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PROMOTE QUALITYySURFACE WATER <br />ACHIEVE HEALTHY ECOSYSTEMS <br />PROVIDE FOR FLOOD CONTROL <br />~- ,,, Each May the District <br />holds its annual <br />~`~ WaterFest celebration <br />~~ at Lake Phalen. It's <br />an activity-filled day <br />~`~' ~ ~ designed to celebrate <br />~' existing and attract <br />new participation <br />~' in the District's <br />~:s'~ education programs, <br />~~ <br />as well as increase <br />public watershed awareness. <br />District advisory commission <br />members assist with exhibits or <br />i volunteer to wear the LEAP frog <br />mascot costume. All RWMWD <br />staff are on hand with interactive <br />displays. <br />Schools play a major role as <br />exhibitors and activity providers, <br />and many water resources <br />professionals are available <br />to answer questions. School <br />children and professional <br />entertainers provide continuous <br />skits, music, and entertainment <br />throughout the day. <br />Businesses and community <br />organizations generously <br />donate essential services that <br />put the final touches on this fun <br />community-based celebration. <br />+t~ i4 +• <br />~; w. Ai a ~~.-C~~ Sk <br />• ~ ~~ <br />~~ ~_~ ~~ <br />liid you know? lYalerjuw/ juu~ks <br />and geese) can add phosphorus <br />'.and fiacteria to water resources. <br />Education programs that <br />discourage wafer fowl feeding <br />and encourage creation of Natural <br />buffers can reduce this som•ce of <br />nutrients and contanrinanis. <br />Page 13 <br />SUSTAIN QUALITY GROUNDWATER <br />GOAL: EDUCATE AND INVOLVE CITIZENS <br />MANAGE ORGANIZATION EFFECTIVELY <br />Citizens of all ages are informed about water resources (including their use, <br />protection, and management); are involved in resource management programs <br />and decisions; and interact with water resources and healthy ecosystems. <br />Recognizing the unpoi-tance of land owner practices in protecting local water <br />resources, the RWMWD made watershed education a priority and established <br />a mission and goal for its public involvement and education (PIE) program. <br />The mission of the PIE program is to create sustainable coalitions of watershed <br />stewards through developing strong partnerships, and its goal is to inform. <br />and support citizens and institutions toward active participation in watershed <br />stewardship. The RWMWD also defined PIE programs,. methods, and tracking <br />mechanisms for multiple target audiences within the District to ensure that <br />appropriate, relevant education messages reach the right audiences. <br />The District is achieving the PIE mission and goal through numerous initiatives. <br />One example is the RWMWD's interaction with cities,. which has grown from <br />providing support on an as-needed basis for permit review and compliance, to <br />creating an annual permit program workshop, to hosting a monthly discussion <br />group that examines best management practices such as street sweeping, snow <br />and ice control, groundskeeping, and storm sewer maintenance. <br />The District has focused on leveraging RWIVIWD funds and staff time to create <br />an increasingly self-sustaining program. The focus of this effort is "expanding <br />the circle of influence," or building partnerships whereby individuals, schools, <br />institutions, and businesses take what they have learned through RWMWD <br />programs and begin to educate others within their own programs. For example, <br />the RWMWD provides watershed education in over 20 schools annually, develops <br />lesson plans, hosts bus tours, organizes the annual Waterp'est celebration, and <br />provides service learning opportunities. As K-12 schools, community colleges, and <br />neighborhood groups adopt watershed-friendly practices and subsequently educate <br />more people, the District gains a sustainable coalition of watershed stewards. <br />The District has further adopted this collaborative approach by integrating staff <br />program efforts and implementing the philosophy that all staff members are <br />educators and ambassadors for the RWMWD. Collaboration among staff has <br />resulted in a new District website, workshops, wetland neighborhood education <br />projects, the Landscape Ecology Awards Program (LEAP), volunteer support <br />for planting projects, and a monthly news column in a local newspaper. The new <br />District office is also being designed as a BMP demonstration site and education <br />center. <br />The District extends its education reach beyond its boundaries by participating <br />in the Metro Watershed Partners. The group develops collaborative watershed <br />education exhibits, brochures, advertisements, and a website. <br />1 ~ ~ ~ Ramsey-Washington Metro ~~4v nom. ~- }District <br />