$15,000 would be used to:
1. Build watershed-based community identity and shared participation in implementing the Visioning Workshops planned for September 13 and 22, 2011.
2. Build leadership that will allow the community identity and sense of ownership with the annual WaterFest event that is currently sponsored by the District, several cities, businesses and county government organizations.
3. All actions taken will aim to create mutual support among community members interested in watershed stewardship actions, practices and education.
4. Further evolving the Asset Map and intra-community communications.

The community is comprised of all those who occupy, use or manage land in the Lake Phalen Subwatershed. Clean water for Lake Phalen requires efforts not only by the Watershed District, but also by the park users, as well as the land owners of the Lake’s watershed. Identifying improvement opportunities in the watershed draining to the Lake is the first step in designing a neighborhood action plan. Opportunities include:
1. Recognizing and promoting landowners who are already reducing turf lawns with native gardens and otherwise investing time into environmental stewardship.
2. Identifying properties with a high proportion of impervious surface such as parking lots and barren beaten playgrounds.
3. Identifying existing local government policies and programs available for partnerships.
4. Identifying neighborhood property owners committed to environmental stewardship.
5. Identifying groups that are approachable regarding trying new behaviors that support healthy watersheds.
Actions taken to define the community: An Asset Map of the watershed’s physical and human resources has been created and is evolving to include all of the physical and human resources listed above (1-5).
• The District Access database has allowed staff to identify the locations of all the recognized environmental stewards in the watershed, all the costshare projects and capital improvements that have used stormwater management practices within areas draining to Lake Phalen, and all the churches and schools and other properties with large portions of impervious surface. Staff lists of individual contacts are also located on the watershed asset map.
• Outreach to local schools has been going on since 1997, resulting in close working relationships.
• Outreach to the churches in the watershed began in spring 2011, as well as outreach to the Hmong Community—the largest user group of the Park itself. Churches are working on rain gardens and porous parking areas.