Partnership Building for Cooperative Conservation

The scope and complexity of resource concerns in agricultural landscapes make it nearly impossible for any one organization or entity, public or private, to effect lasting, measurable improvements. That requires committed partnerships. 

ISA EPS works with a variety of partners from the public and private sectors to provide all the services, initiatives, and projects described on this site. Our partners include agricultural and environmental groups and experts, water utilities; state and federal agencies, county commissions, municipal governments, and elected officials; watershed organizations; business and industry; academic institutions and private consultants; philanthropies and advocates. 

Some contribute funding to support our work; some contract with us to implement their own projects or programs; others share their expertise to help achieve our common goals, either contributing their time or under contract to ISA. In some cases, we expand our capacity and that of our partners in a cost effective way by creating and supporting shared staff positions. We promote and help disseminate each others' performance-based approaches. We serve together on study and steering committees, task forces, and boards, engage in panel presentations and forums.

Through many years of partnering with such agencies as USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), we have developed a model of public-private partnership that effectively and affordably advances the goals and objectives of both organizations to deliver more benefit to the public than either could do alone, with each using its own expertise and unique capacities to complement the other.

Our partners cover a broad range of interests, opinions, and positions. So long as they are committed to learning from the facts, employing sound science, and seeking and implementing performing solutions that are truly sustainable, ISA is willing to engage with them in efforts aimed at achieving our common goals. These partners in Cooperative Conservation are fundamental to successful project development.