Climate Justice & Resilience: Getting to How
The 2022 RCP Network Gathering was held virtually on November 17 from 9 am to 3 pm. More than 250 participants from across New England and the Mid-Atlantic states joined the meeting and were part of a dynamic conversation about how RCPs and other conservation organizations can advance land justice and resilience.
In our 2020 and 2021 Virtual RCP Network Gatherings, we introduced the concepts of Land Justice and Equity and the role that conservation organizations can play in advancing Land Justice. The 2022 event brought the discussion to a more practical level, featuring organizations that are actively working in both spaces.
In 2022, we shifted our focus to the “how” of Land Justice and resilience:
- How does Climate Justice relate to your work?
- How do we build new, authentic, mutually valuable relationships?
- What concrete steps can we take to incorporate justice into our work?
- How can we deepen our relationships with each other as a network of peers?
Our Keynote Speakers talked about Why and How to “build a new table” in conservation work — one that includes all people interested in conserving their community’s resources and strengthening its resilience.
Morning Session: Relationship Building for Conservation and Climate: How to form transformational relationships with new partners
In this moderated panel, we’ll hear several community and conservation partners share their stories of how they came to work together. You’ll learn about their shared projects that brought them together and listen to them talk about their journey together. Through the stories you’ll hear and the breakout work following, you’ll have a chance to learn and reflect on:
- Practical strategies for lowering the barriers in our work and identifying resources that bring value to your communities.
- How to reach out to organizations that are actively working in your community.
- Identifying potential partners and what work you will do together.
- How to move your community relationships from transactional to transformational.
Afternoon Session: Collaboration for Conservation and Climate: How Organizations are collaborating to build Climate Justice and Resilience into their work and community
Once you’ve built relationships, what are the things you can do together to help communities increase their resilience to climate change and centering land justice in that work? A moderated panel of speakers will highlight ways individuals and organizations are bringing resilience and justice into their work and communities. With speaker experiences and stories and breakout group activities, participants will have an opportunity to discuss and practice:
- Simple steps to help us connect with our communities.
- How to advance Land Justice without mission drift or overtaxing resources.
- Practices that build mutual understanding and connection.
Panel discussions and breakout session activities will include:
- Lowering the barriers that prevent us from being more inclusive so we can help advance Land Justice.
- The simple steps we can take to change how we connect with our communities.
- How to advance Land Justice without mission drift.
Don’t miss the chance to learn, connect and make a plan to advance collaborative landscape protection in your community at the 2022 RCP Network Gathering.
Take a Moment to Connect with the Network
Are you interested in networking with other RCP Gathering participants? Are there skills you’d like to develop further? Do you have skills you would like to share with others? Fill out this form to add yourself to the Networking map and connect with other participants and RCP Network members. Explore the map below to learn more about other conservation peers in your region.
What is the RCP Network Gathering?
The RCP Network Gathering is a free, annual, one-day virtual conference designed to bring together Conservation practitioners to support their work in advancing collaborative landscape protection in the Northeastern U.S. and beyond.
Why Check out the Videos and Interactive Map of the 2022 RCP Network Gathering?
- Learn how we can build a more resilient and inclusive conservation movement responsive to the expressed needs of historically marginalized communities.
- Get inspired by the Gathering’s keynote panel and session speakers.
- Connect with new peers and reconnect with current ones at our breakout sessions.
Forestry Credits
If you attended the Gathering webinar in full and wish to claim your earned 3.5 Continued Forest Education (CFE) credits through the Society of American Foresters (SAF) certification program, please fill out the sign-in sheet by December 6, 2022.
