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Educating the Public: Creating a Watershed Ethic in Citizens
What is a Watershed?What is a Watershed?
An area of land that drains to a specific body of water such as a creek or river.
What is a Watershed Ethic?What is a Watershed Ethic?
“What it takes to live responsibly in a watershed in order to protect orimprove the watershed and water quality.”
WWatershed atershed EEthic = WEthic = WE
Takes 2!
WE are all in this together!
Outreach/Education Program Outreach/Education Program Guiding PrinciplesGuiding Principles
1. KNOW your AUDIENCE
2. CREATE AWARENESS & CONNECT MESSAGES
3. EDUCATE
4. INVOLVE the public in taking ACTION
“Using marketing principles and techniques to influence a target audience to voluntarily change a behavior for the benefit of society as a whole”.
GET SOCIAL! GET SOCIAL! Social MarketingSocial Marketing
Lack of participation (unless...!)
Indifference or opposition to stormwater issues (lack of understanding)
Challenges to Creating a WEChallenges to Creating a WE
Challenges to Creating a WEChallenges to Creating a WE
Stormwater concepts & terms can be scary
Connection between land use and water quality – not evident or visible
Some elements of a WE run contrary to our tastes and social status
What is the City of Wilmington doing?
KISS! (Keep it Simple Stupid, no engineers!)
Text - less is more
Use simple graphics / photos
Humor
Mailings – don’t open it
Make available – website, guerilla marketing
Outreach/Education MessagesOutreach/Education Messages
Partnership w/local Keep America Beautiful
Get on the Bus!Get on the Bus!Get on the Bus!Get on the Bus!
Simple clear msgs
Stormwater fleet vehicles
Stoplight reading – back or side
Stormwater 101: Vehicle MagnetsStormwater 101: Vehicle Magnets
88thth Grade School PresentationsGrade School Presentations
Youth are very impressionable
Major influence on parental behavior
Watershed residents of the future
Integrated into 8th grade science curriculum
Every 8th grade science class, every year (2000+ students, 70 classes)
Delivered by multi-agency partnership
Instructors MUST be trained/certified
Work with the county science coordinator
88thth Grade School Presentations Grade School Presentations ~ Enviroscape Program~ Enviroscape Program
Placement is important
Aim for high pedestrian & vehicle traffic areas
Watershed Signs
Educational SignageEducational Signage
Canines for Clean WaterCanines for Clean Water
Park - problem with pet waste
Simultaneously flag the waste & educate the public (aka poopetrators)
Led to a significant decrease
Halyburton Park Halyburton Park Poopetrator CampaignPoopetrator Campaign
Storm Drain MarkingStorm Drain Marking
Action/Community involvement
Contract agency volunteer base
Educate volunteers first before setting loose
Educate the neighborhood (doorhangers)
Environmental messages via mass media
Perceived legitimacy for mass media
Make allies with the media & educate them
Purchase time on mass media outlets
Use web/social media outlets via mass media
Mass/Social Media CampaignsMass/Social Media Campaigns
YouTube - Blown It Yard Waste
H.O.W. ProgramH.O.W. Program NEW!
Voluntary Watershed Restoration Plan
Jennifer ButlerStormwater Education Program Manager
City of Wilmington, [email protected]
wilmingtonnc.gov/stormwater
