Community-Based Watershed Management, March 2012, Juneau Alaska. Southeast Alaska Watershed Coalition

1. - Wading in Deep –
Lesson Learned from Partnering
with the Forest Service
Scott Harris
Watershed Program Manager
Sitka Conservation Society
Community-Based Watershed Management Forum
Juneau, Mar 9. 2012

2. Context
• Sitka
Conservation
Society
– Formed 1967
– West Chichagof
Yakobi
Wilderness Area
– Tongass Pulp
Politics
– Transition
– Mission
– Approx 800
members

3. Context
• Community of
Sitka
– Formed ??
– Native and
Russian history
– 8,800
– Economy:
Govt/Health Care
Seafood
Tourism

4. Starrigavan Forest Restoration
• Multiple resource
and community
objectives
• Completed 5 acres
of restoration
thinning in 2011
• Provided 2 local
jobs
• Provided 68 cords
of firewood
• Established student-
based monitoring
program

5. Sitkoh River Restoration
• Objectives
Pt 7
restore hydrologic
function, aquatic
habitat, and floodplain
complexity
• AKSSF Grant Fall 2010
• Design Spring 2011
• Work to be completed
Summer 2012
• Phase 1: restore
stream to natural
channel
• Phase 2: add woody
debris

6. Case Studies
Local
Scale Contract Partners Contracting Agreements Funding
preference?
National
Starrigavan Forest Forest
5.5 acres $8,000 SCS, USFS SCS previous MOU yes
Restoration Foundation,
SCS
Cost-share,
USFS, ADFG
SCS, Trout Cooperative,
Sitkoh River Sustainable
1 stream mile $320,000 Unlimited, USFS, USFS Collection, no
Restoration Salmon Fund,
ADFG Statement of
TU, SCS
Work
Estimate of “unplanned” overhead
Time to secure agreements
(for SCS only, prior to starting work)
Starrigavan Sitkoh
N/A 0
$ $ 7,600months
9 and counting
Community-Based Watershed Management Forum
Juneau, Mar 9. 2012

7. Lessons Learned (1 of 4):
Contract held by non-profit entity (Starrigavan example)
Advantages Disadvantages
• More flexible • Increased liability for non-
• Potential for local profit
preference • Need for up-front funds if
• Coordination is with local FS cost-reimburseable
District • Smaller scale
• More efficient • Possible need for additional
technical expertise

8. Lessons Learned (2 of 4):
Contract held by USFS (Sitkoh example)
Advantages Disadvantages
• Reduced liability for private • Complicated coordination
organization with multiple departments
• Increased oversight by • Increased staff costs
responsible agency • Decreased flexibility with
• Greater technical expertise contracting
• Ability to leverage federal
funds

9. Lessons Learned (3 of 4):
For non-profits
• Determine capacity and patience for either type of
contracting. Develop capacity if desired
• Determine maximum scale for either type of contracting
• Understand federal oversight and empathize with your
federal partners
• Respect different mandates
• Understand and organize different fiscal years
• Learn from case studies in other regions
• Minimize staff turnover
• Challenge norms and paradigms – educate your
constituency
• Find your hero/heroine – relationships are everything!

10. Lessons Learned (4 of 4):
For agencies
• Create a inter-disciplinary project team, and meet
regularly, that includes Grants & Agreements and
Contracting departments
• Consistently communicate with partners, even consult
them regarding seemingly routine activities
• Communicate administrative obstacles to partners
• Get key players out in the field
• Learn from case studies in other regions
• Challenge norms and paradigms – educate your
constituency

11. What’s Next
• Partnership Capacity Building Task Force
• Purpose: Develop Tongass NF and partner
capacities to make partnerships more effective
– Scott Harris, SCS
– Greg Killinger, USFS Tongass NF
– Jason Anderson, USFS Petersburg District
– Karen Hardigg, The Nature Conservancy
– Bob Christensen, SEAWEAD
– Norm Cohen, The Nature Conservancy
– USFS Grants & Agreements and Contracting

12. Questions?