah’s Wallace Stegner Center in August 2022.
Ask better negotiation questions
Aug 15, 2022It’s not difficult to see the limitations of these negotiation questions. The first one is likely to promote defensiveness. The second one sounds patronizing. The third shuts off discussion, perhaps even before it’s truly begun.
Interests, positions, and conflict—Oh, my!
Aug 01, 2022Interests and positions. We hear these terms frequently in negotiation and dispute resolution circles, but what do they really mean? And why is it important to understand the difference?
Conflict just is. Let’s make it productive!
Jul 18, 2022Every year, I train and coach hundreds of professionals and university students in the skills of collaboration and conflict resolution. In working with these diverse individuals and teams from across the country and internationally, I have come to realize that a few simple shifts in how we see, understand, and deal with conflict can totally change our relationships with each other and ourselves—as well as the outcomes of our interactions—in profoundly powerful and positive ways.
How Can We Break Through Our Narrative of Polarization?
Jun 21, 2022By Courtney Breese It’s easy to see that our nation is polarized. Watch any national news program or scroll social media and this narrative of […]
Facilitating Effective Meetings: New Resources from the EDR Program
Jun 06, 2022By the EDR Team We’ve all sat through poorly planned meetings. When happening in person, these are the meetings where we fidget in our seats, […]
Better Together: Co-Creating a Factual Foundation in Environment & Public Policy Conflict
May 23, 2022By Alice Shorett Social media silos of information, separate worlds of news pipelines, advocacy experts—can we ever find a way to talk to one another? […]
Reporting Out on the Building Bridges Symposium
May 09, 2022By: Yufna Soldier Wolf, Indigenous Land Alliance of Wyoming, & Deb Kleinman, Collaboration Program in Natural Resources/Lupine Collaborative At the Building Bridges Symposium in […]
10 Negotiation Training Skills Every Organization Needs
Apr 25, 2022By PON Staff This post originally appeared on Harvard Law School Program on Negotiation’s Daily Blog on April 18, 2022. We are reposting it with […]
Meet EDR Program Manager Emily Gaines Crockett
Apr 11, 2022Meet Emily Gaines Crockett, who joined the Environmental Dispute Resolution (EDR) program team at the University of Utah’s Wallace Stegner Center in December 2021. Emily manages EDR program administration and communication efforts.
Book Review: Humor, Seriously: Why Humor Is a Secret Weapon in Business and Life* (*And how anyone can harness it. Even you.)
Mar 28, 2022By Michele Straube My mother loved adages and random quotes. One of her favorites was “laughter is the best medicine.” She had a gift for […]
A Practitioner’s View on Finding the Words to Describe Our Work
Mar 14, 2022By Jason Gershowitz It can be difficult to describe our work—the field of conflict. When asked questions regarding my career and work, I have referred […]
Apply for the EDR program’s Collaboration Certificate course
Feb 28, 2022The Wallace Stegner Center’s Environmental Dispute Resolution (EDR) Program is currently accepting applications for our 2022 Collaboration Certificate Course. The course will be delivered virtually via highly interactive and engaging sessions that emphasize peer-to-peer learning and networking.
What is Negotiation?
Feb 07, 2022By Katie Shonk This post originally appeared on Harvard Law School Program on Negotiation’s Daily Blog on October 14, 2021. We are reposting it with […]
Supporting Federal Agencies to Make Collaboration the Way of Doing Business
Jan 24, 2022By Jessica Western As a facilitator living in Wyoming, I have experienced how collaborative problem solving has increasingly become a tool to unravel any tension […]
2021 EDR blog year in review
Jan 10, 2022I am enchanted by stories. Stories with strong character development, riveting plot lines, and happy (and sad!) endings. Stories with conflict, resolution, and lessons learned.
Using Six Thinking Hats in Negotiation
Dec 06, 2021By James Holbrook Edward De Bono has identified six different ways of thinking using six different color-coded “Thinking Hats.” Too often, negotiation – especially high-conflict […]
Conflict-Management Styles: Pitfalls and Best Practices
Nov 22, 2021By Katie Shonk This post originally appeared on Harvard Law School Program on Negotiation’s Daily Blog on October 25, 2021. We are reposting it with […]
The Problem with Problems
Nov 08, 2021By Bruce Waltuck Understanding the types of our lived experiences, and the optimal patterns of response, for improved conflict resolution and outcomes. “The bear […]
The Opportunities of a New Glen Canyon
Oct 25, 2021By Eric Balken for the EDRblog News coverage of drought has become inescapable for those of us living in the west. Talk of prolonged water […]
Notes from the Collaborative Governance Rodeo
Oct 11, 2021By Wendy Willis Since the term started emerging in 1970s, collaborative governance has been a wily beast. Just as scholars start to corral and define […]
The Pause: Closing the Gap Between Our Best Intentions and Our Actions
Sep 27, 2021By Marina Piscolish, Ph.D. For years, we, as a field, have been hard at work teaching crucial communication skills for managing conflict, solving problems, and […]
Conversation Dominators. (When “Step Up, Step Back” doesn’t cut it)
Sep 13, 2021By Maggie Chumbley This post originally appeared on maggiechumbley.com on October 14, 2020. We are reposting it with the Maggie Chumbley’s permission. Hands down, the […]
“Pause. Take a breath. What do you see?”
Aug 23, 2021I sat at my newly-made-up-work-from-home office thinking “Why toilet paper?” and suddenly songs from Urinetown: The Musical burst into my head. It seemed appropriate given the sudden and limited supply of the product. (Yes, that really is the name of the musical. It won three Tonys in 2002.)
The Benefits of a Situation Assessment
Aug 09, 2021By Isobel Lingenfelter The situation assessment is often promoted in the facilitation and conflict resolution world, and yet it can be tempting to skip this […]
A high-wire act: Mediating high conflict online
Apr 19, 2021As COVID-19 drives our longstanding work with stakeholders, advisory committees, and others onto online platforms, we also are being forced to mediate our most challenging cases in the same online format. These cases often prove to be high-wire acts when we meet face to face.
Apply for the short course on natural resources collaboration
Feb 22, 2021The Wallace Stegner Center’s Environmental Dispute Resolution (EDR) program is currently accepting applications for our 2021 short course on effective natural resources collaboration. The course will be held online via Zoom. The application is open through April 19, 2021; we anticipate selecting and notifying short course participants by April 30, 2021.
Floods, fires, drought and more: The climate is changing and dispute resolution tools are needed (now!)
Nov 09, 2020As I watch the news from California of the absolute devastation from numerous, massive wildfires or hear about repeated hurricanes hitting the Gulf Coast, I see, now more than ever, the critical need for good dispute resolution tools to help address climate change issues.
Madame C’s lesson on mindful appreciation
Jun 29, 2020I sat at my newly-made-up-work-from-home office thinking “Why toilet paper?” and suddenly songs from Urinetown The Musical burst into my head. It seemed appropriate given the sudden and limited supply of the product. (Yes, that really is the name of the musical. It won three Tonys in 2002.)
What Madame C (Coronavirus) is teaching me
Jun 15, 2020When I was first asked to share my lessons learned from Madame C (the coronavirus), I was a little nonplussed about what to say. My biggest (and most embarrassing) lesson learned was that I.hate.to.clean. That doesn’t really relate to collaboration, or perhaps it does. There are certain collaborators (broom, vacuum, toilet wand) I don’t really like to work with. And, if I clean while listening to podcasts (i.e., change the process), I don’t mind the task and actually do a good job.
What lessons are you learning from Madame C?
Jun 01, 2020During these uncertain times, we have all had to adapt how we do our day-to-day activities and how we are being in our lives. This adaptation can be reactionary—changing how we do things without intention or awareness. Or the shifts we make can be intentional—responding to our changing circumstances by seeking and choosing the opportunities (i.e., the “probletunities”) presented by each challenge.
EDR blog year in review: 2019
Dec 16, 2019One of the reasons I enjoy managing the EDR blog is the chance to read about the valuable resources, best practices, case studies, ideas, and activities related to collaboration and dialogue.
Collaboration playlist
Jun 17, 2019Music has so many magical properties. It can prompt memory. It can help create memories. It can access memory. It can set the mood. It can change the mood. All these characteristics are beneficial to negotiation and collaboration.
The Utah Resilience Map: Making Connections Between Local Sustainability Projects
May 20, 2019By Emily Nicolosi for EDRBlog.org Online collaborative community resource mapping is a new phenomenon that helps to connect local organizations and volunteers in building more […]
Communication Strategies for Engaging Climate Skeptics: Religion and the Environment
May 06, 2019By Emma Frances Bloomfield for EDRBlog.org In our ongoing disputes and conversations about the environment and climate change, it becomes ever more pressing to uncover […]
Trust – An Essential Collaborative Component
Apr 22, 2019By Dianne Olson “Trust is the glue of life. It’s the most essential ingredient in effective communication. It’s the foundational principle that holds all relationships.” […]
It’s not federal overreach, it’s federal under-listening: Lessons from rural Oregon
Apr 08, 2019The EDR program interviewed Peter Walker, professor of geography at the University of Oregon, about his 2018 book “Sagebrush Collaboration: How Harney County Defeated the Takeover of the Malheur Wildlife Refuge.”
Do Cows Come to Consensus? Exploring What Humans and Animals Might Have in Common When it Comes to Dispute Resolution
Mar 25, 2019By Leanne Bernstein Do elephants experience empathy? Do artic foxes argue? Do narwhals negotiate? Do raccoons reconcile? Dr. Frans de Waal explores these ideas in […]
Why “Progress” Fits Natural Resource Conflict Management Better than “Success”
Mar 11, 2019By Steve Daniels for EDRBlog.org As a practicing environmental facilitator/mediator, I am frequently asked if a process succeeded; it seems politicians and the news media […]
Apply for the short course on effective natural resources collaboration
Feb 25, 2019Consider words like personal, effective, and awesome. What might they describe? Here’s a hint: Short course.
The Path of Collaboration in Harney County, Oregon
Feb 11, 2019By Steven C. Beda for EDRBlog.org Harney County, Oregon is broad, flat, and expansive. Were the title not already claimed by Montana, this place could […]
A New Era in Collaborative Forest Restoration: Working Towards Long-Term, Large-Scale, and High-Capacity Collaboration
Jan 28, 2019By William Butler for EDRBlog.org Dr. Courtney Schultz of Colorado State University and I have been researching and engaging with professionals involved in the Collaborative […]
EDR blog year in review: 2018
Jan 14, 2019What strikes me most at the close of another year for the EDR blog is the perseverance and determination I see happening in the field of environmental dispute resolution (EDR).
Collaborating on Air Quality: From Pollution to Solution
Dec 17, 2018By Danya Rumore This time of year, one thing seems to be on the mind of just about everyone in the Salt Lake Valley: air […]
Energy siting can be incendiary
Dec 03, 2018Energy extraction and production have powerfully shaped the American landscape over the last hundred years. Blessed with extraordinary natural resources, among many other attributes, the United States has built the largest economy in the world. But energy land uses, from traditional gas and oil to newer wind and solar, have sparked intense conflict around safety, human health, visual impacts, “industrialization” of the rural landscape, and even national policy.
Great Salt Lake Stink Tank: Moving a Dialogue on Collaboration Forward
Nov 19, 2018By Skye Sieber and Jaimi Butler for EDRBlog.org Earlier this summer, we attended the Dialogue on Collaboration focused on Great Salt Lake. One prominent theme […]
Can EDR Practices Benefit from Learner-Centered Teaching Strategies?
Nov 05, 2018By CK Miller for EDRBlog.org It’s a lush forest scene: trees surround you, the ground is moist and spongy with moss, and above you stretches […]
Building Trust with the Public in Your Decision-Making Process
Oct 22, 2018By Leah Jaramillo for EDRBlog.org Public participation can be considered risky or a chore, particularly when an issue or decision is highly technical and requires […]
Addressing Complex Issues with Trauma-informed Approaches
Oct 08, 2018By Mary Dumas, Dumas & Associates, Inc. for EDRBlog.org Complexity & Confusion In conditions of complexity, it’s important to remember that data do not make […]
Wisdom from the Experts: Collaboration and Alternative Dispute Resolution in the West
Sep 24, 2018By Danya Rumore for EDRBlog.org I often find myself wishing I had more opportunities to learn from other facilitators’ and collaboration professionals’ trials, tribulations, and […]
Don’t Believe Everything You Think: The Pitfalls of Cognitive Bias
Sep 10, 2018By Douglas Thompson This post originally appeared on Consensus Building Institute’s blog on May 22, 2018. We are reposting it with Douglas Thompson’s permission. A […]
Rock and Roll: Use the Triangle of Satisfaction to Design and Facilitate Effective Collaboration
Aug 27, 2018By Nedra Chandler This post originally appeared on Cadence blog February 28, 2018. We are reposting it with Nedra Chandler’s permission. Humans can be Bermuda […]
State invests millions in conflict resolution: A case study
Aug 13, 2018This year, one state in the nation will invest more than $1 million to support public policy and community-based conflict resolution and collaborative implementation. Perhaps more surprising is the fact that this amount is appropriated every year, and that the state has slowly and steadily increased its funding for conflict resolution and collaboration for more than two decades.
The Power of Vulnerability in Conflict Resolution
Jul 30, 2018By Rachel Caldwell for EDRBlog.org “Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity, change” – Dr. Brené Brown Stepping into Vulnerability I recently joined fifteen peers […]
What We Can Learn from Bees About Building Consensus
Jul 16, 2018By Michele Straube for EDRBlog.org At times, a group of outraged stakeholders can feel like a swarm of bees. Initially, stakeholders are sweet as honey […]
Unraveling Complex Issues – Collaboration around the Great Salt Lake
Jul 02, 2018By Dianne Olson for EDRBlog.org Discussing something as significant as the Great Salt Lake involves landscape level topics such as water use among three states […]
Teamwork and Shared Interests to Improve Tribal Relations with the BLM in Utah
Jun 18, 2018By Nate Thomas and Nizhone Meza for EDRBlog.org Starting, conducting and completing a “situation assessment” for inexperienced yet enthusiastic protégés in the Environmental Dispute Resolution […]
Coming Full Circle: Using Litigation as a Tool to Facilitate Collaboration
Jun 04, 2018By Hannah Satein for EDRBlog.org Though it may seem paradoxical, litigation filed by a participant in a collaborative process may offer a tool to help […]
Four Strategies for Effective Science Communication
May 21, 2018By Dr. Emma Frances Bloomfield for EDRBlog.org Why is the sky blue? If you have ever tried to explain the answer to this question to […]
Finding Shared Interests at the Fort Douglas National Historic Landmark
May 07, 2018By Kelly Beck Today, Fort Douglas is home to the bustling student residences at the University of Utah. A university managed hotel and conference center […]
Collaboration is Improv or is Improv a Collaboration?
Apr 23, 2018By Leanne Bernstein for EDRBlog.org I raced around the room, trying desperately to keep my bodyguard in between me and the paparazzi. But with every […]
More Peaceful Winters Reign in Yellowstone
Apr 09, 2018By Nedra Chandler “Winter use in Yellowstone National Park is, at root, a conflict over deep public values…” –Mike Yochim, member of Yellowstone Grand Teton […]
What Environmental Dispute Resolution Can Learn from Civity and Complexity Science
Mar 26, 2018By Daniel Friedman for EDRBlog.org Successful environmental dispute resolution (EDR) requires long-term cooperation among stakeholders, who often have incongruent values and interests and may have […]
Helping Collaborative Groups Get Real
Mar 12, 2018By Steve Greenwood for EDRBlog.org One of the key characteristics of successful collaborations, particularly when parties are trying to resolve difficult issues, is authenticity. As […]
Apply for the short course on effective natural resources collaboration
Feb 26, 2018As we usher our second cohort toward short course graduation, we invite all “doubting Thomases,” “converts to collaboration,” and everyone in-between to apply for the 2018 short course on effective natural resources collaboration.
The Sweet Sound of Collaboration
Feb 12, 2018By Cody Lutz for EDRBlog.org As a graduate student fellow with the Environmental Dispute Resolution (EDR) Program, I’ve been working on various community-based conflicts and […]
Cultivating a Culture of Environmental and Natural Resources Collaboration in Utah
Jan 29, 2018By Danya Rumore Unhealthy air quality. Growing demands for water in an arid state. Conflicts over public lands and how those lands should be managed. […]
EDR blog year in review: 2017
Jan 16, 2018As I look back on the EDR blogs we’ve posted in the last 12 months, I find myself inspired and energized by the many examples of collaboration and strategies for how to build bridges among individuals, stakeholder groups, and communities our authors have shared.
Mindfulness for mediators, innovators and problem solvers
Dec 18, 2017By Mary Dumas for EDRBlog.org Complexity and conflict can interfere with our ability to listen accurately and sustain focused attention when serving as a mediator […]
A New Way of Doing Business? Collaborating with the U.S. Forest Service
Dec 04, 2017By Kailey Kornhauser for EDRBlog.org In 2012 the US Forest Service adopted a new Planning Rule. Planning Rules are policy that regulate how the Forest […]
Finding Common Ground on Public Lands
Nov 20, 2017By Susan Crook for EDRBlog.org I kept dreaming of Hayley Mills singing “Let’s Get Together” from The Parent Trap and found myself humming the tune […]
A Practical Roadmap for Resolving Conflict
Nov 06, 2017This post originally appeared on Arbinger Institute’s blog May 30, 2017. We are reposting it with Jim Ferrell’s permission. If you want to help people […]
The Three F’s of a Successful Watershed Partnership
Oct 23, 2017By Sue Fearon for EDRBlog.org Earlier this year, Stan, a conversation partner, asked me “Why are you still here? That’s what I want to know. […]
Conflict Mapping Is No Spaghetti Bowl
Oct 09, 2017By Dena Marshall for EDRBlog.org Conflict mapping is a roll-up-your-sleeves pencil and paper exercise that I have come to appreciate and incorporate into my collaborative […]
Collaborating for Cleaner Air
Sep 25, 2017By Ashley Miller for EDRBlog.org I was all set to start learning on the first day of the Environmental Dispute Resolution (EDR) Program’s Short Course […]
Establishing Collaboration: Breaking Down Silos to Effectively Manage Ecosystems
Sep 11, 2017By Craig Walker for EDRBlog.org In 2016, I was offered the opportunity to participate in a Short Course on Effective Natural Resources Collaboration hosted by […]
Daring to Dialogue: Stories of “Being the Change”
Aug 28, 2017By Michele Straube and Danya Rumore for EDRBlog.org On June 15, the EDR Program co-hosted “Fostering Productive Dialogue in Divided Times,” the third in the […]
Taking the Leap: A Collaborative Process – and Life! — Journey
Aug 14, 2017By Theresa Jensen for EDRBlog.org Have you ever stood on the edge of a new beginning, noticing all of those excited anxious squiggly feelings dancing […]
A Cow Runs Through It: Reflections on 20+ Years as an Environmental Mediator
Jul 26, 2017By Michele Straube for EDRblog.org. I realized recently that my projects involved cows at the beginning, middle and end of my career, and a squishy […]
Breaking the Natural Resources Gridlock with Consensus Building
Jul 17, 2017By Gina Bartlett for EDRblog.org. This post originally appeared on Consensus Building Institute’s blog Feb. 6, 2017. We are reposting it with Gina Bartlett’s permission. […]
Fostering Productive Dialogue in Divided Times
Jul 03, 2017By Griffin Smith for EDRBlog.org People being viciously attacked—verbally and physically—just because they are a certain race, ethnicity, religion, or simply trying to fly war […]
A Need—and an Opportunity—for Leadership
Jun 19, 2017By Danya Rumore for EDRBlog.org In every challenge, there is an opportunity. There is no doubt that we live in challenging times. One need only […]
I’ll See You in Court: Litigation and Collaborative Land Management
Jun 05, 2017By Ian Summers for EDRBlog.org Litigation over public land management has become a contentious topic in recent news. Industry groups and ranchers are pressuring the […]
The Future of Indian Water Rights in the West
May 22, 2017By Nils Lofgren for EDRBlog.org Water is an important and essential commodity for people living in the western United States today. Water is just as […]
Making Room for Give and Take
May 08, 2017By Dan Adams for EDRblog.org Recently, I spent 17 days on the islands of Cebu and Negros in the Philippines. It was a powerful cultural […]
“Town Halls” Are Dead. Long Live Town Halls?
Apr 24, 2017By Larry Schooler This post originally appeared in The Huffington Post on 03/29/2017 05:25 pm ET, updated Mar 30, 2017. We are reposting it with […]
Accomplishing the Impossible: The Spokane River Story
Apr 10, 2017By Adriane P. Borgias for EDRBlog.org “No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the […]
Empowering Collaboration Through Dark Sky Protection
Mar 27, 2017By Janey Heyman Moving from a small California beach town to Salt Lake City, I realized the night sky was a severely under-utilized resource in […]
Apply for Short Course on Effective Natural Resources Collaboration
Mar 20, 2017By Michele Straube The 23 participants in the inaugural Short Course will attend their last session on April 27, walking away with a Certificate of […]
For living room candor, keep the conversation casual
Mar 13, 2017When is it possible for someone to express their honest thoughts and feelings about an important issue? Is it possible for that person to do so while acting in their professional capacity?
Two Sources of Turmoil in a Divided America
Feb 27, 2017By James R. Holbrook for edrblog.org The Sixties and early Seventies were a time of great turmoil in a divided America, including the assassinations of […]
E Pluribus Unum (out of many one)
Feb 13, 2017This post originally appeared on Consensus Building Institute’s blog in October 13, 2016. We are reposting it with the Patrick Field’s permission. By Patrick Field for […]
EDR blog year in review: 2016
Jan 30, 2017In 2016, we posted 26 blogs from 24 authors. Many of our blog posts featured inspiring examples of collaboration.
From Question to Connection: Building Bridges with Appreciative Inquiry
Jan 17, 2017By Barbara E. Lewis for EDRBlog.org Now more than ever, those of us who practice community engagement are acutely aware of how polarized ”the publics” […]
Keep your knees bent while facilitating
Jan 03, 2017By Wendy Green Lowe for EDRblog.org. I grew up in a household of skiers. The lessons I earned about staying upright while skiing hold true […]
Putting another E in EDR (Electronic)
Dec 19, 2016By Noam Exner for EDRblo.org. Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) is an area of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) that has been developing over the past twenty […]
My Own Worst Nightmare
Dec 05, 2016By Lucy Moore for EDRblog.org. This post originally appeared on Lucy Moore’s blog in September 2016. We are reposting it with the Lucy Moore’s permission. […]
The Power of Human-to-Human Connections
Nov 21, 2016By Heather Gilmartin Adams for EDRblog.org. On Saturday, November 12, the first Utah Citizens Summit was held in downtown Salt Lake City. The event – a […]
Noble Water Pursuits: How the Nobel Prize for Contract Theory Highlights Promising Movements in Utah Water Law
Nov 07, 2016By Emily E. Lewis for EDRblog.org. Complex situations call for creative solutions. Nowhere is this maxim more relevant than in addressing modern environmental problems. Finding […]
Using Serious Games to Help Communities Make Progress on Serious Problems
Oct 24, 2016By Danya Rumore for EDRblog.org Addressing environmental, natural resource, and public policy issues is serious business. Making progress on concerns such as water resources management and […]
The Western Klamath Restoration Partnership Uses the Open Standards Process
Oct 06, 2016This post originally appeared on the Fire Adapted Communities Learning Network’s blog in May 2016. We are reposting it with the permission of both the […]
Be the Thermostat, not the Thermometer
Sep 25, 2016By Heather Gilmartin Adams for EDRblog.org. On a break in a recent workshop, I reflected to my co-facilitator on the energy of the group during a […]
Willard Spur: Resolving Conflict through Collaboration
Sep 12, 2016This post by Jeff Ostermiller is reprinted with permissions from the Utah Department of Environmental Quality for EDRblog.org Sometimes it’s hard for me to keep […]
So Little Time, So Much to Read: Conflict Management Blogs I Follow
Aug 29, 2016By Michele Straube It’s class prep time in academia, and I’ve been looking through my “new topics” collection to update my Conflict Management lesson plans. […]
Working with Elected Officials on Water Issues: What can Collaboration Bring to the Table?
Aug 15, 2016By Jamie Holmstead for EDRblog.org. A few weeks ago I had the privilege to attend the Environmental Dispute Resolution Program’s Dialogue on Collaboration seminar. This […]
Collaboration Is a Better Way to Solve Our Most Difficult Problems
Aug 02, 2016By Lauren Barros for EDRblog.org. Several years ago, I became a member of the Collaborative Family Lawyers of Utah. It made sense to me to […]
Citizen referendum? I vote “needs review”
Jul 18, 2016Did the United Kingdom’s Brexit vote resolve anything? What does such a narrow margin of victory for the Leave (EU) position really mean?
In the Footsteps of Many: Collaboration is Key to Preserving the National Park Experience
Jul 04, 2016By Cory MacNulty for EDRblog.org. Just under 12 million people visited Utah’s 13 national park sites in 2015. Park enthusiasts are flocking to these iconic […]
“Endless pressure, endlessly applied:” Idaho’s Boulder-White Clouds Wilderness bill
Jun 20, 2016It’s a special day when the President of the United States opens the door and invites you in. As Rep. Mike Simpson (R-ID) would later say to President Obama as we stood in a circle around the presidential seal on the Oval Office rug, “You know, Rick here has been working on this for 30 years.”
EDR Year in Review (American Bar Association report)
Jun 06, 2016By Andrew Ognibene The American Bar Association’s Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources (ABA-SEER) publishes an annual ADR Year in Review report, which includes notable […]
Going fossil-free collaboratively
May 23, 2016On May 2, the University of Utah made steps to join more than 30 colleges and universities that have pulled investments in fossil fuels since 2011.
How dialogue can help small rural towns navigate planning challenges
May 09, 2016Rockville is a small town located at the edge of Zion National Park that has a proud history of being a quiet, rural, agricultural community. Like many other locations in the Intermountain West, Rockville is experiencing stresses on its infrastructure and way-of-life as tourism grows, specifically around Zion National Park. In part as a result of pressure from increased visitation, Rockville has faced a variety of challenges in recent years, such as issues associated with increased traffic, all-terrain vehicles (ATV) use on surrounding public lands, uncertain water supplies, and budgetary woes.
Fireside Q & A with Professor Larry Susskind
Apr 25, 2016by Natalie Watkins for EDRblog.org. Larry Susskind is the Ford Professor of Urban and Environmental Planning at MIT, the founder of the Consensus Building Institute, […]
What I Say vs. What You Hear: Flexing Your Style for Effective Communication
Apr 10, 2016By Heather Adams for EDRblog.org It really gets my goat when colleagues do not read my emails. I write amazing emails – with tons of […]
The Power of Collaborative Tinkering and Creative Problem Solving
Mar 28, 2016By Danya Rumore for EDRblog.org Environmental and natural resource conflicts tend to be enormously complicated, emotionally and politically fraught, and seemingly intractable. Take, for example, issues […]
Apply for Short Course on Effective Natural Resources Collaboration
Mar 14, 2016By Michele Straube for EDRblog.org. If my sense of reality about the discourse around environmental and natural resources (ENR) issues was limited to what I […]
EDR blog year in review: 2015
Feb 29, 2016In 2015, we posted 27 blogs from 26 guest authors. Here is a summary, in case you didn’t get to read them all.
Let Those Affected By Decisions Really Affect Those Decisions
Feb 16, 2016By Larry Schooler for EDRblog.org There’s a lot that our government could do beyond giving people three minutes at a public-hearing podium. “This is America. […]
Four principles of conflict resolution and collaboration
Jan 29, 2016This month marks my 20th anniversary of being a mediator and facilitator! I have been pondering my career, assessing my experiences, and thinking about areas in which I want to grow and develop.
Civity: The Other Keystone XL Story
Jan 19, 2016By Palma Strand for EDRblog.org On November 6, 2015, President Obama endorsed a decision by the U.S. State Department that the Keystone XL Pipeline – […]
Adaptive Governance: Collaboration and Then Some
Jan 04, 2016by Robin Kundis Craig for EDRblog.org. Many environmental problems, especially if they are grounded in natural resource use, face the governance challenge of changing conditions. […]
Keeping Sandpoint’s Quality of Life Strong through Collaboration
Dec 21, 2015By Susan Drumheller for EDRblog.org. Sandpoint is a small community in the Idaho Panhandle which, like most communities across the United States, suffered economic setbacks […]
Whiskey is for Drinking, Water is for … Mediation?
Dec 07, 2015By Nathan S. Bracken, Smith Hartvigsen, PLLC, for EDRblog.org. Anyone who has ever attended a water law conference has almost certainly heard the phrase: “Whiskey is for […]
A River Between Us: Lessons in Conflict Resolution
Nov 21, 2015By Jen Reynolds for EDRblog.org. A River Between Us is a new documentary by former Oregon Senator Jason Atkinson and filmmaker Jeff Martin. (Disclosure: the […]
Through Bears Ears, Tribes Lead the Way for True Collaboration over Utah’s Public Lands
Nov 09, 2015By Anna Brady EDRblog.org. “We are not stakeholders here. We are relatives to these lands, and we have something to say.” That’s what Eric Descheenie, […]
So Little Time, So Many Expectations—Are they Manageable??
Oct 26, 2015By Cherie Shanteau-Wheeler for EDRblog.org. For several years my role has been as a mediator, facilitator and/or attorney working in complex, multi-party environmental settings. I […]
Ready or Not: Enhancing the Readiness of Communities to Prepare for and Manage Climate-Related Risks
Oct 12, 2015By Danya Rumore for EDRblog.org. Climate change can no longer be avoided. Here in the mountain west, this will mean more frequent and more severe drought […]
NEPA’s Fatal Flaw, an Impediment to Collaboration
Sep 28, 2015By Kelsey Kahn for EDRblog.org. Background Straddling the Oregon-California border, the Klamath Basin is home to the PacifiCorp-owned Klamath Hydroelectric Project; six power-generating dams along […]
A is for A**hole
Sep 14, 2015By Michele Straube for EDRBlog.org While preparing for a particularly difficult facilitation recently, I decided to consult my Conflict Resolution Reading List for inspiration. I […]
Finding Joy in Complexity: Managing Sage-Grouse
Aug 31, 2015By Lorien Belton for EDRblog.org The greater sage-grouse give us the opportunity to find solutions in the midst of complexity. Background Greater sage-grouse, a chicken-sized […]
Responding to Climate-Related Risks: Why Collaboration is Key
Aug 17, 2015By Hannah Payne for EDRblog.org. As I write this blog, 13,000 Californians are evacuating their homes to escape wildfires, which are spreading with unprecedented speed […]
Canyonlands Research Center Collaboration, a Student’s Perspective
Aug 03, 2015By Alice de Anguera for EDRblog.org. The Canyonlands Research Center (CRC) in Southeast Utah is an excellent case study of collaboration between scientists and land […]
Water Diplomacy… in the West?
Jul 17, 2015By Danya Rumore for EDRblog.org Throughout the western US, drought conditions have made water a pressing issue on many people’s minds. While the water shortage […]
Facilitation… or Something More?
Jul 06, 2015By Patrick Field So what is different about facilitation by seasoned environmental conflict resolution (ECR) practitioners? After all, there are countless individuals, small organizations, and […]
Let’s Be Honest: Doing Group Processes Right
Jun 22, 2015By Renette Anderson for EDRBlog.org. It seems intuitive: Vocal opposition to an issue? Bring the sides together in a problem-solving group. It’s the best way […]
Still Brokering Peace… Between People and Prairie Dogs
Jun 08, 2015By Kevin Bunnel for EDRblog.com. It’s been over a year since my Prairie Dog EDR Blog highlighted the collaborative effort that helped develop the Federal […]
Bridging a Utah Cultural Divide: What’s Environmental Education Got to do With it?
May 26, 2015by Paul Parker for EDRblog.org. With over 100 groups, involved in environmental education (EE) in Utah, why don’t we talk to each other about issues […]
The Value of Iterative NEPA and Collaboration
May 11, 2015By David Loomis & Jay Strand “Iterative and collaborative design are complementary, as at each increment various stakeholders are consulted. These methods do not map […]
Cultivating a culture of dialogue rather than debate
Apr 27, 2015By Danya Lee Rumore for EDR Blog.org. Earlier this month, I attended an MIT campus-wide debate. Watching the event play out, I was struck by the […]
Utah program on collaboration
Apr 13, 2015“We’re bureaucrats and we have tendencies,” but “when there’s a high level of collaboration, there’s trust and decisions can be made quickly and efficiently.” –ENR agency leaders
Fracking in Populated Areas: The Most Literal Application of ‘Not in My Backyard’
Mar 31, 2015By Kirstin Lindstrom for EDRblog.com. With a not-insignificant modicum of success, a recent sea change in public, industry and non-profit collaborative efforts on public land […]
Ingenious EDR Designs are Human Centered
Mar 16, 2015“When you let people participate in the design process, you find that they often have ingenious ideas about what would really help them. And it’s […]
EDR: Three pieces of advice
Mar 02, 2015“Starting complex negotiations without an assessment is like performing surgery without any diagnostic tests.” This is one of the jewels of knowledge in Howard S. Bellman and Susan L. Podziba’s article titled, Public Policy Mediation: Best Practices for a Sustainable World.
Tracking EDR Progress: Looking to the Past to Guide the Future
Feb 17, 2015By Micah Fisher and Tina Sablan for EDRblog.org. Environmental challenges seem to have become more difficult and polarized over the years – climate change is a case in […]
Open Discussion is the Answer
Feb 02, 2015By Jim Keyes for EDRblog.org. As human beings we have the ability to form thoughts and ideas in our mind. If not expressed, these notions […]
Making Nice Isn’t for Everyone
Jan 20, 2015By Lucy Moore for EDRblog.org. There are moments that stick with me and seem to gain significance as time goes by, as my life and […]
Book review: Everything Is Workable: A Zen Approach to Conflict Resolution
Jan 05, 2015Diane Musho Hamilton’s new book “Everything is Workable: A Zen Approach to Conflict Resolution” is deeply personal and practically useful. It gives readers the overwhelming feeling that everything truly is workable.
Environmental Dispute Resolution Year in Review
Dec 22, 2014By Michele Straube for EDRBlog.org. Since the initial EDR Blog post on March 24, 2014, we have posted 19 entries from 14 authors. Our last […]
Collaboration is the Solution to Ozone Pollution
Dec 08, 2014By John Robinson Jr. for EDR Blog.org. Late last month, EPA proposed a new national ozone air quality standard that would reduce the permissible ambient ozone […]
Please Take Responsibility for the Energy You Bring Into This Conversation
Nov 24, 2014By Michele Straube for EDRblog.org Recent experiences have made me feel bi-polar about our capability to have respectful dialogue on environmental and natural resource issues. I […]
Risks were Taken in Daggett County, Reaping Public Lands Rewards for All
Nov 10, 2014By Michele Straube for EDRblog.org. A landmark agreement in Daggett County demonstrates the value of dialogue on public lands issues. On October 22, negotiators jointly […]
Getting Past Politics on Climate Change
Oct 27, 2014By Carri Hulet for EDRblog.org. The polarizing debates over climate change are often about the wrong questions. I go nuts when I hear people debating […]
Seeking Middle Ground – or New Ground?
Oct 13, 2014By Mike Lunn for EDR Blog.org. I appreciated the thoughtful and thought-provoking blog posted by Lucy Moore on May 28, 2014, where she discussed her […]
The Wonderful Discomfort of Changing Your Mind
Sep 29, 2014By Kirstin Lindstrom for EDR Blog.org. In reflecting on the most important things she learned in the seven years of writing her literary blog, brainpickings.org, […]
Finally Sitting at the Grownups’ Table
Sep 15, 2014By Jim Holtkamp for EDRblog.org. Last March I had the once-in-a-career experience of meeting with senior officials of the China National Peoples’ Congress (NCP) and […]
Comfortable with Uncertainty: Collaboration in the Time of Forest Plan Revision
Sep 02, 2014By Kathleen Bond for EDR Blog.org. What’s the key to involving stakeholders in the plan revision process? Be adaptive, flexible, and strive to provide a meaningful, […]
Taking a Risk in the Public Lands Debate: Dialogue about What Really Matters
Aug 18, 2014by Michele Straube for EDR Blog.org – Politicians on both sides of the public lands debate should be lauded for suggesting field trips. Such outings […]
CDR Serves Up “A Good Bowl of Soup”
Jul 08, 2014By Anna Elza Brady for EDR Blog.org “A good bowl of soup attracts chairs.” That was the old African proverb quoted by Jonathan Bartsch, Principal […]
Preemptive “Mediation” at Energy Conference in Helena, Montana
Jun 23, 2014By Britt Ide for EDR Blog.org Energy issues are complex and controversial. They have many local, regional and national stakeholders with divergent viewpoints. Building relationships early […]
What We Don’t Know About Great Salt Lake…
Jun 11, 2014By Rob Dubuc for EDR Blog.org One of my great privileges these last five years or so has been to serve as attorney for, and president […]
There. I Said It.
May 28, 2014by Lucy Moore for EDR Blog.org I recently posted on the Island Press blog (Field Notes) a rant about Cliven Bundy and the Nevada dust-up over […]
Can Litigation Provide an Opportunity for Collaboration in Capitol Reef NP?
May 13, 2014By Michele Straube for EDR Blog.org Cactus photo ©Dorde Woodruff We often think of the initiation of litigation as a shot across the bow. A thrown […]
EDR and the Built Environment: Addressing Homelessness
Apr 29, 2014by Shane Stroud for EDR Blog.org Think about the word “environmentalism.” What do you think of? If you’re like me, you think of protecting crystal-blue mountain streams […]
Brokering Peace Between People and Prairie Dogs
Apr 14, 2014by Kevin D. Bunnell for EDR Blog.org I am new to Cedar City and Iron County, but it didn’t take long to understand that “Utah prairie dog” […]
The Mountain Accord: A Model of Environmental Conflict Resolution for the Wasatch Mountains?
Mar 28, 2014By Mayor Ralph Becker for EDR Blog.org Our urban communities adjacent to the Central Wasatch Mountains have an intimate and interdependent relationship with the mountains. […]
Are We Wired to Cooperate?
Mar 28, 2014By Michele Straube for EDR Blog.org Maybe, maybe not … but if not, our brains are easily re-wired to cooperate. I recently participated in a panel […]
Collaboration and Partnerships in Public Land Management
Mar 25, 2014By Cheryl Probert for EDR Blog.org Partnerships and collaboration seem to be all the rage in public land management. But do the feds truly understand what collaboration […]
Welcome to the EDR Blog
Mar 24, 2014By Kirstin Lindstrom for EDR Blog.org Welcome to the EDR Blog, hosted by the University of Utah’s Environmental Dispute Resolution Program (EDRP). Established in 2012 as […]
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