Blue Lagoon Restoration & Sustainable Community Development (SCD) in Jamaica – Sustainability Now, 2105 Main St., Napa, CA 94559 (December 2009 – November 2010). The Jamaica National Heritage Trust (JNHT) collaborated with Warren Flint and Sustainability Now, a non-profit organization from the United States of America. Seven months of research and collaborative partner building, highlighted by the presentation of the Blue Lagoon Conceptual Plan to the Ontario International Development Agency entitled "Blue Lagoon Heritage Concept Plan"at their “Summer Congress 2010” by team member, Adrienne Duperly, was capped by a “Jump-Team” 10 day assessment of SCD in Jamaica involving an on-the-ground program of public consultation, group dialogue, visioning, and strategic brainstorming with Government Agencies and stakeholder groups from the Blue Lagoon area, as well as the larger Portland Parish bioregion. We had dialogue with more than 200 community stakeholders. The week of community consultation was concluded with the Blue Lagoon Restoration & Sustainable Community Development Summit (2010) held at the Goblin Hill Hotel Conference Center on Saturday, November 20, 2010. A total of 78 people attended the Summit, which included community stakeholders and government officials. Sectors represented by Summit participants included fisherman, rafters, farmers, market vendors, small business operators, transportation drivers, domestic service providers, hotel managers, wealthy property owners, government representatives (parish and national), environmental managers, elected officials, chamber of commerce directors, human right activists, crafts people, artists, resort property directors, attorneys, conservationists, physicians, media, wildlife managers, peace corps volunteers, teachers, youth, regional planners, and architects. The Team was able to obtain community perspectives on needed socio-economic improvements and environmental management for communities in Portland. This information coupled with the issues of concern and potential solutions offered by Summit participants provided the Portland SCD Jump-Team with sufficient data to integrate into the design of “Next Steps” for Portland toward Blue Lagoon Restoration and Sustainable Community Development of surrounding towns and villages. Contact: Ms. Beverly Boos, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA – e-mail: bkboos@fas.harvard.edu – Tel: 617-947-7972.

Kayak Point Park Community Visioning, Snohomish County, WA (2009-2010). Served as lead facilitator in designing and conducting public participation activities directed at community visioning and action strategy planning for habitat protection, coastal & beach restoration, and facilities improvement of a Park on the Puget Sound. Worked with Snohomish County Parks & Recreation (WA), the Snohomish County Marine Resources Committee, and the NGO, People for Puget Sound (Seattle, WA). Employed Technology of Participation and Pattern Mapping facilitation tools to assist stakeholders in identifying their core values related to the Park and articulating their vision for sustainable development of the Park over the next 20 years that would promote sound environmental protection, multiple recreational uses, equitable public access to the Puget Sound, and restoration policies compatible with the larger Sound ecosystem. Provided scientific support to facilitate public dialogue in defining and assessing specific action strategies that simultaneously considered ecological, social, and economic issues related to coastal marine habitat restoration and facilities improvement. Contact: Ms. Sharon Swan, Senior Park Planner, Snohomish County Parks & Recreation, 6705 Puget Park Dr., Snohomish, WA 98296 – e-mail: Sharon.swan@co.snohomish.wa.us – Tel: 425-388-6616; Mr. Jamie Wine, Community Educator, People for Puget Sound, 911 Western Ave., Suite 580, Seattle, WA 98104 – e-mail: jwine@pugetsound.org – Tel: 206-382-7005.

Strategic Planning for the Town of Dauphin Island (AL) to Attain Sustainable Economic Development & Environmental Protection (January - December 2007). Five E's Unlimited assisted the Town of Dauphin Island in developing a long-term strategy and implementation plan for community development that created a more hazard resistant community able to balance economic development with environmental protection and conservation. Our consultant services included (1) reviewing existing documents and statutes applicable to future development, (2) providing stakeholder sustainability awareness and inventorying all stakeholder place-based interests, values, practices, and future vision, (3) conducting community asset identification via public consultation processes, (4) developing visual frameworks of historical and current conditions that could influence changes in environment, community development, and cultural views, (5) planning and designing management strategies through public participation, including the visualization of possible futures and related timelines for progress, and (6) promoting implementation of a sustainable management strategy and measurement processes. During the final phases of the project we worked collaboratively with the Planning Commission and others in identifying how this strategic planning process could be integrated into the Island’s Comprehensive Plan. This project was summarized in a recent publication entitled "Seeking Resiliency in the Development of Sustainable Communities." The Dauphin Island project was recently recognized as a finalist in the IAP2 2009 Project of the Year Award. This international recognition was related to the project's diversity and breadth of sustainable strategic planning, as well as promotion of successful public participation. Funding for this work came from the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium; the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources; and the Mobile Bay National Estuary Program. Consultant partners in this contract included Gene Martin of the University of Washington, Seattle WA and Mary Mullins of the Bellwether Group, Mobile, AL. Contact: Ms. Nannette Davidson, Planning Commission, Town of Dauphin Island, AL 36528. tel: (251)861-5525, ext. 25. e-mail: ndavidson@townofdauphinisland.org.

Community Sustainable Development Assistance, Guemes Island, WA (June, 2006). Served as a member of a Sustainable Design Assessment Team (SDAT) for the American Institute of Architects, Communities By Design program. Conducted a week-long charrette process designed to help the Guemes Island community assess their choices and issues and define a path toward formulating strategies and solutions in their commitment to planning for a sustainable future. Team research and public consultation focused upon five community objectives that included: preserve the island’s rural character; conserve water and protect the quality of the island’s sole source aquifer; resolve transportation disagreements; protect wildlife and shoreline habitat; and increase island energy independence. Community participants commented that the sessions were far more valuable in examining the bases of their prejudices, wishes, and positions than they had expected. “One of the things that really impressed me was how many different voices and people, who often disagree, were brought together in this process,” said one participant. “Having all their input has made us all aware that we do have a community with a common vision. It’s made us all energized and hopeful about our future.” Team work assisted the community who was anxious to take charge of its future, especially with regards to controlling growth that’s compromising the Island’s rural legacy. The week’s work created an Assessment Report that described the blueprint the Island would recommend as its sub-area plan to document much of the philosophy, direction and tools that will eventually be adopted as the Island’s land-use plan by Skagit County. My leadership on community water issues assisted participants with identifying alternatives for regulating water use and providing alternative water supply by imagining seven potential futures for the Island’s development. Identifying water supply and quality problems associated with each of those potential scenarios provided the community an opportunity to develop solutions to each of those problems, resulting in an action plan. Contact: Ms. Erica Gees, Kuhn Riddle Architects, 7 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, MA 01002. tel: (413)259-1621. e-mail: egees@kuhnriddle.com or Ms. Marianne Kooiman, Anacortes, WA 98221. tel: (360) 293-581. e-mail: eyrie@cnw.com.

Rathlin Island (Northern Ireland) Sustainable Development, International Countryside Stewardship Exchange, Cold Spring, NY (September-November, 2003). Served as a member of a Countryside Stewardship Exchange team sponsored by the Glynwood Center (Cold Spring, NY) and the Countryside Exchange Institute (Manchester, UK). My role on the team was to carry-out community asset assessment, evaluate community-based development of natural marine resources, offer guidance on sustainable community development around the issues of economy and community capacity, and work with other team members on collectively making recommendations for Rathlin Island to progress on their strategic planning and implementation of actions in a sustainable and secure way. Provided advice and technical assistance on community-based natural resource management, watershed resource conservation, sustainable rural economic development, fisheries and aquaculture activity expansion, advancement of value-added fisheries processes, rural village revitalization, eco-tourism development, coastal ecosystem protection, and cultural asset evaluation. Work included evaluation of present conditions, resolving conflict among varying points of view within the community, and reporting on collective steps the community could take to achieve its goal of sustainability. Contact: Ms. Judith M. LaBelle, President, Countryside Stewardship Exchange Inst., Glynwood Center, P.O. Box 157, Cold Spring, NY 10516. tel: (914) 265-3338. e-mail: jlabelle@glynwood.org.

State of Louisiana, Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program, Thibodaux, LA (1993-1994). Served as the prime contractor for facilitating the development of this large program's draft Comprehensive Conservation Management Plan (CCMP). Designed and facilitated an 18-month public consultation project seeking collective input of over 100 stakeholders (citizens, scientists, businesses, and governmental representatives). Assisted investigation of environmental and socio-economic issues related to protection of the Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program (BTNEP) system and deemed important in developing a comprehensive strategic plan for resource conservation and economic development. Coordinated stakeholder proposals for integrated coastal zone management in accordance with the provisions of NEPA and Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) standards. The facilitation and mediation work were especially challenging because of the adversity that existed among different stakeholders regarding property rights, environmental protection, and economic development. Conflict resolution was often the tactic required to carry this work to its successful completion of compiling a draft Plan document. Contact: Mr. Kerry St. Pe', Nicholls State Univ., Thibodaux LA 70301. tel: (800) 259-0869. e-mail: kerry@btnep.org.