Getting the Data Out There: Lessons Learned From Integrating Science Into Watershed Conservation
Abstract
The Delaware River Watershed Initiative (DRWI) is a collaborative program of coordinated, large-scale land protection and restoration projects with the aim of improving and maintaining local stream water quality and ecological integrity across the 36,570 km2 Delaware River Basin, which provides drinking water for over 15 million people. Over 50 non-profit partners are involved, including research institutions, conservation organizations and local watershed associations. As the lead scientific partner, we provide guidance to accelerate science-driven conservation and improve the effectiveness of the DRWI activities. This includes developing tools to assess local-scale stressor impacts, identify priority working areas and track project implementation, monitoring stream water quality and ecosystem structure to quantify the effect of conservation projects at various scales, and coordinating monitoring programs by partner organizations. Another key aspect of our role is synthesizing and disseminating the monitoring data, scientific results and tools to partners and helping these partners incorporate science into their own messaging to a range of stakeholder audiences. This presentation will discuss the communication strategies and products that we have developed and the challenges and lessons learned over the first 5 years of the DRWI.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2019
- Bibcode:
- 2019AGUFMGH13A1048K
- Keywords:
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- 0240 Public health;
- GEOHEALTH;
- 4334 Disaster risk communication;
- NATURAL HAZARDS;
- 4352 Interaction between science and disaster management authorities;
- NATURAL HAZARDS;
- 8488 Volcanic hazards and risks;
- VOLCANOLOGY