The following were set at
the August 9, 2003 Conference to serve on the Steering Committee for the New
River Watershed Roundtable (a one-year term):
Participants from the
Education Focus Group
of the
Action Plan 2004
Challenge 1:
Science Based Information Summary of the
Action
·
Develop a series
of fact sheets by topic, level of detail and audiences focus
·
Expand into
brochures
·
Research a
‘State of the River’ report from other watersheds
·
Utilize
university scientists better
Challenge 2:
Materials for K-12 Teachers
Action
·
Outline
materials and experiences that are available to teachers, to include workshops,
field sites, etc.
Contact: Llyn Sharpe at llyn@vt.edu
Development Focus Group
of the
Action Plan 2004
Challenge 1: Education Forum
Action: Develop and present a Low-impact Development Seminar.
Contact: Tom
Miller at 540-921-1010
Agriculture Focus Group
of the
Action Plan 2004
Challenge 1: (Information/Communications)
Many stakeholders are not adequately
informed about the full range of how agriculture and water quality issues
affect one another. There is a feeling
that program policies and best management practices may sometimes be
established without gathering enough information from affected stakeholders.
Action: Develop a
legislative directory to facilitate communication with representatives in the
General Assembly.
Contact: Richard Guthrie at crg@i-plus.net or
Solid Waste Management, Reclamation Focus
Group
of the
Action Plan 2004
Challenge 1: Reduce solid waste in streams through out
the watershed.
Action: Promote the Adopt–A–Stream Program
(Department of Conservation and Recreation – DCR)
Challenge 2: Work with local government and legislators
to promote recycling and consumer reduction.
Action: Utilize Public Service Announcements (PSA)
and support other established education programs.
Contact:
Groundwater, Surface Water and Waste Water
Focus Group
of the
Action Plan 2004
Challenge 1: Protection of Karst lands within the watershed.
Action: * Identify a group working on
a “cave” karst project and support the project.
* Promote and Market “cave” projects.
Challenge 2: Monitoring
Action: Provide a workshop to teach interested
individuals about water quality monitoring.
Utilize Save Our Streams, Va. Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ),
Va. Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), Friends of
Challenge 3: Waste Management
Action: Explore the pros and cons of Zoning. What communities are considered zoning in
the watershed? Do any communities
already utilize zoning?
·
Support the use
of sound and good science. Know who and
where.
Contact: Mike McLeod at dmmcleod@deq.state.va.us
Recreation and Tourism
Focus Group
of the
Action Plan 2004
Challenge 1:
Recreation Resources Inventory
Action:
Identify inventories already compiled
Challenge 2:
Recreation Usage & Activities Coordination
Action:
Develop strong regional tourism coop (liason with new State Tourism
Director)
Action:
Develop presentation for board of supervisors and other local governing
or
interested parties
Contact:
Forestry
Annual
Plan of Work
2004-2005
Strategy
1: Increase and improve the
implementation of
forestry
best management practices (BMPs).
Action
items: 1) Approach purchasers of raw
materials to
require logger
training for suppliers
Timeline:
______________________
Partners: VDOF, VCE,
Industry, SWCDs,
TNC, Other-__________________
Funding:
____________________
2)
Encourage
& promote SHARP Logger
Training.
Timeline: On-going
and investigate another campaign
Partners: VDOF, VCE,
SWCDs, Industry,
Other-_______________________
Funding:
____________________
3)Encourage
the development of a low impact stream-crossing course.
Timeline:
Preliminary planning=Spring 2004 with a possible Fall 2004 class
Partners: VDOF, VCE,
Funding:
______________________
4) Explore tax credit program for forest
management planning.
Timeline: Jan. 2004
begin research with a recommendation for Jan. 2005 General Assembly session
Partners: New River
Highlands RC&D, TNC, Sustainable Development Council, SAF, Other
Roundtables Other:____________
Funding: None
required, only man hours
5)
Work with Area
IV SWCDs to include
forestry
BMPs on the agenda at the spring meeting.
Timeline: March 2004
Partners: SWCDs,
DCR, and VDOF
Funding: None
required
6) Identify and prioritize critical species and
unique ecosystems by compiling already existing information on flora and fauna
Timeline: ___________________
Partners: USFS, DCR-NH, EPA, VDGIF, Other:________
Funding: ____________________________
7) Promote conservation easements to protect critical
wildlife habitat
Timeline: On-going
Partners:
Funding: State
& Federal Programs, possibly grants for publicity
8) Publicize state and federal wildlife programs
through available media (newspapers, public announcements, displays,
etc.). Encourage agencies to actively
market programs.
Timeline: Spring
2004 (or when federal budget approved)
Partners: USDA-NRCS,
New River Highlands RC&D, DCR, VDGIF, Other:____________
Funding: Some media
will be free, other spots will need small amounts of funding—possibly
mini-grants or donations
Challenge 2: While it is known that properly functioning
riparian
areas provide
substantial water quality protection and
enhancement in
adjacent water bodies, land use in much
of the riparian
areas in the Basin has reduced proper
riparian
functioning substantially and not enough
riparian areas are
being restored and/or protected.
Action
Items: 1) Review, simplify, and revise
the state forestry
Riparian
Buffer Tax Credit program.
Timeline: Spring 2004 preliminary work, Fall 2004
draft
proposal & seek General Assembly sponsor, Jan.
2005=
Final draft with Assembly patron ready for
introduction.
Partners: ____________________________
Funding: None
2)
Support
perpetual easements through
Conservation
Reserve Enhancement Program,
Forest
Legacy program, and Farmland Security Act.
Timeline: On-going
Partners: USDA-NRCS,
VDOF, USDA-FSA, TNC,
Other:______________________________
Funding: State
& Federal programs
3) Promote riparian buffers in urban areas by
meeting with PDCs, Board of Supervisors, and assisting with planning
conferences.
Timeline: On-going
Partners:______________________________
Funding: None
Challenge 3: Generally in the Basin, there is a lack of
alternative
forest management and
utilization of forest resources
Action
Items: 1) Increase awareness of white
pine roping industry
and potential markets for white pine tips.
Timeline:____________________
Partners: VCE, New River Highlands RC&D,
Christmas
Tree Growers Associations,
Others:__________________
Funding: ___________________
2)
Assist New
River Highland RC&D with tipping
initiative.
3) Partner with manufacturing industry to
demonstrate and promote.
Timeline:_____________________
Partners:_____________________
Funding:______________________
Strategy #2: Promote
timber stand improvement (TSI) and alternative harvesting methods.
Action Items: 1) TSI demonstration workshops throughout the
watershed.
Timeline:_______________________
Partners: VCE, VDOF, VDGIF, Others:________
Funding: ___________________________
2)
Again, explore
a tax credit program for forest
management
planning. (See above)
Strategy #3: Convert
marginal pastureland to forested.
Action
Items:
1) Develop Agroforestry information (brochure,
demo)
Timeline:___________________
Partners: VCE, Other:________________
Funding:_________________________
2)
Increase selling of current program
to
landowners. Promote programs that
encourage conversion.
Timeline:______________________
Partners: ALL
Funding:______________________
3)
Research,
gather information, and publicize
alternative
income sources for forest land.
Timeline:___________________
Partners:___________________
Funding:__________________
Contact: