Watershed work will be fun again, if we make it so. And, we'll be more effective if we keep things in perspective. These notions washed over me as I wound my way up and out of that watershed wonder Yosemite Valley after a recent conference.
Watershed is coming to the fore as organizing principle in understanding nature and land management. Among foresters, engineers, biologists and concerned citizens of every stripe, if the topics are managing the landscape and conserving natural resources, the word watershed will be spoken. Watershed provides common ground. People who agree on nothing else, agree that water flows downhill (when not under pressure), and that things that happen upstream can effect things that happen downstream through the medium of flowing waters.
While these points may seem piddling, in a world were universal agreement on anything is becoming increasingly scarce, principles on which people can agree become increasingly valuable and attractive organizing principles for science, management and politics.
What troubles me is that just when we watersheders are being handed this golden opportunity to produce positive change, we may be immobilized by burnout. The factors producing this present tendency toward burnout, are too numerous to mention here. Missing this opportunity to improve the environment through watershed management, art and science, is a tragedy too terrible to contemplate. The antidotes to burnout, of course, are having enough fun and keeping things in perspective, which brings me full circle to the mists of Yosemite Falls.
When doing watershed work, please remember to take some pleasure in what you're doing and pass it along to others. Get the disagreeable stuff over, done with, and out of the way. And always, during dark and frustrating periods particularly, keep your perspective. Time changes all things. Opportunities for change arrive at the oddest moments. Be ready.
As Earl Ruby, the sage of Stanislaus, once said to the timber beast during dark days of a decade ago, "We'll still be shedding water long after the big trees are gone." (Earl's best prognostications have a have habit of becoming axiomatic surprisingly soon.)
Everyone now is looking to watersheds as an organizing principle land management and resource conservation. Let's have fun and take advantage of this historic opportunity for positive change.
Thanks to Luana Kiger for her service as vice-president serving and for promoting WMC's link with the USDA Soil Conservation Service. The Council benefited greatly from your good judgment, and wishes you great success in you academic pursuits.
As secretary, Steve Abbors did an excellent job recording minutes and tracking the many action items. Steve's diligence kept us on track and moving forward. And thanks again to you and East Bay MUD for hosting the 1991 WMC field trip to the Mokelumne River watershed entitled "Mixed Ownership Planning."
Thanks too to departing treasurer Neil Berg. Neil, your hard work has significantly improved the operation of the Council, and helped secure WMC's future. Thank you for obtaining conditional tax-exempt status for WMC with the IRS and for advising us on how to maintain that status.
Special thanks to departing board member Sally Champion, particularly for here fine logistical work on WMC 1992 conference entitled "Overcoming Obstacles".
Thanks to returning board member Ken Roby, who took on and skillfully executed the mammoth job of organizing the 1992 WMC, and then consented to run for another term on the board. What a guy.
Likewise, thanks to George Ice, a returning board member, who once again contributed his considerable energy and skills to organizing poster and technical sessions for the 1992 conference.
Special thanks to Joe DeVries, Carol Walker, John Hopkins, Andy Leven and Ken Tuner. Ken Turner's skills in auditing and bylaw interpretation have been particularly valuable to WMC.
Finally, thanks to Mike Furniss, the returning board member who has without a doubt done the most to enhance image and visibility of the Watershed Management Council through his production of this fine newsletter. Mike, you are a generous person, true achiever, and your contributions are highly valued by me and the membership.
-Clay Brandow
