Assignment Seven Discussion
Online Learning: OL 332 Water Conservation & Management
Center for Sustainable Development.
https://csd-i.org/ol-332-water-conservation-management/

Assignment Seven. Identifying Water Management sub-activities for capacity building; Workshop Lesson Planning.
Last assignment we expanded upon our project outline with a new set of sub activities—the actual techniques for community members to use in restoring and managing their water resources.

The first thing we did was to show the expanded outline to the members of the Water Management Committee for their feedback. As we learned in 344 these continued conversations with the community members will continue to maintain their ownership of the project—which means that when we’re done with our grant cycle they will continue to maintain these techniques and activities.

We also asked them which one of the activities they wanted to start with first. That not only established their ownership of the activity, but it gave us something specific for planning a workshop for next week.

This assignment will begin the process of developing a series of workshops on watershed restoration and management practices that community members will need for improving their water resources. These practices are the specific things that they will need to learn how to do, how to incorporate them into daily/monthly routines, and learn how to ensure their continuation.

For example, if your community member’s watershed is deforested your project may include a reforestation program. One activity in your program might be to begin reforesting the watershed in order to assist in slowing the movement of water off of the hillside. The skill set that we’re trying to support here is for community members to understand the value of restoring and conserving their watershed—and the value of maintaining these practices over time. We’re trying to encourage them to adopt sound practices and maintain them for a long time.

You should all be old hands at designing and preparing for workshops by now! You probably also have a ready supply of lesson plans that you can edit quickly to use in your workshop. I’m also providing two field guides, how-to cards and workshop lesson plans that might be useful for you to modify as well.

This is very exciting because with the workshop next week that you are planning this week you will be officially launching the implementation phase of your water conservation and management project component!

I’m looking forward to seeing photos.

I look forward to seeing your work this week—please move on to assignment 7.

Sincerely,

Tim Magee