The California Center for Land and Water Stewardship - Article Example

CCLAWS is a proposed organization that promotes conservation projects relating to land and conservation, stewardship, design, and planning in the state of California. This organization will be an interdisciplinary center at California State Polytechnic University in Pomona. Although most of the projects will be overseen in Orange County, all of California will be included in the projects. CCLAWS is a necessary program due to the situation of urbanization and water consumption. Water is not going to last forever at the rate of consumption and urbanization.

The need for conservation and land planning is especially necessary in Southern California’s desert like conditions. The first goal is “Seek out opportunities and grant funding for projects relating to land and water conservation, stewardship, planning, and design in California”. This goal makes sense. It is also essential this goal is first. Funding for CCLAWS is necessary for the project to work. CCLAWS finds funding from contracted projects, grants, consultant and consultation coordination of a CPP Clearinghouse, professional education, workshops and certifications, development and private support activities, database clearinghouse and community information resources, community workshops and education.

These funding sources will help fund projects regarding land and water conservation, stewardship, planning, and design. This type of fund raising makes the outlook for this organization good. The second goal is “Support the work of, and increase collaboration between, academic departments and units, private organizations, and public agencies with goals similar to those of the Center without duplicating efforts”. This goal also makes sense. If goals and projects are doubled than resources will be wasted.

Individual projects can receive enough funding without inefficient waste. There is too much waste today in funding projects. A lack of communication is one of the main reasons. If all parties will communicate, then unnecessary funding of projects already funded.The last goal states “Through education, outreach, and advocacy encourage respect for Southern California’s rivers, trailways, open space, and nature from multiple perspectives and foster sustainability by balancing natural, social, and economic systems”.

It is easier to fund campaigns that educate the public on the damage littering can do, then fund a project to clean up a polluted river or park. It is easier to educate companies about industrial waste, then to fund a cleanup of toxic waste. Education towards green products and sustainable practices are the way to fight pollution. It is easier to prevent any action than deal with the negative consequences later. This goal makes sense. As the old saying goes ‘an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure’.

SolutionsThe CCLAW center will be able to educate the public and private sectors about water and land conservation.This program will provide the conservation of water, land stewardship, planning and design.Planning and design of bike trails, jogging paths, and other encouraged green activities will be accomplished.Funds will be provided to help the community to accomplish the goals of water conservation, land stewardship, planning and designing. Whether an underfunded city, neighborhood, or private residence, the funds for these projects will be provided.

Communication will help from funds being funneled to a project twice. This will allow for more projects to be completed. Communication between all parties will also start more projects.ChallengesEducation is only as effective as the audience learning. All the conservation education will not make every person conserve. This type of education has been around for years. For example, the ‘do not litter’ campaign has been around for years. There still are litterers.Communication between many different departments, public and private, with a variety of policies might be difficult.

The funding needs to be more streamlined.The types of projects need to be more clearly defined. Will the center clean a river, pick up trash, or use heavy machinery to make dams? This needs to be addressed.The college needs to make sure the students help the water conservation, not hurt it with experiment not supervised.