National Wolf Conversation: From Deepest Divides to Unanimous Resolve
Conflict:
The conflict over wolves is really a microcosm of the larger conflicts in society. The result? A vicious cycle that causes long term harm to people communities, cultures and wolves.
Our Role:
Engaged by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to serve as third-party neutrals, CPeace intervened in the conflict and designed and facilitated a National Wolf Conversation about Thriving Communities, Cultures, Conservationists, and Wolves. We met with over 7,400 people across the country to co-design this unprecedented effort and led dozens of public 'across-the-divide' group dialogues. These efforts led to the development of national criteria to select 25 individuals who would represent the nation’s different views, values, and experiences. These participants - including Tribal nations, livestock producers, wolf biologists, trappers, advocates for wolves and animal welfare, hunters, federal and state governments, journalists, and a wolf trustee - came together for a meaningful, in-person dialogue. Originally designed as an 18-month process, the effort was adapted into one pivotal three-day in person dialogue in Tucson, Arizona, due to congressional budget cuts. To ensure transparency for the nation, an independent film team was brought in to document the effort.
Result:
In just three days, all 25 participants of the National Wolf Conversation achieved what many thought was impossible - they came together across deep divides, analyzed the conflict, shared laughs and tears as they built trust, made individual and collective commitments to change, and co-created a common ground statement. They all share a unanimous resolve to continue working together and to find the funding to make it happen. People who had once stood on opposite sides of the wolf conflict finally had space and a process that enabled them to build a shared understanding. Among them were two journalists - one conservation-focused and one agriculture-focused who, after the dialogue, co-wrote an article about the experience that was featured in The Washington Post. The conversation marked a breakthrough - offering a new path forward in one of the nation’s most entrenched conservation conflicts.
Read a firsthand account of the NWC in the Washington Post:
Head to the National Wolf Conversation website to learn more!
From The People Involved:
“I’m going home reminded of conflict transformation and the power of it”.
-Jeff, State Director
“This was the most genuine conversation I’ve been a part of in recent years between people that have real differences”
-Michelle, Freelance Conservation Journalist
“I have full hope and faith that this group can continue to keep working together because I have faith in this process.”
-Molly, Rancher
“Part of this process is it could awaken us, as a nation, about what’s going on to mankind”
-Marvin, Tribal Elder
“What this process did that was different is it built the foundation first. I feel like every process I’ve been involved in has gone surgically right into the problem (whereas) this goes “here’s who I am and I want to know who you are”. I think that every other conflict in the world needs that!”
-Jess, Hunter
“What a beautiful process this is…that it is possible you can bring an incredibly diverse group of people, who think they have a lot less in common than they do to the table, to have a really profound, productive and connective conversation”
-Ashea, Wolf Advocate & Eco-Tourism Business Owner
“This dialogue was really special and really different because it was a place for people to express different opinions and experiences”
-Callie, Freelance Agriculture Journalist
“It’s been an awesome experience”
-US Fish & Wildlife Service Staff Member
