Assessing and Building Local Watershed Steward - Perrin
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The NC Watershed Stewardship Network Christy Perrin Co-coordinator, NC Watershed Stewardship Network Sustainable Waters & Communities Coordinator, WRRI Soil & Water Conservation Society 2015 Annual Conference
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Transcript of Assessing and Building Local Watershed Steward - Perrin
The NC Watershed Stewardship Network
Christy PerrinCo-coordinator, NC Watershed Stewardship Network
Sustainable Waters & Communities Coordinator, WRRI
Soil & Water Conservation Society 2015 Annual Conference
Empower more effective watershed stewardship because water is critical to
economic, environmental, and community health.
Mission
NC’s officially impaired waters (on EPA Clean Water Act section
303(d) list)
How can we support local watershed efforts?
Documenting the needs in NC
1. Online survey watershed professionals (n=161)
2. 7 regional focus groups watershed volunteers (n=50)
3. Online survey watershed volunteers (n= 79, (137 surveys started)
We heard from professionals:
Geographic spread of respondents from survey 1
Skills of paid staff
Volunteer coordinationDesigning educational programs
Stream restorationFacilitation or stakeholder engagement
Watershed planningWatershed assessment
Designing outreach activities Event coordination
Implementing educational programsImplementing outreach activities
Grant writingNatural resource conservation planning
GIS/mapping/surveying
0% 20% 40% 60% 80%
Data from Survey 1: Paid Staff
Social marketing
Web development
Wetland restoration
Water quality monitoring
Influencing policy and/or permit decisions
0% 10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
Skills of paid staff
Data from Survey 1: Paid Staff
Geographical distribution of skills
Who’s got skills?
Skill Have Need
BMP Design
Grant Writing
Influencing Policy
Watershed Planning/assessment
Designing Outreach
Data from Survey 1: Paid Staff
We have skills
Skill Have Need
BMP Design Local government, private
Grant Writing Nonprofit, CoGs, university-based
Influencing Policy Local government
Watershed Planning/assessment
Federal, private, state
Designing Outreach
Nonprofit, state, universityData from Survey 1: Paid
Staff
Provide training or connect peopleOr both?
Skill Have Need
BMP Design Local government, private
CoGs, nonprofits, some SWCD
Grant Writing Nonprofit, CoGs, university-based
Local government
Influencing Policy Local government
Federal, nonprofit, SWCD
Watershed Planning/assessment
Federal, private, state
Local government, SWCD, university-based
Designing Outreach
Nonprofit, state, university
Local government^Data from Survey 1: Paid
Staff
Preferred methods of receiving information
Phone calls
Webinar
Online newsletter
Manuals/handbooks
Conference
Listserves
Website
Face to face meetings
In-person training workshops
1 2 3 4
Opinion: 1 = Don't like it at all, 2 = It's ok, 3 = Like it, 4 = Like it a lot
Data from Survey 1: Paid Staff
We heard from volunteers
Volunteer watershed stewardship leadership skills qualities
Time Be able to set achievable
goals Ethic of responsibility Be willing to organize Ability to focus but willing
to change Persistence
Hope Pragmatism Passion/motivation Good communicator Having local connections Strong-willed (thick-
skinned)
Data from Focus Groups: Volunteers
What training would help you succeed?
Learning about available technical resources (46%)
Developing / implementing a strategic plan (42%)
Writing and/or administering grants (41%)
Developing/ implementing watershed plan (38%)
Conducting/reporting on water quality monitoring (36%)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
With what groups have you worked in last 3 years • Chamber of
Commerce• Homebuilders• Under served
communities• Large businesses• Civic groups (e.g.
Rotary)• Farmers• Faith based
What motivated you to take action on watershed
issues?
I felt a connection to the land and waterways (>80%)
Training preferences
Readi
ng fa
ct sh
eets
on m
y own
Sing
le da
y wor
ksho
p
Readi
ng a
guid
eboo
k on m
y own
Sing
le on
-line
web
inar
On-lin
e web
inar
serie
s
Wor
ksho
p seri
es
Mul
ti-da
y con
feren
ce0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Unlikely
Undecided
Likely
# o
f re
spondents
Data from Survey 2: volunteers
Most likely:Read fact sheetsAttend single day workshop
Least likely:Workshop series, multi-day conference
Importance of statewide networking tools
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Important Neutral UnimportantAxis Title
Axis
Tit
le
Data from Survey 2: volunteers
Some helpful conclusions
Many opportunities to partner and cross train
Volunteers are likely to get engaged because they feel connected to their water resources
Respondents would likely attend one day workshops
Statewide networking is welcomed
Online interactive networking tools are welcomed
Volunteers need help reaching out to some audiences
Steering Committee
• Abermarle Pamlico National Estuary Partnership
• Centralina COG• City of Raleigh• Conservation Trust for North
Carolina• Elkin Presbyterian Church• Haywood Waterways
Association• NC Cooperative Extension• NC Ecosystem Enhancement
Program• NCDA&CS Division of Soil &
Water ConservationMichele DrostinUNC Institute for the [email protected]
Christy PerrinWater Resources Research [email protected] 919- 513-1152
• NC Division of Water Resources
• NC Regional Councils• NC Sea Grant• NC Wildlife Resources
Commission• Piedmont Triad Regional
Council• River Guardian Foundation• Town of Wake Forest• Water Resources Research
Institute• Triangle J Council of
Governments• Piedmont Triad Regional
Council• UNC Institute for the
Environment• Upper Coastal Plain COG
More people leading and working on watershed projects.
People begin &sustain local efforts in all areas across NC, including areas that lack resources. Local efforts sustained by diverse & balanced
sources Stewards collaborate broadly for greater
success People make decisions that protect water
resources, improve community health & economic development.
Our Goals
Provide online tools - connect people, share resources
Foster partnerships: public, private, nonprofit
Maximize skills through training and networking
How do we work?
Help leverage limited resources
Communicate successes
Provide online tools
Online webtool: summer 2015 for beta
Watershed planning workshops
“How to” with focus on collaborative, science-based process
4 regional workshops
Success studies: Sparking connections between people and water resources
Sneak preview: e-newsletter
Michele DrostinUNC Institute for the [email protected]
Christy PerrinWater Resources Research [email protected] 919- 513-1152
www.ncwatershednetwork.org
www.facebook.com/NCwatershedstewardshipnetwork
