Engagement Principles
In this post, our Project Director and Senior Planner, Paul Bell, speaks about the sacred responsibilities and principles of community engagement.
Planning
Seven Books to Read This Summer
Summer is here. Do you need a book recommendation? Look no further, Narratives team members have pulled together a selection of thoughtful reads for you to bring wherever the sunshine takes you.
Role of language and meanings in Impact Assessment and Planning
How does language translation play into the realm of Impact Assessment, and how can we make sure we’re not losing those connections in the original definitions?
So, It’s Been A Year
Paul reflects back on the past year he’s had with Narratives and how the career change has impacted him and his life.
Decolonizing Conservation
There is a quote from Mary Brave Bird, a Lakota woman, writer, and activist, that has always stood out to me. She said “The land is sacred. The land is our mother, the river is our blood.” For millennia, Indigenous peoples have been expertly managing the lands and waters that settlers call Canada and North …
A Little Peace and Quiet
In the heart of Mexico City is Bosque de Chapultepec, a park that is roughly double the size of New York’s Central Park and has history dating back to the Aztec. There is a space nestled away in a corner of the park dedicated to peace and quiet called the Audiorama. Talking and other noises (like …
What a Global Pandemic Shows Us About Sustainable Energy
Global energy consumption fell drastically because of COVID-19 lockdowns. These reductions are a lesson that bold sustainable actions on energy consumption and climate change are possible!
The Importance of Early Public Engagement
When is the right time to start public engagement on your project? Early, early, early!
Don’t be afraid to consult with the public early, as early engagement enriches the project experience for all parties (no, really!).
What is it that Planners do?
When I was considering going to planning school, I had the opportunity to sit down at a planner’s office and talk about the profession. Although I had come prepared with a series of questions, my hosts opened the conversation with a question of their own: “what do you think we do?” This question has stuck with me through the years. Today, I think of it the same way I did then: it is both an easy question to answer and a difficult one.