Strategic Plan

HILO BAY WATERSHED ADVISORY GROUP 2007?2012 STRATEGIC PLAN

Following is the HBWAG?s 2007?2012 Strategic Plan as adopted in the monthly
HBWAG Steering Committee meeting held on March 13, 2007.

I.

MISSION

The purpose/mission of the Hilo Bay Watershed Advisory Group shall be to
bring the community together to understand and protect the ecology of the
Hilo Bay Watershed.

II.

VISION

Future generations will enjoy a cleaner Hilo Bay, cleaner streams, and a
watershed that supports both human activities and the natural ecosystem.

Stewardship of the Hilo Bay Watershed will be embraced by all members of
the community.

Our community will better understand, protect, nurture, utilize, and
enhance the Hilo Bay Watershed through a cooperative effort based on
ecosystem processes and the community?s needs and cultural values.

III.

CUSTOMERS

The WAG?s ?customers? include the Hilo Bay Watershed, community,
property owners, governmental and non-governmental agencies?essentially,
all the stakeholders who affect and are affected by the watershed.

IV.

OVERARCHING

STRATEGIES

The WAG will act as an advocate for the overall sustainability of the Hilo Bay
Watershed, serve the community, build partnerships, support scientific
studies and monitoring, and promote prevention and mitigation of water
pollution. More specifically:

Community Cooperation

We will seek partnerships and engage in collaborative problem
identification and solutions with all responsible parties.

A Watershed-Based Approach

We will promote principles to isolate watershed/water quality
problems and propose solutions based on robust information and
research.

Build and Increase Capacity

We will strive to increase HBWAG membership and the community?s
participation in efforts to learn about and improve conditions in the
Hilo Bay Watershed.

By: HBWAG-SC/3/13/2007

HILO BAY WATERSHED ADVISORY GROUP 2007?2012 STRATEGIC PLAN

MISSION GOALS, OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES

GOAL 1: Improving watershed management (leadership/direction)

Objective: Create a Watershed Management Plan
Strategies:
?

Research watershed management methods and plans

Generate addendum to WRP

Identify effective Best Management Practices (BMPs)

GOAL 2: The knowledge, attitudes, and practices of most of the Hilo Bay
Watershed community are consonant with the restoration and preservation of
the Hilo Bay Watershed.

Objective: Educate the Community on Watershed Issues

Strategies:

Form a subcommittee of interested members who will work collaboratively to
produce a comprehensive watershed education plan and execute it

Distribute educational brochures to community institutions

Engage agencies and institutions to distribute information

GOAL 3: Ensure the health of the Hilo Bay ecosystem and its tributaries so that
these meet appropriate water quality standards. (Physical , measurable
improvements.)

Objective: Monitor the water quality of Hilo Bay and its tributaries and
determine sources and types of watershed pollution
Strategies:
?

Collaborate with DOH, DLNR, and others to verify and validate the
classification of impaired streams

Collaborate with DOH, University of Hawaii, and others on water quality

Monitor the water quality of Hilo Bay and its tributaries (including ground
water) to track changes over time

By: HBWAG-SC/3/13/2007

HILO BAY WATERSHED ADVISORY GROUP 2007?2012 STRATEGIC PLAN

GOAL 4: Build HBWAG Capacity and Increase Resources
Objective: Decentralize work through greater community volunteerism,

implementation of the WAG Bylaws and Roles and Policies, and improved

efficiency of WAG activities
Strategies:
?

Increase membership

Form a special committee or task force to study and recommend methods to
garner new members

Foster endorsements

Solicit positions, opinions, and general consensus on the state of the Hilo
watershed and water quality

Educate HBWAG members (including the SC) on water quality, TMDLs, and
associated government/agency processes

Research water quality and watershed issues

Develop funding and grant-writing capabilities

Facilitate and develop partnerships

Use the Hilobaywaters@gmail.com account as an archive and
communications clearinghouse for most SC functions (SC member access
only)

Use an improved WAG website for general WAG events postings/
communications, public education distributions, and links to other
pertinent sites

This plan will be reviewed and updated on an approximately annual basis (in/about March
2008), and as needed per the judgment of the HBWAG Steering Committee.

Prepared by the HBWAG-SC Strategic Plan Special Committee: Steve Godzsak, Ed McNally, Tom
Young, Steve Skipper, and Peter Heffron, and approved by the HBWAG Steering Committee in the

monthly SC meeting on March 13, 2007 in Hilo, Hawaii.

Background information is provided on the following pages.

By: HBWAG-SC/3/13/2007

HILO BAY WATERSHED ADVISORY GROUP 2007?2012 STRATEGIC PLAN

BACKGROUND

The Hilo Bay Watershed Advisory Group Strategic Plan that follows was prepared by
the WAG-SC Strategic Plan Special Committee: Steve Godzsak, Ed McNally, Tom
Young, Steve Skipper, and Peter Heffron. It is based on:

Discussions in two special committee meetings in December 2006 and
January 2007, respectively

A draft plan resulting from the above-referred meetings that was shared in
January 2007 with each SC member for comment

This version

incorporates all comments received by the special committee as of 9

February 2007.
The following points were agreed to by the special committee members and
subsequently presented to, and endorsed by, the full WAG-SC in its 9 January 2007
meeting:

Just as the HBWAG?like many organizations?need Bylaws and Roles and
Policies (instituted in the WAG in 2006), the HBWAG should also benefit by
having a basic strategic plan.

It is recognized that the WAG-SC does not have the time, resources, etc., to
carry out a comprehensive strategic planning process. However the special
committee members believe a brief plan (the target was less than 5 pages) is
better than no plan, and that the plan can evolve (be updated and refined) as
the WAG evolves.

The strategic plan special committee suggested that, given its present state, the
WAG-SC should focus on WAG and SC viability (see proposed strategic goal#4
below) and ?doable? tasks that WAG-SC sub-committees take on in consultation
with the SC. Thus, while recognizing the importance of a comprehensive
strategic plan, until the WAG and the WAG-SC are on firmer ground, there
should be a principally ?tactical? or operational imperative?ideally linked to the
strategic plan that follows.

The HBWAG strategic plan will serve several important purposes: (1) As general
guidance for WAG initiatives and priorities and (2) To share with potential
donors, partners, and other watershed/water quality stakeholders (many of
whom expect to see business plans, strategic plans, or equivalents associated
with organizations they might support/collaborate with).

Although the present WAG strategic plan is brief and general, it will be the
basis for more specific annual plans (referred to variously as detailed
implementation plans, annual plans, and so on).

The plan is not ?final? in the strict sense of the term, however the WAG-SC concurs (SC meeting on 6 Feb 2007)

that it suffices for the present as a general guide for the HBWAG-SC and the WAG. We welcome suggestions for
improving the HBWAG-SC Strategic Plan from all quarters and will endeavor to incorporate proposed changes, as
appropriate, on a approximately bi-annual basis.

By: HBWAG-SC/3/13/2007

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