The presentation will consist of five primary themes. The themes, in order of discussion, are: the New York City Catskill/Delaware watershed, The role of Catskill/Delaware private forestland owners in water quality conservation, Best Management Practices and Catskill/Delaware forestry public outreach, Diffusion of Innovation theory, The results of the research to date. Following the formal presentation, the presenter will take questions and facilitate discussion.

The New York City watershed supplies 1.35 billion gallons of water per day (bgd) to approximately 9 million consumers of the greater New York City area. Ninety percent of this water comes from the reservoirs in the Catskill and Delaware basin systems located in the Catskill Mountains. Seventy-five percent of the landscape in the five Catskill/Delaware watershed counties is comprised of forests and over ninety percent of these forests are privately held. Catskill/Delaware private forestland owners are the primary stewards of the watershed. Involving these forestland owners in forest management practices that protect water quality is imperative.

This research seeks to determine the level at which private forestland owners participate in forest management practices that protect water quality. Forest resource public outreach and education organizations in the New York City watershed promote the use of Best Management Practices (BMPs) for water quality among private forestland owners. BMPs control erosion of soil on forestland and, thus, work to conserve water quality. This research is gauging private forestland owner awareness, knowledge and adoption of BMPs. This research is also investigating how private forestland owners became aware and knowledgeable of BMPs.

Diffusion of innovation theory will serve as the analytical doctrine for this research. Diffusion of innovation is defined as the process by which an innovation is communicated through certain channels over time among the members of a social system. It is how a new idea, practice or concept spreads throughout a target group of people. For this research, diffusion theory serves as the vehicle for measuring how and to what extent BMPs have spread throughout Catskill/Delaware private forestland owners.

This research project pursues information essential for future forest resource public outreach and education decisions in the Catskill/Delaware watershed. The 2002 SAF National Convention will provide a forum for communicating this research to other forest resource management professionals.