Promote and Support Local River and Watershed Protection

The objectives of this task agreement are to describe a partnership between NPS and River Network that benefits the public, national water trail managers, NPS staff and partners, wild and scenic rivers, and local watershed and conservation groups. This collaborative effort will focus on activities and projects that promote healthy watersheds through local action and have been ranked highly by the national river and watershed community, including: local river conservation and protection efforts by communities, river access support and best practices, and providing assistance to local groups in implementing river protection and access, citizen science and volunteer water quality monitoring efforts. The partnership will utilize science to identify best practices to manage land and water resources and adapt to changes in the environment. The network will provide opportunities for sharing information to assist communities with their own local efforts to conserve and provide access to river resources. This project will increase communication between local communities, state natural resource and outdoor recreation offices, and foster relationships with conservation organizations advocating for balanced stewardship and use of public lands.