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Figure I Process for'~''': Iclentlfying Goali"1'~;:; i. anclOblecti~es;:;!j;lt( . ,.,."--.~.,_..". _..,.J:...._:,~~_,...oI. _".....~~~"h-, Step One Step Two Step Three Step Four Raise public awareness. Oet people together. Collect ideas. Identify goals and objectives. Step One: Raising Awareness Before you start identifying community goals and objectives, make sure the community knows the value of lakes and riverine systems and the benefits they provide. The more citizens know about these issues, the easier it is to make infonned, conscientious decisions about the future of your community. Also, raising citizen awareness can help gain support for your ongoing mitigation and land use management planning efforts. Here are a few strategies which you can employ to educate the community on the value of these resources to your community: Involve the schools Water resources provide great educational opportunities for classes (e.g., studying river ecology) while also providing input into planning. For example, students can collect information on structures at risk to flooding or monitor water quality. This information must be verified, but is useful for setting local goals and policies for managing water resources in the community (e.g., students could present reports at county board meetings). Hold a river or lake festival Many communities hold river or lake festivals to promote the community's water resources, featuring exhibits by local conservation groups, the DNR, musical acts, etc. The governing body could proclaim the festival by special resolution. Create demonstration Projects Enhance local support by enlisting help from groups such as Ducks Unlimited, gardening clubs, Izaak Walton League, fly fishing clubs, etc. They can combine their efforts to do demonstration projects which reduce flooding and protect natural functions of watersheds and near-shore areas (e.g" bank stabilization, wetland protection and enhancement). Involve a river naturalist or professional floodplain specialist Contact DNR district or central office staff to take groups (e.g., county board or city council) or classes "down the river" to explain functional values of rivers and floodplains to the commu- nity. Form River flake advocacy groups River groups ("Friends of Moon River") can be formed to develop information on the functional values of the river or lake and to identify water resource protection issues and policies. Al- though the group may have a narrow focus (e.g., water quality), it can generate a great deal of information to help the process. The commu- nity may also want to consider forming a citizens advisory group to advise the board or council on floodplain, shoreland or wetland issues. Step Two: Get People Together Now that you have raised people's awareness of the problems of flood- plain development, get them together to exchange ideas. Public panicipation is essential for the mitigation plan to succeed. It not only gets people involved, but gives them a feeling of control over COMMUNITY FLOOO MITIGATION PLANNING OUIDEBOOK 33