In early October Partners for Conservation (PFC) Executive Director Steve Jester and Texas Board Director Gary Price participated in a panel on communication and partnership among diverse perspectives at a session held near Hunt, Texas for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologists in the southwestern states. PFC was grateful to be invited to present as part of a morning session focused on leadership and communication. The panel prior to PFC’s focused on leadership and, not surprisingly, many leadership qualities or prerequisites are also critical to communication among and between different perspectives.
In addition to the landowner and nongovernmental organization perspective that PFC was able to provide, other panelists were there to represent a state agency and a tribal perspective. All panelists touched on the importance of seeking to understand and empathize with perspectives other than your own, as well as the key role of trust in effective communication, plus relationship building and partnership development.
We were appreciative of the opportunity and were once again gratified to find that no matter the perspective, individuals and organizations that work with natural resources have much more that brings us together when compared to what divides.
