Partnerships in communities : reweaving the fabric of rural America / Jean Richardson.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Richardson, Jean, 1943-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Rural development--United States.

Rural development.

United States.

Community development--United States.

Community development.

Physical Description:

xxii, 344 pages : illustrations, maps ; 23 cm

Place of Publication:

Washington, D.C. : Island Press, [2000]

Summary:

Partnerships in Communities provides a fresh perspective on sustainable rural community development, offering community-based and community-driven responses to the challenges facing rural America. Author Jean Richardson draws on her many years of experience working in rural areas both at home and abroad to offer an integrated and practical approach to rural community development. Some of the findings presented are derived from a comprehensive project known as Environmental Partnerships in Communities (EPIC), which Richardson has directed for the past seven years in Vermont. From this experience and that of others across America, Richardson provides a wealth of insight regarding what works, what doesn't, and how financial and human resources can be most effectively focused in rural communities.

Throughout, the author focuses on transferable lessons, synthesizing them at the end of each chapter and concluding with a chapter that draws together those lessons to suggest a dynamic new approach to rural development. Numerous photographs enliven the text, and an extensive bibliography and a rich set of appendixes provide resources for additional information.

Partnerships in Communities will serve as an invaluable source of inspiration and ideas for rural community leaders, citizen groups, public officials, planners, students of rural planning and community development, and nonprofit organizations involved with rural development.

Contents:

Chapter 1 The Threadbare Fabric of Rural America 1

From Closed School to Busy Rural Community Center 2

So, What Is Rural? 7

Threadbare Fabric 14

The Role of Rural Institutions 20

Conservation with Rural Development 27

Integrating Research with Community Action 31

Key Principles of Sustainable Rural Development 36

Change Is Inevitable 37

Chapter 2 The Need for a Systems Approach: Integrating the Elements of Rural Development 41

The Disciplinary Perspective and its Limitations 42

EPIC

A Rural Development Model and Catalyst for Change 45

The EPIC Rural Community Development Model 53

A Strategic Ecosystem Approach 55

Systems Thinking: Looking for the Leverage Point 58

Innovation 61

Principles for Self-Directed Community Development 64

Chapter 3 How Are We Doing? The Need for Ongoing Assessment 71

Asking the Right Questions

Over and Over Again 71

Evaluation in General 72

The Scientific and Other Methods in Evaluation 73

Evaluating the Context

Especially the Natural Environment 81

Evaluating Outcomes, Lessons Learned, and Sustainability 83

Chapter 4 Lesson Learned about Leadership 87

Perspectives on Leadership 88

Strategic Rural Leadership: Making Sense of the Complexity 92

Challenges of Rural Leadership during Chaos 97

Attributes of the New Rural Leader 99

The EPIC Model Rural Community Leadership Program 110

Dakotas LEADers Program and the Heartland Center, Nebraska 121

Lessons Learned about Community Leadership Programs 123

Community Forestry leadership and Urban Stewardship 124

Lessons Learned through Community and Forestry Leadership and Stewardship Programs 126

Conservation Commissions and Leadership 126

Lessons Learned About Conservation Commissions 130

Engaging Youth in Conservation Leadership 130

Conservation Leadership: A Focus for Sustainable Communities 133

Chapter 5 Seeding Sustainable Rural Development 135

What Is Sustainable Rural Development? 135

How Long and How Much Money to Achieve a Sustainable Community? 138

Finding the Best People 140

Community Seed Grants and Their Management 142

Entrepreneurial Communities, Clustered Seed Grants, and a Role for the Expert 156

Sustainable "Green Region" Development and Focused Seed Grants 160

The Role of Assessment in Improving Seed Grant Effectiveness 163

Spin-Offs from Rural Community Seed Grants 165

Lessons Learned from Rural Seed Grants 166

Chapter 6 Innovation and Renovation in Farming Communities: Rural Space, Natural Resources, and Property Ownership 169

Major Dilemmas in the Perception of Rural Resources 170

Forest Resources 172

Interconnected Ecological and Agricultural Resources 177

Human Resources 183

Using the Rural Heritage 188

Moving to an Ecosystem Approach from Commodity-Based Thinking 190

From Milk Production to Grass Production 194

Blending Urban with Rural 206

Lessons Learned from a Sampling of Forestry and Agricultural Issues and Projects 209

Chapter 7 Information Sharing and Celebration 213

Word of Mouth 214

The Print Media 215

Community Gatherings 216

Environmental Indicators 216

Annual Meetings, Exhibitions, and the Role of Celebration 221

Lessons Learned about Sharing Ideas 226

Chapter 8 Small Towns with Renewed Community Spirit 229

Rural Community Indicators of Stress 230

Economic Development in North Dakota: Gackle and Minot 232

Superior, Nebraska

A Small Town in Transition 234

A Farm Wife 237

Fairfield, Vermont

An EPIC Model for Community Renewal 238

Lessons Learned about Small Town Renewal 251

Chapter 9 Rural Communities for the Twenty-First Century: Looking Behind the Economic Strengths in America 253

Comprehensive Approaches 254

Sustaining a Continually Changing Process 256

Conservation, Human Health, and Environment 257

The Role of Foundations, Government, Universities, and Other Institutions 258

Sustainable Rural Community Development

Synthesis and Conclusions 259

Appendix A Sample Program Forms 263

A1. Sample Forestry Leadership Program 263

A2. Community Leadership Program: Stewardship of the Urban Landscape 267

A3. Sample: Stewardship of the Urban Landscape: Community Leadership Program Final Project 269

A4. Sample Goals for Farmers Forming a New Local/Community Organization 273

Appendix B Program Assessment Tools 277

B1. Program Assessment 277

B2. Possible Project-Level Evaluation Activities 283

B3. Sample Seed Grant Evaluation Format for Written Responses 285

B4. Approaches to Interviewing 287.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 317-329) and index.

ISBN:

1559637366

OCLC:

43434579