Rockfish River Watershed Community Forum
February 3 & 4, 2001
Overview
The Institute for Environmental Negotiation (IEN) at the University of
Virginia in partnership with a local coordinating committee is developing a
community watershed forum for the Rockfish River. The goal of the forum is
to involve community members in developing a plan to improve the health of
the Rockfish River and the Chesapeake Bay watershed, and ultimately the
quality of life of local residents.
The Rockfish River Valley, with its winding river and streams, mountains,
hayfields, vineyards, small organic farms, galleries and country lifestyle is
one of the most beautiful and popular destinations for tourists. An
increasing number of people are moving to the valley to take advantage of the
rural character and proximity to Charlottesville. This population growth is
reflected in a growth rate of 10 percent per year which will mean 1,100 more
people in the next ten years moving to the County, many of whom will likely
choose to locate in the headwaters of the Rockfish River. In managing
development, the health of the Rockfish River and its surrounding watershed
are of concern. Patterns and types of development, as well as related
services such as road building, paving land surfaces, changing from
agriculture to suburban land use patterns; bring with them issues of runoff
pollution, increased stream temperatures, increased flooding and streambank
erosion, air pollution, traffic congestion and changes in the rural
landscape.
Today, the Rockfish River is impaired with excessive siltation, which has
harmed the aquatic life in the river. While we can't stop growth, we can
channel it to appropriate locations, change development patterns to preserve
open space, retain stormwater on site, reduce or eliminate pollutants, and
preserve our farms and culture -- but only if we begin planning now for our
desired future. Failing to plan is planning to fail. That's why the
Rockfish River Community Watershed Forum Coordinating Committee was formed --
to help the community envision and plan for the type of watershed where we
all want to live. Addressing problems now will help us avoid the costs of
river restoration, flood repair and river cleanup. By working together now,
we can seek solutions that meet all of our needs and restore and preserve the
things we all value, whether we are farmers, homeowners or businesses.
The project will complement existing efforts such as the Middle James River
Roundtable and the James tributary strategies. The Rockfish River was chosen
to pilot this watershed forum model, which can later be replicated throughout
Virginia. The Environmental Protection Agency's Chesapeake Bay Program
provides funding. In kind sponsors include Rural Nelson and the Virginia
Tech Cooperative Extension Service who are providing staff support and
services for the Forum. The Coordinating Committee is made up of
representatives from the local community who are working to identify issues
affecting the health of the River and the future of the Rockfish River
valley. These issues will be presented at a Forum scheduled for February 3
and 4 (snow date Feb. 17, 18) at the Rockfish Valley Community Center.
Citizens will be provided with tools and training to evaluate the current
health of the watershed and to draft an action plan to address these issues.
Components of the plan will also be used to inform the content of the Nelson
County Comprehensive plan, which will be finalized in Spring 2001. The
Comprehensive Plan guides the county's growth and development and seeks to
identify important resources, such as historic structures, water supply, and
areas for growth and preservation.
Overarching Goals
The goal of the forum is to involve community members in developing a plan
for improving the health of the Rockfish River and ultimately the Chesapeake
Bay watershed along with the quality of life of local residents. The
community will create a local implementation plan for protection and
restoration of the Rockfish watershed by:
® identifying environmental values important to the community;
® learning about innovative tools to protect, manage and monitor the
watershed; and,
® devising strategies for protecting the watershed's social, cultural and
environmental resources.
Forum Planning
The Community Watershed Forum will be held February 3 & 4 at the Rockfish
Valley Community Center. The IEN is helping community representatives on a
local coordinating committee to design a forum that meets the needs and
interests of the local community. Committee members include Hugh Swain, Farm
Bureau; Michael Lachance, Extension Service; Fred Boger, County Planner;
Conny Roussos, Kim Cash, Dana Pauly and Peter Agelasto, Rural Nelson; Gene
Poutasse, Nellysford Area Merchants; Chip Morgan from Wintergreen Nature
Foundation; and Karen Firehock and John Hoover, IEN at University of
Virginia.
Day one of the Forum will consist of presentations and day two will be
devoted to developing an implementation plan for the projects and goals
articulated during the first day. The community watershed forum will
incorporate the following elements:
® learning about the local watershed ecosystem;
® working in small groups to envision and identify common community concerns
and values;
® brainstorming and designing implementation ideas and strategies for the
community using tools and techniques presented at the workshop;
® linking ideas between groups and devising strategies and responsibilities
for their implementation; and,
® identifying organizations, programs and funding sources to meet needs.
Follow-Up
The Coordinating Committee will continue working after the forum to ensure
that ideas and actions are incorporated into the county's comprehensive plan.
A forum planner's guide will be created, including a bibliography of
resources and organizations helpful in conducting the forums. The module
will be made available to organizations wishing to implement additional
forums. In future years it is hoped that forums can be held in the middle
and lower Rockfish to address the needs of the entire Rockfish watershed.
For More Information
Karen Firehock or John Hoover,
Institute for Environmental Negotiation,
UVA,
P. O. Box 400179,
Charlottesville, VA 22904-4179
PHONE: 804-924-1970
Kim Cash, Field Officer,
Rural Nelson,
P. O. Box 401,
Lovingston, VA 22949
PHONE: 804-263-5000
Michael Lachance,
Extension Service,
P. O. Box 298,
Lovingston, VA 22949
PHONE: 804-263-4035