Watershed Fish Based Sustainability Plan Year 2

The objective of the 2008-2009 WFSP planning project was to build upon progress made during year one (2007-08) in watershed planning (which focussed primarily on Stages II and III of the WFSP process) and continue in 2008 with Stage IV of the WFSP planning process (Refine and Implement the Plan) by short listing and focussing on some key action items and by holding meetings within the less familiar areas of the watershed to begin seeking ways to implement recommended actions. The goal was to advance the understanding, acceptance and participation in watershed planning and action by holding meetings with interested groups at various locations in the watershed, explain the process, guiding principles, features, values, goals, objectives and recommended actions of the plan as identified to date and ask for feedback on the watershed plan. As part of the 2008-2009 workplan a series of action recommendations (provided below) was short listed from the 2007-2008 plan from 12 recommended action areas selected in 2007-08 1: Watershed Planning, 2: Watershed Health, 3: Particiaption, 4: Communication and Involvement, 5: Using available mapping data and information, 6: Riparian area program, 7: Fish and fish habiat, 8: Water quality program, 9: Water supply program, 10: Sustainable agriculture program, 11: Forest and Forest health, 12: Other development activity involvement. Within those 12 broad categories some specific recommendations were short listed for action . Not all of these were expected to be addressed this year ; however the list was used to motivate action and generate interest and ownership of the plan as it continues to transform from a planning tool to an action tool. The list of activities was selected from a larger watershed planning document developed in 2007-2008, with some short and long term objectives, all of which fit under the 12 categories of interest that were identified as key areas of focus supporting watershed sustainability. An amazing amount of progress was made through collective effort on those items as detailed in this summary document with the final outcome of 2008-09 efforts being improved awareness and acceptance of the watershed plan throughout more remote areas of the watershed. This was accomplished by attending local community meetings are various venues, describing the progress to date and asking local communities for support and comment on the plan and ways to transform the plan into key demonstration value actions. Several important actions came about as a result of travelling to communities to explain the opportunities within the plan short listing the recommended actions onto a target action list