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<br />watershed ~news_ <br />I a, .."'.- .'-'" <br />- - - <br /> <br />Watershed Protection <br />Groups <br />Colorado is blessed with having <br />many people who are concerned <br />about managing our water resources <br />in a sustainable \vay. As a result, <br />Colorado now has more than <br />40 watershed protection groups that <br />arc active and working collaborativc1y <br />with their stakeholders and local, state. <br />and federal agencies to develop long- <br />term solutions to vvater quality and <br />management issues. <br />Many watershed protection groups <br />arc fonned to better address a specific <br />local problem or set of problems. Over <br />time, they often take on additional <br />issues and sometimes expand their <br />mission and/or their physical area of <br />responsibility. <br />Next thing you know, they arc <br />publishing a newsletter, working to <br />educate the public, and taking on real <br />and valuable stream improvement <br />projects. <br />Somewhere along the line, they <br />become a nonprofit organization, <br />or in many cases, the equivalent <br />of one if they have not actually <br />structured themselves as an official <br />50 I (C)(3) nonprofit organization. <br />They keep trying to resolve a local <br />prohlem or set of problems that they <br />initially were formed to address, but <br />these things usually take more time and <br />resources than initially anticipated. <br />Slowly, a need for greaterfundraising <br />activities grows, as does the need to <br />develop more and bctter leaders.. .and <br />you certainly need a better community <br />outreach and education program.. .and <br />e\'erl'Ol1e needs a good websitc.. .and.. <br />mor~ volunteers and.. .and.. <br /> <br />...I <br /> <br />-- <br />- <br /> <br />. <br /> <br /> <br />r--- <br /> <br />, <br /> <br />, <br /> <br /> <br />Developing Expertise <br />The National Watershed Health <br />Project (NWHP) was created to help <br />the watershed groups become more <br />sustainable and develop their expertise <br />in many of these areas. It is managed <br />at the national level by River Network, <br />the national organization that supports <br />river and watershed protection groups <br />and activitics. <br />The NWH P is primarily fimded by the <br />U.S. Environmental Protection Agency <br />(EPA), which has been succcssfully <br />promoting the watershed approach <br />to natural resource management for <br />many years. The project is currently <br />being piloted in four states - Colorado. <br />\Visconsin. New Mexico. and Ohio. <br /> <br />Colorado now has more <br />than 40 watershed <br />protection groups that <br />are active and working <br />collaboratively to develop <br />long-term solutions <br />to water quality and <br />management issues. <br /> <br />The Culorado <br />pilot is being <br />managed by Trees, <br />Water & Pcople <br />(TWP) and is <br />additionally being <br />funded by ErA <br />Region 8 and the <br />Wallace Genetic <br />Foundation. T\VP <br />has been working <br />with 23 watershed <br />groups on this <br />program since <br />last September, <br />and it will continue to do for the next <br />year or so. <br /> <br />Specific Support Services <br />The support services that TWP has <br />provided to \vatershed groups through <br />this project have been purposely <br />diverse and multifaceted: <br /> <br />. Individual groups arc receiving <br />personalized fundraising and <br />leadership development training. <br /> <br />. A series of organizational <br />development workshops were <br />conducted. including workshops <br />on Ho\'.' to Become a Sustainable <br />Organization, Developing n Major <br />Donor Program, and Building <br />Community Support and Managing <br />a Volunteer Program. These <br />workshops were conducted by <br />trainers from Conservation Impact <br />and the Community Resource <br />Center. <br />