Christine Carmichael

Christine Carmichael, a student staff member at the Knight Center, is giving an oral presentation at the International Symposium for Society and Resource Management in Hanover, Germany, June 9-13^.

The presentation, Towards a strategic understanding of potential partner expectations in the collaborative development of an urban outdoor recreation center,will outline findings from a research project conducted between January and June 2013 for Oakland County Parks and Recreation in Michigan.

In collaboration with Dan McCole in the Department of Community Sustainability, Christine conducted 20 indepth interviews with lead staff at a range of organizations aiming to increase participation in outdoor recreation among urban populations in southeast Michigan.

The research yielded insights into the anticipated contributions of diverse stakeholders toward creating an outdoor recreation center, as well as expected benefits associated with partnering on this effort.
These results will assist those in the fields of outdoor recreation and urban planning who are faced with similar financial constraints and the desire to engage more strategically in collaborative ventures with an array of potential stakeholders to achieve common goals.