The Puyallup Watershed Initiative

Water is the most priceless resource on our planet. Humans and our ecological system depend on it for survival. The earth’s surface is 70% water and we must protect it, I believe we can do this through civic engagement of community. More specifically, the Puyallup Watershed initiative. In this paper, I will argue why I firmly believe civic environmentalism is the answer to the Puyallup Watershed Initiative. To begin with, communities are not monolithic and most have differences in structures when it comes to race, class, gender and power structures. None the less, a community is defined as a group of people living in the same geographic area with shared interests, values, and principles. Next, civic, as defined by dictionaries, has two
The work on urban nature is a subset of the relational turn in cultural geography that moves away from modern dichotomies between subject and object, or artificial and natural and, instead emphasizes the linkages and relations that knit our world of interdependent systems together”, ( Andrew Karvonen, Ken Yocom, p. 1305. 2011 ). I too, believe that civic environmentalism is a vehicle for enacting relational ontology of urban nature. In addition, the relationship between non-government organizations (NGO) and civic environmentalism compliments each other. With attention to the fact that NGO’s have played a significant role in establishing grass roots methods of environmental protection while incorporating citizen involvement. With the most popular being ones that rally public opinion and advocative legislative and social change. Public interest groups can be found everywhere and more of them keep popping up. One of my favorite is The Sierra Club. I am a firm believer that public education and involvement are key components to the success of these organizations. NGO’s have the ability to have a profound impact on how natural resources are managed and how an area is developed. The Puyallup Watershed initiative is extremely important in a state like ours, because we have dense forests and an abundant
Forest, protecting managing and increasing forest lands from the mountains to the shores. And more importantly, industrial storm water, through improving storm water management to protect the health of the local waterways. I personally feel like in order to manage better, there has to be focus on empirical and theoretical, they go together. Empirical because environmental concerns have to monitored over a period of time and theatrical because we must envision new ideas, new dreams to transform an idea into real life. Furthermore, the three characteristics Karvonen and Yocom make a case for; relational ontology, local emphasis, and democratic deliberation. Suggests we must shift away from conventional forms of environmental governance. (Karvonen, A., Yocom, K., p. 1311). As a result of shifting away from conventional governance goals, indicators can be created that address more of a widespread and sustainable development pattern. For example the McKenzie watershed in Oregon. The Puyallup Watershed will be extremely successful if the organization is a strong advocate of establishing realistic goals and indicators through the civic environmentalism and advocacy. We must bridge the gap between public plans and operations. Goals and indicators are important for creating better watershed management