Executive  Summary:  Great  Rivers  Partnership  June  2010  

 

Introduction  Established  in  2005,  the  Great  Rivers  Partnership  (GRP)  has  contributed  to  the  conservation  and  sustainable  development  of  great  rivers  on  four  continents.  GRP  is  acknowledged  for:  1)  calling  attention  to  the  plight  of  the  world’s  great  rivers;  2)  leveraging  Mississippi  River  best  practices  as  a  global  case  study;  3)  promoting  and  demonstrating  a  systems  approach  to  river  management;  and  4)  engaging  diverse  partners  –  including  governmental  and  non-­‐governmental  organizations,  and  various  business  sectors  –  in  a  sustainability  agenda.  Following  the  positive  outcomes  of  the  GRP  in  its  first  generation,  donors  challenged  The  Nature  Conservancy  (TNC)  and  other  partners  to  enhance  the  GRP  through  a  second  generation  of  this  effort.  The  GRP  has  recognition,  relationships  and  partnerships  in  place  at  many  levels,  and  is  poised  to  accomplish  much  more.      The  concept  of  “integrated  river  basin  management”  quickly  emerged  as  the  seminal  issue  for  the  Mississippi  River  and  other  great  rivers.  This  can  be  defined  as  the  process  of  coordinating  conservation,  management  and  development  of  water,  land  and  related  resources  across  sectors  within  a  given  river  basin,  in  order  to  optimize  the  economic  and  social  benefits  derived  from  water  resources  in  an  equitable  manner  while  preserving  and,  where  necessary,  restoring  freshwater  ecosystems  (adapted  from  Global  Water  Partnership,  2000).      Mission  and  Strategy  The  next  evolution  of  the  GRP  is  designed  to  further  advance  the  sustainable  management  of  the  Mississippi  River  system,  and  share  knowledge  and  expertise  to  inform  sustainable  management  of  great  rivers  around  the  world  for  future  generations.  Strategies  include:  1)  convening  diverse  interests  as  an  honest  broker  to  synthesize  stakeholder  perspectives  with  best  science  and  practice  to  support  a  shared  vision,  and  actionable  programs,  policies,  and  partnerships;  2)  acting  as  a  solutions  provider  and  innovator  in  cooperation  with  a  global  network  of  expertise  to  help  inform  and  solve  the  most  critical  management  challenges,  through  projects  that  demonstrate  a  systems  approach  using  science-­‐based  adaptive  management;  and  3)  communicating  as  a  unified  expert  voice  on  pertinent  issues  so  as  to  build  an  informed  constituency  for  the  Mississippi  River  system  and  great  rivers  worldwide.      The  immediate  (next  18  months)  focus  is  to  1)  establish  lead  partnerships;  2)  convene  and  engage  stakeholders  to  build  recognition  for  the  organization,  with  a  focus  on  development  and  application  of  economic  and  science-­‐based  programs,  policies,  partnerships  and  funding  that  significantly  effect  integrated,  sustainable  management  of  the  Mississippi  River  system;  and  3)  continue  to  share  the  Mississippi  River  ”case  study”  with  great  river  managers  worldwide.          

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Operations  and  Execution  GRP  will  be  led  by  a  board  and  designed  to  operate  with  a  small  but  highly  networked  staff.  Board  member  qualifications  include:  1)  ability  to  advance  the  GRP  vision  and  provide  strategic  counsel  from  multiple  stakeholder  perspectives;  and  2)  ability  to  secure  the  financial  resources  and  partnerships  necessary  to  successfully  implement  the  GRP  vision.  The  board  will  charter  a  Science,  Economic,  and  Policy  Advisory  Committee  (SEPAC)  to  establish  GRP  annual  agendas  and  build  partner  institution  networks.  As  the  GRP  moves  beyond  incubation  and  into  action  the  board  will  have  international  representation,  supporting  a  global  reach.      An  immediate  need  is  to  establish  an  organizing  board,  composed  of  potential  founding  board  members,  to  assist  in  the  organization’s  final  design.  These  discussions  will  take  place  during  an  incubation  period  not  lasting  longer  than  18  months.  During  this  period,  the  GRP  remains  within  TNC,  and  the  current  staff  of  the  GRP-­‐Mississippi  River  will  align  to  accomplish  immediate  needs.  Beyond  18  months,  there  are  two  major  decisions  for  the  board  and  leadership  teams  to  finalize:  Option  1)  TNC  retains  the  GRP,  but  manages  it  as  a  joint  venture  with  partners  and  board  members  or  2)  the  GRP  becomes  an  independent  501c3  organization,  perhaps  functioning  as  a  secretariat,  with  TNC  and  other  partners  providing  strategic  contributions  consistent  with  their  missions.      Scope  of  Work  The  potential  scope  of  work  for  the  GRP  is  enormous.  So  it  is  imperative  that  the  GRP  staff  and  board  focus  on  a  suite  of  high  profile,  high  impact  opportunities  that  are  best  able  to  advance  large  river  systems  management  and  demonstrate  organizational  competency.  The  GRP  scope  of  work  focuses  around  three  key  areas:    

1) Integrated  river  basin  management;  2) Proof-­‐of-­‐concept  projects  that  inform  policy;  3) The  exchange  of  information  within  the  Mississippi  

River  system  and  with  other  great  rivers  globally.    

Some  immediate  examples  (and  timeframes)  include:    

Mississippi  River:    1) Design  process  for  developing  collaborative  

integrated  river  management  strategy  at  system  scale,  with  the  USACE  and  the  Meridian  Institute  (2010);    

2) Pilot  research  on  floodplain  ecosystem  services,  with  TNC-­‐IL,  TNC-­‐LA,  TNC-­‐AR  and  SIU  (2010-­‐12);  

3) Develop  partnerships  with  leading  agricultural  corporations,  and  create  sustainability  indicators  

DRAFT  Case  Statement  

We  can  think  about  the  Mississippi  River  in  sophisticated  ways  because  of  unequaled  investments  in  knowledge  made  over  two  centuries  by  many  organizations  and  individuals  –  from  Lewis  and  Clark  to  the  USGS  Long-­Term  Resource  Monitoring  Program  and  a  variety  of  universities.  Yet  often  the  Mississippi  remains  an  “orphan”  –  information  is  fragmented,  programs  and  projects  disconnected  (Source:  National  Research  Council).  So  to  sustain  the  Mississippi  River,  we  must  get  past  isolated  agendas  and  address  the  major  issues  of  our  day  –  food,  water,  climate,  energy,  transportation  –  through  collaboration.  The  Great  Rivers  Partnership  is  focused  on  building  an  enduring,  future-­oriented  systems  approach  that  engages  all  perspectives  in  adaptive,  sustainable  management  of  the  Mississippi  River,  and  fosters  an  inter-­generational  commitment  to  implementation.  

At  the  same  time,  we  can  benefit  by  understanding  our  issues  from  a  global  perspective  and  learning  from  others  managing  great  river  systems,  addressing  similar  issues.  The  Mississippi  River  system  has  been  a  birthplace  for  technology  that  has  spawned  agriculture,  transportation,  and  water  resource  development  and  management  around  the  world.  For  this  reason,  the  Great  Rivers  Partnership  will  also  focus  on  the  need  to  share  knowledge  and  provide  global  leadership  in  the  management  of  large  working  rivers  because,  in  the  words  of  Paul  Keddy  and  other  leading  river  scientists:  “each  of  the  world’s  largest  [rivers]  requires  a  basin-­wide  sustainable  management  strategy,  built  on  new  institutional  frameworks  …  that  accurately  reflects  the  inescapable  linkages  of  economy  and  human  well-­being  to  …  ecosystem  sustainability.”    

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for  agricultural  landscapes  as  part  of  Field  to  Market  (2010-­‐2011);    4) Influence  development  of  river-­‐floodplain  and  coastal  management  policies  and  programs  –  such  as  

NESP,  EMP,  LMRAA,  LCA  –  and  support  proof-­‐of-­‐concept  projects  that  inform  policies  and  programs  to  address  floodplain  function  in  the  Mississippi  River  system,  e.g.,  Emiquon,  Spunky  Bottoms,  Mollicy  (2010-­‐2012);  

5) Support  proof-­‐of-­‐concept  projects  that  inform  polices  and  programs  to  address  sediments  and  nutrients  in  the  Mississippi  River  system,  e.g.,  USDA  Mississippi  River  Basin  Initiative  for  nutrients  (2010-­‐2012);    

6) Create  function-­‐process  models  as  scientific  tools  for  the  prioritization  of  projects  within  the  Mississippi  River  system,  providing  agencies  and  non-­‐governmental  organizations  a  way  to  connect  to  long-­‐term  goals  and  address  the  key  ecological  processes  and  attributes  of  the  river  system,  particularly  the  water  quality,  sediment  and  hydrological  regimes,  and  the  amount  of  functional  riverine  and  wetland  habitat  that  is  effectively  conserved  (2010);  

7) Begin  to  develop  a  global  network  of  experts  to  connect  with  stakeholders  and  inform  key  sustainability  topics  related  to  Mississippi  and  other  great  rivers,  such  as  hydro-­‐engineering  and  infrastructure  for  navigation  and  floodplain  management,  large  river  monitoring  and  adaptive  management,  sustainable  agriculture  and  watersheds,  water  and  human  health  (2010-­‐2011).      

Other  Great  Rivers:  8) Share  best  practices  for  monitoring  river  health  and  supporting  adaptive  management  on  the  

Yangtze  River  (China),  and  explore  additional  areas  for  exchange,  e.g.,  Amur,  Pearl,  Yellow,  and  Mekong  rivers  (all  which  are  within  or  flow  from  China),  with  USACE  and  USGS  (2010);  

9) Advise  Cormagdalena,  the  management  agency  for  Magdalena  River,  on  creation  of  integrated  river  basin  management  plan  for  Magdalena  River  (Colombia),  with  USACE  (2010-­‐2011);  

10) Support  sharing  of  best  practices  for  integrated  river  basin  management  and  governance  between  Mississippi  River  Commission  and  Mekong  River  Commission,  with  USACE,  and  explore  similar  opportunities  on  other  great  rivers  (2010-­‐2012).  

 There  are  many  activities  the  GRP  will  not  undertake.  For  example,  it  will  not  conduct  its  own  scientific  research,  nor  will  it  work  independently  to  implement  projects  on  the  ground,  e.g.,  buying  or  managing  land.  Nonetheless,  it  will  recognize  and  support  the  need  for  strategic  research  by  our  academic  partners,  and  engage  with  public  and  private  partners  –  including  TNC’s  state  and  country  programs  –  in  the  implementation  of  the  policies  and  programs  needed  for  sustainability.    Partners  Our  conversations  with  several  hundred  leading  thinkers  who  understand  the  forces  that  threaten  the  long  term  viability  of  the  Mississippi  River  and  other  great  rivers  around  the  world  –  including  scientists,  government  officials,  policy  makers,  business  and  non-­‐governmental  leaders  –  lead  us  to  believe  that  there  is  great  interest  in  joining  Caterpillar  and  TNC  in  this  endeavor.  We  have  assessed  the  market  in  this  same  manner  to  test  uniqueness  and  avoid  redundancy  in  our  approach.    The  GRP  Opportunity  The  design  of  this  second  generation  of  the  Great  Rivers  Partnership  is  intended  to  build  a  shared  vision  for  an  economically  and  ecologically  sustainable  future,  and  leave  an  enduring  legacy  of  effective  integrated  river  management  on  the  Mississippi  River  and  other  great  rivers  for  future  generations.  The  strategy  builds  on  our  core  strengths,  facilitates  a  deeper  engagement  of  partners  and  stakeholders  through  a  stronger  joint  venture  concept,  and  enhances  our  ability  to  advance  projects  with  systemic  and  global  relevance.    

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Illustration  I