Causes: Environment, Water, Water Resources, Wetlands Conservation & Management

Mission: The chautauqua watershed conservancy's mission is to preserve and enhance the water quality, scenic beauty, and ecological health of the lakes, streams, and watersheds of the chautauqua region.

Programs: Public education and technical assistance - provided education to public and water-related committees on lake and watershed management. Provided technical assistance to lakeshore, stream side and watershed landowners on landscaping to protect or enhance water quality. Held three healthy landscapes-healthy waters programs to train and educate property owners, groundskeepers, landscapers and municipal/public works officials on how to manage their properties and undertake activities to avoid or minimize pollution to chautauqua lake and its watershed, and other watersheds and water bodies of chautauqua county. Developed and distributed the conservancy's e-mail announcements, watershed education public service announcements and display messages, maintenance of an educational website, weekly lake/watershed educational facebook postings and educational tours open to the public at nature preserves and targeted conservation sites. Published and distributed over 3,500 copies of the 'shed sheet watershed education newsletter to property owners, leaders, and members, including 1,400 chautauqua lakeshore property owners in summer 2014.

conservation stewardship - developed fact sheets and secured future grant of 80,000 for a major 438,000 multi-agency erosion control project on goose creek and assisted resource conservation and development district to secure grant funds for erosion control on clear creek. A watershed education and land conservation program was implemented in cooperation with cwc's partner organizations. Cwc mailed watershed/lake stewardship/lakeshore buffer information to 1,500 chautauqua lakeshore property owners. Conservationists met with 13 stream owners regarding erosion control & buffer enhancement; and worked on exploring potential conservation easements with four landowners. Twelve technical assistance visits were made to lakeshore owners by cwc conservationists. Landscaping technical assistance was provided on planting lakeshore buffers for water quality enhancement. Held two days of stream conservation field trips for jamestown high school students. Presentations were made to 298 elementary school children as part of cwc's chautauqua lake curriculum program. Coordinated nine weekly educational walks at chautauqua institution.

land conservation - pursued conservation and enhancement of lakeshore, wetland and stream corridor lands in the chautauqua lake, lake erie, conewango creek and other watersheds of the chautauqua region. Acquired by donation 22 acres of streamside forest on chautauqua creek. Acquired 13. 5 acres with 600 feet of shoreline on chautauqua lake. Restored 0. 7-acre lakefront campsite to wetland habitat. Pursued conservation of stream corridor and wetland sites and/or erosion control with landowners on bemus creek, dutch hollow creek, goose creek, dewittville creek, prendergast creek, cassadaga creek, and chautauqua creek. Performed boundary & biological surveys, developed management plans, and placed signs at cwc preserves.

municipal technical assistance - directors and staff served on various county committees. Provided scientific technical assistance for the implementation of effective watershed pollution control programs and demonstration projects for the chautauqua lake management commission, including projects implementing the chautauqua lake watershed management plan, goose creek and dutch hollow creek erosion control feasibility plans, lake dredging feasibility study and development of a chautauqua lake submerged aquatic vegetation plan, as well as providing technical assistance through the chautauqua county water quality task force.