Operations
Ξ May 6th, 2008 | → | ∇ Wilderness |
OPERATIONS
Who are Voices for Public Lands?
Voices
for Public Lands is an unincorporated, informal coalition of public
lands conservation groups. Voices for Public Lands is intended to
enlarge the voice of the grassroots by providing a single
recognizable “umbrella name” for groups speaking from a set
of shared principles for public lands.
How Can Groups Become Part of Voices for Public Lands?
To
join the coalition and use its name in your group’s conservation
work, member groups must sign onto the Declaration of Principles
for Public Lands. We encourage members to distribute and
publicize the Principles and bring other, like-minded organizations
into the coalition.
VPL’s
website is voicesforpubliclands.org. Member groups will be
listed on the website, and web links will be provided to these
groups.
What Does it Mean if a Group Signs onto the Principles?
Signing
onto the Principles for Public Lands signifies that your organization
supports the values and priorities expressed in the Principles and
agrees these should guide decisions and actions affecting federal
public lands. Groups signing onto the Principles practice these
principles in their own day-to-day conservation efforts.
How Will VPL Operate?
Activities
of the unincorporated VPL coalition will be coordinated through a
7-person volunteer Steering Committee.
The
Steering Committee has two purposes: (1) to ensure that any public
statements made using VPL’s name are consistent with the Principles
for Public Lands, and (2) to coordinate high-profile efforts
undertaken by VPL as a coalition.
Structure of the Steering Committee
Participation
on the all-volunteer Steering Committee is open to any VPL member
group.
The
Committee will be comprised of up to seven representatives. Only one
representative
of any VPL member group may serve on the Committee at one time. Any
member group can request a place on the committee.
A
major function of the Steering Committee is to facilitate VPL’s
role as a unified voice for the grassroots, by supporting the efforts
of groups across the country while keeping the workload to a minimum
for signatory groups.
A
single e-mail address, steering@voicesforpubliclands.org,
distributes messages to all Steering Committee members. The Steering
Committee will initially consist of the founding members of the
coalition: George Nickas-Wilderness Watch; Gary Macfarlane-Friends of
the Clearwater; Janine Blaeloch-Western Lands Project; Scott
Silver-Wild Wilderness, and Katie Fite-Western Watersheds Project.
Role of the Steering Committee
In General
The
Principles for Public Lands are the foundation and inspiration for
VPL. The role of the Steering Committee is to ensure that public
statements using the VPL name are consistent with the Principles for
Public Lands.
Any
member group may use the VPL name and letterhead, after gaining
approval of the VPL Steering Committee. In joining the coalition,
member groups agree not to use the VPL name in any public statements
without first submitting the materials to the Steering Committee for
approval.
In
addition to reviewing and approving use of VPL’s name, a second role
of the Steering Committee is to decide if an issue should become a coalition-wide issue, which entails notifying the entire
coalition and making public statements with the VPL name on behalf of
the entire coalition.
The
Steering Committee will make decisions by consensus when possible, or
by a majority vote. A quorum consisting of a majority of Steering
Committee members is needed for the Committee to render a decision
regarding use of VPL’s name. It is anticipated that the Steering
Committee will respond to every request regarding coalition-wide
issues within a week or less.
Local/Regional Issues
The
first type of issue is a local or regional one where one or more
member groups are involved and wish to use the VPL name.
Any
member group can submit a request to the Steering Committee to use
the VPL name and letterhead in public statements such as hearing
testimony, comment letters, brochures, op-eds, news releases, etc. If
the Steering Committee finds the statements or position inconsistent
with the Principles, the member group is asked not to associate VPL’s
name with that effort.
If
a group uses the VPL name contrary to these guidelines, the Steering
Committee may choose to issue a public rebuttal clarifying VPL’s
position.
If
the Steering Committee receives requests to use the VPL name from
groups that differ in their positions on an issue, the Steering
Committee will approve use of VPL’s name only for the position(s) it
finds are consistent with the Principles for Public Lands.
For
all denials of requests to use VPL’s name, the Steering
Committee will provide the requesting group with a written
explanation regarding its decision based upon the Principles.
Coalition-Wide Issues
Issues
of national significance or intense controversy may merit a
higher-profile response by VPL. (Example: congressional proposals to
sell off large swaths of public land). These issues are subject to
the two-step process described below.
In
the first step, a member group submits a proposal to the Steering
Committee requesting to attach VPL’s name to a particular position,
but also asks that the issue be considered for coalition-wide
support.
If
the Steering Committee agrees the issue merits a coalition-wide
response, the Committee will contact all member groups with a
description of the issue and its recommended position, and request
endorsement from the member groups to mobilize on the issue. Groups
will be asked to respond within a specified period of time, and those
that do not respond will be presumed as either neutral or in favor.
If a significant number of member groups oppose a coalition-wide
effort, it will not be launched.
The
Steering Committee may occasionally solicit active assistance from
all member groups on coalition-wide issues, such as distributing
Action Alerts, covering the issue in newsletters, submitting letters
to the editor, or making phone calls to Congress or the agencies at
critical times. Requests for assistance are not binding on member
groups but help show widespread support for a particular position,
enlarging the voice of those groups most directly engaged.
In
some coalition-wide statements, VPL may want to list the name of each
individual member group to demonstrate the broad support for VPL’s
position. Any member group that disagrees with the position taken by
the coalition as a whole can ask not to be named in such statements.
