About the Environmental Policy Forum
The Environmental Policy Forum was a program designed to improve environmental policy making in Wisconsin through increased communication and collaboration among diverse stakeholders. Program activities responded to emerging environmental issues affecting our state and region, particularly in the areas of agriculture, land use, and energy. The Environmental Policy Forum created a way for leaders representing all sectors and viewpoints to engage in action-oriented, outcome-driven discussions and find innovative ways to enhance Wisconsin's environment and economy.

WEI's Role
In the Environmental Policy Forum, WEI served as a neutral third party, providing resources and support and facilitating outcomes that reflect the interests and involvement of diverse environmental stakeholders. WEI provided general project management and logistical coordination by convening stakeholders in policy dialogues and working groups., facilitating communication between group members, providing facilitators for summits and working groups, and conducting background research on priority issues.

Background
In early 2000, a broad group of stakeholders, including representatives of environmental organizations, business, state and local government, and academia began meeting to discuss the current and future state of environmental policy in Wisconsin. They agreed that Wisconsin is having a less productive and inclusive environmental policy discussion than in the past, and that there is a need for a forum in which stakeholders can come together to share ideas on how to create more effective environmental policies. The idea for the Environmental Policy Forum grew out of this broad consensus.

Two events held in June and September 2000 brought together leaders from various sectors and viewpoints. Participants created a systematic way to address environmental policy issues through collaboration and consensus-building, intended to result in policy recommendations drafted and supported by a diverse coalition of environmental stakeholders. The collaborative process developed in these events served as a guide for future Policy Forum events, in which participants could work towards solutions to specific environmental challenges.