America’s Great Watershed Initiative Report Card Framework Heath Kelsey University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science Jonathan Higgins The Nature Conservancy, Global Freshwater Team 27 September, 2012 St. Louis, Missouri

Why report cards? Framework Applications for AGWI Next Steps Framework as a tool for assessment and management

Communicate complex information in a simple way Highlight critical issues for decision makers Engage communities, gain support Provide accountability Provide a unifying framework Why report cards?

Example: Local watersheds

Example: South River, Maryland

Example: Great Barrier Reef

Example: Gulf of Mexico

Example: Puget Sound

Application to AGWI

Moving the process forward

Does the scorecard framework make sense? If not, what changes or clarifications do you suggest? Question 1:

Question 2: Is it appropriate to define objectives for Values and Goals, and to measure progress by sub-basins as well as for the entire basin? If so, should we add the Red River and a portion of the Gulf of Mexico?

Question 3: What are a set of draft Values you would assign for a given Goal? What matters most to you?