Contact: Sharon Pickett (301-365-9307), e-mail: sharonp@igc.org

Environmental Mediation Conference April 24-25 in Washington, D.C.

Speakers Propose Strategies to Clean the Anacostia River

The conflict resolution profession is rapidly expanding, and nowhere is this trend more prevalent than in the area of environmental dispute resolution. Mediators, arbitrators, and other conflict resolution professionals are increasingly in demand to help resolve tough environmental struggles involving multiple stakeholders. The skills that they bring to their jobs have an enormous impact on both communities and the ecosystem.

From April 24-25, environmental mediators from across the country will gather at the Radisson Barcelo Hotel in Washington, DC to share lessons learned and discuss ways to improve and expand the use of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). Participants are members of the Environment and Public Policy Section of the Association for Conflict Resolution, a nonprofit organization representing more than 6,000 conflict resolution professionals. Media are invited to attend. Interviews are available on request.

Opening Plenary:

April 24 - 2:00 p.m. Cleaning the Anacostia River: Exploring Different Approaches to Civic Engagement and Decision-Making -- Following a field trip to the Anacostia River, panelists will explain three different participatory strategies that could be used to engage citizens and stakeholders in efforts to clean up the river. Speakers include representatives from:

• Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Anacostia Waterfront Initiative
  

• MNG Center for Environmental Strategies and Technology
  

• AmericaSpeaks
  

• Global Environmental Resources, Inc.
  

• Anacostia Watershed Citizen Advisory Committee
  

• DC Office of Planning, Anacostia Waterfront Initiative
  

• Naval District Washington

Available for Interviews:

Rosemary Romero is a mediator in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and President-Elect of the Association for Conflict Resolution. She has extensive experience in environmental mediation including negotiating forest management, land use, water planning and watershed management issues.

Other Topics for Discussion

• Have agreements produced through mediation been implemented? Are they working?
  

• What do various stakeholders (agencies, environmental advocates, community members, etc.) see as the pros and cons of negotiated settlements?
  

• People from different cultures often hold very different values and views about their relationship to the environment. Are there strategies that can help different groups find common ground?
  

• What factors should be considered when deciding whether or not to mediate an environmental dispute? How does the process of mediation affect decision-making? What is the role of the mediator?

04/24/2003