Aligning Watershed and Habitat Protection for

Conservation Success in the Raccoon Creek Watershed, Georgia

Lindsay Gardner, Program & Communications Manager, Southeast Aquatic Resources Partnership (SARP)

River Management

Society Training Denver, Colorado April 15th, 2014

Photo credit: Katie Owens, TNC.

Watershed/conservation planning + county land use planning = long term benefits for

prime habitat and water quality

Restoring Raccoon Creek

Photo credits: Katie Owens, TNC

Raccoon Creek Conservation Plan • Protection • Restoration

-Streambank -Fish Passage

• Education • Outreach

-Landowners • Planning

Photo credit: Katie Owens, TNC.

Aquatic Species in Paulding County

Fish: •Etowah darter •Cherokee darter

Mussels: •Finelined Pocketbook

Habitat •Free flowing stream •Good water quality

•Silt free gravel and cobble substrate

Photo credits: USFWS

Threats

• Direct Impacts- reservoirs, piping/channelization, stream crossings (culverts), utility crossings.

• Indirect Impacts- sediment/erosion, stormwater, loss of riparian buffer, habitat fragmentation, and eutrophication.

http://www.etowahhcp.org/research/scientific.htm

Photo credits: USFWS

Issues of Concern • The Southeast has lost more

forests, farms and open space to sprawl than any other region.

• Loss of 23 million acres of forest

between 2010 – 2060 , an area the size of South Carolina!

• More than 1,000 plant and wildlife species of conservation concern could be threatened.

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R.B. Hammer & V.C. Radeloff University of Wisconsin - Madison

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R.B. Hammer & V.C. Radeloff University of Wisconsin - Madison

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R.B. Hammer & V.C. Radeloff University of Wisconsin - Madison

Planning for Land Conservation There are many levels of planning that need to be coordinated for protection of natural resources:

• Watershed Plan • State Wildlife Action Plans • State Forest Action Plans • County Comprehensive Plan • City Stormwater Plan • Community Master Plan • Site Plan

Key elements should be integrated at all levels

What is Green Infrastructure? 1) Natural areas and features (wetlands, forests, floodplains, riparian buffers)

What is Green Infrastructure? 2) Greenways, parks and open space

What is Green Infrastructure? 3) Working lands with conservation value

What is Green Infrastructure? 4) Other protected open spaces (source water)

Identifying Conservation and Restoration Opportunities In Raccoon Creek

Watershed

Small Group Mapping Exercises Goal: Identify key areas to conserve in the Raccoon Creek

Watershed to ensure the protection of key habitats and water quality and provide recreational opportunities

Tasks:

• What are the key areas to protect and preserve – and why?

• What are the key areas which threaten the quality of the watershed?

• What preliminary ideas do you have on strategies for protecting and preserving the key areas?

Land Cover

Sensitive Areas

• Stream Quality

• Darter Biodiversity

• Natural Element Locations/Sensitive Habitat

• Protected Lands: - Owned - County - Leased

• Identify new areas for protection

Overlay

Group Consensus on Priority Areas for Protection and Preservation

• Report outs from small groups sessions

• Group discussion and consensus on key focus areas

- Key areas to protect and preserve - Suggested strategies for conservation: - land acquisition/conservation banking - green development - outreach & education

1) Base action planning on the priority areas identified in the mapping session 2) Discuss strategies stemming from discussion following mapping exercise that

incorporate local knowledge 3) Answer the question, “What are the priority strategies that should be taken

to protect and conserve water quality and prime habitat in the Raccoon Creek Watershed?”

4) Use these strategies to help inform what actions should be recommended/considered for incorporation into county land use plans and other planning efforts.

Developing an Action Plan to Protect and Conserve Key Areas in the Raccoon County

Watershed

What You Can Do – Take Action! - Act as an “aggregator” - Form partnerships - Integrate planning efforts - Help others to visualize the

watershed - Use conservation plans to

help guide what goes into comprehensive planning

What Counties You Work With Can Do: • Look for areas to

conserve that offer multiple resource values

• Try to connect protected

lands to enhance conservation values

• Private landowners and communities are key to strategic conservation

Remember, time is of the essence and we don’t have forever to get it right. Stream protections that are implemented today should be integrated and

enduring.

Parting Thoughts

Lindsay Gardner Southeast Aquatic Resources Partnership (SARP) Program & Communications Manager c/o Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) Ellington Agricultural Center 440 Hogan Rd. Nashville, TN 37220 lindsayg@southeastaquatics.net 781-5272 (office)

Thank you!!!