Russian Far East Public Watershed Council Network

About this grant

The project goal is to promote public participation in decision making related to local resource use and conservation. The Wild Salmon Center will continue to strengthen the capacity of a network of watershed councils in the Russian Far East. Project activities will include supporting council strategy implementation, conducting outreach and recruiting new leadership, facilitating learning among the councils, providing expert training, and supporting the development of policy recommendations. In 2013-2014, these community-based councils successfully represented the varied interests of the watersheds’ resident populations, users, and visitors. In addition to conducting over 700 antipoaching raids, the councils successfully advocated to reintroduce controlled sportfishing on some territories. The Bolshaya River conservation plan in Kamchatka won international recognition as a model of integrated community management. Established in 1992, the Wild Salmon Center promotes the conservation and sustainable use of wild salmon ecosystems across the Pacific Rim.