...continued from The Networker (June)

Contributed by Joshua Berger
E3 Regional Coordinator

On June 2, directly following the Thurston/Mason E3 Leadership Summit, regional leaders from around the state attended a full day workshop to network and discuss the E3 Washington initiative. They received a full orientation to the E3 planning template and process from E3 regional peers and state-level E3 leaders and partners who, together, developed the E3 regional networking and planning model.

Representatives from 16 of the 18 E3 regions of Washington attended the Gear-Up. These liaisons form the E3 Washington Regional Leader Network and are defacto members of the statewide E3 Advisory Council. These regional liaisons, along with their formed or forming steering committees, have taken responsibility to convene leaders in their respective regions to create and/or strengthen networks and develop E3 regional plans that will in turn inform the state E3 plan.

Abby Ruskey, EEAW Executive Director and Frank Hein, Board President, welcomed the group and underscored how E3 is a) a development of regional and statewide leadership networks and a communications infrastructure, b) a generation of institutionally and politically powerful ideas, and c) a concerted and coordinated effort through utilization of political action and private-public partnerships to implement the recommendations in regional and state E3 plans.

Stephanie Leisle (Pierce County Region), Lee Whitford (Northwest Region), and Karen Janowitz (Thurston/Mason Region) represented the three regions that have held successful summits to date (see the July and the March issue of The Networker for stories on these summits). The debriefing of the TME3 summit held the previous day was a great reference for the other regional liaisons who participated and got a hands-on feel for how the model works.

Steve Robinson from the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission came to facilitate a critical discussion about cultural and professional diversity, the tools of cultural competency, and working with the Tribes. A letter from E3 Co-chairs Billy Frank Jr., Governor Gregoire, and Bill Ruckelshaus will be sent to tribal council chairs throughout Washington. Another tool to strengthen partnerships in the regions is a resolution of support for environmental education and the E3 Washington initiative passed in May by the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians. At the Gear-up, small groups broke out to plan strategies for ensuring cultural and professional diversity in each of their regions.

Abby Ruskey and Joshua Berger presented a Regional Planning Packet, which includes the final plan template each region is asked to complete by March 2008, recommended steps for plan completion, and background information for regional leaders. In addition, Chuck Lennox of Cascade Interpretive Consulting described the E3 Regional Toolkit of which he has led the design. Throughout the day, tools from the “Toolkit” were utilized as examples of the plethora of resources developed and gathered to support the work of regional liaisons.

The day finished with time for each member of the newly established Regional Leader Network to discuss next steps for her/his region as well as the E3 Regional Leader Network itself. The leaders emerged with practical and inspired networking ideas and pledged to continue forward together in this newly formed learning community supported by EEAW and E3 Washington.

Moving ahead, regional organizing and steering committee meetings are being held across the state continuing on a path leading to completion of regional and statewide plans by March of 2008. Whether having completed summits or newly establishing steering committees, these leaders will find resources and support from each other and from EEAW.

Thank you to all who participated and took the time to join us in Olympia for this important Gear-Up to our statewide, regional organizing campaign.

Contributed by Joshua Berger
E3 Regional Coordinator