{"id":180,"date":"2011-08-09T15:41:26","date_gmt":"2011-08-09T15:41:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.auburn.edu\/aww\/?p=180"},"modified":"2023-05-08T13:56:51","modified_gmt":"2023-05-08T13:56:51","slug":"change-and-challenges-emphasized-at-aww-annual-meeting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aaes.auburn.edu\/wrc\/change-and-challenges-emphasized-at-aww-annual-meeting\/","title":{"rendered":"Change and Challenges emphasized at AWW Annual Meeting"},"content":{"rendered":"

Alabama Water Watch held its 18th Annual Meeting and Picnic at Comer Hall on the Auburn University campus in June. The event was a success by several measures. More than 80 people from all over the state attended. Nearly all of the state’s river basins were represented. Attendees included AWW volunteer monitors and representatives from elementary\/secondary education, higher education, state government nongovernmental organizations and business.<\/p>\n

 The meeting began with a pre-meeting computer-lab workshop on AWW web basics and advanced website tools. Participants learned how to access the more than 65, 000 online AWW water quality data records, how to graph water chemistry and bacteria (E. coli<\/em>) data, and how to evaluate long-term data trends to see if their water quality is getting better or getting worse.<\/p>\n

 After the workshop, the meeting officially began. Bill Deutsch, the AWW Program Director, welcomed everyone to a day of looking back and celebrating 19 years of accomplishments, and looking forward to a revitalized and growing Program. He introduced the first speaker, Mike Kensler, President of the Alabama Water Watch Association and Director of the AU Office of Sustainability.<\/p>\n

 
\nBill Deutsch, AWW Director, welcomes all to the meeting
\n(click Here for more pictures) <\/a><\/h4>\n

Role of AWWA in AWW’s Data-to-Action Plan<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Mike spoke about the role of the Association, the nonprofit arm of AWW, in sustaining and revitalizing AWW. He emphasized that the success of AWW lay in the strength of its three parts: the AU-based AWW Program, all of the AWW groups and monitors throughout the state, and the nonprofit AWW Association. The Association provides support to the statewide AWW Program in the form of financial support, leadership development, monitor group development communications and outreach. He said that people who become members of the Alabama Water Watch Association can provide support to the AWW Program in several different ways, including financial donations, informal advertising and getting the word out about what AWW is and does, and doing presentations to various organizations and groups on AWW’s behalf.<\/p>\n

Mike continued by saying that the AWW Story is one of significant accomplishments, and that the stats (number of sites monitored, number of water quality data records, number of trained and certified monitors) is only part of that story. He emphasized that the AWW Program is aspirational \u2013 looking toward a brighter future, and grounded on place-based citizen engagement. AWW empowers and facilitates citizens in taking care of the places that they know and love. He contended that this is a powerful idea, and that many people around the state are not clear on what AWW is and does.<\/p>\n

Mike said that AWW has followed a well-documented pattern of organizational growth, characterized by sharp upward growth in its early years, then reaching a plateau. This plateau is usually followed by a slow downward trend if the organization is content in maintaining the status quo. Conversely, if the organization re-connects with its core mission and values, it can stimulate a second growth spurt. To this end, the Association developed a Strategic Plan, with the following five goals:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Increase public awareness and appreciation of Alabama Water Watch<\/li>\n
  2. Increase local AWW group effectiveness and impacts<\/li>\n
  3. Secure stronger, more stable support for AWW from Auburn University<\/li>\n
  4. Increase fund raising<\/li>\n
  5. Strengthen the AWW Association via strengthening membership and developing a stronger, more committed AWW Association Board of Directors. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Mike stated that water data is the backbone of everything that AWW does \u2013 it provides a scientific basis and rigor to citizen activism, which is a powerful force for conservation and positive change. But, he added, data are just numbers unless the numbers are properly interpreted to yield information, understanding and knowledge. Through the sharing and application of new knowledge comes positive action. It is this ‘Data-to-Action’ strategy that is key to a sustainable future for AWW.<\/p>\n

    Mike emphasized that people can participate and support AWW in several different ways, and water monitoring is just one of them. Other valuable and essential contributions can be made through public outreach and civic engagement. At a recent AWW Trainer-Refresher Workshop, Mike posed the following five thought-provoking questions:<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Why do we monitor water?<\/li>\n
    2. What do we hope to achieve through our water monitoring?<\/li>\n
    3. What does AWW train monitors to do?<\/li>\n
    4. What should ‘perfectly-trained’ monitors learn to do?<\/li>\n
    5. What additional training would be helpful to move from Water Data<\/u> to Action<\/u>?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Here are the responses:<\/p>\n

      1. We monitor:<\/p>\n