Implementing Solutions Successfully

Table of Contents North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources Neuse River NSW Strategy Preston Howard North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources NCDENR Division of Water Quality PO Box 29535 Raleigh, NC 27626 919-733-7015 ext. 203 919-733-2496 (fax) preston@dem.ehnr.state.nc.us

Table of Contents Neuse River Basin Environmental Education Strategy Anne Taylor, Lisa Tolley, and Betty Blades Office of Environmental Education North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources Office of Environmental Education PO Box 27687 Raleigh, NC 27611-7687 919-733-0711 919-733-1616 (fax) lisa_tolley@mail.ehnr.state.nc.us

The goal of environmental education in North Carolina is to have a citizenry with the knowledge, understanding and skills necessary to nurture this "goodliest land under the cope of heaven" through informed decision-making and responsible stewardship of North Carolina's environment.

In order to achieve this goal, approximately 1,300 educators, business leaders, government officials and environmental resource professionals from across the state developed 14 objectives comprising the North Carolina Environmental Education Plan.

These objectives outline actions for implementing environmental education in North Carolina through colleges and universities, K-12 and pre-service teachers, environmental education centers, government agencies, adult education, in-service professional development, model library collection and curriculum correlation.

Objective 2.14 "Adult Education" addresses ways to educate the very broad category of the general public. This objective is being implemented through several initiatives under what the Office of Environmental Education refers to as the river basin environmental education strategy.

The river basin strategy developed under the theme "Discover Your Ecological Address" encourages North Carolinians to discover which river basin they live in and how their behaviors affect water quality in that river basin. The goal of this strategy is to increase the public's awareness and understanding of natural systems and to help them realize their connection to natural systems. With this understanding, citizens can make more informed decisions affecting the environment and be more responsible stewards. The policy of the River Basin Strategy is to use existing resources and existing networks to deliver a statewide adult education program.

This exhibit highlights the River Basin Environmental Education Strategy and emphasizes the cooperation and partnerships among government agencies, universities and colleges, nonprofit organizations, businesses, and industry involved in the initiatives of the Strategy.

The exhibit includes and photographs/materials highlighting various components of the River Basin Environmental Education Strategy. Many of the river basin environmental education resources will be available, including: "Discover Your Ecological Address" brochures, "Know Your Ecological Address" poster, a "Discover Your River Basin" map of the 17 River Basins in North Carolina, Citizen's Guide to Neuse River Basin Environmental Education Programs and Resources, Environmental Education Poster, Guide to Environmental Education Centers in North Carolina and News & Observer Environmental Education Supplements.

Table of Contents Collaborative Problem-Solving: Case Studies Leon Danielson Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics Box 8109, North Carolina State University Raleigh, NC 27695 919-515-4534 919-515-1824 (fax) leon_danielson@ncsu.edu In recent years, the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service has been involved in educational programs that incorporate the principles of collaborative problem solving, consensus building and participatory decision making. These techniques are especially useful in policymaking that deals with controversial issues where stakeholders are in dispute, such as wastewater planning, water quality and intensive livestock operations. Using this approach, local stakeholder groups representing all sides of the issue are formed. The stakeholder group is provided with scientific information on the issue, policy options and the impacts of alternative policies. Meetings are formally facilitated by trained facilitators from the Cooperative Extension Service. Policy recommendations are developed by the stakeholder group, typically for local elected officials, state agencies or others involved in the decision making. The advantage of this approach is that citizen stakeholders have an opportunity to become involved in policymaking, they become highly informed about the issues and policy options so as to be in a good position to make informed decisions, and consensus can usually be reached on issues and policies that are otherwise highly contentious and divisive. Case studies will be discussed for Craven County, Gaston County and the White Oak River Watershed. Emphasis will be placed on the educational and information process involved, and the results achieved.