Canaan

Valley Institut

e When invited, CVI provides assistance throughout the Mid-Atlantic Highlands of Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia.

Where does CVI work?

Canaan

Valley Institut

e

CASE STUDY – 2000-2002

Local needs

Local capacity

Information

Solutions

Implementation

Stewards of the Upper Rapidan

Community was concerned about flooding and interested in reducing flood damage

Canaan

Valley Institut

e

CASE STUDY – 2000-2002

Local needs

Local capacity

Information

Solutions

Implementation

Build organizational capacity

Provided planning, organization building, and development assistance

Encouraged partnerships

Canaan

Valley Institut

e

CASE STUDY – 2000-2002

Local needs

Local capacity

Information

Solutions

Implementation

Gather necessary information

Provided workshop on Natural Stream Channel Design

Canaan

Valley Institut

e

CASE STUDY – 2000-2002

Local needs

Local capacity

Information

Solutions

Implementation

Evaluating solutions

Explored solutions with community

Built consensus for stream restoration and stabilization

Canaan

Valley Institut

e

CASE STUDY – 2000-2002

Local needs

Local capacity

Information

Solutions

Implementation

Facilitate implementation

Completed 1.5 mile NSCD steam restoration project including:– Cattle exclusion– Riparian reforestation

Canaan

Valley Institut

e

The Mid-Atlantic The Mid-Atlantic Highlands Highlands encompass encompass approximately approximately 79,000 square 79,000 square miles and extends miles and extends from the Blue from the Blue Ridge Mountains in Ridge Mountains in Virginia on the Virginia on the east to the Ohio east to the Ohio River on the west, River on the west, and from the and from the Catskills on the Catskills on the north to the North north to the North Carolina-Carolina-Tennessee-Virginia Tennessee-Virginia state border on state border on the south. West the south. West Virginia is the only Virginia is the only state entirely state entirely within the Mid-within the Mid-Atlantic HighlandsAtlantic Highlands..

Highlands Action Program SettingHighlands Action Program Setting

Canaan

Valley Institut

e HAP can be the next generation of geographic programs—a large scale cooperative initiative in which states and locals drive change and outcomes are the leading measures of success.

Mid-Atlantic Highlands Action Program (HAP)

Background

Governance

Approach

Pulse

Stressors

Opportunities

Outcomes

Canaan

Valley Institut

e

CVI and EPA work together

2004 Congressional language called for EPA to move HAP forward Gave EPA $1.5 million to start Continued to direct EPA to work with

CVI With resources CVI/EPA are

starting HAP State representation through liaisons Test focus areas Develop prioritization systems

Background

Governance

Approach

Pulse

Stressors

Opportunities

Outcomes

Canaan

Valley Institut

e

Structure will strive for efficiency and effectiveness

Background

Governance

Approach

Pulse

Stressors

Opportunities

Outcomes

Canaan

Valley Institut

e

Use integrated approach for selecting and implementing

action projects

Background

Governance

Approach

Pulse

Stressors

Opportunities

Outcomes

Canaan

Valley Institut

e Biological Indicators

% Good % Fair

% Poor

Landscape 53 39 8Birds (BCI) 43 36 21Fish (IBI) 17 36 31Aquatic Insects (EPT)

25 48 27

Biological condition shows room for improvement

Background

Governance

Approach

Pulse

Stressors

Opportunities

Outcomes

Canaan

Valley Institut

e

Science can identify and rank stressors

Water quality stressors Background

Governance

Approach

Pulse

Stressors

Opportunities

Outcomes

Canaan

Valley Institut

e

Industrial Sector Direct Jobs/$million

Indirect Jobs/$million

Total Jobs/$million

Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration

13.0 17.0 30.0

Road Construction

9.5 14.8 24.3

Utility Construction

6.1 19.7 25.8

Defense Contractors

10.2 10.5 20.7

Jobs/$Million of Spending

Background

Governance

Approach

Pulse

Stressors

Opportunities

Outcomes

Building a restoration industry is an integrative

opportunity Unrecognized economic sector--$1trillion

annually Sector is fastest growing new category

From Restoration Economy by Storm Cunningham

Canaan

Valley Institut

e

Actions result in on-the-ground outcomes

18,000 stream miles will be revitalized

5000 square miles of forest will be revitalized

3,885,000 tons/yr of carbon sequestered

105,954,000 ton/yr reduction in sediment load

3000 jobs will be created

Background

Governance

Approach

Special Place

Stressors

Opportunities

Outcomes

Canaan

Valley Institut

e

Current initiatives Developing test focus areas (one

per Highland state) Attempting to understand

environmental, economic, social impacts from restoration

Developing tools to prioritize, leverage, and plan for HAP

Canaan

Valley Institut

e

Testing HAP in focus areas

Virginia focus area is Rockingham Co.

– Focus on stream restoration– Understanding environmental,

economic, social connections– Many partners – DOF,

Harrisonburg, CVI, NRCS, VGIF. Future focus area selected

with partners with prioritizations

Canaan

Valley Institut

e

Understanding restoration impacts

Planning conference to explore economics of ecological restoration– Evaluating economic and social

impacts Researching connections

between environmental and economic conditions

Canaan

Valley Institut

e

Liaisons

EPA is providing resources to each of the four Highlands states to hire a liaison to work on HAP with EPA, Canaan Valley Institute (CVI), and other key partners.

The liaisons will utilize existing networks inform about HAP and build support.

Canaan

Valley Institut

e

SPECIFICALLY, Liaisons will:

Assist EPA, CVI, and other key partners in setting up the Highlands Action Program including developing a governance structure and a process for selecting and implementing action projects;

Help set priorities for the Program; Assist in developing recon and feasibility

reports on action projects; Ensure that HAP and state government

goals, objectives, and priorities are integrated

Ensure that action projects leverage both state and HAP resources for implementation; and

Develop budget and resource needs for the Program.

Canaan

Valley Institut

e

Two year outcomes: 2-3 action projects are being contemplated in

each state; Collaborative efforts are on-going in HAP focus

areas with action projects identified, feasibility studies completed, and resources available;

Each state has functioning advisory group that provides feedback through the liaison to the HAP managers and policy council members;

State plans for restoration and conservation and HAP implementation plans are integrated; and

State government perspectives and needs are reflected in the initial governance structure of the Program and states continue to participate in the effective operation of the Program.

Canaan

Valley Institut

e

Five year outcomes Completion of at least two action

projects in the liaison’s state; Documentation of the environmental,

economic, and social impacts of implemented action projects;

Work to implement action projects will be on-going in at least one focus area in each state agreed upon by all Program partners;

Priorities from state agencies and HAP will be integrated resulting in significant leveraging of resources for restoration and conservation action projects; and

States will be actively participating in the governance of the Program.