Progress 10/01/11 to 09/30/14
Outputs
Target Audience: The program targets watershed coordinators, citizen volunteers, local government officials, engineers, planners, conservation agency staff, stormwater managers, members of land trusts or community environmental organizations, drainage boards, town boards, or others that influence water management. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?
Nothing Reported
How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? www.NYWatershedSteward.org describes the NY Master Watershed Steward Program and includes steward testimonials (including a video produced by a MWS Program intern), application information, and publications. A Moodle site (http://moodle2.cce.cornell.edu/) hosted by Cornell Cooperative Extension where the program's distance-learning modules are stored, assignments are turned in and graded, program announcements are made, and interactive forums are used by both the stewards and trainers. The feedback from the volunteer stewards and program coordinators was that the site was unwieldy and so a new distance-learning site was developed. This website is still available online as an invite-only site. A CourseSites site (www.coursesites.com), developed by Blackboard, hosts the program's distance-learning modules and assignments, program announcements, and interactive forum. This website, which replaces the Moodle site, has not been fully implemented, but is ready for implementation by Cooperative Extension offices that wish to use it. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
1. Trained cadre of citizen activists that are knowledgeable about watershed-related topics This is an on-going goal. To date, we have developed a program - the New York Master Watershed Steward (MWS) Program -- that has graduated a total of 13 "citizen activists" in watershed-related topics. The program was developed based on a 2011 Statewide Needs Assessment; this assessment was used to inform the MWS Program's training curriculum. The four key areas for training were: 1. Organizational and Community Capacity, implemented through modules like Stakeholder Engagement, and Acquiring Funds for Watershed Management, and having government officials speak about their watershed management experiences and guest speakers talk about Land-use Leadership Training, NYS Land-use Law, and Land-use Decision-Making Processes. 2. Internal Organizational Capacity, implemented through modules such as Setting Group Goals for Watershed Management, Strengths Assessment, Dealing with Stumbling Blocks, and Group Facilitation Skills, as well as using guest speakers and group activities to support the modules. 3. Technical Skills: Background and Planning, implemented through modules like Intro to Watersheds, Watershed Planning and Assessment, and including presentations and field trips on Riparian Buffers and Corridors, Stormwater Management, Streambank Management, Roadside Drainage Management, Intro to Marcellus Shale and Natural Gas Drilling, Wells and Septic Systems, and Green Infrastructure Practices. 4. Technical Skills: Assessment and Monitoring, implemented through modules such as Watershed Inventory and presentations and field trips on GIS and GPS Skills for Watershed Management, Bio-Monitoring Training, Visual Stream Assessment, and Aquatic and Riparian Invasive Species. The stewards in the MWS Program were required to complete one module from each of the four key training areas (Stakeholder Engagement, Strengths Assessment, Watershed Planning and Assessment, and Watershed Inventory); they were also required to complete a particular number of elective modules from the full list of modules (listed within the key training areas above). Stewards also completed an in-depth learning project, either individually or in a group. The majority of projects undertaken were in conjunction with Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) or local non-governmental organization projects. These projects included stream assessments, a review of countywide riparian buffer ordinances, a presentation for landowners about stream restoration techniques, and a presentation to local government officials about a proposed recreation area along a stream. The overall program evaluation from the final meeting of the 2012-2013cohort of stewards rated the following statements on a scale of 1-5, where 1 = strongly disagree, 2 = disagree, 3 = neutral, 4 = agree, and 5 = strongly agree: · I found the course materials to be informative: 4.6 · The program improved my overall knowledge of watershed management: 4.8 · I am confident that I could participate in watershed planning and management if I wanted to: 4.3 · I have the skills needed to address local watershed issues: 4.0 · My desire to be actively involved in watershed management has increased: 4.2 · I plan to apply the knowledge learned in my community: 4.4 · I plan to share the information I learned with others in my community: 4.3 · I feel my invested in local watershed issues: 4.4 2. Partners in watershed protection that can expand the scope of research-based extension outreach and education Through the MWS Program, Cornell Cooperative Extension in Columbia, Greene, Dutchess, Ulster, Onondaga, and Suffolk Counties have cultivated existing and new partnerships. These include partnerships with other CCE offices and Cornell University staff, non-governmental organizations, governmental agencies at the municipal, state, and federal level, and with specific government officials. Partnership activities comprised participating in MWS Program trainings as guest speakers, contributing to MWS Program curriculum development, mentoring stewards through their in-depth learning project, evaluating the program, and providing resources to the program such as staff, tools, and time. 3. Robust community-based watershed groups that have improved capacity to address water quality issues Some stewards have joined existing community-based watershed groups; this is a goal that will follow our trained stewards as they recruit others to join in already-established groups or they begin their own groups. 4. Network of peers and professionals working on watershed issues with whom Stewards can communicate and learn from Master Watershed Stewards are connected to those people and organizations that participated in the implementation of their program, such as CCE coordinators, guest speakers, local NGOs, and the other stewards. We are working on developing an online resource to connect all stewards and program participants, from specific people to whole organizations. 5. Increased regional capacity for Cornell Cooperative Extension programming This is an on-going goal. While we hope that each CCE office will continue to implement the MWS Program, we understand that each office is under its own resource constraints (e.g., staff, financial, time). The program materials developed allow for counties to adopt the program and have a turn-key curriculum and evaluation framework.
Publications
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Progress 10/01/11 to 09/30/12
Outputs
OUTPUTS: A statewide survey was conducted to determine the barriers, educational needs, and strategies associated with watershed management in New York State. The study was implemented through a 13-page, 24-question online survey of watershed organizations and Cornell University Cooperative Extension educators involved in watershed management in New York. The survey investigated the need for a watershed steward program and determined the most useful structure and training modules for the program. The survey included sections on respondents' demographics and current watershed management involvement, training needs, program structure, watershed management planning, and barriers to success. The survey was sent to 208 leaders of watershed organizations and was also sent to the CCE water resources list serve via unique survey link and 4 reminder emails. There were 30 undeliverables and 107 respondents to the survey for an overall response rate of 49.4% (for unique web survey link). Of the 107 respondents, there were 19 respondents from the CEE water resources list serve and 88 watershed organization leader respondents. The survey results were analyzed and compiled and presented to the advisory committee for this project. A Cornell University Cooperative Extension intern was trained in social science survey methods and analysis and helped to analyze and compile the data from the survey. PARTICIPANTS: PROJECT TEAM INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING: Terri Mayhew (Cornell Cooperative Extension Columbia County) Shorna Allred, Ph.D. (NY Master Watershed Steward Program Director, Associate Professor and Extension Specialist, Cornell University, Dept. of Natural Resources) Maureen Mullen (NY Master Watershed Steward Program Assistant, Communications Outreach Coordinator, Human Dimensions of Natural Resources) Carolyn Klocker (NY Master Watershed Steward County Coordinator, Sr. Water Resource Educator, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Dutchess County) Liz LoGiudice (NY Master Watershed Steward, County Coordinator, Natural Resources Extension Educator, Cornell Cooperative Extension's Agroforestry Resource Center, Columbia and Greene County) Gretchen Rae & Brent Gotsch (NY Master Watershed Steward County Coordinators, Office Manager & Watershed Educator, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Ulster County, Ashokan Watershed Stream Management Program, Cornell Cooperative Extension) PROJECT ADVISORY COMMITTEE INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING: Allison Chatrchyan (Cornell Cooperative Extension Dutchess County) Scott Cuppett (NYS DEC Hudson River Estuary Program/Water Resources Institute) Deb Grantham (Cornell University) Emilie Hauser (Hudson River Estuarine Research Reserve) Elizabeth Higgins (Cornell Cooperative Extension Ulster County) Brent W Gotsch (Cornell Cooperative Extension Ulster County) Barbara Kendall (Hudson River Watershed Alliance) Emily Vail (NYS DEC Hudson River Estuary Program) Mark Vian (NYC Dept. of Environmental Protection) TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING: -Part I of the MWS in-person training, June 16-17, 2012 at the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, NY. -Part II of the MWS in-person training, October 20, 2012 at the Agroforestry Resource Center in Acra, NY. -More than 20 online modules include not only distance-learning activities, but also opportunities to attend workshops and seminars such as GIS and GPS Skills presented by Neil Curri of Dutchess County Cooperative Extension, Aquatic and Riparian Invasive Species presented by Marilyn Wyman of the Agroforestry Resource Center, and the Catskill Environmental Research and Monitoring Conference's Effects of Climate Change and Invasive Species on Ecosystem Integrity and Water Quality. -Presentation: Master Watershed Steward Program; Mid-Hudson and Catskills CCE Shared Business Network, July 13, 2012. TARGET AUDIENCES: The program targets watershed coordinators, citizen volunteers, local government officials, engineers, planners, conservation agency staff, stormwater managers, members of land trusts or community environmental organizations, drainage boards, town boards, or others that influence water management. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: None
Impacts
Pre- and post-training evaluations were conducted of those enrolled in the Master Watershed Steward Program. To date, the program evaluations show stewards' knowledge about watershed planning, watershed assessments, and the tools used for watershed management has increased. Program evaluations have also shown that their desire to be actively involved in watershed management has increased, that they intend to apply what they have learned in their community, and they intend to share the information they have learned with others in the community.
Publications
- Keller, E., Allred, S., Chatrchyan, A. and C. Klocker. 2012. Assessment of Need for a New York State Master Watershed Steward Program. Cornell University Cooperative Extension. 53pp.
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