All individuals and organizations-

including local governments, tribes, nongovernmental organizations, businesses, schools, citizens, and natural resources agencies- are an integral part of successful community-based watershed management.

By putting SE Alaskans at the center of watershed management community-based groups are enhancing the health of their communities, the productivity of their watersheds and the vitality of their economies.

The whole point of SAWC is to support all stakeholders wisely manage our watersheds. We provide services to:

Community-based watershed management is not easy, nor is it always effective at protecting or restoring watershed functions and community health. SAWC was initiated by these local groups to support them over-come the variety of obstacles they tend to face.

Some of the challenges faced by those who adopt a community –based approach include the following:

Obstacle: Watersheds in SE cover thousands of acres of public and privately owned land. Developing even a basic understanding of how human activities affect watershed functions is a major undertaking.

Solution: SAWC provides tools, resources and trainings on watershed planning and watershed management. Contact us for more information.

Obstacle: Some key stakeholders may lack the time, motivation, skills, or resources to participate effectively throughout the management planning process.

Solution: SAWC works with community leaders to provide key stakeholders with the skills, resources, and incentives to participate.

Obstacle: Resource management professionals may be reluctant to give up their role as experts and to share authority with lay persons regarding resource management issues.

Solution: SAWC works with local, state, and federal decision makers to influence environmental policies to ensure these key stakeholders are working with local watershed efforts and are addressing local concerns.

Obstacle: Conflicts between stakeholders over management goals and the means to accomplishing those goals are inevitable, and resource management professionals are often ill-prepared to facilitate constructive dialogue to resolve these conflicts.

Solution: SAWC will partner with your community to facilitate difficult discussions around natural resources development and conservation goals and objectives. Are facilitation is based on Environmental Conflict Resolution

Obstacle: Community-based approaches require time and resources to generate interest and to build relationships between stakeholders. Funding agencies and stakeholders may grow impatient with the lack of observable outcomes.

Solution: SAWC’s role in SE is to advocate on a local, regional, state and federal level for community-based approaches. We work hard to promote your work and demonstrate the long-term sustainable impact of your efforts.