The Adaptive WatershedTraining program for inclusive,

ecosystem-based watershed

management

Module 2The Watershed and its

Socioeconomic Context:

A sense of time and place

Module 2: The Watershed and Its Socioeconomic Context: A sense of time and place

Learning objectives

After completing this module, you will be able to:

1. Describe the principal characteristics of the watershed

(e.g., land use distribution, major economic activities)

by identifying the main land uses and economic

activities in/around the watershed, and understand how

ecosystem services support these livelihoods.

2. Identify a range of methods that help characterize and

analyze activities in the watershed that will be important

in planning for a sustainable future.

Module 2: The Watershed and Its Socioeconomic Context: A sense of time and place

Key questions

• What are the principal resources of the watershed, and

how do we interpret the word “principal”?

• What are the major land use and economic activities

practiced in the watershed (e.g., energy, fishing, crop

farming, livestock, tourism)?

• What management methods can we apply to be better

prepared for an uncertain future?

Module 2: The Watershed and Its Socioeconomic Context: A sense of time and place

Tools for understanding your

watershed

Geographic Information

Systems (GIS)Community based monitoringRemote Sensing (for e.g.,

Landsat images from https://earthexplorer.usgs.gov/)

Tools for understanding your

watershed (continued)

Participatory mappingAvailable databases

(for e.g., FAO Aquastat)

Activity: Groups build a watershed map (20 min)

• Discuss and describe how you see the watershed

• What are the principal resources and the principal

attributes you feel people should know about our local

watershed?

Module 2: The Watershed and Its Socioeconomic Context: A sense of time and place

Presentation: (Insert the

name of the watershed)

Module 1: Introduction: Structure, expectations, goals

In this space, the facilitator would place a Google Earth/Maps image of the local watershed

Module 2: The Watershed and Its Socioeconomic Context: A sense of time and place

Our watershed

• What is the surrounding landscape where we live and work?

Module 2: The Watershed and Its Socioeconomic Context: A sense of time and place

Biophysical resources

• What are the major land uses?

• How are they distributed?

• How have they changed in the last 20 years?

Module 2: The Watershed and Its Socioeconomic Context: A sense of time and place

Things to understand

• Who are the stakeholders and how do they view their resource requirements?

• What and where are economic activities?

Module 2: The Watershed and Its Socioeconomic Context: A sense of time and place

Surrounding landscape

• What landscape condition surrounds major centres?

• What are the valuable aspects in the surroundings (e.g.,

wildlife, forestry, water)?

Module 2: The Watershed and Its Socioeconomic Context: A sense of time and place

Climate change makes us rethink agricultureShort video:

Module 2: The Watershed and Its Socioeconomic Context: A sense of time and place

Here the facilitator would include the cover image of the video selected – relevant to the region; ideally it could be inserted into the Presentation so all that has to be done is click play.

Wild places in and around the catchment

Module 2: The Watershed and Its Socioeconomic Context: A sense of time and place

What native wildlife is in the watershed? What is their value?

Module 2: The Watershed and Its Socioeconomic Context: A sense of time and place

Activity: Developing a conceptual model (40 min)

• Same groups

• Refine your map to create a conceptual model of resource flows for the watershed (20 min)

• Elect a member of the group to present the map, highlighting uncertainties (10 min)

• Each group presents its map; peer review by one other group (10 min)

Module 2: The Watershed and Its Socioeconomic Context: A sense of time and place

Do not head into your group until we go over the following four slides

Thinking about your map

• How do water and energy flow through the landscape?

• How do people use and influence those flows?

• Consider quality, quantity and timing of resources

• Consider land characteristics and land management

• In your map, include:

• Biophysical attributes of the watershed

• Stakeholders

• Ownership (i.e., the institutional setting that controls

flows)

• Resource relationships and pathways

• How would you express relationships in a way that allows

you to explain them clearly to someone else?

Module 2: The Watershed and Its Socioeconomic Context: A sense of time and place

Context for the map

• You represent an advisory team guiding the future of the

watershed

• Your goal is to show resources in a map that shows how

the watershed functions, so someone can evaluate

management actions

• Ask the facilitators any questions you choose

• Elect a spokesperson to present your work

Module 2: The Watershed and Its Socioeconomic Context: A sense of time and place

A map example

Module 2: The Watershed and Its Socioeconomic Context: A sense of time and place

We’ll use exemplary cultural and natural resources map of the place we are offering the workshop.

Before you begin

• Is anything unclear?

• Is there anything you would like to ask before you begin?

Module 2: The Watershed and Its Socioeconomic Context: A sense of time and place

Plenary session (20 min)

• Each groups is assigned:

• An order in which to present

• A group to peer review

• Presentations are 2 minutes

• Peer Review: Ask at least one question and identify one

element of the map that could be more clear

Module 2: The Watershed and Its Socioeconomic Context: A sense of time and place

Synthesis

• What overall patterns have we seen, what have we learned

and where do your curiosities lie now?

Module 2: The Watershed and Its Socioeconomic Context: A sense of time and place