PLJV Communications & Education Overview Landscape Structure Strategic Plans Tools Evaluation

Landscape: People Rural, sparsely populated Agriculture-based 95 percent privately owned Absentee ownership Economically depressed communities Aging – average age of farmer Out-migration of youth Shifting demographics DIY mentality Strong community bonds Distrust of outsiders/gov

Landscape: Land cover Short and mixed-grass prairie 60,000 playas Rivers and streams – intermittent Some Pine ridge/woodlands Unpredictable weather – high and dry ~12 million acres of CRP Agricultural fields – wheat, corn, cotton, soy Cattle ranches

Landscape: Conservation Issues Ogallala Aquifer depletion 70+ percent of playas altered 50+ percent of playas filled with sediment Invasive species Declining bird populations – LEPC, NOPI, LETE, MOPL Prairie fragmentation Energy development Agricultural impacts

Structure 1 full time staff: Communications Team Leader Education and Outreach Team –Currently 11 members from 8 orgs Local Conservation Partnerships (LCPs) –Grassroots alliances –Landowners, resource managers, conservation orgs, community leaders –“Mini-JVs” PLJV staff communicates regionally EOT and LCPs communicate state/locally/nationally

Strategic Plans PLJV Master Plan: –Created in 2002 –Communications and Education are core elements –Updated annually –Establishes Measures for Success PLJV ELEMENTS

Strategic Plan: Communications Identify target audiences –Landowners, resource managers, media Identify key messages –Recharge, economics, cooperative conservation, what are playas? Create appropriate comm. products Review audiences and messages annually Track and evaluate success

Strategic Plan: Education Identify target audiences –Landowners, resource managers, teachers, students, education orgs Identify and publicize existing resources Support development of new resources Largely partner-driven Most accomplished through PLJV grants

Tools: Comm & Edu What Goes OUT Web site Monthly Playa Post Fact sheets Weekly radio show Playa film News releases Media kit Display unit Photos Educator Resource Guide What Comes IN Editorial calendar Contacts database Grants program Survey results Web site tracking Media coverage tracking EOT input Partner/LCP input PLJV staff input Media relations

Evaluation Usage tracking: –# web site hits –# media coverage –# of products distributed –# PPost subscribers –# of target audiences reached –# films distributed Ultimate Measure of Success: –change in knowledge, attitudes and behavior Ultimate Measure Techniques: –High Plains Landowner Survey –Post-film Survey

Evaluation High Plains Landowner Survey: –74 percent of playa landowners willing to conserve playas/wetlands. –50 percent don’t know playas recharge the aquifer. –68 percent say wildlife is #1 benefit of playas Post-film survey: –Doubled playa awareness (50 percent aware vs. 98 percent) –Tripled concern for playas (24 percent say playas are threatened vs. 72 percent)

Evaluation Correlating to Biological planning: If 74 percent of all playa landowners in BCR 18 Texas conserved their playas Area would support: -26% of goal for shorebirds in total non- breeding seasons –64% of goal for waterfowl in total non- breeding seasons