Alliance for watershed focuses on collaboration

Ecosystems don’t respect jurisdictional boundaries, so it’s important that everyone works together to protect the Mystic River watershed, especially in the face of climate change.

That was the message the Alliance for the Mystic River Watershed, a nonprofit organization, shared during a planning session Tuesday to brainstorm an action plan for the watershed.

“It’s difficult for an individual neighborhood or community to be resilient all by themselves, and in recognition of that the Alliance for the Mystic River Watershed exists for the purposes of bringing us in four towns and two tribal nations together so that we can avail ourselves of the potential of what is possible when we are working together,” Maggie Favretti, first chair director and a co-founder of the alliance, said at the planning session.

Stonington, Groton, Ledyard, North Stonington, with the Eastern and Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nations are working together to develop a watershed resilience action plan over the next two years that will feature a “living atlas” of frequently updated data on the watershed, including not only numerical and graphic data but also storytelling, said Favretti.

Favretti said equity and justice and community ownership are principles guiding the plan, and the alliance has cultural advisers and an adviser for equity of access. One example of community involvement is that people who are not scientists are in charge of the water quality data committee, and children also are part of the committee.

Planners on Tuesday brainstormed goals and ideas, including the restoration of habitat health and waterway connections; low-cost development approaches that have minimal environmental impact; improvements to sewage and stormwater management; balancing housing density and aquifer protection; and ways to prioritize equity, involve the community and youths, and build education and advocacy.

More information is available at www.alliancemrw.org.