Partnerships, not projects! Improving the environment through collaborative research and action

The knowledge we can obtain through direct experience is often only a fraction of what is necessary for understanding our interactions with the environments upon which we depend. We often know little about the environmental impacts of agricultural practices, water projects, or oil extraction activities that supply what we want and need. Knowledge gaps are exacerbated by technologies that enable the mobility of people and resources. Those who act to fill the information gaps wield tremendous power in defining cause and effect, problems and solutions. This article describes a particular model of developing partnerships for community-based research and action that seeks to address the gaps and then provides an example of the model's application.