Mystic Watershed Collaborative
Steering Committee Meeting
March 25, 2003

Attending: Dona Neely, Dale Bryan, Kwabena, Molly Mead, Eleanor Bates, Lisa B., Janet Kovner, Nancy Hammett, Mary Werowinski, Paul Kirshen, Jennifer Hill, Chelsea Bardot

To distribute:

• Flyers for the Herring Run
• Watershed Maps from the Forest Department
• River Institute Flyers

Dona Neely’s Project:

• She is putting together a comprehensive Power Point about the Collaborative to be used as a tool for many different audiences. Would like to present a consistent message, and would like our feedback.
  Please get your feedback to her by March 30th
• Janet and Lisa will be sending pictures
• Dale will be sending the NAPE Power Pt
• John has a history Power Pt
  Suggestions:
• Highlights should be more community based
• Provide Events and Goals for 2003-2004
• Should be a work in progress and live on after the end of the project
• Would like to incorporate a series of maps with major problem areas and historical progress lines
• Berger Clearinghouse has old maps
• MyWRA has jpegs
• Lisa B has slides

River Institute/ NES Proposal:

• Deadline for paper applications is April 1st with upcoming info sessions
• Open to any student, would rather have a Tufts student
• RI and EJAM need to work together, combine funding so EJ can become a part of all internships
• RI could have a specific focus each year such as EJ or habitat restoration
• NES has $25K for Environmental Education, River Institute is applying

Funding for River Use Project:

• 3 yr project starting in the summer of ‘03
• Jessie B Lox funding not received, seeking new source
• Need complementary funding
• Harvard GSD student will be working with Ground work Somerville on the Boathouse?

UEI Research Conference May 20th 11-2

• Mystic Research Conference
• Natural Cities project coming to an end
• For researchers to share results
• Possibly work with John Durant on Water Quality Conference round table?
• Poster session?
• How can this get into classrooms or internships?

Project Director job description:

• River Use Survey to try to better understand who is using the Mystic
• To do comprehensive outreach problem in 5 communities
• Work on access issues especially with groups we don’t normally reach
• For project, need manager for 20 hours/week for the length of the project, needed soon, 4 students are delegated to this project, need grad student with methodology skills.

EJAM update:

• 3 forums, 1 training done
• 1 training on Apr 5, cancelled
• MWC needs to attend: this is a priority project of the MWC
• Summit postponed due to lack of breadth at forums- need better outreach to communities, resources available for summit for direct action in addition to discussion

EMPACT:

• Real time information for the public so they can make decisions about the safety of the Mystic for water quality
  Going into a new kickoff on April 15th
• Website: seires of about pages showing how to use the site will be available
• Liability issues?
• Tuftslife.com posting? Link?
• Avail in Spanish and English?
• Kick off at the Supercleanup
• Announce at the beginning of the summer session?

Trout Unlimited: Winn Duke

• Would like to get involved with MWC table at Herring Fest?

Herring Fest Update:

• Community groups, City of Medford, Celebration, boats?, fun runs, fish creation station, Tufts connection speaker?, Bacow announcement?

June 14 Everett Event:

• Huge Festival with boat tour, trolley, antiques, regatta, kids fest, spring fest
• Need outside help: what is Tufts’ role?

Molly’s Position

• Questions: get GIS person? New liasson? What is the UCCPS role in MWC?
• Need longish discussion of ad hoc about this role.
• Meeting planned.