Stage 2: Developing the Plan (continued)

Types of Actions
There are four main types of actions in which most watershed partnerships consider becoming involved:

• Information/education
• Technical assistance
  
• Funding
• Regulatory

Information/education. Most people start with a fairly negative impression of what they do not yet understand; this impression will not usually change if they are not provided new information. Proposed activities in a watershed need to be backed by clear information, provided early in the process to the people potentially affected by the activity. Few people will make changes without understanding what changes need to occur, why change is needed, how to make the change, and how the change will affect the individual. Outreach can be one of the most effective activities carried out by watershed partnerships because it counteracts "fear of the unknown." Approaches may vary, but a watershed plan should always include some elements of outreach to provide critical information to key audiences in the watershed.

Technical assistance. Many watershed plan development efforts need more than just information and outreach, but also require some type of technical assistance. This may take many forms, ranging from one-on-one discussion or clarification of a minor technical point, to activities like design and implementation of a major restoration project. The group should be sure that they fully recognize the level of technical expertise, and related costs, for any action they consider.

Funding as a management tool. Funds may be needed to compensate landowners in order to accomplish certain types of management alternatives. For example, a landowner may receive money or partial tax abatement in exchange for outdoor recreational access, implementing a better land management practice that will increase his costs, or avoiding disturbance of important ecological features such as unique habitats. Many watershed partnerships include cost-share and other forms of financial assistance in action plans.

Regulatory action. Local ordinances, zoning or other types of regulation can be effective options to consider as planning tools. Zoning has been used for decades as a tool for maintaining a locality's desired character, by guiding land uses into certain areas and away from others. More specific ordinances may address a pattern of activity that has created past problems -- a streamside protection ordinance, for example, may exclude new housing or trailers from areas where flooding has caused losses and cost the government emergency response funds in the past. An effective inspections/monitoring program and enforcement may be needed to support regulatory activities.