The Watershed Game – Advancing Beyond the Shoreline and Making the Land Use to Water Connection Using Effective Education and Public Engagement

The workshop and presentation will focus on how fisheries and aquatic ecosystem managers can use the Watershed Game to help communities make the connection between land, water, and sustainable fisheries and aquatic habitat.  The Watershed Game is an interactive tool that helps individuals understand the connection between land use and water quality.  Participants learn how a variety of land uses impact water and natural resources, increase their knowledge of best management practices (BMPs), and learn how their choices can prevent adverse impacts.  Participants apply plans, practices, and policies that help them achieve a water quality goal for a stream, lake, or river.  It has been used throughout Minnesota and in other areas of the country to build the knowledge base of local leaders, providing sound science and easier understanding of TMDL's and their role in achieving them.  This workshop will provide participants an opportunity to play the Watershed Game and learn about its effective uses in communities across Minnesota and the uses from colleagues across the country.  This will be a double session – 40 minutes in length and will be interactive in nature.  Anyone who attends this session will be participating in the hands-on activity.