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these accomplishments suggest, albeit inconclusively, that watershed management
associations have been effective in achieving at least some of their objectives.
Accountability
The question of accountability is increasingly important as more
nongovernmental organizations take over, or seem to take over, tasks ordinarily carried
out by government. A cursory look at watershed management associations in New Jersey
indicates that they have not run amuck with illegitimate control of what should be public
decisions. They maintain regular contact with government especially at the local level,
and their activities are largely educational and technical. They propose ordinances, and
indeed much of their government-related work is trying to get local governments to adopt
them. There is little evidence indicating that watershed management associations create
policy or make crucial decisions that have the weight of public policy.
One possible exception to this generalization is the funding source for many New
Jersey watershed management associations. Since these groups receive funding from
government agencies, what they do with the funds and the extent to which government
officials oversee their use of the money are central to accountability. This study does not
address these questions, but the discussion suggests that future work in this area would be
useful.
This characterization of the place of watershed management associations in New
Jersey sets them apart from other collaborative efforts. Collaborative adoption and
implementation of policy usually takes place in nongovernmental organizations that
encompass all stakeholders in a defined geographic area: environmentalists, community
activists, government, and the private sector. These stakeholders work together in the
venue established by the nongovernmental organization to implement policy. This
Convention