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Fall 2002 PNWWATER 007 |
| On May 31, 2002 at 38 Cooperative Extension sites across the Pacific Northwest, people gathered to discuss and learn about collaborative processes for watershed restoration and protection. The centerpiece of the meetings was a two hour live satellite broadcast downlinked to each of the meeting locations. The program introduced techniques to bring together diverse community interests, approaches to contentious water resource issues, and offered real world advice on collaborative planning styles.
Rounding out the program that utilized excerpts from the video, Living on the Edge: Watershed Planning in the PNW, was an interactive question and answer session with the representatives of the featured watershed planning councils and environmental agency department personnel from Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. After the broadcast portion of the program, many of the locally facilitated meetings focused their discussions on identifying ways they could work more effectively as a group.
The program rated highly in participant evaluations and enthusiasm was expressed for a future satellite conference on a related subject. Living on the Edge: Grassroots Watershed Planning in the Pacific Northwest and Creating Effective Groups to Address Pressing Local Problems are available from WSU Bulletins at http://pubs.wsu.edu. |
Watershed management has emerged as an intense political, environmental, and social issue throughout the country. The Endangered Species and Clean Water Acts have increased pressure on communities to improve water quality and protect salmon populations. Fulfilling these mandates and meeting competing demands for water use requires innovative watershed-scale management approaches and cooperation. In the Pacific Northwest, watershed councils and planning units have been developed to address watershed issues. These groups are each in a different stage of development — from long standing vigorous groups to withering ones. This program was developed to energize and inspire participants by demonstrating how other successful groups have organized and worked together to address specific issues.
Creating Effective Groups to Address Pressing Local Problems: A Resource Guide for Watershed Councils in the Pacific Northwest, written as a companion piece to the video by rural sociologist Emmett P. Fiske, Ph.D. was included in conference attendee packets. The Guide was designed as a tool to improve consensus-based decision making skills. Conference attendees also received web-based resources on environmental project assessment and evaluation as well as state specific funding sources.
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Quality Coordination Project Partners Land Grant Universities Idaho Oregon Washington Northwest Indian College Water Resource Research Institutes Idaho Water Resources Institute for Water and Watersheds State of Washington Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Research and Development, For more information contact |
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The four land grant universities in the Pacific Northwest have aligned our water resource extension and research efforts with eight themes of the USDA's Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension System.
1. Animal Waste Management |
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Project Land Grant Universities, Water Research Institutes and EPA Region 10 have formed a partnership to provide research and education to communities about protecting or restoring the quality of water resources. This partnership is being supported in part by the USDA’s Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension System (CSREES).
Our Goal and Approach
Our Strengths |
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907-786-6311
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cooperative program consisting of the USDA Cooperative State Research,
Education, and Extension Service - a Regionally-Based National Network - |
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