Science in Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota

Peter Karieva. © Mark Godfrey/TNC

Writing Workshop in Stillwater a Success!

The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is a hotbed for conservation innovation.  We test new solutions to old problems, apply ecological modeling to new problems, and bring partners together to tackle issues that no single organization can accomplish alone.  How can we best close the loop by documenting and communicating results both to internal and external audiences?

For most organizations outside academia, the scarce resource of time is the main bottleneck for getting our stories out there.  Pushing through the time barrier allows us to seize key opportunities:  advancing and shaping the field of conservation biology, building TNC’s scientific credibility, and marketing and fundraising for conservation around the world.

A well-established approach to supporting creative writers in their endeavors comes from the realms of literature and the arts: the writers’ workshop.  By borrowing principles from this old standby and applying them to scientific writing, TNC has taken great strides toward providing scientists the time and space to pursue the crucial step of publishing.  TNC writing workshops represent a home-grown remedy: harnessing the energy of a group and applying it to what can otherwise be the loneliest of tasks.

Over the last five years, the World Office has organized ten TNC writing workshops held around the globe.  At the most recent of these, held in December, 2008 in Stillwater, Minnesota, twelve TNC scientists gathered from the far-corners of the Central U.S. Region.  The Stillwater gathering focused on producing scientific, peer-reviewed articles.  Over the years, participants have also generated popular articles, books, and materials for the web.  Chief Scientist Peter Kareiva co-led the Stillwater group with Joe Fargione, Central US Regional Scientist.  

In addition to launching publications, workshops provide a unique venue for conservation peer learning.  Seldom do practitioners have a chance to learn about each others’ projects in such depth. Look for these as they appear in your favorite publications over the next few years!.   

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