Environmental Governance in Watersheds: The Role of Collaboration

Abstract

"Every watershed is 'managed' by a wide range of governmental and nongovernmental actors, whose decisions influence the health and integrity of ecological systems. The challenge for practitioners involved in a watershed management program is to find ways to get this portfolio of actors and programs to work together more effectively. Frequently, this involves collaboration. This paper examines the role of collaboration in six watershed management programs in the Delaware Inland Bays (DE), Lake Tahoe (CA, NV), Narragansett Bay (RI, MA), Salt Ponds (RI), Tampa Bay (FL), and, Tillamook Bay (OR) watersheds. Specifically, the paper examines two research questions: (1) what type of collaborative activities was used to implement watershed management plans? and (2) what public value (or costs) was added as a result of these actions? The results indicate that a wide variety of collaborative activities occurred at the operational, policy-making, and institutional level. These activities added public value in a variety of ways, including improved environmental conditions (Policy outcomes), enhanced watershed governance (institutional performance), and other societal benefits such as increased social capital and an increase in civil society. The final section identifies some lessons for practitioners involved in watershed management efforts. Our hope is that an improved understanding of the collaborative process will allow practitioners to better exploit the opportunities for collaboration that currently exist."