Urban Wildlife Conservation Program: Building a Foundation Together

Target Audience:

FWS employees, volunteers, Friends' members, and external partners who are nominated by FWS regions and HQ.

Summary and Audience:

This foundational course will set the stage for building long-term, meaningful relationships with urban communities through four critical elements: community-focus, intention, inclusion, and collaboration. It will provide those working in urban communities with information, skills-based training, and tools to address historic exclusion, build stronger partnerships, and improve conservation efforts.

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to: 

• Develop a personal 'urban profile'.
• Use a reframing tool to examine biases and assumptions.
• Develop a new framework for mitigating previously biased assumptions.
• Explain the Service's role in urban conservation efforts.
• Discuss how land-use decisions - past and present - affect wildlife and people in urban areas.
• Explain the UWCP Critical Elements' relevancy to mission-critical work across the Service.
• Discuss the benefits of using the UWCP Critical Elements to build stronger relationships with urban communities.

Competency Addressed: 

Diversity and Inclusion - Intermediate, Partnering - Basic, Decision Making - Basic, Creativity and Innovation - Intermediate, Interpersonal Skills - Basic, Human Factors - Basic