Who is BARD?
In reaction to the watershed protection proposals of the Upper Cahaba Watershed Study, some prominent landowners and development interests in the region formed the Business Alliance for Responsible Development (BARD) in 2005. BARDs member companies had been well represented at the table as part of the stakeholders of the Upper Cahaba Watershed Study. BARD could have been a valuable addition to this vitally important regional debate as a focused voice for development interests, and the group has put forward some useful ideas. It is disappointing, however, that BARDs negative approaches have undermined the effort to bring all interests together to agree on how to proceed. BARD has falsely labeled efforts to save the Cahaba as anti-growth and has not been willing to work together with CRS and other conservation and citizen interests to find workable solutions that will protect our water resources. There are feasible design techniques that can help restore the river while growth continues
