Civic organizations Unifying force for citizens and community opinion Familiarity, known leadership and organization Helpful links to other community leadership Land owners Very detailed personal knowledge of their land Frequent, long-term observation of stream conditions Concerns about rights, access, impacts form elsewhere Emotionally connected to land Individual effect on watershed environment may vary widely Public lands managers Scientific data Very detailed personal knowledge of the land Experience in land management techniques Consulting scientist and engineers Scientific data Scientific and technical insights in informal setting Early detection of possible problems and risks Insights on costs of action alternatives Source of expert assistance Financial institutions Influence over management decisions Linkage with landowners Prestige for partnership Funding for programs Farm organizations Credibility and visibility for programs Existing communication channels Small woodlot management groups May have developed management plans Very detailed personal knowledge of their land Good candidates for using Best Management Practices Local colleges and universities Source of scientific information Scientific and technical insights in informal setting Early detection of possible problems and risks Insights on costs of action alternatives Source of expert assistance Grass roots river/watershed groups Enthusiastic volunteers monitors Skills for writing grant proposals Outdoor recreation clubs Familiarity with lands that are accessible Some have very large membership, activist outlook Events that can develop group camaraderie Other environmental groups Dedication to environmental protection Activist outlook Cooperative extension Expertise in education and outreach techniques Expertise in natural resources management Respected information source Information and data Soil and water conservation districts Credibility within community Expertise in natural resource management Funding mechanisms Awareness of issues and solutions Water treatment plants Newspaper, TV and radio Coverage of watershed events Human interest stories Understanding of local information needs Ability to get information out quickly Teachers and students Influence over efforts in the future Time and energy for "repetitive" tasks

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Who Should Be Included In Your Partnership?

In short, anyone with a stake in the watershed management plan is a candidate for involvement in your partnership. Success depends on involving a good mix of people and organizations to put together and implement the plan. You will need to find people to play a number of roles, including:

• Technical
• Leadership
• Communication
• Education
• Political liaison
• Public policy

A diverse group has a better chance of fulfilling these roles by bringing different talents, interests, concerns, and values to the table. (View a list of potential partners and the roles they may play.) Some people who live outside the watershed may even have an important role to play because they benefit from or impact water or other natural resources within the watershed. It's important to realize that no matter who becomes involved in your effort, a successful partnership takes time to develop and you can expect some highs and some lows along the way.

Above all, your mix of members will need to understand the place and people that are likely to be affected by the plan. They will need to fairly consider the social and economic situation and community attitudes toward the issues. Give some attention to prospective allies the watershed group hopes to enlist in the community. Will the watershed/locality generally welcome your planning effort and its goals?

Some of the toughest choices may be about whether to include people with extremely divergent viewpoints. Should they be part of the group, in the hope that some understanding can be reached, or would they derail all hopes of making progress at all? Would a limited, more like-minded group make progress because of their consensus, or under-represent the interests of too many others in the watershed? There's no foolproof answer to these questions; you'll just need to give your own local situation very thorough consideration before making any decisions.