RIVER CITY MARSH CONFLICT

The River City Marsh Conflict negotiation exercise describes a conflict between two government organizations—the River City Planner's Office and the Wisconsin State Department of Natural Resources—in a dispute over what to do with the LaCrosse River Marsh. The City Planner's Office wanted to fill part of the marsh to use for expansion of the industrial park. River City officials also wanted to build an additional highway through part of the marsh to accommodate anticipated traffic increases. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources wanted the marsh habitat enhanced and protected from development so that threatened species could increase in numbers. These officials also wanted to build trails, canoe access points, and other facilities in order to promote recreational activities in the marsh. In this exercise, students are assigned to the role of either the River City Planner's Office or the State Department of Natural Resources office. Both sides are provided with the same set of facts and many options for consideration involving road construction or expansion, wildlife enhancement, and trail construction. Using these interrelated issues, students must negotiate a plan for the marsh that integrates both side's objectives.