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Earth Day 2004 Symposium
(G04-NPS-14)
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Effective water pollution control from nonpoint sources requires knowledge of both urban and rural watershed best management practices. The Meramec River watershed, for example, has seen an improvement over the last 30 years in water quality. Many of these hard won gains could be lost as the region transitions from rural to urban development. There are over 200 municipalities in an 8 county region in the greater St. Louis area, each with their own planning and zoning restrictions. It takes a focused educational effort to bring new engineering and planning practices into a decentralized, urbanized, and rapidly urbanizing region.
St. Louis Earth Day fosters environmental appreciation through celebration, education, and service with a focus on the observance of the Earth Day holiday. Through effective networking and alliance building St. Louis Earth Day seeks to strengthen the community by focusing on specific projects that build common bonds, create dialogue and find effective solutions. St. Louis Earth Day proposes to develop a two-day 2004 sustainable development symposium, with a central watershed strand whose goals are to distinguish between urban and rural best management practices, and reach an engineering and land use planning audience with information that will help bridge the gap between what is known and what is commonly practiced in stream and watershed management.
OBJECTIVES
? Identify key leadership in applied watershed management research in the region and bring them to St. Louis to share their expertise.
? Reach representatives of at least 20 municipalities, counties, and/or government entities in the greater St. Louis region with practical applications of nonpoint source pollution reducing techniques.
? Reach at least 50 consultants to and/or clients of municipalities with technical information that will enhance their ability to deliver services to municipalities that help reduce nonpoint source pollution.
? Show at least 25 individuals currently implemented positive models of best management practices for reduction of nonpoint source water pollution on a watershed tour/barge trip.
? Identify at least 5 regulatory changes in the greater St. Louis region that will help reduce nonpoint source water pollution that have been implemented in the 9 months following the symposium.
METHODS EMPLOYED
St. Louis Earth Day will bring the appropriate individuals to St. Louis to present interdisciplinary workshops and technical seminars as part of the 2004 Earth Day Symposium. Information will be share through the following methods:
? One day of keynote speakers and interdisciplinary workshops related to nonpoint source pollution control.
? One day of technical seminars related to nonpoint source pollution control.
? One post-conference Missouri River barge trip/watershed tour.
? A symposium evaluation tool will be developed to test pre and post symposium knowledge of participants.
? A survey of local municipalities will be undertaken to identify post-symposium regulatory changes that can help reduce nonpoint source pollution of local water bodies.
St. Louis Earth Day will also work with APWA-St. Louis Section, ASCE-St. Louis Chapter, St. Louis County Municipal League, East West Gateway, the American Planning Association, and the St. Louis Metropolitan Sewer District to track targeted actions and changes in regulations that may come about as a result of this educational process.
PRODUCTS
? 4,000 printed symposium program brochures
? One day of interdisciplinary workshops
? One day of technical seminars
? Missouri River Barge trip/watershed tour
? Pre and Post questionnaires
PROJECT SPONSOR
St. Louis Earth Day
COOPERATING AGENCIES
East-West Gateway Coordinating Council
Missouri Department of Natural
Missouri Department of Conservation
American Planning Association
U.S. Green Building Council-St. Louis Chapter
ASCE-St. Louis Chapter
APWA-St. Louis Section
Soil and Water Conservation District-St. Louis County
USDA-NRCS
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Great Rivers Greenway
CONTACT
Karla Wilson
St. Louis Earth Day
P.O. Box 19863
St. Louis, MO 63144-9998
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