Projects (Concluded in 2008)

Elizabeth River Watershed Plan Revision

(2007-2008)

The Elizabeth River Project is currently undergoing a yearlong revision process to the watershed Action Plan, last updated in 2002. The Elizabeth River is an important tributary to the Chesapeake Bay. While serving as a vehicle for economic activity, with many industries on the River served by its navigable waters, the River has also served as a reminder of the harm of environmental contamination. A series of stakeholder meetings has been convening over the course of the year to evaluate existing and continuing problems (environmental, social, political) associated with the restoration of the Elizabeth River.  The first of these meetings was held in November 2007, with the second meeting in February 2008 followed by a concluding summit in May 2008.  Six sub-committees were tasked with identifying action items and priorities for the restoration of the Elizabeth River, published in white papers presented at February's meeting.  The revised Watershed Action Plan for 2008 is scheduled to be published in June 2008.

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Friends of the North Fork of the Shenandoah River Strategic Plan

(2007-2008)

Founded in 1988, Friends of the North Fork of the Shenandoah River (Friends) is a community watershed organization with a mission to improve and protect the purity, beauty, and natural flow of the North Fork Shenandoah River, a major tributary of the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay. Friends’ founders worked from its inception with fellow nonprofit organizations and government agencies to address water quality and quantity challenges confronting the North Fork. Currently, Friends’ is pursuing a strategic planning effort in order to be more focused in achieving its goals and objectives, to broaden the organization’s reach, and to increase its impact in the core programmatic focus areas of science and water quality monitoring, education and outreach, and advocacy.

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Maryland Eastern Shore Collaborative Initiative

(2008)

Inspired by the Virginia Waste Solutions Forum (2005), the University of Maryland Environmental Finance Center convened a first meeting in February 2008 of stakeholders representing a wide range of agricultural and environmental interests on Maryland's Delmarva peninsula. At this meeting, participants explored the potential for establishing a collaborative effort to improve water quality while fostering agricultural economic viability. While a decision had not been finalized, participants agreed that a collaborative could be worthwhile and that they would continue meeting to explore the design and focus for this potential collaborative. The collaborative would tentatively focus on Maryland's Eastern Shore, while inviting participation from the entire Delmarva peninsula. IEN worked with the University of Maryland to design and facilitate the beginning meetings for this effort.

Environmental Finance Center

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Shenandoah Community Dialogue Project

(2007-2008)

The Shenandoah Community Dialogue Project is a grassroots effort, sponsored by the Shenandoah Forum, to develop specific recommendations for ways to improve County ordinances and plans so that the vision of the Comprehensive Plan will become reality. A Consensus Committee was brought together by the Forum, representing a broad range of interests, including farmers, developers, business, conservation and preservation, and local county and town governments. The Consensus Committee meetings and workshops are open to the public; it has hosted guest speakers to learn about the gap between the County's Comprehensive Plan and its current Zoning Ordinance, as well as the array of planning tools available to localities. The Consensus Committee will produce a set of recommendations for County consideration before the end of 2008. For further information, see:

 Link to Shenandoah Forum website

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Virginia Eastern Shore Seaside Strategy

(2007-2008)

The Institute for Environmental Negotiation is providing facilitation and planning assistance to the Virginia Coastal Zone Management (CZM) Program and its partners in the Eastern Shore Seaside Strategy. This assistance will culminate in a plan (prepared with input from state, federal, and private partners with relevant management responsibilities) to enhance, sustain and better manage the seaside coastal resources of the Eastern Shore consistent with Partner and Virginia CZM Program vision and goals.

 Virginia Seaside Heritage Program site

 Seaside Avian Partnership Management Plan - Draft

 Seaside Management Plan - Draft

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WSFII

(2008)

The WSFII (June 2008) was conceived to build upon the success of the first Waste Solutions Forum (April 2005), which developed a strategic plan and priorities for improving water quality while fostering agricultural economic viability. The WSFII will review progress made since 2005 in the areas of pilot projects, research, education and policy. IEN is working with the planning committee to design a dynamic agenda that capitalizes on the passion of stakeholders and partners, encourages collaboration, and generates both new directions for ongoing projects as well as new ideas and partnerships. The results of WSFII will guide coalition action and project implementation over the next three years.

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