Leveraging Community-Agency Collaborations for Enhanced Water Quality and Aquatic Biodiversity Research in Urban Stream Ecosystems

Learn about a collaborative research initiative presented at the Georgia Water Resources Conference that demonstrates how community engagement and citizen science can enhance water quality and biodiversity research in urban watersheds. Explore how the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service partnered with environmental justice organizations, universities, and local residents in Atlanta's Proctor Creek Watershed to conduct comprehensive aquatic biodiversity studies, water quality monitoring, and stream assessments. Discover the surprising biodiversity findings in an urban stream affected by various pollution sources, while understanding the broader implications for equity in environmental research. Gain insights into building authentic community-agency relationships, integrating local knowledge with scientific methodologies, and creating mutually beneficial partnerships between communities, government agencies, and academic institutions. Examine why community-engaged approaches should become standard practice in urban ecosystem research, particularly in low-income and minority communities traditionally excluded from environmental studies.