Day 1: Learning from Stories of Progress
Stories of Progress with Listening Threads
The gathering began with sharing in pairs, why it was important to come together for conversations about water quality & farming. The energy was high for engaging in conversation. Stories of progress were shared about watershed groups involved in the 2016 cohort. Using a "Pecha Kucha" presentation style, each storyteller was challenged to use 20 photo slides in less than 7 minutes, which made for a dynamic morning! During the stories, participants used a focused listening process, with each person listening for specific points in the stories. Then, everyone brought their notes into the dialogue cafe that followed. The listening threads were:
Stories were shared from these 7 returning watersheds: Peno Creek (MO), Apple / Plum (IL), Kickapoo (WI), LeSueur River (MN), Boone River (IA), Lime Creek (IA), Seven-Mile Creek (MN) |
Dialogue Cafe
Following the stories, a dialogue cafe revealed patterns in the stories. Over 3 rounds of conversation, the group explored these three questions. They were asked to share what felt most important to them after each round.
1. Sitting with others who listened to the same thread, what patterns and powerful moments show up across all the stories?
2. With a new group at your table, and with what we're seeing from the story threads, what new opportunities and questions arise?
New Questions
Opportunities
3. With another new group at your table and considering these insights, what's relevant for your watershed?
For this round, individuals captured what seemed most relevant to their watershed, shared with their table group, and brought their notes to the local group working session in the afternoon.
Following the stories, a dialogue cafe revealed patterns in the stories. Over 3 rounds of conversation, the group explored these three questions. They were asked to share what felt most important to them after each round.
1. Sitting with others who listened to the same thread, what patterns and powerful moments show up across all the stories?
- Communication: Hands on learning (e.g tours, workshops); Take ownership by stakeholders, Education including community, youth, and legislators.
- Education, Participation & Engagement: Money, someone to work behind the scenes - long term investment; Invite broad community to be physically present on the farm / in the water; Give power to individuals making land use decisions.
- Building Trust: Community involvement; Credibility of the science; One water - everybody’s issue.
- Leadership: Local leaders leading by example; Leadership through organized activities (e.g. demos, meetings); Understanding there is a role for conservation in agriculture.
- Innovation & Creativity: Being willing to take risks (profit?); Partnerships - volunteers, universities, communities; Community involvement in a variety of ways.
- Relationships & Partnerships: Look outside the box to involve more of the community to contribute goals and solutions; Know the issues through listening sessions; Watershed groups need partner support - cost share, communication, technical distance.
- Overcoming Barriers & Courageous Steps: Implement money risk to famers (overcoming risks); Diversity of stakeholders & participants; Community vision and ownership.
- Date & Metrics: Measurable change must benefit both production (farmers) and environment (fish); Monitoring can be costly - important to engage citizens and researchers as well as producers; Farmers are data-driven & paybacks vague - being able to measure change is key.
2. With a new group at your table, and with what we're seeing from the story threads, what new opportunities and questions arise?
New Questions
- How do we engage a younger audience in ag?
- What are best sources of long-term funds?
- What are the tipping points for 1) developing sense of ownership, and 2) farmers deciding to become involved?
- Questions for decision makers - why should I take the risk?
- How do we get buy-in quicker?
- How do you showcase results for folks to gain access quick and easily?
- How do we sustain this effort long-term?
- How do we reach a broader audience in a meaningful way?
- Connect groups and expand, set sights on longer river stretches
- Connect implications to drinking water
- How to find money and willing participants
- Can we shift the focus from yield to net profits?
- How to overcome the lack of uniform agreement on watershed planning?
Opportunities
- Community based watershed planning
- Involve everyone including community - avoid finger pointing
- Showcase results at events like this - outside the box
- New perspectives and bridges - unite community through common goals
- Soil health practice demonstrations that document economic benefits - opportunity!
- Consider ‘soft’ regulations - water protection as used with chemical application now
- Link to water quality
- Shifting markets, encouraging diversification
- Farm specific plans, 1-on-1 interactions
3. With another new group at your table and considering these insights, what's relevant for your watershed?
For this round, individuals captured what seemed most relevant to their watershed, shared with their table group, and brought their notes to the local group working session in the afternoon.
Coffee Shop Conversations
With farmers at the table, others listened in and asked questions. The conversations focused on risks associated with practicing farming methods that protect water quality, including financial risk, finding resources, challenging conversations with neighbors and other farmers, knowing what data & metrics are needed, etc. |
Local Group Work
Watershed groups gathered their insights and questions and began thinking together about what their next wise steps might be.
Watershed groups gathered their insights and questions and began thinking together about what their next wise steps might be.
Closing of Day 1
The day ended with more stories shared by new watershed participants in another engaging series of photos and impressive examples of innovation and experimentation. Though it was a very full day of talking, the conversations continued long into the night...always a good sign.
The day ended with more stories shared by new watershed participants in another engaging series of photos and impressive examples of innovation and experimentation. Though it was a very full day of talking, the conversations continued long into the night...always a good sign.
The 12 new watershed groups included:
Black Hawk Creek (IA), Catfish Creek (IA), Clear Creek (IA), Iowa River South Fork (IA), Rock Creek (IA), Turkey River (IA), Upper Iowa River (IA & MN), Root River (MN), Rush/Pine (MN), Whitewater River (MN), Milwaukee River (WI), and the Upper Sugar River (WI). Below is a sampling of their story sharing.
Black Hawk Creek (IA), Catfish Creek (IA), Clear Creek (IA), Iowa River South Fork (IA), Rock Creek (IA), Turkey River (IA), Upper Iowa River (IA & MN), Root River (MN), Rush/Pine (MN), Whitewater River (MN), Milwaukee River (WI), and the Upper Sugar River (WI). Below is a sampling of their story sharing.