CIBK4: Community Engagement & Watershed Stewardship

An active and involved community is crucial to the success of your program because it allows for:

• Broader public support,

• Shorter implementation schedules

• Broader base of expertise and economic benefits

• Conduit to other programs

Developing your outreach campaign plan in Six discrete steps;

1.) Define the driving forces, goals, and objectives

2.) Identify stakeholders, target audiences, and potential partners

3.) Create the Message

4.) Package the Message

5.) Distribute the Message

6.) Evaluate the outreach campaign

CBSM

Community-Based Social Marketing (CBSM) can be used to promote sustainable behavior change from direct contact with people at the community level

Adopt-A-Stream Mississippi

Adopt-A-Stream Mississippi is an educational program to involve citizens in stream stewardship and water quality monitoring.

• Funded via Nonpoint Source grant from U.S. EPA to the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) under section 319(h) of the Clean Water ACt.

• Administered by MS Wildlife Federation

the 2 components of outreach for adopt-a-stream

Method: Storm Drain Markers

• Application: For urban areas with drainage systems

• Message: Permanent marker reading: “NO DUMPING! DRAINS TO RIVER”

Method: Door Hangers

• Application: For neighborhoods with open drainage ditches

• Message: Informative hangers explaining the impact of dumping waste into local ditches