Creeks and communities : a continuing strategy for accelerating cooperative riparian restoration and management

24 Pages·2002·7.1 MB·English

by  Riparian Coordination Network (U.S.)

BLMi LI
880538
U.S. Department
of the Interior
Bureau of Land
Management
U.S. Department
of Agriculture
Forest Service
in
partnership
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U.S. Department
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The Riparian Coordination Network consists of:
National Riparian Service Team
Agency Riparian Program Coordinators
State Cadres (including agency and nonagency individuals)
Production services provided by:
National Science gat
Technology Center
Bureak co f Land : Managc ement
Information and Communications Staff
303-236-6547
Linda Hill: Editing
Jennifer Kapus: Layout and Design
Lee Barkow, Director
National Science and Technology Center
P.O. Box 25047
Denver, Colorado 80225-0047
The Bureau of Land Management’s National
Science and Technology Center supports
other BLM offices by providing a broad
spectrum of services in areas such as physical,
biological, and social science assessments;
architecture and engineering support; library
assistance; mapping science; photo imaging;
geographic information systems applications;
and publications support.
Copies available from:
National Riparian Service Team
3050 NE 3rd Street
Prineville, OR 97754
or on the Web at:
hetp://www.or.blm.gov/nrst
BLM/WO/GI-03/004+6740
ee
Creeks and
Communtities:
A Continuing Strategy for
Accelerating Cooperative
Riparian Restoration
and Management
Prepared by the
Riparian Coordination Network
December 2002
Suggested citation:
Riparian Coordination Network. 2002. Creeks and communities: A continuing strategy for
accelerating cooperative riparian restoration and management. Bureau of Land Management,
Denver, Colorado. BLM/WO/GI-02/014+6740. 16 pp.
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Successful riparian restoration and management are the result of cooperation among all interests in a
watershed.
A strategy for accelerating cooperative riparian appropriate treatments. This disagreement has
restoration and management was initiated in led to an environment of lawsuits and
1996 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture regulatory approaches, often leaving out the
(USDA) Forest Service and the U.S. people most affected by the decisions. However,
Department of the Interior (USDI) Bureau of there is increasing evidence that effective
Land Management, in partnership with the solutions arise from the workings of citizens and
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. stakeholders. This strategy was designed to
The strategy was designed to integrate the facilitate collaborative approaches, which take
physical, biological, and social dimensions of time and are greatly influenced by human
riparian-wetland management to achieve results dynamics, yet offer the greatest opportunity for
for resources and communities. It was based on managing conflict and reducing excessive
the premise that as demands on our natural process and expense.
resources increase, the only effective way to
ensure the sustainable production of values and The goals of the original strategy were to
benefits is through strong, lasting, public and achieve riparian restoration through
private partnerships. collaboration and to reduce process
requirements for restoration and maintenance of
Healthy watersheds and riparian-wetland areas riparian-wetland areas. It addressed the need to
are critical to providing communities with the bring communities of people together and use
economic, ecological, and social benefits that common vocabulary and definitions for
come from the reliable availability of adequate evaluating the health and condition of riparian-
supplies of clean water. The storage of water in wetland areas. It incorporated fundamental
riparian-wetland areas is important to ensuring a concepts from both the biophysical and social
life-sustaining supply of this precious resource. dimensions of riparian-wetland management, as
Riparian-wetland areas are also unique features reflected in the use of the Proper Functioning
that connect landscapes and communities, Condition assessment method by the Riparian
providing unlimited opportunities to bring Coordination Network. Through extensive
people together to create a common vision for outreach, effort was focused on laying a
productive and sustainable conditions. While foundation of understanding across a large
there is growing agreement regarding the number of people, over a broad geographic area
importance of watershed and riparian-wetland and at multiple organizational scales, with the
function, there continues to be considerable intent of building capacity for better
disagreement about existing conditions and decisionmaking and collective action. Program
Creeks and Communities: A Continuing Strategy for Accelerating Cooperative Riparian Restoration and Management
evaluation results indicate success in terms of more specific objectives, strategies, and
bringing people together and high levels of activities. Combined, they reflect the
satisfaction with the products and services recognition that while teaching riparian-wetland
provided. However, the degree to which the function to a broad spectrum of people is
outreach, training, and assistance have fundamental to meeting the goal of this strategy,
influenced cooperative restoration and additional emphasis must be placed on
management is less evident. Barriers to both strategically building the individual, community,
implementation and effectiveness have been and institutional capacity needed to achieve
identified and provide the basis for adaptations coordinated management. Extended services
focused on those aspects of the approach that will include activities that both precede and
will ensure the achievement of intended results follow specific assistance. Additional focus on
as this strategy continues. restoration, management, and monitoring will
address a broader range of issues along with
In response to the results of the evaluation, drawing on tools designed for situation
elements of the original strategy have been assessment, conflict management, and consensus
redefined and refined to improve the strategy’s building. Emphasis will be placed on
effectiveness. The original goals have been diversifying the existing skill base of the
blended into a more focused overarching goal, Riparian Coordination Network through
which is to develop a critical mass of people training and recruitment from various
who interact with and manage riparian-wetland disciplines, as well as from private organizations
resources based on shared knowledge of the and communities. Finally, the revised strategy
attributes and processes that constitute addresses program management and
sustainability. In an effort to better guide accountability by outlining specific activities
program decisionmaking and evaluation in the that guide overall operations.
future, the revised plan outlines a number of
Healthy riparian areas provide for the sustainable production of multiple benefits.
“,..collaborative approaches can lead to better decisions...”
ade ee” oa «eet . =. Pos. 9 = *; =
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Concern for the environment has been growing legacy of programs and practices that are now
for a number of years and, consequently, the considered unwise or even harmful.
number of conflicts involving environmental
issues and the management of natural resources Riparian-wetland areas have been a focal point
has grown as well. As we head into this for the past several decades, which is evident
century, we are faced with an increasing human from both increased litigation over the values
population and a corresponding increase in the they produce as well as a rise in the number of
demand on natural resources, which indicates conservation programs designed to improve
that conflicts over the management of these them. While there is growing agreement about
resources will continue. Nowhere are such the importance of watershed and riparian-
conflicts more evident than in the escalating wetland function for providing many benefits,
demand for water. Reliable supplies of water such as long-term water supplies and
for domestic, agricultural, and industrial maintenance of water quality, there continues
consumption are essential to community well- to be considerable disagreement about the
being and economic stability. existing conditions of these resources, the types
of uses that are appropriate, and the treatment
Riparian-wetland areas play an important role and tools that can be successfully employed to
in water conflicts. The storage of water in restore and maintain them. As a result,
riparian-wetland areas is critical to ensuring a riparian-wetland management has been
life-sustaining supply of this precious resource. characterized by lawsuits and regulatory
In addition, riparian-wetland areas and their approaches, which often leave out the people
associated streams and wetlands are valuable who must implement the solutions and who are
indicators of watershed health. They are most directly affected by the consequences of
among the first landscape features to reflect the decisions.
damage from improper management or natural
events. Yet they are also resilient due to the A better approach to managing riparian-
presence of water, which creates opportunities wetland areas is to facilitate efforts designed to
for restoration and recovery. Riparian-wetland build capacity within communities to confront
areas comprise a relatively small percentage of and resolve the complex and contentious
the total land base, but when they are healthy, problems surrounding these resources. People
they provide tremendous public benefits. are now recognizing that using the best science
However, many of these systems are currently to make management decisions is not enough.
functioning below their potential. Although Successful management of these resources is
improvement can be found in some riparian- dependent upon bringing communities of
wetland areas, many have been subject to a people together, working at the landscape level
Creeks and Communities: A Continuing Strategfyo r Accelerating Cooperative Riparian Restoration and Management
and beyond political boundaries, to create a take time. Effective partnerships recognize the
common vision for productive and sustainable need to build and sustain productive
riparian-wetland conditions. ‘There is relationships and take steps to establish and
increasing evidence that effective solutions arise maintain them. Building relationships,
from the workings of citizens and stakeholders, developing understanding, and networking are
who in addition to using technically correct complicated processes that are greatly
information, engage in processes that address influenced by human dynamics. However, an
the human and social dimensions of resource initial investment of working collaboratively up
management issues. front, with the scope of interested parties, offers
the greatest opportunity for managing conflict
Although collaborative approaches can lead to and reducing excessive red tape, which is often
better decisions that are more likely to be cited as a barrier to effective, efficient, riparian-
implemented and help prepare agencies and wetland restoration and management.
communities for future challenges, they also
aaa USHER USI RIISIE RE NE
What is a Community?
The concept of community is fundamental to the understanding of people and
how they interact with the environment. However, community is not easily
defined because various types of communities exist. The following concepts of 10)
community are adapted from “Community Participation in Ecosystem .
Management,” by Timothy P. Duane, which appeared in Ecology Law Quarterly we
24(4):771-798: ©
Ss 0 Communities ofp lace are tied to a physical space through geography. se
¥ Communities of identity are tied to each other through social characteristics, but ®
they may transcend place.
WY Communities of interest may have commonalities in how they relate to a Ico
particular ecosystem or resource as beneficiaries of that place or contributors to
its condition. Members of these communities are often described as @
stakeholders.
W Finally, the term “community” can also speak to the quality of relationships
between groups of people.
OO