Just prior to the National Trails Symposium in Redding, California, Tread Lightly! completed the second meeting in the Convergence Dialogue Series, September 19-20, 2000. The series is designed to open lines of communication, build common ground and discuss pertinent issues and challenges facing the future of responsible recreation by bringing together representatives from various forms of recreational interests.
The second meeting in the series, "Setting a Course of Action" was designed to assist participants in their consideration and development of actions, which will enable the continuation of responsible recreation. Participants in attendance represented federal and state managing agencies, enthusiasts, conservationists, industry perspectives and environmental concerns. Each participant was asked to recognize and consider critical factors and assist in developing actions to pursue in the development of responsible recreational landscapes.
Dale Brown, of Dale Brown & Associates and lead facilitator for the Convergence Dialogue Series, commented, "A great deal was accomplished in a short time during this working meeting. We had a high quality level of participation which enabled us to develop actions items, but also to agree to support one another and work together toward developing a quality landscape for responsible recreation."
Each participant committed to specific actions and time frames to accomplish these tasks. Additionally, group leaders volunteered to guide the action plan developed by the entire group. The group accomplished the goal of this second meeting as they laid forth an action plan to guide recreation into the future. The next meeting in the series, "Surveying our Progress" is scheduled to be held March 30-31, 2001 in Shepardstown, West Virginia at the National Conservation Training Center. It will be a time to gather participants together and evaluate the continuation of the Dialogues and the progress made to date.
For more information on the Convergence Dialogue Series or Tread Lightly! please contact the Tread Lightly! office at: 800/966-9900 or visit Tread Lightly! online at
www.treadlightly.org.