Delaware River Watershed Initiative

Strategic Plan

Russ,  this reference is okay but it's dated, draws wisdom from the feds and doesn't reflect why we believe that doing this here and now is the right thing to do.    Is it possible to draw conclusions from the Flowing to the Future Conference about the need and wisdom of this venture?  If so, delete this sentence.  (According to “Top 10 Watershed Lessons Learned,” US EPA, 1997, the three greatest challenges to any watershed approach are creation of a clear vision, good leaders committed to empower others, and having a coordinator at the watershed level. )    The DRWI was created to  ---This needs to be beefed-up----It seems as if the creation of the DRWI  needs a stronger justification---- supply these elements to the Delaware River Watershed.   Within Heritage Conservancy, the work will contribute directly  Can we put in something more tangible in this description?   Working within the mission is a given isn't it?  to our mission, expand our geographic area of influence I'm not sure what this really means--are we going beyond the watershed???? and create effective partnerships Again, this is very, very general with federal, state, municipal and non-governmental organizations.  The challenge of this initiative  lies in the sheer size and scope of the project, covering over 13, 500 square miles in 4 states, 838 municipalities, 8 million residents and 350 conservation organizations.

Key Learnings:

1. Surveys of municipalities and non-governmental organizations conducted in 1998 have identified specific gaps and opportunities to provide information, training and technical assistance.
2. While many organizations would like a watershed wide alliance, there is some resistance from competitors.
3. The lack of a single burning issue makes formation of a single alliance improbable at this time.
4. A visioning process conducted in 1999 established “directions” for the watershed including:  Good Science, Watershed Image and Marketing, Water Management, Watershed Education, Land Resources, Working Better Together
5. While the efforts are focused on the single overarching goal of protecting the watershed, the work must be achieved through a wide range of constituents and target audiences. Separate task forces,  partnerships  and conservancy projects can address each of the directions independently.

Objective:

Lead and facilitate watershed conservation by articulating the visions and by enabling and building capacity among watershed constituencies.

            Perhaps we can make this a bit more action-oriented???---Help local and state governments and private groups help themselves to conserve, protect, restore, enjoy and revitalize the land, water and living resources of the Delaware River Watershed.

Strategies:

1. Promote the Delaware River Watershed
2. Convene public and private partners
3. Help groups and local governments help themselves
4. Share research, education and science
5. Provide information to partners and the public

Tactics:

1. Promote the Delaware River Watershed 
1. Continue to co-sponsor Delaware River Sojourn
2. Co-sponsor a Delaware River Day, with the Sojourn or independently
3. Develop a marketing plan and tag-line for the River and the Initiative
4. Create a local government, industry and community awards program

1. Convene Public and Private Partners
1. Build a platform for discussions/ forums
2. Continue holding watershed conferences

1. Help Groups and Local Governments to help themselves with "Real River Conservation Work"
1. Technical assistance (i.e. organizational, project)
2. Financial assistance
3. Circuit Rider assistance

1. Share research, education and science
1. Prepare a DRWI Assessment
2. Collaborate with Universities
3. Develop a curriculum guide
4. Prepare a catalog of local river success stories

See the August 22 strategy and and add the Institute task.  I think this is a priority of Cliff's.

1. Provide Information to partners and the public
1.   Continue the Channels newsletter
2.   Develop and maintain a DRWI web-site information

See August 22 and add the source book and targeting the masses.

Goals Measurements: 

• Complete:  Sojourn, River Day, Awards Program, Marketing Plan and slogan/ tag-line
• Obtain funding and develop cooperative agreements for a circuit rider  position or positions. 
• Provide:  Technical assistance, Financial Assistance be more specific please # of projects ???
• Complete:  This is more sophisticated than you might think.  Our goal should be to start the Assessment DRWI Assessment.  These typically take 1 to 2 years, start to finish, to complete. Curriculum Guide, Success Stories Compendium
• Produce:  24 issues of Channels, 100 pages of web-site content
• Produce: Why not use your work plan and give a number of proposals for funding the above