Coordinated Resource Management Committee

Coordinated Resource Management (CRM) is a stakeholder consensus decision-making process. Stakeholders are any interest with a stake in the consequences of the decision. In this process, the stakeholders make decisions by consensus, rather than by traditional voting and majority rule.

A Voluntary and Collaborative Problem-Solving Process for Resource Management Issues

Overview and Introduction

“So, just what the heck is CRM?”

Consensus, as defined by various CRM practitioners, means, “The group makes decisions collaboratively.There is no voting, and everyone had to be able to live with the decision–discussion continues until they can.Although all participants may not agree 100% with all aspects of the decision, all participants support the whole decision 100%.”

The CRM process helps people manage natural resources in a productive, environmentally-friendly, and economical manner, for the long term. It is a coalition-building process which involves those using the resources in the decision making about those resources. Thus, CRM integrates local wisdom and technical expertise, while taking advantage of group synergy. Indeed, some CRM teams have been initiated solely as “brain trusts” to reap the benefits of diversity and group creativity.

One particularly appealing aspect of CRM is that it complements any regulatory process, such as NEPA, and responds to the plethora of recent mandates to incorporate the public in decision making. The process also fulfills the intent of the “Sunshine Laws,” to include all interests when making public policy decisions. In today’s environment of government devolution, CRM is ideally suited as a process for local decision-making.

The CRM process is ultimately flexible. It works at a variety of scales and on a variety of issues. While the CRM process historically has been used to develop natural resource management plans or to resolve natural resource use conflicts, we are learning that the principles of CRM apply to other types of conflict resolution and to human resource management, as well. As a result, we are beginning to see the principles of the CRM process applied in the workplace, to community development issues, and to a variety of dispute resolution situations.

CRM Guidelines

Voluntary participation by all partners in the process
Landowner initiated; others are essential in the process, but landowner commitment is critical for success in natural resources management
Involvement by all players; those without ownership in the process will create roadblocks
Experienced, neutral facilitators are key to forming the teams and training participants in the process so the participants learn to balance power, focus discussions on goals and interests, etc.; facilitators can step back in to help the group get past stumbling blocks, should they occur
Establish ground rules early by group consensus, to set the group’s behavioral norms
Determine common goals early by group consensus; stay focused on those goals
Be sure participants have decision-making authority for their constituencies
Make all decisions by consensus to balance power, prevent logrolling, develop trust, and ensure that all interests are supportive of each decision
Talk about “needs” rather than “positions;” say “I need” instead of “you can’t”
Create a team to develop empowering trust and respect
Be committed to the process and to the rest of the team; it takes time and hard work to develop consensus decisions.Build a sense of accomplishment and progress; start with small accomplishments, especially in contentious situations
Develop management objectives and action plans which move toward the goal(s)
Monitor, monitor, monitor to measure progress and develop long-term trend data about the resource; monitor the process, as well, to be sure the group is accomplishing its goals
Make the plan flexible to allow for unforeseen circumstances, yet rigid enough to provide for accountability

State Contacts

Lisa Taricco, Director

CRMP Council Program 801 K Street, Suite 1318 Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone: 916-447-7237 Fax: 916-447-2532 Email: cacrmp@ns.net

John Husband

USDI-BLM 1280 Industrial Ave. Craig, CO 81625 Phone: 970-824-4441

Reed Kelley

PO Box 1028 Meeker, CO 81641 Phone: 970-878-4666

John Valentine

USDA-NRCS 1826 E. Platte Ave. Colorado Springs, CO 80909-5783

Roy Roath

Dept. of Rangeland Ecosystem Science Colorado State University Fort Collins, CO 80523 Phone: 970-491-6543Montana

Dennis Phillippi

PO Box 1871 Bozeman, MT 59771-1871 Phone: 406-587-7792 Fax: 406-582-8247 Email: nroinc@mcn.net

Bob Hanson

Riverside Ranch 3718 Highway 12 White Sulphur Springs, MT 59645 Phone: 406-547-3482

Jason Campbell

PO Box 1679 Helena, MT 59624 Phone: 406-442-3420 Fax: 406-449-5105 Email: msgahelena@aol.com

John Hollenbeck

PO Box 330025 Gold Creek, MT 59733 Phone: 406-288-3382

C. Rex Cleary

PO Box 16 Genoa, NV 89411 Phone: 702-782-2889 Fax: 702-883-1656

William Goddard

USDA-NRCS 5301 Longley Lane Bldg. F, Suite 201 Reno, NV 89511 Phone: 702-784-5863 Fax: 702-784-5939

Chris Freeman or Pam Wilcox

Nevada Conservation Commission 333 W. Nye Carson City, NV 89710 Phone: 702-687-6977 Fax: 702-687-3783

Gene Kolkman or Tim Reuwsaat

USDI-BLM HC 33, Box 33500 Ely, NV 89301 Phone: 702-289-1800 Fax: 702-289-1910 Email: gkolkamn@nv1807.nv.blm.gov

Monica Schwalbach

USDA-Forest Service PO Box 539 Ely, NV 89301 Phone: 702-289-3031 Fax: 702-289-2132 Voice Mail: 702-289-0148

Sherm Swanson or Lynn Huntsinger

Center for Sustainable Agreements University of Nevada-Reno UNR/ERS/KRC/186 1000 Valley Road Reno, NV 89512 Phone: 702-784-4057 Fax: 702-784-4583

E. William Anderson

Task Group Mentor 1509 Hemlock St. Lake Oswego, OR 97034 Phone: 503-636-8017

Tom Bedell

Society for Range Management 25488 Wonderly Lane Philomath, OR 97370 Phone: 541-929-5598

John Mellott

Natural Resources Division Oregon Dept, of Agriculture 635 Capitol St., NE Salem, OR 97310 Phone: 503-986-4705 FAX: 503-986-4730

Mike Borman

Dept. of Rangeland Resources Oregon State University Strand Ag. Hall, Rm. 202 Corvallis, OR 97331 Phone: 541-737-1614 Fax: 541-737-0504

Mike Barsotti

Stewardship Coordinator Oregon Dept. of Forestry 2600 State St. Salem, OR 97310 Phone: 503-945-7385 Fax: 503-945-7376

Jeffrey P. Repp

USDA-NRCS Baker Field Office 3990 Midway Dr. Baker City, OR 97814 Phone: 541-523-7121 Fax: 541-523-2184 Email: jrepp@or.nrcs.usda.gov

Leroy Holtsclaw

USDA-NRCS Federal Building 200 4th St., SW Huron, SD 57350-2475 Phone: 605-353-1783

Jim Johnson

SDSU West River Ag. Center 1905 Plaza Blvd. Rapid City, SD 57702-9302 Phone: 605-394-2236 Fax: 605-394-6607 Email: JohnsonJ@ces.sdstate.edu

Marty Beutler

SDSU West River Ag. Center 1905 Plaza Blvd. Rapid City, SD 57702-9302 Phone: 605-394-2236 Fax: 605-394-6607 Email: Beutlerm@ces.sdstate.edu

Keith Rowland

USDA-Forest Service CRMP Task Group Okanogan Nat’l Forest 1240 S. 2nd St. Okanogan, WA 98840 Phone: 509-826-3067 Fax: 509-422-2014

Tom Brannon

Washington State University CES 8774 Colockum Rd. Malaga, WA 98828 Phone: 509-663-6400 Email: brannont@coopext.cahe.wsu.edu

Chuck Perry

Dept. of Fish & Wildlife 4204 W. Lakeshore Dr. Moses Lake, WA 98834 Phone: 509-765-6236 Fax: 509-766-2983

Jerry Rouse

USDA-NRCS Rockpointe Tower 2, Ste. 450 West 317 West Boone Spokane, WA 99201 Phone: 509-353-2335 Fax: 509-353-2354

Linda Hardesty

Dept. of Natural Resource Science Washington State University PO Box 646410 Pullman, WA 99164-6410 Phone: 509-335-6632 Fax: 509-335-7862 Email: lhardest@mail.wsu.edu Wyoming

Leanne Stevenson

Natural Resources & Policy Division Wyoming Dept. of Agriculture 2219 Carey Avenue Cheyenne, WY 82002 Phone: 307-777-6579 Fax: 307-777-6593 Email: lsteve@state.wy.us

Jason Fearneyhough

Wyoming Dept. of Agriculture 2219 Carey Avenue Cheyenne, WY 82002 Phone: 307-777-6579 Fax: 307-777-6593 Email: jfearn@missc.state.wy.us

Larry Bentley

Wyoming Dept. of Agriculture 1111 Mud Creek Road Thermopolis, WY 82443 Phone: 307-867-2555 Email: lb5cows@tctwest.net