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Introduction
Throughout Wisconsin, citizens are dealing with environmental, land use, housing, economic development, and other planning issues that cross jurisdictional boundaries and agency service areas. Since the nature of these problems crosses boundaries, so too must the solutions. Often there is no single entity that can serve as the lead or work on their own to adequately address the problem and implement an effective solution. This can be especially challenging when multiple agencies and organizations need to be involved. Self-interest can impede cooperation; political issues may trump good planning and common sense; and current funding, taxation and recognition mechanisms may confound the situation. The challenge of regional collaboration is the classic democratic problem: How does one realize the common (regional) good while safeguarding individual (local) freedoms?

This article will explore regional collaboration and offer a possible framework for working together to solve regional problems. The Lincoln Institute of Land Policy in Cambridge, Massachusetts has studied this topic extensively and provides the background for this discussion.

Obstacles to Regional Networks
Regional problems by their very nature are complex. One might suggest that if you could just collect enough �facts� and weigh them objectively, you could come up with a solution. But whose facts, on what topics, and using whose criteria for outcomes? This is not so much a scientific or technical problem�though this does play a part�it is more a sociopolitical challenge. If you really look at the process, it seems more like organizing a political campaign than rational planning. It is also a question of how society addresses shared and competing interests. Consider the disconnect between the public desire for change and the institutional or political will to make it happen, and you have a potential recipe for frustration and disaster.

There are three generally accepted ways to respond to this problem:

1. Create new regional institutions to govern and regulate the area of concern. While this was done in the past�for example, with large federal projects like the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) �it is almost politically impossible to do now. Creating new regional institutions requires a great deal of effort to maintain public/political support for the agency as well as for the continued funding needed to sustain the initiative.

2. Realign existing institutions to correspond to the geography of the problem. This seems the most logical solution but often fails because citizens feel that the agency is overstepping its mission or boundaries, or are concerned that statutory mandates leave them out of the decision-making process. Often the institutions themselves and the people within them resent a top-down, forced change, especially if increases in work load are not accompanied by increases in funding and staff.

3. Create ad hoc regional forums to engage people with diverse interests and viewpoints. This structure is the most common in the current political climate. It is usually a �bottom-up� effort and people participate because of the �value added� by being part of the group. It provides a necessary opportunity to leverage resources (money, expertise and facilities). It is impossible to mandate this type of organization and it has no authority. Only by creating an acceptable solution for all, does it have a chance to make changes.

Four Parts to a Collaborative Project
There is no single model that can be used for regional initiatives but there are a common set of steps that successful ventures move through. These can be divided into four parts:

1. Get started.

2. Develop strategy.

3. Take action.

4. Evaluate and adapt.

Get Started
Beginning an ad hoc regional collaboration is not a quick process. Attempts to rush through this part of the process often come back to haunt the group when consensus can�t be reached or when those excluded block any progress. Regional collaboration becomes compelling when people recognize that they are more likely to achieve their interests by thinking and acting regionally than by acting independently or doing nothing. There is incredible inertia in the existing social and political system. The objectives of regional collaboration form a progression from knowledge and community-building to advocacy and governance.

To begin a regional initiative, focus on things that people are predisposed to do. We engage in regional collaboration because of a:

• Pressing problem, threat or crisis

• Shared vision, goal or sense of place

• Joint opportunity

We tend to be crisis driven. This makes being proactive a challenge. The shared vision or joint opportunity must appear large in the minds of participants for this type of effort to be sustainable.

To move a collaborative effort forward, people must define a region. Regions are most often defined in one of two ways: one rooted in a sense of place; the other based on the functions or geographic boundaries of the problem. Natural ecological boundaries such as watersheds, ecosystems and wildlife habitat can help inform the appropriate definition of a region. However, the region must engage the hearts and minds of people and appeal to their shared interests. The precise boundaries of a region are often less important than clarifying the core area of interest. Boundaries can be soft and flexible, adaptable to changing needs and interests. Regions need to be large enough to capture the problem, yet small enough to get traction.

To be effective, regional initiatives must engage the right people�a constituency for change. If your objective is to advocate for a particular interest or outcome, you need to include a different group of people than if you are trying to resolve a multi-party dispute or address a multi-jurisdictional issue. In the latter case, you should seek to be as inclusive as possible. Include people who are interested in and affected by the issue; those needed to implement potential recommendations (i.e. those with authority); and those who might undermine the process or the outcome if not included. Think carefully about the roles and responsibilities of existing jurisdictions and agencies, and keep in mind that there may be people and organizations outside the region that need or want to be involved.

Regional initiatives also require a certain type of leadership. In contrast to a command and control model of leadership, people who initiate regional efforts cross jurisdictions, sectors, disciplines and cultures to forge alliances with diverse interests and viewpoints. They also show a high tolerance for complexity, uncertainty, and change. Regional stewards share power by inviting people to take ownership of a shared vision and values. They emphasize dialogue and build relationships by respecting the diversity of ideas and viewpoints. This type of respect builds trust, which in turn fosters communication, understanding and eventually agreement. Regional stewards provide integrity and credibility and advocate for the integrity of regional partnerships. They practice �regional leadership�.

Develop a Regional Strategy
It is critical that all stakeholders jointly name and frame land use issues for regional collaboration. This process fosters ownership and commitment; builds knowledge and understanding of the region; fosters a sense of regional identity or a sense of place; and generates more creative options. Since no single institution or entity is responsible or has the authority to address a multi-jurisdictional problem, the issues and potential solutions must reflect the interests and viewpoints of people that have a stake in the issue, those who are needed to implement any potential outcome, and those that might feel compelled to challenge the process or its outcome.

Since most regional initiatives do not have authority per se, they must create power. One of the best ways to create power (that is to say, the ability to foster social change and shape public policy) is through deliberative dialogue and collaborative decision-making. These decisions may or may not result in consensus or unanimous agreement, but they do allow participants to create effective coalitions to get things done.

Take Action
Collaborative decisions produce civic will. The objective at this point is to strategically translate civic will into political will. Participants can start by understanding how the proposed regional action supplements other relevant efforts. Only then can they communicate their message to appropriate decision-makers and show that the political capital to be gained is greater than any political risk in supporting the action. Outreach should rely on multiple strategies to inform, educate, and mobilize people (e.g. media, public events, publications, web sites, etc.). Participants should think carefully about linking their effort to established decision-making systems. Seek access to power�rather than power itself�by building bridges, coordinating actions, and working within processes that are already moving forward.

Evaluate and Adapt
Taking action is usually followed by evaluating what was accomplished. This �civic learning� provides the political momentum to follow-through on difficult problems. In some cases, there may be a need to sustain regional collaboration. Participants should begin by capturing, sharing and celebrating their accomplishments, thereby reinforcing a sense of regional identity. They will need to access the role of the group if the threat is gone or the problem solved. Then, it may be valuable to revise and renew the mission, adapting to new information, opportunities and problems. Participants will also need to identify and develop the capacities to sustain the regional initiative including: people (both current and new members), resources (e.g. money and information), and organizational structure. Finally, participants should assess the value of integrating regional efforts into new or existing institutions.

Conclusion
Given the variation in the objectives of regional initiatives, it is easy to see how each effort could result in a slightly different organizational model to meet the specific needs of the groups and people working on the issue. It is important to remember that ad hoc collaboration only works when people believe that they will gain more by being a member of the group and involved in the solution than by remaining separate and acting alone. Ad hoc regional collaboration takes considerable effort to be effective but it is proving that it can make a difference and provide effective solutions for regional issues.

Resources
Additional information on the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy and the course they offer on Regional Collaboration can be found at www.lincolninst.edu. The following publications are also available from the Institute:

Porter, Douglas R. and Allan D. Wallis. (2002) Exploring ad hoc regionalism. Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, Cambridge, MA.

Foster, Kathryn A. (2001) Regionalism on Purpose. Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, Cambridge, MA.