Upstream, Downstream: Forging a Rural–Urban Partnership for Shared Water Governance in Central Kansas

Selfa, Theresa; Becerra, Terrie A.

doi:10.1007/978-1-4419-7282-8_10

Cited by 4 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…Some farmers recognize that they need to do a better job of reducing the negative impacts of their farm practices on the environment (Arbuckle et al 2009;Boonstra et al 2011;Pfeffer and Wagenet 2011;Selfa and Becerra 2011). However, although crop productivity continues to increase, there are many farmers who are not actively managing to keep nitrogen and other nutrients on their fields and out of neighboring water bodies.…”

Section: Managing For Production and Water Qualitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Reconstructing the good farmer identity: shifts in farmer identities and farm management practices to improve water quality

2012

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All farmers have their own version of what it means to be a good farmer. For many US farmers a large portion of their identity is defined by the high input, high output production systems they manage to produce food, fiber or fuel. However, the unintended consequences of highly productivist systems are often increased soil erosion and the pollution of ground and surface water. A large number of farmers have conservationist identities within their good farmer identity, however their conservation goals often need to be activated to rebalance the production-conservation meanings they give to their roles in society. In this paper we analyze US Cornbelt farmer interviews and surveys to trace how the performance-based environmental management process can be used to influence the farmer social identity and shift the overall good farmer identity towards a stronger conservationist standard. We find the continuous feedback loop in performancebased environmental management mimics the hierarchically organized feedback control processes of identity verification and can be used to help farmers activate their conservationist farmer identities at the person, role, and social levels to establish new norms for the practice of more sustainable agriculture. completed her Master of Rural Sociology at Iowa State University and is currently working on her PhD in the Department of Sociology at Iowa State University. Her research focuses on human dimensions of natural resource management and farmer decision making from the social psychological view of self and identity. Lois Wright Morton is a professor of Rural Sociology in the Department of Sociology at Iowa State University. Her research work focuses on civic structure, human dimensions of natural resource management, community based watershed management, farmer decision making, and rural quality of life. Alicia D. Cast is an associate professor of Sociology in the

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Section: Managing For Production and Water Qualitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Reconstructing the good farmer identity: shifts in farmer identities and farm management practices to improve water quality

2012

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“…Beyond this requirement, it is important that any water quality solutions are embraced by the stakeholders as those are more likely to be implemented (Prokopy and Floress ). The likelihood of robust public participation increases when a diverse group of participants share their experience, knowledge, and ideas (Floress et al ; Selfa and Becerra ). Many proponents of public involvement in water quality planning believe it leads to better planning and decision making outcomes because local knowledge is critical to understanding local systems.…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Impacts of a Civic Engagement Cohort Program for Water Quality Professionals

Kallestad

Chazdon

Bohn

2018

Contemporary Water Research

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In this article, researchers report the impact study results of University of Minnesota Extension's civic engagement for water quality cohort program. The cohort curriculum highlights Extension's research‐informed, five‐stage civic engagement model emphasizing process design and process management. Using a non‐random comparison group design, a survey was conducted with participants of three civic engagement cohorts for water quality professionals, as well as a comparison group of water quality professionals not part of a cohort. Survey results were aggregated into the five stages of Extension's civic engagement process: prepare, inquire, analyze, synthesize, and act together. Findings indicated cohort participants experienced significantly better results than members of the comparison group in four of the five stages. A strength of Extension's civic engagement model and curriculum is its emphasis on the collective nature and processual aspects of civic engagement work. Cohort participants received training on civic engagement skills, which are not often emphasized in education for water quality professionals. While both groups reported a high frequency of increased civic engagement skills, cohort participants did not report more frequent collaboration or public engagement behaviors than comparison group members. A challenge for those training water quality professionals is instilling the value of civic engagement skills in addition to the more traditional technical skill sets associated with water quality work. Additionally, ongoing training and organizational support is needed for practitioners to effectively implement new skills and leverage new networks.

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“…Research shows public participation in water resource planning and management can have multiple ecological and cultural benefits. Participatory water resource management enhances implementation of water plans (Lubell ; Sabatier et al ), increases community support for long‐term planning (Selfa and Becerra ), bolsters public funding for water programs (Larson and Lach ), and builds social capital, or networks of community influence (Prokopy and Floress ). Public participation in water planning can increase public trust in and perceived legitimacy of planning processes (Trachtenberg and Focht ).…”

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confidence: 99%

Cultural Narratives on Constraints to Community Engagement in Urban Water Restoration

Pradhananga

Davenport

Green

2019

Contemporary Water Research

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Natural resource professionals increasingly recognize that water protection and restoration efforts require not only technical solutions, but also the active engagement of stakeholders who live and work in the local community. People of color, and those of lower income brackets, are frequently underrepresented in water‐related programming or decision‐making, although they are often disproportionately affected by water problems. Effective engagement of diverse community members in water programs and projects requires understanding and addressing constraints to action. We conducted 25 interviews with community members who live or work in a highly urbanized Minnesota watershed to explore perceived obstacles to community engagement in local water resource protection and restoration. Based on self‐reported race, ethnicity, and general community engagement level, interviewees were assigned to one of three “stakeholder groups” for comparative analysis: formal decision‐makers, active white community members, and active community members of color. Qualitative analysis of responses revealed perceived constraints to engagement common to all three groups: inaccessibility and invisibility of water, lack of local leadership in water issues, and limited community dialogue about water problems and solutions. Additional constraints were perceived uniquely by community members of color: cultural constraints around water uses, recreation, action, and inequities or disenfranchisement in community decision‐making processes and water programming. Study findings suggest partnership building is needed for collaboration in designing civic engagement programs and improving water protection and restoration projects.

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Upstream, Downstream: Forging a Rural–Urban Partnership for Shared Water Governance in Central Kansas

Cited by 4 publications

References 12 publications

Reconstructing the good farmer identity: shifts in farmer identities and farm management practices to improve water quality

Reconstructing the good farmer identity: shifts in farmer identities and farm management practices to improve water quality

The Impacts of a Civic Engagement Cohort Program for Water Quality Professionals

Cultural Narratives on Constraints to Community Engagement in Urban Water Restoration

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