WSA’s DEIJ Strategic Plan
Executive Summary
The Chesapeake Bay watershed is one of Maryland’s most precious resources. The watershed supplies millions of Marylanders with their drinking water, supports the state’s diverse wildlife and provides abundant recreational opportunities. However, not all communities benefit equitably from the environmental efforts to protect, preserve and strengthen the watershed. Communities of color especially have unique environmental needs and challenges that too often are ignored and go unaddressed.
Throughout WSA’s existence, we too have at times overlooked the environmental realities of communities of color and low-income communities. Over the past 11 years, we have made substantial progress in actively engaging communities to restore local waterways in and around Anne Arundel County, but too often those communities have not represented the true racial, ethnic, socioeconomic and demographic diversity that makes our county and state great.
A cascade of events over the past several years, including the tragic murder of George Floyd and the ongoing water crises in cities like Flint, Michigan, have forced us to reexamine the inequities present in our own backyard. With the adoption of this Strategic Race, Equity and Inclusion Plan, we are committing our organization to a framework designed to establish formal diversity, equity, inclusion and justice (DEIJ) policies, practices, and procedures throughout the organization to realize the impact we seek to have, both internally and externally.
DEIJ Strategic PLan
To fulfill WSA’s DEIJ commitments, we will focus on making tangible progress in key areas over the next two years. Additionally, we have outlined long-term goals in each area that will require a longer time frame but are equally as important in strengthening our organization and creating a more equitable working environment.
1. Data and Reporting
Goal: Collect Data and Report on DEIJ Milestones
Develop an equity data and reporting strategy to measure our progress and success (accountability tool that includes internal and external reporting and journey telling).
2. Development
Goal: Ensure Funding for DEIJ Implementation
Identify and fund 2023 budget expense levels for programmatic and restoration activities that fulfill our DEIJ goals.
3-5 Year Goal: Ongoing Budget Analysis
3. Communication, Outreach and Partnerships
Goal: Develop an Equitable Communication Plan
Incorporate a DEIJ framework into an existing or newly developed communication plan by Summer 2024.
3-5 Year Goal: Expand outreach to communities of color with limited water access by collaborating with partners who already work with those communities
4. Education Programs
Goal: Establish DEIJ as part of the DNA of WSA’s Educational Programs and Annual Conference
Ensure that DEIJ is an integral part of WSA’s educational programs for Steward Candidates, Certified Stewards, Congregational Stewards, Community Stewards, and residents of Anne Arundel County.
3-5 Year Goal: Enhance methods for collecting feedback from Certified Master Watershed Stewards
5. Restoration Projects
Goal: Create an Urban Tree Planting Program for Replant Anne Arundel
Develop 1 new restoration program targeting urban landscapes, in conjunction with local partners, by December 2023.
3-5 Year Goal: Better Our Understanding of the Needs and Interests of Local Communities
6. Retention and Internal Policies
Goal: Create Internal Policies Aimed at Increasing Staff and Board Retention
Develop internal policies that promote Staff and Board retention by recognizing the need for individuals to have a strong work-life balance.
3-5 Year Goal: Increase Staff and Board Diversity
Our Funders
This work was made possible by funding from the Chesapeake Bay Trust, the Chesapeake Bay Program, Chesapeake Bay Funders Network, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and had been funded wholly or in part by the United States Environmental Protection Agency under assistance agreement 96358101 and 96358201 to National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. The contents of this document do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Environmental Protection Agency, nor does the EPA endore trade names or recommend the use of commercial products mentioned in this document.