Chairman, Bill Fawcett, 753-0278

Through the sharing of stories, life experiences and lessons, connections are made and mutual respect begins to build. Frequently, the sharing of interesting facts and anecdotes fosters understanding, learning and problem solving, where more formal efforts fail. In today's society, fewer and fewer people are connected with rural activities and values. This gap in understanding between members of society creates problems that the Northeastern Nevada Stewardship Group (NNSG) is working to resolve.

The Heritage Team Concept was developed as a means to introduce NNSG's Elko County Ecosystem Conservation Strategy to those responsible for the watersheds, the land owners and operators. Many, but not all, of the natural resource operators had participated in developing the Strategy; for many more the document would be new information. For the Strategy to be successful, all participants need to understand the principles and ultimate objectives and be included in the planning process. The initial collaborative planning used to create the Strategy needed to be carried through in the introductory and implementation phases.

The Heritage Team will meet with residents in their watershed neighborhood to share food, stories, maps, photographs and other resources to encourage dialogue centered on the history of the region. The concepts of the Ecosystem Strategy will be shared along with copies of the NNSG document.

At the core of NNSG's watershed plan are the Watershed Teams made up of residents, pertinent land management representatives, and any citizens with interests in that watershed. Watershed Teams would identify the actionable issues within the watershed which, when properly analyzed and implemented, would hold the potential to lead to improved ecosystems, as well as, enhanced production values. The following goals guide the activities of the Heritage Team:

• Understand the way people have lived on the land in northeastern Nevada
• Capture and preserve the stories of people within the study areas
• Identify land-use strategies and their implications
• Engage landowners, land users and others in efforts to create a more productive future for watersheds and the people
• Use our discoveries to build positive relationships among rural and urban communities

Additional benefits to be realized through the Heritage Team work:

• NNSG web-site - www.nnsg.org - will provide a home for any products developed. The Northeastern Nevada Museum will also house the full extent of tapes, papers, etc. Watershed stories, photographs, maps, recordings, will stimulate interest and understanding of a working rural Nevada community. Additionally, these activities are examples of NNSG's ongoing collaborative efforts to address public land issues in a productive and problem solving manner.

Great Basin College curriculum could include internships in social sciences and range management allowing students to participate in the watershed process. Students would increase their understanding and appreciation for the people working the land, and the complexities of addressing public land issues. Community residents would gain the insights of the students. Students would expand the work force addressing watershed planning needs.