2016-2017 Goals

Update 2023-04-16: See 2023 Goals.

The WWALS board spent much of the late summer and early fall 2016 reviewing and revising the organizational goals. These sessions helped to clarify how projects are evaluated, selected and accomplished.

The WWALS Goals adopted 2 October 2016 are overarching items which help us achieve our vision and mission. They involve education, resource, engagement, documentation, threats, community, and fundraising.

Recharge Areas for the Floridan Aquifer --Can Denizman
Recharge Areas for the Floridan Aquifer –Geology Prof. Can Denizman
in Water, Agriculture, and Forestry; WWALS @ VSU 2017-03-28

  1. Education of general public about conservation and stewardship of WWALS watershed.
    1. Outreach to youth, teachers, community leaders through outings, art contests, etc.
    2. One time per year hold workshop for educators and adults
    3. One time per year hold workshop for youth
    4. One time per year art project open to public, private, and home schoolers.
  2. Act as a knowledge resource about physical, biological and natural resources to, and about, our community.
    1. Maintain an Inventory of resources of health and science (geology, biology, hydrology) which support our educational activities.
    2. The inventory will include native and invasive species information, maps, information about existing organizations (NRCS, University Extensions, Water Management Districts, etc)
    3. Record what we see now and continue to record to see if things change (photos, water quality)
    4. Develop a systematic way to store this inventory of information.
    5. Commission WWALS Science Committee – Tom Potter to chair
  3. Engage with local agencies on routine water quality testing
    1. Find out what is happening now
    2. Identify missing sampling (stormwater, others?)
    3. Work with farm agencies (FSA, Farm Bureau, NRCS, Extension Offices) to learn what they do and present what we do and figure out how we can work together.
  4. Develop and maintain documentation relevant to our watershed
    1. Maps, water trails, brochures, photos, blog
    2. (this somewhat overlaps with #2, however we develop documentation that is specific to WWALS projects, and views which will then be stored used by #2.)
  5. Identify and address threats to the WWALS Watershed
  6. Engage our community in outdoor activities. outings, water trails, fishing tournaments, geocaching, hiking, cleanups, etc.
    1. Clean ups are stewardship in action.
  7. Raise money to fund organization on an ongoing basis
    1. develop a fundraising plan [done, but always needs updating]
    2. finalize RIVERKEEPER® application [done and accepted in December 2016]
    3. approve budget [done, but always needs updating]