Breaking Barriers Building Bridges: - ERI Library - Northern Arizona ...

44 CollaborationStakeholder HistoriesIt is not uncommon for a “history of conflict” to exist amongstakeholders, especially in groups where stakeholders have had previousinteractions. Parties engaged in a collaborative process may also beengaged in a litigious battle over property rights or access in land uses.In such situations, perceptions and behaviors may carry over from thelitigious battle into the collaborative group. Even when the litigiousbattle is over for decades, members may maintain a deep emotionalmemory that influences their interactions. Natural adversaries andnatural allies often exist due to past histories of conflict. Being awareof such relationships is important.Cultural BarriersWays of thinking, using language, what we pay attention to, and howwe convey our ideas are forms of cultural orientations that influenceour interaction with others and the land. Parties who have differentcultural orientations may experience barriers that can cause frustrationand lead to misunderstandings. Beyond communication, there may beconflicting uses of the land from one culture to another. For instance,snow-making from reclaimed water has caused a dispute amongmembers of the Hopi and Navajo tribes and the owners of the ArizonaSnowbowl ski resort in Flagstaff, Arizona. Both tribal councils viewthe entire San Francisco Peaks mountain region as a spiritual placeand, as a result, have expressed their opposition to using reclaimedwater in snow-making operations. The owners of the ski resort wantto pursue snow-making because they believe that reclaimed wateris harmless and will enhance skiing opportunities for mountainrecreationists. Such cultural differences may not have a venue forcollaborative resolution. However, in many collaborative effortsdifferences in cultural foundations provide a rich blend of values andperceptions. Combined cultural orientations can, also, offer landmanagement agencies a better understanding of the total value of thelandscape restoration process.