Applying integrated watershed management in Nova Scotia: a community-based perspective from the Clean Annapolis River Project

Abstract

This article examines integrated watershed management in the Annapolis River basin in Nova Scotia from the perspective of a community-based watershed organization. It draws on the experiences of the Clean Annapolis River Project (CARP) to provide a case study of the financial, institutional, human, political and social capacity of a small non-governmental organization in implementing integrated watershed management. CARP’s guiding principles of utilizing science, leadership and community engagement to achieve ecologically healthy watersheds align with an integrated watershed management approach. Using examples of CARP’s programming and projects, this article describes the successes and challenges encountered in the implementation of community-based integrated watershed management.

Keywords:

• Community-based
• integrated watershed management
• citizen science
• monitoring
• ecological