A presentation about ecological restoration in the community. Presented by David Gould, Director of Natural Resources for the town of Plymouth, during the Buzzards Bay Coalition's 2012 Decision Makers Workshop series. Learn more at www.savebuzzardsbay.org/DecisionMakers
3. Restoration in the Community
All restoration projects will undoubtedly result in
interaction with other landowners, boards and
officials and therefore have some level of public
participation.
Urban restoration projects can be even more
complex due to density of landowners, number
of concerned parties, infrastructure issues, etc.
There will be Community Participation…
4. What is your approach for
Community Participation?
To meet statutory requirements? i.e. Section 106
To say that the community was involved? Or is it
to involve the community?
To involve them in the decision-making
process?
5. The need for involvement
Who likes to be excluded from the
decision-making process?
Who likes to have “others” tell them how
something is going to be?
How accepting are people of change in
general?
What about change in their backyard?
7. Meetings
Attempt to create atmosphere for productive
discussion
Try to have all partners present
Minimize jargon (HEC-RAS), acronyms, use
proper terms (impoundment)
It’s okay to have folks “vent” or “blow off steam”
Sometimes you won’t be able to address all
concerns and that’s okay
8. Meetings
At the beginning, during and end of process
Are you meeting after decisions have been
made?
Are you speaking to them, at them or involving
them?
9. Post Meetings – keeping people
informed between meetings
Consider email chains, letters, updates
Provide your contact information in
multiple formats
Website, Twitter, Facebook
Face to Face
13. Public Perceptions
Loss v. Gain – Dam removal projects are a
great example.
Loss of “pond”, loss of dam, loss of historic
resources….
Gains: Public safety, environmental, cost
savings, parks, open space, stormwater,
utilities, displays, trails, property values.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19. Building Community Support
Develop a partnership of local support:
ConCom, Steering Committees, BOS,
FinCom, neighbors, herring volunteers,
watershed organizations, etc.
Be prepared (as much as possible) for
public meetings.
20. Utilizing Community Involvement
What other activities do you or your group
do in this area or neighborhood?
Other work can build relationships and
trust.
Fish counts, cleaning fish ladders,
roadwork.
Neighborhood cleanups, trail work…
21. Reasons for Decisions
Be aware that different people make
decisions for different reasons
Restoration projects are broader than just
being “environmental”
Infrastructure, hazard mitigation, cost
savings, park/open space, property
values, etc.
22. Official support
Utilize public support
Don’t forget the other reasons people
make decisions. FinCom very different
than ConCom.
Make
it easy for decision-makers to
support your project!
23. Building Long Term Support
If you hope to make restoration accepted
in your community you need to build upon
your successes.
Build upon momentum with projects –
even small projects matter!
Build upon your ability to bring in funding
Can you “institutionalize” restoration?
24. Restoration Approach
Watershed/Process Based Approach
This
is a comprehensive approach to
protecting and restoring watersheds– fish
passage, water quality, stormwater, land
protection, open space, monitoring, etc.
Focuses on processes and self sustaining
principles
This approach can help build credibility
through various projects over time
25. Programmatic
We consider restoration to be
programmatic and not a one-time project.
Restoration is part of how we protect and
manage resources along with land
acquisition, management, enforcement.
Stresses the importance of long term work
and stewardship
Allows municipalities and groups to make
the most of its resources
26. Approach and Citizen Involvement
By incorporating restoration work into programs
over time you can build credibility and long term
support can be established.
This allows you to develop individuals and/or
groups that are willing to express support for
your projects.
Restoration is no longer “odd” but rather an
accepted practice
27. Community Projects
Town Brook – Bridge replacement with rock ramp, two
dam removals, one new priority project.
Wellingsley Brook – three weirs to be removed (salters)
aided by petition to BOS by 75 residents
Eel River Headwaters Restoration Project
Tidmarsh Farms/Beaver Dam Brook
Red Brook
Agawam?