Clean Water: Streams, lakes, wetlands, and aquifers capable of supporting a full complement of human and ecosystem needs. Healthy Streams: Shaded, cool waters, with ample floodplains and self-regulating flows sustaining ecological diversity and thriving communities. Biodiverse Habitats: Habitats and ecosystems fostering native plant and animal species in and alongside streams, lakes, and wetlands. Enjoying our Waterways: Responsible, low-impact recreational opportunities protective of Ausable waterways and adjacent lands. Engaged Communities: Informed residents and visitors caring for the health of the watershed where they live, work, and play. A Voice for the River: A strong, sustainable Ausable River Association working in partnership to achieve shared goals.

None of these challenges, however, are insurmountable. Thanks to the creation of the Ausable River Association (AsRA) in 1998, the health of the river has been a topic of conversation, study, and action among residents, business owners, and visitors to the region. AsRA’s staff expansion beginning in 2014 has increased the application of up-to-date scientific and technical knowledge to advance watershed issues, improved access to public funding resources, and created rising public enthusiasm and engagement to protect and restore the river, it’s lakes, streams, and wetlands. With careful planning, the scientific collection and assessment of data, and working side-by side with landowners, local, state, and federal government, NGOs, researchers, residents and other stakeholders, AsRA’s programs identify and address many of the key threats. We protect the clean waters, natural hydrology, diverse ecology, and scenic beauty of the Ausable and we inspire and provide knowledge for others to cherish and protect our watershed.

Since 1998, AsRA has been working cooperatively with landowners, municipalities, and government agencies to conserve the valued resources of the Ausable watershed. Originally, AsRA comprised representatives from each of the seven watershed townships and its work done by a mix of volunteers and project specific grants. In 2007, AsRA began working with limited support from the NYS Department of State (NYS DOS) with the intention of laying the groundwork for a watershed management plan. Subsequent NYS DOS grants in 2010 ($30,000) and 2012 ($225,000) supported demonstration restoration projects, culvert restoration efforts, AsRA’s response to Tropical Storm Irene, and the development and release of the 2016 Ausable River Watershed Management Plan. These grants also funded the development of a dedicated water quality testing program and the hire of a full-time professional science position. NYS DOS funds continue to support the organization with grants awarded in 2014 ($45,000), 2015 ($70,000), and 2016 ($140,000). Over the same period, AsRA’s board of directors revised the organization’s bylaws and increased commitments to staffing. Staff has expanded communications, information sharing, and community presence both through program work and through updated branding across media and materials. AsRA has evolved into a professionally staffed, non-profit organization whose members are engaged citizens who live, visit, recreate, and make their living across the watershed. It is supported primarily by public and private grants, as well as private donations from members and supporters. Membership remains small – no more than 250 paid members on a 14-month cycle – and is an area where growth over the next several years is essential.

The AsRA Board of Directors reviewed and approved this plan in December 2017. Implementation of many of the actions outlined in this document will occur over the next one to five years. Some, such as ongoing water quality monitoring, will continue indefinitely if they are supported by organizational planning, financial resources, and appropriately experienced staff. Table 5.1 of our strategic plan presents timeframes for implementing the actions presented. Relevant partnerships and funding streams that sustain each action are noted.

In December of 2017, AsRA’s Board of Directors approved a new strategic plan – advancing our organizational mission to help communities protect our streams and lakes. The intensive planning effort began in late 2015 with a series of staff and board meetings to define the scope and purpose of planning. We included feedback from community members through informal one-on-one conversations. This conceptual phase led to a focusing of AsRA’s mission, vision, and organizational goals, development of a framework for a planning document, followed by several months of drafting and revising. The result is a five-year flexible plan that guides AsRA’s staff and board, redefines programs, and lays out a strategic staff expansion. Our goal is to enhance our capacity to serve our communities and protect the waters of the Ausable watershed by building added efficiency, credibility, and strength in our work. Specifically, the new strategic plan strengthens our current science, technical, and education programs that our communities rely on and trust, by shifting more staff time to these core goals: clean water, healthy streams, engaged communities. It expands our commitment to protect near and instream habitats and the native wildlife that depend on them – creating a new staffed program to protect biodiverse habitats, focusing first on native brook trout and other vulnerable species. And it identifies two additional hires in the short to mid- term: a full-time communications manager to plan, design, and implement communications and marketing strategies that elevate the goals and programs of AsRA, increasing public awareness, and expanding AsRA’s member, donor, and volunteer base; and a part-time finance and operations director supporting AsRA programs including: organizational bookkeeping, financial strategy, grants tracking, contract compliance, and more. It also refines the committee structure of our talented volunteer board. Our communities, our members, colleagues and donors, and the hundreds of people our program work directly affects every year inspire us to ensure that our work is efficient and effective. You can view our priority action and our full plan on our website under the About Us tab.