Program for Society and the Environment
  • Home
  • About
    • Graduate >
      • 2013-2014 Graduate Travel and Research Grant Recipients
      • 2014-2015 Graduate Travel and Research Grant Recipients
      • 2015-2016 Graduate Travel and Research Grant Recipients
  • People
    • Faculty
    • Fellows
    • Partners & Visitors
  • Research
    • Climate Constituencies Project
    • Service Corps Evaluation
    • Projects
    • Papers
  • Workshop
    • Workshop Schedule
  • Blog
  • Events
    • 2018 Protest Symposium
    • 2015 Urban Environmental Stewardship Conference
    • Past PSE Events
  • Contact Us
    • Planning Your Visit

How Local Environmental Stewardship Diversifies Democracy

10/13/2016

36 Comments

 

By William Yagatich

In our research on the Watershed Stewards Academies (WSAs), Dr. Dana R. Fisher, Anya Galli, and I have focused on how participating in environmental stewardship diversifies democracy and roots citizens to their localities in meaningful ways. Situating our work within the context of civic participation and American democracy, we highlight how groups like the WSAs represent a countertrend to declining rates of civic engagement.  That is, we see the WSAs and organizations like them as part of a national movement of groups training corps of volunteers to address environmental problems at the grassroots level. In this research, we ask how the WSAs mobilize participants to become environmentally and civically in engaged in their communities. This project is funded by Maryland Sea Grant.

Through surveys and interviews with participants of the WSAs in Maryland, we found the Master Watershed Steward program mobilizes volunteers for a number of reasons (you can find a more detailed breakdown of the demographics of the WSAs we surveyed and interviewed here in our whitepaper here). This training program enables participants to become knowledgeable about issues of watershed health and how to address those issues, as well as how to network in their own local communities to educate their friends and neighbors.  In turn, it fulfils the desire of some volunteers to take a more hands-on approach to watershed stewardship.  At the end of the initial survey, we asked, “Briefly, why did you join the Watershed Stewards Academy?” One respondent submitted an answer that paralleled most other’s where they wrote:

“I've been interested in environmental issues since high school and feel that working small scale, on a sub-watershed basis, may ultimately be more effective in reversing the decline of the Bay and its [tributaries] than all the government programs that are so slow to evolve. I love working outside with plants and was impressed with the commitment and goals of the WSA, so I decided to join so that I could work under the umbrella of that organization.”

In our findings about mobilization in the WSAs, which are based in data collected through the interviews with participants, we find these sentiments to be echoed again and again: respondents felt they needed the training in order to learn exactly what threatens the health of their watersheds and what they could do about it. For some, their motivation was very personal, and they felt that the training would give them the ability to address a problem they saw in their own backyard. Speaking of her own community, specifically of a problem with high levels of bacteria in recreational waterways, a participant from the Anne Arundel county WSA said, “…Initially I wanted to understand what was happening and if there was any way that I could help.  I doubted if I could do anything or contribute anything valuable, so my goal was to learn and then to put any of what I learned to use.” During the training and after, participants would go to their communities and apply what they learned.
​
During their training and after receiving their certifications, participants apply what they learn by engaging with members of their communities projects to address storm water runoff (installing rain barrels, rain gardens, etc.) and by doing educational outreach projects. As one respondent detailed, what Master Watershed Stewards did and where they did it mattered: doing the projects was not enough, but rather it was just as important to engage and encourage members of their community to follow their example. For instance, this respondent decided to install rain gardens on his own property because many of his neighbors walked by his property. While he was working with other volunteers installing the rain garden, he had the opportunity to talk to members of his community about what he was doing and encourage them to follow suit. According to another respondent of the Anne Arundel county WSA, the result of the program is that stewards:

“…[H]ave a lot of people that really, really care. And they’re in the middle of communities, and they’re talking and really having a conversation, and no other organization does that.  No one’s had that kind of impact that they can motivate people.”

All of this works to address an issue that many respondents reported as their primary motivation to join the WSAs in the first place: the opportunity to take a hands-on approach to addressing environmental issues. This is an important point, as it encourages a grassroots approach to environmental stewardship and affords participants a means of civic and political participation beyond donating to an organization. Continuing the conversation above, this respondent lamented that when it comes to other local environmental groups, donating money did not lead to meaningful engagement. While describing donating to another watershed group, he said that the leader of the group:

“[G]ets a bunch of donations and he’ll do a project or two and pay himself a salary and pay a couple of staff people and helpers, but all you are is a donor with that organization and you don’t get any leverage when your organization is just the people that are working as part of the organization. And in our watershed we’re dying a death by a thousand cuts, it’s no good to have a little organization bandaging up cut by cut.  You need a thousand people working at the same time.”

Beyond simply understanding what threatens the health of the watershed and the steps one can take to improve its health, the act of organizing, engaging, networking, and working is what appeals to volunteer stewards in the WSAs. The WSAs provide volunteers with the sense of making a difference and the tools to lead their communities in making a difference.  The opportunity to learn, to network, and to participate in a grassroots movement of environmental stewardship are the reasons the WSAs are successful in mobilizing participants.

William Yagatich is a Doctoral Candidate in the Department of Sociology and Graduate Fellow in the Program for Society and the Environment at the University of Maryland.
36 Comments
Business Registration in Kerala link
2/13/2022 11:39:39 pm

Heard of you lately. It's always nice to know and your past. Great blog.

Keep posting more blog posts. We're here waiting for you.

Reply
slope unblocked games link
1/16/2023 10:15:04 pm

thank you for your interesting infomation.

Reply
piebald link
2/1/2023 11:08:42 am

Really a great addition. I have read this marvelous post. Thanks for sharing information about it. I really like that. Thanks so lot for your convene.

Reply
LEAP Properties link
2/5/2023 09:14:58 am

This was really an interesting topic and I kinda agree with what you have mentioned here!

Reply
Hood Cleaning link
2/6/2023 05:35:54 am

I am definitely enjoying your website. You definitely have some great insight and great stories.

Reply
Hood Cleaning link
2/6/2023 05:47:16 am

Pretty good post. I just stumbled upon your blog and wanted to say that I have really enjoyed reading your blog posts. Any way I'll be subscribing to your feed and I hope you post again soon. Big thanks for the useful info.

Reply
Kitchen Renovations link
2/6/2023 07:59:40 am

Thanks for the post and great tips..even I also think that hard work is the most important aspect of getting success..

Reply
Kitchen Renovations link
2/6/2023 09:09:21 am

Excellent and very exciting site. Love to watch. Keep Rocking.

Reply
http://www.purtshirt.com/the-certificate-lab-epcs-for-landlords/ link
2/6/2023 10:52:03 am

Hey what a brilliant post I have come across and believe me I have been searching out for this similar kind of post for past a week and hardly came across this. Thank you very much and will look for more postings from you.

Reply
http://www.midifilepool.com/reception-24-7-review/ link
2/7/2023 02:39:59 am

Thank you again for all the knowledge you distribute,Good post. I was very interested in the article, it's quite inspiring I should admit. I like visiting you site since I always come across interesting articles like this one.Great Job, I greatly appreciate that.Do Keep sharing! Regards,

Reply
https://broomhillchurch.org.uk/2023/02/02/morpheus8-microneedling/ link
2/7/2023 08:00:37 am

Great Information sharing .. I am very happy to read this article .. thanks for giving us go through info.Fantastic nice. I appreciate this post.

Reply
http://www.cucinaitalianasandiego.com/at-gattoni-medical-aesthetics-wellness-we-offer-a-wide-range-of-treatments/ link
2/7/2023 09:15:16 am

It is imperative that we read blog post very carefully. I am already done it and find that this post is really amazing.

Reply
http://www.grace-methodist.org/cosmetic-dentist-in-beverly-hills/ link
2/7/2023 11:42:26 pm

Im no expert, but I believe you just made an excellent point. You certainly fully understand what youre speaking about, and I can truly get behind that.

Reply
cwindowcoverings.ca/curtains-calgary/ link
2/8/2023 01:19:15 pm

I really appreciate this wonderful post that you have provided for us. I assure this would be beneficial for most of the people.

Reply
Canada Rail Vacations link
2/9/2023 12:34:21 am

Hi! Thanks for the great information you havr provided! You have touched on crucuial points!

Reply
montana.butcherblockcountertop.net link
2/9/2023 01:05:41 pm

You know your projects stand out of the herd. There is something special about them. It seems to me all of them are really brilliant!

Reply
georgia.butcherblockcountertop.net link
2/10/2023 01:53:46 am

I think that thanks for the valuabe information and insights you have so provided here.

Reply
nevada.butcherblockcountertop.net link
2/10/2023 04:39:55 am

Positive site, where did u come up with the information on this posting? I'm pleased I discovered it though, ill be checking back soon to find out what additional posts you include.

Reply
alaska.butcherblockcountertop.org link
2/10/2023 08:17:22 am

I high appreciate this post. It’s hard to find the good from the bad sometimes, but I think you’ve nailed it! would you mind updating your blog with more information?

Reply
delaware.butcherblockcountertop.org link
2/10/2023 10:45:42 pm

The website is looking bit flashy and it catches the visitors eyes. Design is pretty simple and a good user friendly interface.

Reply
ohio.butcherblockcountertop.org link
2/11/2023 04:18:33 am

Admiring the time and effort you put into your blog and detailed information you offer!..

Reply
alaska.complexkitchens.com link
2/11/2023 07:43:38 am

I really appreciate the kind of topics you post here. Thanks for sharing us a great information that is actually helpful. Good day!

Reply
delaware.complexkitchens.com link
2/11/2023 09:02:02 am

I read that Post and got it fine and informative.

Reply
ohio.complexkitchens.com link
2/11/2023 11:08:15 am

Great write-up, I am a big believer in commenting on blogs to inform the blog writers know that they’ve added something worthwhile to the world wide web!..

Reply
wyoming.complexkitchens.com link
2/11/2023 12:50:05 pm

It is a great website.. The Design looks very good.. Keep working like that!.

Reply
https://www.familycomputerusa.com/earthquake-retrofitters/ link
2/12/2023 05:32:11 am

This was really an interesting topic and I kinda agree with what you have mentioned here!

Reply
Kitchen Worktops Knutsford link
2/16/2023 11:50:34 am

Thanks for taking the time to discuss this, I feel strongly about it and love learning more on this topic.

Reply
Quartz Worktops Knutsford link
2/16/2023 01:25:49 pm

I appreciate everything you have added to my knowledge base.Admiring the time and effort you put into your blog and detailed information you offer.Thanks.

Reply
School Fundraising link
2/17/2023 11:14:03 am

Great info! I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don’t know what to say except that I have.

Reply
House Locksmith Tampa link
2/24/2023 12:37:32 am

Thanks for posting this info. I just want to let you know that I just check out your site and I find it very interesting and informative. I can't wait to read lots of your posts.

Reply
Levelup Reality link
2/27/2023 02:19:11 am

Positive site, where did u come up with the information on this posting?I have read a few of the articles on your website now, and I really like your style. Thanks a million and please keep up the effective work.

Reply
Mini Diger Hire Chagford link
2/27/2023 03:57:08 am

Great info! I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don’t know what to say except that I have.

Reply
Rent a Boat in Malta link
3/4/2023 08:38:05 am

Nice Informative Blog having nice sharing..

Reply
what is pu leather link
3/11/2023 10:19:07 pm

It was wondering if I could use this write-up on my other website, I will link it back to your website though.Great Thanks.

Reply
Vehicle Marshal link
3/13/2023 05:15:46 am

I found your this post while searching for some related information on blog search...Its a good post..keep posting and update the information.

Reply
water slide rentals Sarasota link
3/17/2023 07:28:49 pm

Wonderful article, thanks for putting this together! This is obviously one great post. Thanks for the valuable information and insights you have so provided here.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    September 2022
    May 2020
    August 2019
    May 2019
    January 2019
    April 2018
    January 2018
    July 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    September 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    September 2013
    July 2013

    Categories

    All
    PSE Workshop

    RSS Feed

© Copyright 2013 - All rights reserved, Program for Society and the Environment