What's that old cliche about time going by fast when you are having fun? The last four years as President-elect and then President of this exciting and growing organization have indeed moved rapidly, with never a dull moment, I can assure you. The board of Directors have put in many hours of hard work and effort to build this organization which we all believe in and will continue to support. I am proud to have been associated with such a dedicated, creative and hard working group of individuals, who freely shared their visions and new ideas in order to promote the charter and purpose of the WMC.
For over a century, human alteration of watershed lands throughout the west has proceeded without a basic understanding of watershed dynamics or the long-term consequences of land use alterations. Comprehensive studies of stream corridors and watershed basins are rare due to their complexity and expense that is inherent in highly technical, interdisciplinary studies. The main goal of the WMC is to address these shortcomings by providing a stimulating forum where interdisciplinary experts can openly interact, integrate knowledge and spawn new ideas and concepts. Once new ideas are developed, the WMC seeks to assist in the implementation of existing knowledge and encourage tech transfer of new concepts and technologies through education and presentation which represents a large part of our current program.
During my tenure with the WMC, we have seen many changes and improvements, which is not surprising when one considers how relatively new our organization is. In this mode of evolving our charter, we have made great strides in promoting the art and science of watershed management through WMC sponsored activities, and in the process, membership has steadily increased to over 370 members. We have planned and carried out three major conferences, sponsored two successful field tours, and have developed and produced an excellent Newsletter which rivals any scientific newsletter that I have seen to date. I feel that much has been accomplished and as an organization, we can be proud of these achievements.
While issues were being raised across the West in relation to management of watershed lands, the WMC Conference Committee was hard at work planning and organizing the fourth biennial conference, titled Integrated Watershed: Overcoming Obstacles. Under the direction and leadership of the dauntless Ken Roby, an exceptional program has been developed that addresses issues that cross cut both the public and private sector. Ken was supported by Sally Champion, who single-handedly tackled the local arrangements, George Ice and Neil Berg who were the master minds behind the poster session and short courses, Joe DeVries who provided valuable coordination with the Water Resources Center, and John Hopkins, who kept us on track from an environmental perspective. And if it wasn't for the awesome patience and commitment of Clay Brandow, we never would have distributed all those registration flyers! Thanks again, Clay! The Conference will be held in Lake Tahoe on November 18-20, 1992, and is bound to be the best ever. With such a compelling title, how can you lose ? Much thanks to Ken and his committee, for hanging-in-there when the going got tough. Piece of cake, right Ken?
I would be totally remiss if I didn't also recognize the Newsletter Committee for their extraordinary display of dedication and talent in producing the WMC Newsletter. Thanks to the efforts of our innovative Editor, Mike Furniss, and Circulation Chair, Clay Brandow, the newsletter is available to WMC members on a quarterly basis and has been a very effective tool in facilitating communication between WMC members, and with the outside world. If you aren't reading the Newsletter, you are really missing the boat! Mike and Clay are always on the lookout for newsworthy tidbits, from technical detail to humor, so feel free to pass those on directly to them. Thanks again for making it happen, and I will be looking forward to the next one!
To those of you who served with me on the WMC board and on committees, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT. I couldn't have asked for a more responsive and hardworking group, such as Luana Kiger, our inspired Vice-President, who is off to school in pursuit of new horizons; Neil Berg, who worked diligently to keep us all honest and up to date on the budget, accounting and auditing; Steve Abbors who reminded us in quarterly minutes about all those action items we weren't doing; and the Members-At-Large; Sally Champion, Ken Roby, Mike Furniss, Clay Brandow and George Ice, for their continued support and good ideas. A special thanks to Ken Turner for heading up the Research and Information Committee, and Andy Leven for his good ideas and wise council.
Though we have come far in developing this organization, we need your support in order to continue to nurture and promote watershed science programs and the WMC. Since committees will continue to shape the programs and image of our organization, I encourage each of you to seek opportunities to participate in the process. We especially need a champion for the Education and Demonstration Committee, which has been inactive over the last year. If you are interested in participating on this committee, please contact the new president, who will be announced in November. This is your organization so be a part of it.
The current Board has been proactive and creative in developing new programs and ideas and I would like to applaud the Board as a whole on a job well done. I am hopeful that each of you will remain active in charting the future course of the WMC. It has been an interesting and fast-moving four years, and it was a pleasure working with such a dynamic group.
- Donna Lindquist
