Using an ecosystem planning approach to address environmental degradation
People impact ecosystems through much of what we do in our daily lives, mostly without knowing. To address the degradation of its natural water bodies and surrounding ecosystem, the Riley Purgatory Bluff Creek Watershed District (RPBCWD) wanted to take an ecosystem approach to its planning efforts. RPBCWD hired Barr to develop an ecosystem health action plan, which takes all physical and biotic factors into account regarding decisions that benefit people and the environment.
Using insights from a series of collaborative workshops with watershed constituents; city, county, state, and federal staff members; and RPBCWD’s board of managers—as well as the expertise of RPBCWD’s and Barr’s staff members—regarding primary ecosystem malfunctions and potential remedies, the plan developed strategies to address ecosystem degradation.
This plan establishes how RPBCWD can intervene on nature’s behalf to achieve the district’s mission to protect the watershed ecosystem. Actions posed in the plan include adjusting regulations, developing protective policies, conducting climate adaptation planning, implementing multi-functional capital projects, expanding ecosystem education and outreach, working with local cities and developers to promote low-impact development, and providing greenspace to improve the urban ecosystem.