In complex environmental, land-use, and natural resource issues, stakeholders often have conflicting goals, differing information needs, and low levels of trust in one another. Situations can easily escalate into juxtaposition, which can lead to deadlock in decision-making, project delays, or protracted disputes.

We offer support for conflict management and help the parties move from confrontation to collaborative problem-solving. Resolving public conflicts, such as mediating environmental disputes, typically involves a phased negotiation process that begins with an assessment of the situation. We help identify and clarify the key issues relevant to the problem at hand, the nature of the relationships between the parties, and how methods of collaboration should be developed. An assessment conducted by a neutral party, based on interviews with key stakeholders, helps in planning the necessary process and focusing on the right questions. If the conditions for a joint mediation process are met, the work can proceed. The next steps in the negotiation process include organizing the mediation process; defining its objectives, ground rules, roles, and responsibilities; building a shared knowledge base necessary for resolving the dispute; conducting negotiations; and establishing joint guidelines based on these discussions. Finally, these guidelines are formalized into commitments, the fulfillment of which is monitored.