Master Watershed Steward Projects
Becoming a Master Watershed
Steward requires 40 hours on a focused project project in
addition to completing the Core Program. The main purpose
of doing a project is to apply awareness and knowledge received
from the program. There are several project
categories to choose from.
For each category there is a Project
Planning Template that offers guidelines and considerations
for planning and carrying out the project. The templates
are also used to prepare a final report upon project completion.
Each individual's background and skill
level is be considered in defining their project. Some experienced
people may be working on a project already and will choose
to count some of the time toward this program. Some people
will be developing new skills and will need assistance or
more training to complete a project.
It is possible that the local host
has already set up one or more group projects. If this is
the case, both the Extension host and the watershed council
coordinators will provide assistance.
Project Categories
Below are four project categories to
consider for either a group or individual project. Projects
are not necessarily limited to these categories. You and
the Extension host work together to arrive at an acceptable
project.
| On-the-ground activity: |
Can be in one or more areas: in-stream,
riparian, wetland, upland, farmland, pasture, road,
fish passage structures (culverts, fish ladders, screens,
bridges). |
| Property Management Plan: |
For those wishing to develop a
property management plan that demonstrates watershed
stewardship. This could be for your own property or
public property, and at any spatial scale (entire property
or a portion). |
| Monitoring, Survey, or Assessment: |
Plan for and collect data about
an area's functions and conditions, possibly for the
purpose of creating a database, evaluating collected
data against targeted functions and conditions, and/or
comparing a project or management's effects over time. |
| Working Together: |
For those interested in the social
aspect of watershed stewardship - projects in this category
could relate to group process, volunteer participation
and management, meeting management, decision-making,
etc. of watershed groups or other related groups. |
Sample Project Ideas
- Develop a management plan for
your property that improves salmon habitat or water
quality. Timberland owners and agricultural landowners
have worked on these projects. They have been both commercial
and non-commercial enterprises and have ranged in acreage
from 5 to 100 acres.
- Design and implement a water quality
monitoring program for either a stream reach or a watershed.
- Provide a plan for and/or implement
planting trees or other vegetation in a riparian area
or wetland to improve functions. These have involved
people's own property or have been in cooperation with
watershed councils or other landowners.
- Assist in completing watershed
assessments for watershed councils or related groups.
Several people have helped gather information needed
in completing watershed assessments (riparian and stream
surveys, water quality monitoring, historical information,
etc.)
- If you work in a natural resources
job, designate part of what you might already be working
on toward the 40-hour Master project.
- Conduct road surveys for evaluating
fish passage.
- Designed and implement new council-member
briefing packet and mentoring strategy.
Featured Projects
(Examples are downloadable .pdf files,
requiring the Adobe
Acrobat Reader. Equivalent .html files are provided
for faster loading and accessibility, but do not include
graphics.)
- Mid-Willamette Watershed, Periwinkle
Creek, Albany [.pdf]
[HTML]
- Marys River Watershed, Corvallis
[.pdf]
[HTML]
- Klamath River
Riparian Area Restoration [.pdf]
[HTML]
- Antone Creek Biomonitoring
Project [.pdf]
[HTML]
|
