DEQ 319 2009 Application
NPS Riparian/Wetland Buffer Education Program
Submitted by: Montana Watercourse
PO Box 170575
Bozeman, MT 59717
Contact: Debra Earl (406)-994-1910
Section II – A. Introduction
Montana Watercourse (MTWC) has been instrumental in providing state-wide water education programs, trainings, resources and support to water users since 1989. Montana Watercourse proposes to continue delivering quality statewide NPS education through a riparian and wetland buffer education program. This proposal is designed, in part, to support and expand the efforts of the Riparian Buffer Public Education Campaign currently being overseen by the Flathead Conservation District’s 2008 NPS 319 grant. Proposed activities are targeted to Montana K-12 students and teachers in areas of the state experiencing rapid development, and which are part of the above named educational campaign. MTWC will coordinate with the Riparian Campaign partners and other existing groups such as the Montana Watershed Coordination Council, Governor’s Riparian Task Force and Eric Vincent’s Eco Challenge Riparian Repair Teams and others to deliver unique on the ground buffer education and expand and disseminate existing educational resources.
This project will enlist the involvement of community resource professionals from agencies, businesses, consulting firms, and county officials. MTWC will create resources and activities that foster watershed stewardship for future generations through increased appreciation of the role of riparian and wetland areas in controlling NPS, support the efforts of the current Riparian Buffer Public Education Campaign through additional educational activities and trainings and assist the Eco Challenge riparian project. The activities will focus on connecting the students to the greater community and will foster awareness of the restoration needs that are a focus of the Governor’s Restoration Economy efforts. The materials used and developed will be coordinated with the Riparian Campaigns materials to ensure a consistent message. The estimated release of the Riparian Campaign advertisements is Spring / early Summer 2009. Therefore the activities of this proposal will occur after (Fall 2009 – 2010) the initial release of the advertisements, will refresh people’s memory, and repeat a similar message using some of the same materials. While the Riparian Campaign intends to address consumer demand and change social norms concerning buffers through mass advertising, MTWC intends to deliver on the ground buffer education resources and connecting the K-12 community and educators to restoration activities in their communities. To achieve this end, the program will:
1) Coordinate with existing riparian/wetland buffer efforts through meetings, phone calls and emails to ensure consistent message and best use of resources.
2) Use existing Riparian Campaign resources such as posters, website and advertisements in education events and/or products to strengthen and promote consistent messaging.
3) Support new and existing elementary level riparian/wetlands festivals to include buffer education.
4) Support the education community through the creation and promotion of riparian/wetland buffer curriculum, materials and resources correlated to the state science, math, social science, technology and language arts content standards.
5) Post resources and information on wetland/riparian area buffer protection on the Montana Watercourse and the Riparian Campaign websites.
6) Conduct wetland/riparian area tours for educators.
7) Coordinate with Office of Public Instruction to support wetland/riparian area restoration Service Learning projects by school groups.
8) Coordinate wetland/riparian public service announcements, community events, and other means of reaching the general public through school-initiated programs.
9) Create and promote riparian/wetland buffer education trunks.
10) Support efforts of partner groups in the push to encourage “No Child Left Inside” through wetland/riparian educational activities.
The goals of this project are to create resources, opportunities and community connections that foster awareness of buffers, water quality and restoration careers for at least 1,000 students (future decision makers) and 50-75 of their educators These goals directly align with the following MDEQ NPS Plan Five Year Goals and measurable outcomes listed in table 5-3:
· Develop education campaign: Riparian and Wetland buffer protection.
o Measureable outcomes: increased delivery of message and number of activities contributing to campaign. Increased numbers and acres of wetlands and miles of riparian areas restored with student / educator assistance.
· Work with Statewide organizations (i.e. MEEA, Project WET) to establish and expand water curriculum in schools.
o Measureable outcomes: New water curriculum that is aligned to state standards and focuses on buffers. Increased number of students and teachers participating in buffer workshops and trainings.
· This project will also support the goal listed in table 5-3: Develop education campaign: Urban growth and development. Riparian and wetland buffer education emphasizes the need to locate new development away from these sensitive areas.
o Measureable outcomes: Increased number of students, educators, and community members exposed to buffer education, resources, and importance of protecting these areas from development.
Additional outcomes of the proposed program will engage students and their communities to become stewards of riparian/wetland areas and include:
1) Student-led community riparian/wetland restoration/protection projects that empower students and lead to better educated communities.
2) Improved water quality through student participation in riparian/wetland buffer area restoration.
3) Increased interest in watershed issues that shape students’ personal involvement in watershed stewardship.
4) Increased awareness of possible career paths that tie into riparian/wetland restoration.
5) Improved educator access to valuable buffer curriculum and resources.
6) Stronger network of watershed educators.
Additionally, the NPS Plan specifically identifies both formal and non formal educators as one of the three target audiences. MTWC is uniquely positioned to blend this priority with an identified target audience to work statewide with partners. MTWC will continue the momentum of a current buffer education campaign to implement on the ground education that meets a priority of the NPS plan. As noted in the NPS plan, buffers provide a tremendous benefit for water quality especially in areas experiencing growth and development. This program will leverage existing efforts in areas that are experiencing land use change and will lead to a cost effective program that will benefit many of Montana’s citizens and improve water quality.
Educators have enormous influence on students’ perceptions, activities and future. Students’ learning impacts their families and the community at large. This project will enable educators to reach more students with important buffer protection education. Program activities are designed to involve students in riparian and wetland buffer protection as a way to improve water quality, improve habitat, and to enhance quality of life. The program promises to move beyond theory and into practice as students engage in service learning projects and student-designed educational campaigns targeted to their communities. Additionally, involving local resource professionals in these activities will create awareness of the growing need for restoration-related career possibilities that await these students.
B. Statement of Need and Intent
This project is intended to address buffer education and protection from a statewide perspective. Montana faces substantial water quality challenges in the short and long-term. In the short term, the State of Montana faces a tight set of mandated deadlines to assess the quality of its water resources and produce Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) water quality restoration plans for waters not meeting state water quality standards. Riparian and wetland buffers protect and restore water quality, assisting DEQ’s efforts to meet these standards. Increasing urban development negatively impacts these sensitive and critical areas. Buffer protection and restoration education, resources and activity is needed to improve the quality of Montana’s water. When local communities, students and educators understand the underlying water quality issues and the options to address the challenges presented, Montana’s water quality will improve. Long-term sustainability and vitality of these water resources will require improvements in public awareness and knowledge, changes in personal behavior, and enhanced local capacity to support water management decisions that include water quality restoration. Educators need resources and programs to promote buffer understanding and protection as they work with students who can influence their parents’ perspectives and who will make future land use decisions.
Tight resources and the necessity of local stewardship means that the focus on partnerships, coordination of efforts, local understanding, and local capacity are key to any sustained change in water quality and watershed stewardship. Currently there are several riparian buffer efforts addressing social norms (Riparian Campaign), agency activities (Governor’s Riparian Task Force,) student restoration activities (Eric Vincent’s Eco Challenge), and statewide coordination (Wetland Council). MTWC intends to coordinate a statewide buffer education campaign that partners with these ongoing efforts and others to deliver unique, targeted and consistent buffer education programs and resources. These activities will help ensure that individuals, local organizations, and schools have the tools they need to understand how and why to protect riparian and wetland buffers. MTWC will evaluate the programs throughout the project period through participant evaluations and follow up to determine knowledge gained, actions taken, and outcome of restoration activities supported by this program.
C. State NPS Plan E&O Components
This proposal directly addresses the 2007 Montana NPS Management Plan Section 5, Table 5.3 Five-Year Goals: Develop education campaign: Riparian and wetland buffer protection and work with statewide organizations to establish and expand water curriculum in schools. Specifically this proposal also addresses: Objective 1.1 - Action 1.1j - continue to provide public education on the value of protecting streams and lakes from NPS. Objective 1.2: Action 1.2b – Increase the protection of sensitive lands along watercourses from encroachment and development, and promote riparian buffers adjacent to streams and lakes through outreach and education efforts. Objective 2.1: Action 2.1h - Continue to provide public education on the value and importance of wetlands and riparian areas for wildlife habitat, species diversity, flood control, hydrology of surface water and ground water, NPS abatement, and water quality through targeted workshops focusing on constituents such as construction companies, realtors, agricultural producers, etc. Objective 2.2: Action 2.2a - Encourage/advocate for the protection of sensitive lands along watercourses from encroachment and development, and promote ecological transition areas or buffers adjacent to wetlands. Objective 3.1:Action 3.1f - Encourage and support voluntary application of BMPs to protect ground water from NPS pollution. Objective 3.2: Action 3.2b, Collaborate with local entities on education and outreach activities that will fit the unique community needs within their watersheds. Objective 4.3: Action 4.3h, Promote education highlighting the important functions of wetlands and riparian areas. Encourage the protection of natural wetlands and riparian areas and installation of vegetated filter strips and buffer strips along stream corridors in agricultural lands. Objective 6.2: Action 6.2c - Promote the maintenance of existing native riparian areas and/or installation of vegetated filter strips composed of native woody vegetation along stream corridors on privately owned grazing lands. Objective 10.2: Action 10.2e – Promote constructed wetlands, riparian corridors, and vegetated filter strips for treatment of urban NPS Objective 16.1: Action 16.1m – Identify key partners and locations across the state to empower local entities with information and education opportunities. Objective 16.3: Action 16.3b –Coordinate restoration projects (e.g. using the data from water quality monitoring, coordinate a clean-up effort or riparian vegetation planting). Objective 17.1: Action 17.1c – Promote students’ successful implementation of water resource and NPS pollution projects to the public. Objective 17.2: Actions 17.2a Incorporate water resources and knowledge of NPS pollution issues into K-12 student curricula (i.e. Science, Math, Language Arts, Social Studies), specifically middle and high school levels; b - Utilize educator trunks available through various organizations; c - Participate in workshops and watershed tours available for educators; f – Teach students of all ages to share information and bring home material to parents so an entire community can be involved with specific efforts.
Objective 17.3: Actions 17.2a - Participate in restoration, service-learning, community service, and clean-up projects in local area. B - Participate (students and educators) in local community meetings. C - Share water quality data with the public through presentations and publications.
D. Project Planning and Management
This project will use funds efficiently and effectively by targeting leaders and educators to disseminate critical riparian/wetland buffer education to future watershed stewards. These leaders will be encouraged to disseminate the information and resources to an even larger audience than MTWC can reach. The funding amount was determined through experience and estimation of staff time, materials, travel and participant support. The chosen topics were selected to meet current needs of Montana’s rapidly changing landscape and are priorities in the NPS Management Plan. Documentation will be maintained by saving agendas, sign in sheets, receipts, evaluations and other supporting materials in a proven filing system.
This project relies primarily on specialists employed at Montana Watercourse and local partners for the major development and oversight of the statewide program. MTWC will coordinate with local partners specifically mentioned in the following section to expand existing efforts. MTWC will ensure communication and planning occurs with current riparian outreach efforts. Specifically MTWC will continue the efforts of a Riparian Campaign with follow up, on the ground education programs that will occur 6 months to a year after the initial scheduled campaign. Repeating messages using the same images and materials will reinforce a consistent buffer protection message. Montana Watercourse employees are dedicated, educated and passionate professionals who have ample experience and desire to execute the proposed activities. Additionally, MTWC has been partnering and working with diverse audiences necessary to carry out educational programming since 1989, and has discussed components of this plan with appropriate potential local partners.
The amount of funding requested was determined using MTWC’s annual budget and records of past activities. The funding amount is designed to deliver efficient and effective programming while continuing to provide for staff, materials, travel and administration required to execute the activities. At the completion of each task, MTWC will deliver agendas, outreach materials, summaries of program evaluations and other supporting material to the DEQ. Performance will be measured from participant responses of targeted questions in evaluations and other follow up including reporting on student-led restoration/protection projects and community involvement activities.