In Spring 2016, Field Museum staff and a team of local facilitators led residents of Pembroke-Hopkins Park (PHP) through a structured process in which participants discussed priorities and concerns surrounding land use and their livelihood. They reflected on trade-offs between different land use options and development scenarios, and drafted planning recommendations based on their core values and principles, assessing key indicators of their quality of life.
The result was a list of agreed upon conditions, actions, and priorities led by the following three themes:
Improve communication and transparency. Residents called for conservation organizations, the federal government, local public officials, and other stakeholders to commit to consistent and open sharing of information.
Build local empowerment and civic participation. Residents called for education on land tenure options and support for building civic engagement.
Define and pursue “our” sustainable development. Residents called for a youth-focused development plan that stays true to their core values while improving local livelihoods. They also recommended drafting a charter for sustainable development that outlines fundamental principles that decision-makers must adhere to in economic planning.
