Working Collaboratively with Stewardship Groups Presentation Outline

1. Who is NSWA? 2. What stewardship groups do we work with? 3. How do we collaborate with groups? 4. Success stories Who is NSWA? NSWA – Key Partner in Water for Life

Water for Life Strategy • Safe, secure drinking water • Healthy aquatic ecosystems • Reliable water supplies for a sustainable economy NSWA – Key Partner in Water for Life

Key Partnerships • Government of • Alberta Water Council • Water Planning and Advisory Councils • Watershed Stewardship Groups “Watershed Planning and Advisory Councils (WPACs) are important stewards of Alberta's major watersheds.

They are independent, non-profit organizations that are designated by Alberta Environment and Parks to report on the health of our watersheds, lead collaborative planning, and facilitate education and stewardship activities.”

Alberta Environment and Parks

NSWA – Organization

• Established in 2000 as non-profit society • Designated Watershed Planning and Advisory Council in 2005 • 18 member Board of Directors • 3 full time staff; 4 part time staff/advisors NSWA – Key Responsibilities

Report on the health of watersheds Lead collaborative planning Facilitate education and stewardship activities NSWA - Watershed Planning NSWA – Education and Awareness

Educational Forums

NSWA Book NSWA – Education and Awareness

Newsletters

NSWA Website www.nswa.ab.ca What stewardship groups do we work with? Watershed Stewardship Groups

• Watershed stewardship groups take community-level action to safeguard our water sources. • These groups are community, volunteer-based partnerships actively engaged in environmental stewardship of their watershed. • They include individuals, organizations, agriculture, industry, municipalities and other forms of local government and set common goals to achieve shared outcomes. Watershed Stewardship Groups

 Antler Lake Stewardship Committee  Baptiste and Stewardship Society  Environmental Support Society  Jackfish Lake Management Association  Hubbles Lake Stewardship Society  Lake Isle & Lac Ste Anne Water Quality Management Society  Mayatan Lake Management Association  Wabamun Watershed Management Council  Watershed and Lake Stewardship Association How do we collaborate with groups? Collaborative Partnerships

• Background resources • Technical expertise • Collaborative partner connector • In kind support • Partnering legal entity o Legal responsibility o Signing authority o Banking role Collaborative Partnerships

• State of the Watershed Report (2005) • Integrated Watershed Management Plan (2012) • Subwatershed Alliances • Headwaters Alliance • Watershed Alliance • Vermilion River Watershed Alliance • Lake Watershed Reports Success Stories Mayatan Lake Management Assoc.

• Small, secluded lake • Local residents concerned about development pressures • NSWA involved since 2010 Mayatan Lake Management Assoc.

• Connected them with ALMS and the Lake Watch program • Linked with University of Alberta researchers • Helped them apply for grants to complete State of the Lake report (2012) • Collaboration between Alberta Environment, Parkland County, NSWA and MLMA • Watershed Management Plan (2016) Mayatan Lake Management Assoc.

• Implementation Team • Ongoing work • “Lakes of Parkland County” Lake Isle & Lac Ste Anne Society

• Two large, connected lakes that are part of the Sturgeon River sub-watershed • Issues with water quality and blue green algae blooms • Invasive plant Flowering Rush first reported in 2012 • From 2015 to 2016 infestation doubled in size from 8 to 15 kilometers of shoreline Lake Isle & Lac Ste Anne Society Lake Isle & Lac Ste Anne Society

• “Get Rid of the Rush”- Flowering Rush Education and Removal Initiative • Collaboration between Alberta Environment, University of Alberta, local municipalities and LILSA • Information materials, two workshops, 10 pulling events North Saskatchewan Watershed Alliance

Thank You!

Leah Kongsrude, Executive Director North Saskatchewan Watershed Alliance [email protected]