Diego Adrianzen, Samuel Naseef, Alexander Verrelli Sponsor: Pedro Rios, U.S. Forest Service

Transcription

1 Diego Adrianzen, Samuel Naseef, Alexander Verrelli Sponsor: Pedro Rios, U.S. Forest Service 5/2/2013 1

2 Presentation Outline Project Context Project Goal Background Methodology Results Deliverables Discussion Conclusion 2

3 Declining health of the global environment Project Context Environmental preservation and management Without proper management decline will continue Preservation is primarily supported on large, national scales 3

4 Project Goal Aid the U.S. Forest Service in the development of the Río Espiritu Santo Watershed Council. Give the Río Espiritu Santo community a forum to voice their environmental concerns. Educate the community in ecological preservation practices. Improve the environmental health of the area. 4

5 Overall Project Timeline 5

6 Watershed Councils Non-governmental regulatory agencies made up of various stakeholders Focused on one local watershed Grew out of desire for more rapid, tailored response to needs of individual watershed 6

7 Governance Structure Samples Term Length Election Method Number of Members Number of Officers Luckiamute Watershed Council, OR Powder Basin Watershed Council, OR Long Tom Watershed Council, OR Coast Fork Williamette Watershed Council, OR 1 Year 3 Years 4 Years 2 Years Popular election Appointment by county court Popular election Volunteer Officer Positions Council Chair Treasurer Secretary Council Chair Council Vice Chair Treasurer Council Chair Council Vice Chair Council Past Chair Treasurer Secretary Council Chair Council Past Chair Treasurer Secretary 7

8 Methodology Interviews and on-line survey to watershed council officials (n=3, n=37) Interview to initial stakeholders (n=16) On-line survey to general community(n=100) Rapid Watershed Assessment (RWA) Restoration and Community Development Assessment (RCDA) Developed Google blog 8

9 Watershed Council Budget Unsure 6% $200,000- $400,000 42% 0-$50,000 25% n=37, Watershed Council Officials $150,000- $200,000 8% $50,000- $150,000 19% 9

10 Watershed Council Activities 13% 14% 1% 10% Monitoring/Research Restoration/Action 16% 13% 33% Assessment/Planning Outreach/Education Development/Fundraising Administration/Finance n=37, Watershed Council Officials Other 10

11 Score Watershed Council Funding Federal Grants Foundation Support Major Donors n=37, Watershed Council Officials General Membership State Grants Other 11

12 Score Watershed Council Challenges n=37, Watershed Council Officials 12

13 Challenge Regressions Independent Dependent P-value R 2 Coefficient Funding- State Grants Challenges- Funding Funding- General Membership Challenges- Administration Effectiveness

14 Watershed Council Effectiveness Very Effective * 6.00* 5.62* 5.59* Neutral Very Ineffective- 1 n=37, Watershed Council Official Survey 14

15 Drivers of Watershed Council Effectiveness Independent Dependent P-value R 2 Coefficient Budget Effectiveness- Overall Budget Effectiveness- Conservation/Restoration Activities- Restoration/Action Effectiveness- Overall

16 Community Willingness Very Likely- Neutral * * * * Very Unlikely- 1 n=100, Community Members 16

17 Municipality Willingness Very Likely Neutral Very Unlikely- 1 Rio Grande n=100, Community Members Other Municp 17

18 Citizen Group Willingness Very Likely Neutral- 4 3 Very Unlikely- 2 1 Academia NGO Industry Fed Gov State Gov Municp Citizens n=100, Community Members 18

19 Environmental Issues Lack of education Damming Erosion Misuse 19

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25 Ideal Watershed Council Structure Charter with well-defined mission statement and bylaws Executive board of members Committees focused on specific tasks 501(c)(3) designation Hiring of a grant writer 25

26 Ideal Watershed Council Activities Infrastructure improvement Clean-up days Educational events Public values forum 26

27 Conclusions Deliverables will give the initial stakeholders the following: Current watershed conditions Attributes of effective watershed councils Challenges they should expect to encounter Options and recommendations for governance structure Potential activities to undertake Aid the initial stakeholders in officially forming the Rio Espiritu Santo Watershed Council 27

28 Acknowledgments We would like to thank the following people: The U.S. Forest Service employees, especially Pedro Rios, Benjamin Fuentes, Bruce Drapeau, Anastacio Gomez, and Orlando Carrasquil Bahia Beach Resort, especially Marcela Cañon and Ashley Perez Worcester Polytechnic Institute, especially our advisors Professors Ted Clancy and Fabienne Miller, as well as Professor Susan Vernon-Gerstenfeld 28

29 Questions/Comments All pictures copyright Samuel Naseef and Diego Adrianzen 29