A typology of collaborative watershed groups: Citizen-based, agency-based, and mixed partnerships

Collaborative resource management partnerships have proliferated across the United States in recent years. These partnerships are extremely diverse, varying by region and exhibiting a wide range of structures and functions. While numerous studies have emphasized the uniqueness of each collaborative partnership, theory building to date has been minimal. In this note we take a step in that direction by developing a typology of collaborative groups based on member composition. Through examination of 64 watershed groups in Ohio, we classify groups into three types: citizen-based, agency-based, and mixed. Comparisons across group types reveal several systematic differences in group accomplishments. Results suggest that different roles for different types of collaborative partnerships should be considered when involving them in planning and management.