CART is a platform that enhances collaborative conservation efforts at all scales by facilitating issue-based, not geography-based, peer-to-peer knowledge sharing. By connecting hundreds of individuals from dozens of organizations across North America, CART helps bridge the gaps between work at project, landscape, and operational scales.
CART answers “Who is doing what, and where? What is working and what isn’t? Where can we find resources to help us improve our work on a similar issue? How can we develop tools and resources to support this work?” The CART Team and our partners help improve the outcomes of on-the-ground conservation by:
- Managing a central location for knowledge sharing based on Case Studies
- Co-developing tools that help diverse organizations meet their objectives for conservation and management of natural resources across a range of scales
- Catalyzing multi-jurisdictional work to address conservation, management, and adaptation challenges at the scale needed to achieve ambitious goals
- Providing meaningful mentorship and learning experiences for students and early career professionals in an innovative and supportive environment
CART is supported by a diverse network of partners, including federal and state agencies, universities, non-profit organizations, Native American Tribes, municipalities, and more.
CART supports knowledge sharing, co-develops tools, and supports collaborative action to improve management outcomes for priority issues. CART provides internship and work training opportunities for students and early career professionals.
Knowledge Sharing
Case Studies
A Case Study is a write-up of work completed to manage, conserve, restore, or conduct actionable science on natural resources. CART Case Study narratives focus on methods and lessons learned that can inform future work or projects in other geographies. Case Studies provide an opportunity to highlight the work of professionals, especially work that is not published in the scientific literature. Most importantly, Case Studies are a catalyst for conversations within and beyond our Communities of Practice.
Explore CART's Case Study Library to see Case Study project locations and search Case Studies by subjects and keywords such as stressors or management strategies.
Webinars
In addition to publishing Case Studies, we regularly host Case Study webinars. Webinars provide an opportunity for practitioners and researchers alike to come together to share knowledge and lessons learned around topics such as grassland conservation and restoration, non-native aquatic species, aquatic restoration, and drought and climate adaptation.
Tool Development
The CART team has produced numerous tools to date that help managers control non-native species, adapt to drought, and conserve grassland ecosystems.
CART Toolkits
Leveraging the priorities identified by our partners, CART supports the development of toolkits that synthesize knowledge from Case Studies, the collective experience of partners, and other relevant resources.
- Connectivity and Climate Change Toolkit
- Drought and Climate Adaptation Toolkit
- Drought Adaptation to Sustain Tribal Trust Resources and Cultural Practices Toolkit
- Grasslands Toolkit
- Non-Native Aquatic Species Toolkit
Decision-Support Tools
The CART team, with support from partners, has produced numerous decision-support tools to date.
- Non-Native Aquatic Species Decision-Support Tree: Setting and species-specific control options
- Non-Native Aquatic Species Control Project Proposal Template
- Non-Native Aquatic Species Regulatory Support Tool
- Non-Native Aquatic Species Control Catalog: goals, techniques, level of effort, and ongoing maintenance needs
- Decision-Making Exercise for Bullfrog Control
- Rangeland Gateway Tool
Collaborative Action
Communities of Practice
A Community of Practice (CoP) is a group of individuals that regularly interacts to learn how to more effectively conduct their work and achieve common goals. CART supports CoPs by providing the infrastructure to convene partnerships, foster improved communication, and develop useful tools to support decision-making. CoP activities include regular coordination meetings, webinars, and workshops. Current CoPs supported by CART include:
- Non-Native Aquatic Species Community of Practice
- At-Risk Species Conservation Community of Practice
- Drought Adaptation Community of Practice
Internship and Work Training Opportunities
CART provides mentorship for the next generation of conservation professionals by offering comprehensive internships. Students and emerging professionals work with CART staff to share knowledge by producing case studies, help with the development of decision support tools, and support collaborative action through facilitation of meetings and webinars. When producing case studies, students analyze primary resources, develop content, and communicate lessons learned from conservation research and restoration programs. Interns have also had the opportunity to develop skills in database management, and use of ArcGIS Online as they assist with tool development. Through this work, interns have the opportunity to regularly interact with biologists and managers across federal, state, and Tribal government agencies, NGOs, and academia.
CART internships have proven to be a pivotal professional development experience for undergraduate and graduate students. Several former student interns have pursued careers with federal resource management agencies, have gone on to graduate studies, or taken conservation-related jobs with private consultancy or non-profit organizations.
CART is always looking for new partnerships and ways to increase our internship and work training offerings. Any groups interested in developing CART internship opportunities to support their priority issues are encouraged to email Karlee at karlee_jewell@fws.gov.
CART builds partnerships and supports peer-to-peer knowledge sharing to improve on-the-ground management of natural resources and address conservation challenges at expanding scales.
How We Work
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Through collaboration, we gain new ways of thinking and doing, new perspectives, shared resources, and collective momentum to achieve common goals. While collaboration is one of CART’s central tenets, we recognize that “collaboration” can, in some cases, be narrowly construed, further perpetuating legacies of exclusion. This exclusion can marginalize certain communities (most notably communities of color, youth, women, and the LGBTQIA+ community) and inhibits the possibilities that result from true collaboration. We strive for true collaboration through a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
CART’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion is reflected in:
- The selection of our student interns, professional staff, and program partnerships
- The choice and content of our Case Studies and webinars
- The impact, usefulness, and prioritized end-users of our products
- Efforts to expand access to, and improve the relevance and usefulness of, CART’s information products
- A continued effort to evaluate and document the value of true collaboration and inclusiveness
- Space provided for critical reflection, dialogue, feedback, and program adaptation
- Financial resources secured and provided to encourage equity in participation
CART is a multi-organizational partnership formed in 2017 between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Reclamation, and U.S. Forest Service. CART’s leadership team has grown to include the University of Arizona, USDA’s Southwest Climate Hub and Drought Learning Network, and the Southwest and South Central Climate Adaptation Science Centers, who work with and support a network of partners, coordinators, and Case Study authors. Click here to learn more about our team.