Education and Information Committee

Goal #5:  Provide information and education and assist with homeland security efforts

• Objective:  Enhance the quality of public and private policy decisions in the Shenandoah River Valley, particularly with respect to how these decisions affect the care, use, and security of natural resources.

Are there additional goals and objectives that this Committee and the Shenandoah RC&D Council should consider?

• Education and outreach specific to the RC&D Council and Associate Sponsors (internal)

Note:  Propose Objective #2:  Help facilitate coordination between the RC&D Council, organizations, and local governments and ensure awareness of the RC&D role; communicate regularly with RC&D members and associate members.

Purpose of Committee: 

• Review and make recommendations on project proposals to the Council
• Suggest project ideas and solicit proposals to address them. 
• Function as the educational arm of the Shenandoah RC&D
• Create information sheets and project proposal packet for Shenandoah RC&D
• Help facilitate coordination between the RC&D Council, organizations and local governments and ensure awareness of RC&D role
• Works with coordinator on project implementation, makes recommendations on potential partners and funding sources, helps make follow-up contacts on projects
• Once projects are approved for implementation, any changes in the focus or status of the project will be updated on the Initial Project Proposal Sheet, under Internal Tracking, upon concurrence with the committee chair.

What are the committee’s key priorities through July 2005?

• Explore biofuels forum idea with other partners to lay the groundwork for potential interest in and support for soybean crusher in the Valley and disseminate information about 2002 Farm Bill and what it can offer rural communities related to funding for alternative energy and other projects.

• Help develop a website
• Enhance media and public awareness of Shenandoah RC&D
• Reach out to each member organization, NGO’s, and stakeholder groups, and get them to talk to their local governments about RC&D
• Help identify, clarify and define what RC&D strengths and assistance capacity is, what RC&D has to offer, and communicate that more clearly
• Establish criteria for review of proposals
• Consider offering education about one issue that affects the RC&D region at each Council meeting, sponsored by a committee
• Inform the Council about particular subject areas that affects RC&D work
• Find Homeland Security $$ sources related to natural resources

• Pose the question of homeland security to our committees – what is needed?  What are other RC&D doing with homeland security projects/funding?

What are the committee’s key priorities over the next 2-5 years?

• Forge working relationships with key local government representatives and organizations
• Provide service and become a credible source of information throughout the RC&D area

How does this committee propose to help bring projects to the Council for consideration to meet key goals and objectives?  Actively solicit ideas from groups/individuals known to be working in these key areas?  Make general contacts?  Wait until projects come forward?

• Proactively through general education and promotion, targeted outreach, networking, website, listserv and media
• Each committee is responsible for outreach to constituents and proposals for projects to the RC&D may come out of it.

Committee Chair:  Jim Lawrence

Committee Membership:  Joan Comanor, Jim Lawrence, John Eckman, Tom Benzing

Potential Additional Members:

• Additional members could be ad-hoc (issue specific)
• Linda Campbell (website)
• VA Cooperative Extension rep

Technical Advisers:  Ward Staubitz, Chair of USGS Greater Valley Karst Forum

Meeting Schedule:  Bi-monthly (every 60 days)

Next meeting: