Upper & Middle James Riparian Consortium
Consortium vision ⇒ Five goals ⇒ Actions that Action Teams implement
Consortium Vision
The Consortium aims to align partners to facilitate water quality improvements through two major objectives: formalize a Middle and Upper James Riparian Consortium and coordinate outreach and targeting for project implementation around five areas of focus: Riparian forest buffers; Agricultural infrastructure (ie, fencing); Stream restoration; Wildlife habitat as well as Buffer protection, easements, and maintenance.
Emily's Role: Assist in the management, facilitation, coordination of the Consortium
Goals for the Middle and Upper James Riparian Consortium
-Improve targeting for site identification, tool cataloguing, and outreach for effective implementation.
-Ensure the use of the best research method for the best site for riparian restoration.
-Build knowledge and capacity about best practices, innovation, and by growing partnerships.
-Coordinate implementation and outreach based on targeting, funding availability, and potential for impact.
-Increase awareness and understanding for landowners and the public about the importance of riparian areas, cost assistance and programs options, and points of contact.
Action Team Strategies - action items for implementation
Team Strategies: The following Strategies are a way to build the base of knowledge, awareness, and coordinate implementation of the above Focus Areas.
-Targeting: Inform outreach strategies and areas of focus for targeted implementation for the Consortium. Through a micro-targeting analysis in select watersheds in the Middle and Upper James, we will look at both social characteristics of landowners and environmental characteristics like habitat value and potential for water quality improvements to target our outreach and implementation.
-Research: Ensure practitioners are using the best method for the best site by compiling existing studies, looking at projects already installed, and using test plots to try out methods for site preparation, planting, maintenance, etc for regional specific methods (i.e. Middle vs Upper James or other criteria) for riparian restoration. The focus is riparian forest buffers and could expand to look at other focus areas like stream restoration.
-Knowledge Network/Capacity Building: Build capacity in the region by learning from each other about best practices, innovation, and by growing partnership. This may include: field trips to riparian restoration sites; understanding various programs; identifying local experts; creating opportunities to help local groups new to riparian restoration; Annual Riparian Buffer Summits to connect and learn from each other and outside experts; as well as funding and collaboration opportunities.
-Implementation Coordination: Coordinate Consortium members and practitioners on implementation and outreach for the Focus Areas (forest buffers, agricultural infrastructure, stream restoration, wildlife habitat, and buffer protection) based on targeting, funding availability, and potential for impact. Through understanding the various cost assistance programs and their associated geographic area, program status, contacts, eligibility, etc., partners will be able to guide landowners appropriately and collaborate for maximum benefit, coordination, and restoration potential.
-Awareness/Outreach: Increase the awareness and understanding for landowners and the public about the importance of riparian areas, what cost assistance or other programs are best for their site, and who to contact. This also includes field days, workshops, and information online. Other outreach strategies will be informed by targeting analysis to get the right message to the right person in the right format.
