## CULTIVATING RESILIENT COMMUNITIES 

## AND RURAL PROSPERITY 

## IN A DYNAMIC AND UNCERTAIN ENVIRONMENT

***"We will secure the homeland when your hometown is secure. When every
hometown is secure, when we\'ve identified risk and secured ourselves as
best we possibly can, the homeland will be secure." --* Homeland
Security Director Tom Ridge, 4/23/02**

***"Our challenge today is to address the vital forces of change while
at the same time modernizing the foundations of our farm and food system
to ensure continued growth and development for the 21^st^ century."**
\--* **USDA Secretary Ann M. Veneman,** **9/19/01**

*Co-Leaders: Charles Cleland and Sally Maggard. Team Members: Mark
Bailey, Larry Biles, Hongda Chen, Jerry DeWitt, Richard Hegg, Patricia
Hipple, David Holder, Fen Hunt, Anna Mae Kobbe, Patricia McAleer, Mary
Ann Rozum, Dan Schmoldt, Jane Schuchardt, Tony Smith, Tom Tate, and
Randy Williams; with input from Richard Hood, Allan Smith, and Greg
Crosby*

**INTRODUCTION**

Rural Americans are living through a period of remarkable change. They
face challenges and new opportunities few could have predicted even a
decade ago. Agricultural and non-agricultural sectors are restructuring.
New domestic and global markets, rapid transportation, and communication
technologies are affecting all sectors of the economy. Environmental
interests and concerns are opening up consumer-driven markets and
influencing policy directions. Demographic shifts are creating an
increasingly diverse population, and migration patterns are contributing
to community decline, stagnation, or rapid growth. Rural, suburban, and
urban places are linked, rather than distinct localities. And concerns
about food safety, foodborne illnesses, and terrorist threats challenge
a long-held assumption that the country's food supply is the world's
safest.

[Principles for Policy and Practice]{.underline}

Rural leaders agree that rural community and economic development needs
to be entrepreneurial, community-driven, and anchored in local and
regional assets. Practitioners and policymakers alike call for holistic
approaches that simultaneously value and invest in economic opportunity,
family and human capital, community vitality, infrastructure, and
natural resources and environmental stewardship. People are harmonizing
and modernizing approaches, creating innovative and thoughtful
collaborations, and drawing on the comprehensive research and extension
resources of the Land-Grant University System.

[Uncertainty and Urgency]{.underline}

Since September 11, 2001, a new climate of uncertainty and urgency
weighs heavily over our thinking about rural and community development.
Bedrock assumptions held by civic, business, and government leaders have
shifted to a new awareness of vulnerability. Rural leaders embrace
homeland security as a central priority and are re-thinking how we raise
and distribute our food, care for our forests, grow the economy, and
nurture our communities, towns, and families. In the post-9/11
environment, the country has lost a sense of invincibility and an
assurance that solutions to difficult problems can be found through
science and modernization. What has not changed is the need to nurture a
diverse and vital rural economy, cultivate thriving and resilient
communities and families, and care for the environment.

Addressing these pre-9/11 priorities is our first line of defense, a
proactive strategy that addresses vulnerability and builds prosperity.
Still, addressing post-9/11 threats, even identifying them, is a
daunting task. Threats of terrorism to the food supply and public
health, to the physical infrastructure such as roads and bridges, and to
the energy supply are obvious. Less obvious threats come from the lack
of relationships among governments, across agencies, and between the
public and private sector that limits our ability to respond quickly,
decisively, and competently when needed.

[Constants and REE Investments]{.underline}

There are many ways to respond to vulnerabilities, including searching
for technical solutions, international cooperation, and policy changes.
Solutions share in common the need for good information and data
systems, community planning systems, good decision-making processes,
effective leadership, broad and inclusive civic engagement, technical
assistance, new knowledge, and full communications across jurisdictions,
agencies, and localities. In addition, a more secure and sustainable
food system is needed. These are the arenas in which CSREES can make
significant contributions. In this paper, we argue that pre-9/11
innovations must proceed with increased support and urgency in light of
current security threats. We focus on the economy, community, and
environment. We recommend that CSREES increase and target research,
education, and extension investments that reduce vulnerabilities, build
resiliency, and enable people and communities to respond to emerging
opportunities.

# CULTIVATING RURAL ECONOMIC PROSPERITY

CSREES is positioned to help rural communities approach economic
development through a new lens -- as a process that increases the
quality of life of all residents and enhances security at the same time,
rather than as a jobs creation or smokestack-chasing strategy. Rural
economic development needs to be entrepreneurial, rooted in locality,
environmentally sound, and based on participatory, inclusive community
planning.

Points of vulnerability include:

-   a narrow economic base underlying many communities;

-   subsidy policies that increase the scale of commodity production but
    do not revitalize communities or stem economic erosion;

-   concentrated and vertically integrated production, processing, and
    distribution favoring large centralized operations vulnerable to
    contamination (2% of farms create 50% of production);

-   dwindling competitive possibilities for small and entrepreneurial
    farmers and ranchers;

-   threats created by monoculture, declining biodiversity, and
    increasing corporate ownership of seed stocks, genomes, and
    intellectual property rights; and

-   negative impacts of poverty and inequality that leave some families,
    children, and communities more at risk than others.

We can improve the broad economic context in which agriculture occurs
through ***economic diversification and** **rural and community
entrepreneurship**.* New measures and resources to create an
entrepreneurial climate include: building equity-fund institutions;
helping businesses tap into advanced technology; human capital
improvement through youth and adult workforce development and education;
networking farmers and rural businesses; technical assistance and
resource toolkits appropriate for diverse communities and entrepreneurs;
a cadre of extension educators skilled in value-added entrepreneurship,
economic impact analysis, e-commerce, market development, business
planning, and brokering partnerships; and ongoing research to extend the
knowledge base for rural entrepreneurship policy and practice. Digital
capacity must increase if entrepreneurs and communities are to succeed
in a technology-dependent economy.

We need to re-think the way we grow, distribute, and consume food and
identify more secure approaches that also revitalize rural communities.
Centralized commodity agriculture, although often productive in the
past, provides vulnerable targets for intentional terrorist attacks.
Community or regionally based production by farmers practicing
sustainable agriculture is less vulnerable and less dependent on foreign
oil for production and transportation inputs and protects and enhances
the natural resource base.

CSREES needs to expand and target research, education, and extension
programs that support ***sustainable and value-added or product
agriculture*** and grow this sector to parallel commodity agriculture.
This will provide stability and security and offer resources for
recovery from attack or disaster. It is crucial for achieving greater
food security and agro-ecological sustainability. It includes many
opportunities to boost rural economies (grower and grower-to-consumer
alliances, high-value products like "farmaceuticals," processing
facilities, new uses for traditional crops, alternative value chains,
certification for quality assurance).

A concept of a "foodshed" is emerging as a framework for thinking about
this parallel sector and should be explored. Research, education, and
extension needs include new business models based on partnering, updated
policies for new kinds of cooperatives, alliances between the medical
industry and producers and businesses, access to venture capital,
competitive edges for communities and regions, and ways to attract
skilled workers.

CSREES should advance strategies that ***blend on-farm sustainable
agricultural practices with off-farm community development**.* CSREES'
2002 pilot and programs supported by private foundations document that
this approach adds value to economic diversification and community
vitality investments. USDA should immediately build on this evidence and
establish an "open farm gate" economic and community development
approach as an essential pillar of rural revitalization. Activities to
date also demonstrate the need for specialists trained across subject
areas and skilled in the foundations of community development.
Experiments in holistic professional development can serve as a model
for preparing extension to meet post-9/11 needs, including extending
Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN) capacity. The impetus for
this pioneering work emerged regionally, from the field. CSREES needs to
recognize, foster, and build on research, education, and extension
innovations at the regional and community level.

# CULTIVATING COMMUNITY RESILIENCE

Community is the focal point. It is where people adapt to change and
where they can become change agents. It is where people feel a sense of
involvement, take pride in their actions, and join with neighbors to
secure the places where they live. Challenges facing communities in the
post-9/11 context are immense, but ready and resilient communities are a
first line of defense. Resilient communities improve the quality of life
for all residents and are ready to handle a wide range of emergencies.
Quality of life improvements include a wide range of economic and social
development affecting individuals, families, firms, and communities.
Emergency preparedness covers accidents, natural disasters, and
terrorist events.

Points of vulnerability include:

-   uneven access to communications technology and resources;

-   communication failure among agencies and jurisdictions because of
    territoriality, turf battles, duplication, and non-uniform
    protocols;

-   low levels of civic engagement;

-   lack of knowledgeable, capable, and democratic local governance; and

-   lack of physical, communications, technology, and social
    infrastructure (non-profit organizations, intermediaries, and
    networks).

CSREES needs to invest in research, education, and extension efforts
that will establish a sound ***community-level architecture of planning
and decision-making systems.*** Communities that are capable of
planning, inclusive decision making, and self-direction will be quick
and ready "first responders" to crises and ready to lead long-term
recovery in the aftermath. When threats occur and emergencies come,
there is no time to build relationships, deal with turf battles, or
create inclusive decision structures. Immediate action is required. The
urgency of homeland security means that neighbor communities need to
resolve any divisions now and ensure they have the ability to act
quickly and well, individually and in cooperation with each other.
Leadership has to be secure. Relationships have to be in place.

***Community-led development*** has taken on new urgency since 9/11.
Communities need help in developing the capacity to envision, implement
plans, and engage a diverse group of people, organizations, and
institutions in civic life. People from all walks of life need to learn
new skills and acquire tools for sophisticated and modernized community
development. Extension, with its history as a neutral broker of
science-based information that aids planning and decision making, is an
essential resource if communities are going to make successful
transitions in this era. Research is needed that expands the rural
development knowledge base, as is the opportunity for extension
professionals to re-tool or deepen competencies. Cultural and racial
diversity needs special attention, as does variation in the rural
landscape and the ability to tailor programs to locality and population.

A comprehensive multi-year ***community development capacity
initiative*** is needed. Extension professionals need to serve as
community resource brokers and create partnerships with public and
private entities to expand financial and other resources and offer
specialized technical assistance. They need to work across state
boundaries and assemble variable, quick-response teams to meet diverse
stakeholder needs. They need current, science-based information to help
them design programs and form policy. And they need training in
substantive areas relevant to challenges and opportunities today.

Educational opportunities and resources need to be updated with
cutting-edge materials and web-based and distance education
opportunities. Close relationships between extension professionals and
scientists are needed in all program areas. Training and resources are
needed in community-building skills, planning tools, civic engagement,
leadership development, local government issues, public conflict
management, disaster preparedness, GIS (geographic information systems)
applications, economic diversification, impact analysis, value-added
entrepreneurship, local governance, tourism, service infrastructure, and
youth and adult workforce development. E-commerce training needs to be
adapted for local government, agriculture, and community planning.
Web-based resources need to include courses, downloadable policy briefs,
research publications, newsletters, data, and information and data
links.

To enhance community development capacity, a national professional
development is needed. A new professional development initiative in the
South can serve as the model. It was developed by the Southern Rural
Development Center and Community Resources and Development program
leaders in the South. CSREES needs to expand funding for the Regional
Rural Development Centers (RRDCs) in order to launch this as a national
initiative.

A ***community entrepreneurship*** approach to basic services,
infrastructure needs, and competitive advantages is needed. This
includes creating community alliances for communications, technology,
housing, water, sewers, utilities, transportation, fire and police
protection, rescue and ambulance service, health care, education,
community enrichment programs, and innovative adult and youth workforce
development. Alone, rural communities cannot meet the full complement of
infrastructure and service needs they have. Community alliances can also
help communities succeed in the global economic environment.

***Place-based approaches are a priority.*** Place or locality-based
education, health care, food systems, cultural systems, tourism, and
value-added enterprises increasingly strengthen many rural communities.
They, and the successful Community Food Projects program, serve as
models for new CSREES research, education, and extension that can
increase community resilience through a development strategy based on
place rather than commodity or economic sector.

For communities to prosper, ***families and businesses*** must be ready
to weather periods of income decline or market disturbances. Education
and training could help these target audiences understand insurance
needs and benefits, cash flow consequences, and planning (cash reserves,
asset accumulation, credit lines) to maintain long-term resilience
through troubled times. Partnerships with the Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA), Small Business Administration (SBA), and the
U.S. Departments of Treasury and Labor would help to develop and deliver
effective programs. The outcome would be individuals, businesses, and
organizations prepared for those events with potentially devastating
economic consequences. Further, technical assistance response plans
could prepare for events such as food contamination, water quality
threats, preparation of financial assistance applications, and other
types of actions associated with disasters.

**CULTIVATING A HEALTHY, SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT**

The environment is our essential basis for rural prosperity and security
over time. We need to take immediate steps to insure environmental
stewardship of the country's natural support system of watersheds,
woodlands, wildlife and habitats, open spaces, and forests and restore
the natural infrastructure where past practices have damaged it.

Points of vulnerability include:

-   regional droughts, water shortages, declining water aquifers, water
    rationing, water rights issues, and source and groundwater
    contamination;

-   aging or outdated infrastructure for flood control, transportation,
    financial development, and telecommunications; and

-   lack of adequate safeguards for hazardous materials use, shipment,
    and storage.

We need a better understanding of the value of natural resources and
environment to communities and society in order to adequately address
environmental vulnerabilities in a cost-effective manner. Conservation,
sustainable working lands policies, and environmental stewardship
promise to safeguard the "public good." As entrepreneurship and new
market opportunities related to natural resources expand, measures are
needed to insure sustainable practice. Land use issues, farmland
preservation, sprawl, agro-forestry practices, and use of open spaces
must become part of local government and community planning.

Clean, safe, secure ***water supplies*** are fundamental to a healthy,
sustainable environment. Small flows technologies for wastewater
treatment and drinking water systems developed by multiple public and
private partners are much more appropriate for small communities and
sparsely settled regions than older large flows technology currently the
standard in many states. CSREES can develop knowledge and understanding
so that rural citizens can advocate for the changes needed in laws and
regulations to be able to employ these systems. New and innovative small
flows technologies are more cost efficient and can be adapted for
place-specific needs and built into community activities. Wastewater
treatment plans can be tailored to locality and employ recycle practices
that regenerate the environment and create entrepreneurial
opportunities. Flood-control dams spread across the nation need to be
secure from deterioration, as well as from terrorist attack. Research
and educational programs are needed to address the alternatives between
dam removal and rehabilitation and to assess the safety and health
consequences and social and economic impacts of these aging
infrastructures.

As an alternative to ***energy*** disruptions and supply shortages,
CSREES can support programs in ***alternative fuels***, applying years
of research on such methods as short rotation of woody crops for fuel
and paper production and making use of biomass fuel production
technology. With homeland security concerns and a closing price gap
between fossil and biomass fuels close, the nation is finding greater
interest in transitioning to local biodegradable and renewable natural
resources and in exploring new energy sources such as wind energy.
Preparation now for that transition is an additional homeland security
measure.

**THE OPPORTUNITY FOR CSREES**

USDA Secretary Ann M. Veneman's 2/01 call for new thinking about the
food system, new partnerships, and the broader context that supports the
food and fiber system has new urgency since 9/11/01. A targeted
multi-tiered initiative is needed to tailor and harmonize current work,
increase targeted projects, re-tool and train extension educators,
create a new competitive grants program, shape and balance the current
research and development portfolio, and increase and direct formula
funding.

The initiative will adapt existing and new programs to post-9/11
security issues and boost ongoing programs that revitalize the economy,
build communities, and ensure wise management of natural resources and
the environment.

It will develop:

-   holistic, multi-sectoral approaches;

-   collaborative public and private strategies; and

-   innovative processes at the regional and community level.

It will:

-   help farmers and rural entrepreneurs develop a parallel food and
    fiber system that is less vulnerable and contributes to rural
    revitalization;

-   create entrepreneurial approaches to community-led development and
    community alliances;

-   integrate environment and natural resource management with economic
    and community development for a whole systems approach to rural
    revitalization and security.

The competitive grants component will generate new knowledge and models;
achieve cross-disciplinary and cross-agency professional development;
and establish new private/public partnerships. It will provide "on the
ground" examples of holistic strategies that link farming and rural
entrepreneurship, community development, and sustainable environmental
and natural resources management. A majority of the grants will be
managed close to constituents in a regional structure through the RRDCs
or jointly between the RRDCs and SARE (Sustainable Agriculture Research
and Extension). Others should be managed nationally to address issues of
common and national concern. Emphasis should be on projects that:

-   take a whole systems approach;

-   integrate research, education, and extension for short-term positive
    impacts on farms, ranches, businesses, communities, and the
    environment while contributing to the knowledge base of effective
    development and building capacity to tap that knowledge base long
    into the future; and

-   explicitly build upon and leverage other CSREES programs (both
    competitive and base).

The initiative will be complemented by new foci in competitive grants
programs (new program areas in IFAFS \[Initiative for Future Agriculture
and Food Systems\], NRI \[National Research Initiative\], SBIR \[Small
Business Innovation Research\], and tools in Integrated Programs).
Formula funds should be increased and used to ensure that less
competitive partners participate in the new program and the whole
country is prepared.

Cultivating Resilient Communities and Rural Prosperity

in a Dynamic and Uncertain Environment, FY 2004

+----------------+---------------------------------+-------------------+
| Area of        | # Targeted Outcomes             | # S               |
| Opportunity    |                                 | trategic Partners |
+----------------+---------------------------------+-------------------+
| Economic       | -   Producers and extension     | -   USDA: FAS,    |
| Prosperity     |     professionals understand    |     AMS, RBS,     |
|                |     factors that influence the  |     NRCS, FS, ERS |
| -   Economic   |     global and domestic markets |                   |
|     d          |     and trade, cross-agency     | -   USAID         |
| iversification |     programs/resources.         |                   |
|                |                                 | -   Depts. of     |
| -   En         | -   Students are prepared for a |     State,        |
| trepreneurship |     global and changing         |     Commerce,     |
|                |     domestic economy.           |     Labor         |
| -   New        |                                 |                   |
|     markets,   | -   Producers who benefit from  | -   World Bank    |
|     trade      |     market opportunities are    |                   |
|     barriers   |     more entrepreneurial,       | -   State Depts.  |
|                |     receive a larger share of   |     of Ag & Trade |
| -   E-commerce |     the consumer dollar, and    |     Centers       |
|                |     collectively build a        |                   |
| -   Consumer   |     place-based production and  | -   Economic Dev. |
|     trends     |     distribution system.        |     NGOs          |
|                |                                 |                   |
| -              | -   Consumers enjoy a more      | -   Small Bus     |
|    Value-added |     secure, high-quality food   |     Dev. Centers, |
|                |     supply and are more closely |     SBA           |
|    enterprises |     connected to producers.     |                   |
|                |                                 | -   Assn. for     |
| -   Family     | -   Policy makers use           |     Enterprise    |
|     enterprise |     research-based information  |     Opportunity   |
|     portfolio  |     on the value of             |                   |
|     management |     conservation, biodiversity, | -   American      |
|                |     and by-products of          |     Savings       |
| -              |     agriculture and see         |     Education     |
|   Youth/family |     agriculture in terms of     |     Council       |
|     supports   |     land and people resources.  |                   |
|     for        |                                 | -   National      |
|     en         | -   Extension professionals     |     Rural Funders |
| trepreneurship |     broker USDA and other       |                   |
|                |     resources to help           |    Collaborative, |
|                |     entrepreneurs.              |     other private |
|                |                                 |     foundations   |
|                | -   Families examine a wide     |                   |
|                |     range of farm/non-farm      |                   |
|                |     economic activities and     |                   |
|                |     develop strategies for      |                   |
|                |     economic security and       |                   |
|                |     manage personal finances    |                   |
|                |     effectively.                |                   |
|                |                                 |                   |
|                | -   Youth are engaged in        |                   |
|                |     entrepreneurial activities  |                   |
|                |     and contribute to their     |                   |
|                |     local and regional economy. |                   |
+----------------+---------------------------------+-------------------+
| # Resilie      | -   Communities with new        | -   USDA: RD,     |
| nt Communities |     leaders and diverse         |     RHS, RUS, FS, |
|                |     citizens identify issues,   |     NRCS          |
| -              |     manage conflict, prepare    |                   |
|  Community-led |     for security, and lead      | -   Depts. of     |
|     smart      |     development activities.     |     Commerce,     |
|     growth     |                                 |     Labor,        |
|     planning   | -   Communities integrate       |     Education,    |
|                |     human, social, financial,   |     HUD,          |
| -   Community  |     environmental, and          |                   |
|     en         |     infrastructure assets.      |   Transportation, |
| trepreneurship |                                 |     HHS           |
|                | -   Communities support         |                   |
| -   Broad      |     risk-taking by              | -   National      |
|     civic      |     entrepreneurs and           |     Rural Health  |
|     engagement |     agricultural producers.     |     Association   |
|                |                                 |                   |
| -   Emergency  | -   Effective emergency         | -   National 4-H  |
|                |     preparedness plans and      |     Council       |
|   preparedness |     procedures are tailored to  |                   |
|                |     diverse communities.        | ```{=html}        |
| -   Community  |                                 | <!-- -->          |
|     alliances  | -   Communities develop plans   | ```               |
|                |     and procedures to protect   | -   Community     |
| -              |     natural resources.          |     Development   |
|    Place-based |                                 |     NGOs          |
|     assets     | -   Communities identify        |                   |
|                |     competitive edges and       | ```{=html}        |
| -   Homeland   |     create durable              | <!-- -->          |
|     security   |     economic/social             | ```               |
|                |     improvements.               | -   NACo, NADO    |
|                |                                 |                   |
|                | -   Extension educators         | -   Council of    |
|                |     integrate youth, family,    |     State         |
|                |     community and economic      |     Governments   |
|                |     development, and natural    |                   |
|                |     resources and environment   | -   Chambers of   |
|                |     protection activities and   |     Commerce      |
|                |     facilitate partnerships.    |                   |
|                |                                 | -   Corp. for     |
|                | -   Healthy families have       |     N             |
|                |     skills in parenting, stress | ational/Community |
|                |     management, and financial   |     Service       |
|                |     management.                 |                   |
|                |                                 | -   National      |
|                | -   Youth engage in rural       |     Rural Funders |
|                |     enterprises and community   |     Collaborative |
|                |     affairs.                    |                   |
+----------------+---------------------------------+-------------------+
| # Heal         | -   Communities have clean,     | -   USDA: NRCS,   |
| thy, Sustainab |     safe, and secure water      |     FS, ARS, ERS, |
| le Environment |     supplies.                   |     FSA           |
|                |                                 |                   |
| -   Watershed  | -   Communities have soil,      | -   EPA, NOAA,    |
|     protection |     water, and air quality      |     USGS, BOR,    |
|                |     protection strategies.      |     BLM, NPS,     |
| -   Farmland,  |                                 |     USFWS, U.S.   |
|     rangeland, | -   Communities have flood,     |     Corps of      |
|                |     fire, dust bowl, drought,   |     Engineers,    |
|    forestland, |     and invasive species        |     DOE, DOL, DOT |
|     wetland    |     mitigation plans.           |                   |
|     protection |                                 | -   Natural       |
|                | -   Communities have            |     resources &   |
| -   Wildlife   |     sustainable land use and    |     environmental |
|     habitat    |     growth management plans.    |     orgs.         |
|                |                                 |                   |
|   preservation | -   Farmland, rangeland, and    | -   Soil & Water  |
|                |     forestland are preserved to |     Conservation  |
| -   Airshed    |     ensure economic viability   |     Districts,    |
|     protection |     and quality of life.        |     NACD,         |
|                |                                 |     National      |
| -   Natural    | -   Wetlands are preserved for  |     Watershed     |
|     amenities  |     water quality improvement,  |     Coalition,    |
|     preserved  |     groundwater recharge, and   |     NRC&DC,       |
|                |     wildlife habitat.           |     National      |
| -   Biomass,   |                                 |     Assn. of      |
|     biofuel,   | -   Open spaces are preserved,  |     State         |
|                |     and communities capitalize  |     Conservation  |
|    alternative |     on natural resources /      |     Agencies      |
|     energy     |     environmental amenities.    |                   |
|                |                                 | -   Conservation  |
|    development | -   Waste is converted to       |     NGOs (Am.     |
|                |     useable resources,          |     Farmland      |
| -   Dams       |     increasing economic         |     Trust, Ducks  |
|     repaired,  |     opportunities for           |     Unlimited,    |
|     removed    |     communities.                |     Land Trust    |
|                |                                 |     Alliance, The |
|                | -   Dependence on foreign oil   |     Nature        |
|                |     and petroleum inputs is     |     Conservancy,  |
|                |     reduced.                    |     Trust for     |
|                |                                 |     Public Land)  |
|                | -   Development approaches      |                   |
|                |     incorporate conservation    | -   National      |
|                |     and environmental           |     Rural Funders |
|                |     stewardship.                |                   |
|                |                                 |    Collaborative, |
|                | -   Community decision makers   |     private       |
|                |     integrate rural, economic,  |     foundations   |
|                |     social, ecological          |                   |
|                |     concerns.                   |                   |
|                |                                 |                   |
|                | -   Sustainable healthy         |                   |
|                |     ecosystems exist, with      |                   |
|                |     multiple benefits for rural |                   |
|                |     landscape and population.   |                   |
+----------------+---------------------------------+-------------------+

June 2002