Inter-Agency Collaboration for Stream Stability and Community Engagement: Lessons from the Ashokan Watershed
Max Kelly
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County
Shokan, NY
Authors: Max Kelly and Leslie Zucker, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County
The Ashokan Watershed Stream Management Program (AWSMP) partners with private landowners and municipalities to address stream stability and water quality impairment in a mountainous, forested watershed. A central program focus is translating technical science for the local community, a process that fosters successful projects and deeply engaged stakeholders. Our inter-agency framework integrates stakeholder support to ensure that resident and municipal interests are represented in projects. Technical staff complete stream geomorphic assessments to identify sites that threaten stream instability and water quality impairment. These data inform the prioritization of restoration projects designed to improve water quality and benefit the broader stream ecosystem. We utilize technical assistance visits as an opportunity to explain stream process and best management practices to landowners and municipal officials, at their pace and based upon their specific concerns. Furthermore, we deliver a variety of stream and floodplain educational trainings to raise local knowledge on fluvial geomorphology and stream stability. By prioritizing stakeholder involvement, the AWSMP ensures that projects and initiatives address local needs while providing the multitude of benefits that stable stream ecosystems provide.
This presentation will focus on pathways for community engagement and technical involvement that lead to successful projects, stable stream ecosystems, and engaged communities.
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