USA – Denver
WWViews on Biodiversity
On Saturday September 15th 2012, thousands of people around the world will take part in a global event: “World Wide Views on Biodiversity”. The project will engage ordinary citizens in as many countries as possible in the process of policymaking and awareness raising to sustain a living and healthy planet. At least a hundred citizens in each participating country will attend day-long meetings to learn about biodiversity issues, make up their minds about them, and express their views. The meetings will start at dawn in the Pacific and continue until dusk in the Americas. All meetings will have the same agenda and use the same approach in order to make results comparable and useful for policymakers gathering the following month in India to discuss future policy measures for preserving biological diversity.
WWViews on Biodiversity in Colorado
The Colorado School of Mines and the Denver Botanic Gardens are the regional organisers of WWViews for the Front Range of Colorado.
Colorado School of Mines
Colorado School of Mines is a uniquely focused public research university dedicated to preparing exceptional students to solve today’s most pressing energy and environmental challenges. Founded in 1874, the institution was established to serve the needs of the local mining industry. Today, Mines has an international reputation for excellence in engineering education and the applied sciences with special expertise in the development and stewardship of the earth’s resources.
Denver Botanic Gardens
The citizen consultation on international biodiversity politics in Colorado will take place on September 15th at the Colorado School of Mines, in Golden, Colorado.
Green Center (#11 on map, above)
Freidhoff Hall (basement of Green Center)
1400 Maple Street
Golden, Colorado 80401
Results of the WWViews in Denver – Colorado
Link to the results from the meeting in Denver – Colorado – USA
Citizen recruitment strategy
The project managers started advertising on Craigslist in late June, and that’s where the majority of our applicants came from. They also posted flyers in libraries, coffee shops and in recreation centers in Denver and its suburbs. Participants from WWViews Global Warming were contacted, and table facilitators were asked to invite their neighbors. The project managers invited their neighbors as well. The Denver Botanic Gardens had flyers at the National Geographic BioBlitz (in Rocky Mountain National Park), and blogged about it on their website. The organisers recruited at farmer’s markets in Denver. The project was advertised in the electronic version of Westword, which is a local, independent, weekly newspaper. The Rotary Club (a business organization, quite conservative) and Denver Public Libraries were asked to send out emails on their listserves, and the local Golden electronic newsletter reported on the deliberation and included a link to the application. Information were sent to local high school science teachers, and science teachers at the local community college.
From the applications, participants were invited who represent the diversity of the Front Range of Colorado. Specifically,the organisers attempted to include persons from different age groups, educational levels, geographical regions, occupations, income, gender and ethnicity.
Find more photos from the citizen meeting in Colorado on Flickr
Information Material for Citizens
World Wide Views on Biodiversity – Information Material for Citizens – English (The Danish Board of Technology, June 2012)
World Wide Views on Biodiversity – Information Material for Citizens – Español
World Wide Views on Biodiversity – Information Videos for the Citizens – English
1. Introduction to biodiversity, 2. Biodiversity on land, 3. Biodiversity in the sea, 4. Burden and Benefit Sharing
World Wide Views on Biodiversity – Videos Informativos para los Ciudadanos – Español
1. Introducción a la biodiversidad, 2. Biodiversidad terrestre 3. Biodiversidad en el mar, 4. Responsabilidades y distribución de beneficios