Our History

XWN is and has always been practitioner-driven. At a 2012 Tamarisk Coalition conference, a number of attendees stepped forward and expressed the need for more information sharing across Western watersheds. Watershed practitioners found themselves encountering the same challenges faced by peers in other watersheds with little guidance on how to begin.
In an effort to formalize a set of tools to build a sharing network in the arid West, the Tamarisk Coalition convened a series of strategizing meetings and surveys to narrow down the scope and priorities for a peer-to-peer learning network for watershed practitioners in the Southwest. Respondents prioritized a series of proposed programs, both in-person and virtual, to catalyze these relationships. From these efforts, a number of enthusiastic practitioners emerged to form XWN Steering Committee, who developed a Conceptual Framework & Charter. The same collaborative governance body continues to provide traction behind XWN’s practitioner-driven programming.

Our Vision

Healthy watersheds supported by a vibrant network of practitioners collaborating across boundaries.

Our Mission

To help watershed practitioners in the arid West maximize their effectiveness through information sharing, collective capacity building, and collaboration.

Our Philosophy

Our philosophy is simple: every practitioner has valuable lessons to share and these lessons can support practitioners in adjacent watersheds. By creating spaces for these practitioners to share lessons, we connect people to ideas to advance their work. XWN calls on Network participants to determine the focus of meetings and cross-visits to benefit restoration in the Southwest.

2018-2023 Strategic Plan

In July, 2018, the XWN Steering Committee approved a 5-year strategic plan to outline the direction of future XWN efforts. Download the Strategic Plan here.