- Effective community engagement tools in watershed plans: Examples from the USA  289 kb |
by Meenar, Mahbubur & Featherstone, Jeffrey & Mandarano, Lynn | meenar@temple.edu  |
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| Short Outline |
| This paper will discuss the typology of various “community design” tools used in USA-based watershed plans. |
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| Abstract |
| Communities throughout the USA use “participatory decision making” tools, also known as “community design” tools, in their planning and development processes in order to fulfill two primary objectives: understanding people’s needs and practicing good design and management (Toker, 2012). This paper will discuss the typology of various “community design” tools used in USA-based watershed plans. Following the literature on collaborative watershed planning and management (Moore & Koontz, 2003; Mandarano, 2010; Chaffin et al., 2012; Muro & Jeffrey, 2012), we will analyze the use of such tools in 25 watershed plans, including watershed management, protection, or restoration plans and green infrastructure plans, selected from various regions of the USA. Using document review and case study research methods, the discussions will be primarily focused on the nature and types of community engagement techniques in the watershed planning process. The paper will document the use of in-person civic engagement practices such as public information meetings, stakeholders outreach meetings, focus groups, and workshops, and digital civic engagement practices such as emails, web sites, and social media. This research builds on our current efforts, which are confined to specific case studies in southeastern Pennsylvania, USA. This paper will provide a broader analysis of the USA experience. The authors will outline lessons learned from the USA that may be applicable to watershed planning in other counties. |
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| Keywords |
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| Case Study presented on the ISOCARP Congress 2013: Frontiers of Planning - Evolving and declining models of city planning practice |
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