Open Circle Studio successfully facilitated the strategic planning for the Upper Blackwater Watershed Freshwater and Dynamic Forest Restoration Block (DFRB) management plan, guiding a collaborative of partners through a comprehensive, five-workshop process from August to December 2024. The facilitation began with establishing collective restoration goals and conducting a gap analysis of existing management plans, followed by integrating site data and spatial analysis to inform priorities. This process culminated in the collaborative review of the Draft and Final DFRB Plans, securing commitment on partner roles, and identifying resources necessary for long-term success. The resulting management plan provides a consensus-driven, data-informed strategy, with follow-up meetings scheduled into early 2025 to solidify implementation next steps.

Project partners included The Nature Conservancy (client), Friends of the Cheat, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the US Forest Service, WV State Parks, and other local partner organizations.