The Interagency Creeks and Communities Strategy: Creating Healthy Streams and Wetlands by Bringing People Together

Abstract

Riparian-wetland areas in the western United States provide a variety of ecological, economic, and so- cial bene ts, even though they comprise a relatively small percentage of the total land base. Today, suc- cessful management of these areas depends on bringing diverse groups of people together and building the capacity needed to confront and manage complex and contentious issues. The fed- eral-level, interagency Creeks and Communities (C&C) Strategy is designed to integrate the biophysical and social dimensions of riparian-wetland management to achieve results that bene t both creeks and the communities that depend on them.1 The strategy is a partnership of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the Forest Service (FS), and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to build understanding, owner- ship, and commitment in those individuals who must ultimate- ly implement management decisions by incorporating scienti c and technical information into collaborative decision-making processes. Many other agencies, nongovernmental organiza- tions, committed public employees, and private citizens partici- pate in, support, and contribute to the strategy. 

DOI: 10.2458/azu_rangelands_v34i4_riper