After eight years, the creeks and communities strategy has reached more than 25,000 people through 335 briefings and presentations, 475 community-based training sessions, and 185 service trips (training combined with on-site problem solving).

The creeks and community strategy is based on sound scientific principles and practices applied in an adaptive and collaborative framework. Experts in both scientific and collaborative fields support hands-on wetland and riparian stewardship planning and management. The partnership has successfully addressed issues ranging from enhancing communication and cooperation in collaborative planning processes, to averting appeals and lawsuits, to improving resource conditions. Projects that highlight the creeks and communities strategy include:

Yainix Ranch – The owners of the Yainix Ranch in the Sprague River Valley of southeast Oregon are using their land as a model to break the impasse between Klamath Project irrigators, environmentalists, and the Klamath Tribes. With the help of the National Riparian Service Team (NRST), the USDA National Conservation Service (NRCS), Sustainable Northwest, the Klamath Tribes and others, the owners are using their ranch as a testing ground for collaborative river restoration that can help guide the recovery of the Klamath Basin and its communities.

North Fork Crooked River – A designated Wild and Scenic River located in Cook County, Oregon, the North Fork Crooked River supports outstanding scenic, botanical, and wildlife values. It is also a river divided. Issues range from de-watering due to irrigation, to grazing impacts, to upland forest conditions. The Ochoco National Forest contacted NRST to help it start a collaborative management process. The communities and creeks strategy strengthened local capacity to address on-the-ground water and riparian issues and prepared stakeholders to design a management and monitoring strategy.