The University of Wyoming's Ruckelshaus Institute of Environment and Natural Resources and the Wyoming Agriculture and Natural Resource Mediation Program are co-sponsoring a summer workshop series on natural resource management issues and collaborative decision-making.
The series, which begins in July, will include four major workshops in basic and advanced negotiation, facilitation and strategic communications.
"Natural resource issues are inherently contentious. Workshop participants will come away with a better understanding of how to facilitate groups, negotiate with multiple parties, and communicate science to a broad audience," says Steve Smutko, UW Spicer Chair in Collaborative Practice and lead facilitator with the Ruckelshaus Institute.
The online registration and payment system is open at www.uwyo.edu/enr/ienr.
The cost for each two-day workshop is $375, or $335 for participants registering for two or more workshops. Discounts are also available to UW Cooperative Extension Service employees.
The schedule for the Ruckelshaus Institute Summer Workshop Series:
-- July 14-15: Basic Negotiation Skills in Natural Resource Management, Sheridan. This workshop will provide participants with basic skills to negotiate effectively to reach wise, efficient, and stable decisions in complex, multi-party negotiations.
-- Aug. 11-12: Advanced Negotiation Skills in Natural Resource Management, Lander. For those with prior experience or training in basic interest-based negotiation, this interactive workshop will advance participants' skills in negotiating complex and challenging situations.
-- Aug. 18-19: Essentials in Facilitating Controversial Public Meetings, Laramie. This interactive training will provide participants with essential skills and techniques to facilitate productive meetings around contentious public issues.
-- Sept. 14-15: Strategic Communications in Natural Resource Management, Cheyenne. Participants will learn skills and practice the tools used for communicating scientific and technical information and conducting effective public outreach to a variety of audiences, including the media, stakeholder groups, decision-makers and the public.
For more information about the workshop series, call Chamois Andersen at (307) 766-2604 or email cander50@uwyo.edu.
The Ruckelshaus Institute, established in 1994, is a model in the Rocky Mountain West for advancing collaborative approaches to addressing complex challenges in environmental and natural resources.
