Chapter 6: Increase Education, Outreach and Stewardship
In 1998, the Council conducted a survey of residents to better understand how they perceive the region and their place in it. The intent of the Council and its Citizens Advisory Committee was to gain insights that would help guide their education and outreach efforts. A questionnaire was distributed to a random sample of 1,000 Reserve households. The results of the survey paint an intriguing picture of how the respondents relate to the environment of the Reserve [Technical report: Long Islanders and the Environment of the South Shore: A Survey of Public Opinion (1998)].
The South Shore Estuary Reserve Act stresses the importance of managing the estuary as a single integrated ecosystem and calls for a comprehensive management plan to be developed. For this plan to be fully implemented, it is essential that citizens understand how they fit into and affect the ecological workings of the overall system. Thus, a primary objective of the survey was to assess the degree of importance people attach to the environment of their immediate neighborhood versus that of the region as a whole. Contrary to expectation, a substantial majority of respondents consider the Reserve's environment as a whole to be just as important as the environment in their own back yards. As might be anticipated, those living closest to the water seem to have a greater understanding of regional or ecosystem interdependencies. However, despite their broad perspective and very high levels of concern about the natural environment, there were uncertainties about basic ecological facts of practical import, such as where stormwater runoff goes or which sources of harm are causing the greatest damage to the estuary.
| A majority of respondents [to a survey on public perceptions] consider the South Shore environment as a whole to be just as important as the environment in their own backyards. |
Academic institutions can be highly effective conduits of information about the estuarine environment. Of the 124 public school districts on Long Island responsible for primary and secondary level education, nearly half (60) are located in whole or in part within the Reserve. These districts serve a major portion of the approximately 423,000 school-age children on Long Island.
There is no central source of information on what public schools and teachers are doing to educate elementary, middle and high school students about the Reserve. Some, like the high schools in Sayville, Massapequa and Bellport, are actively promoting classroom and extracurricular programs related to the estuary. Such schools are: incorporating estuary-related components into their regular classroom work; teaching techniques for monitoring environmental conditions, and taking their students out into the field to learn from field biologists at nature preserves in the Reserve and to work on restoration projects.
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A South Shore Estuary Watch program, started at Massapequa High School, is building a network of student monitors. Beyond the classroom, schools and teachers are fostering activism by sponsoring student environmental organizations, such as Bellport's Students for Environmental Quality.
Elementary, middle and high school teachers must work around various constraints in trying to raise student consciousness about the environment outside their classrooms. They must be sure, first and foremost, that their students learn the basics, meet the new state standards and comprehend the subject matter. The new State learning standards for mathematics, science and technology are supportive of environmental education. Still, when teachers want to incorporate local topics such as estuarine ecology, they must first gain the support of local administrators. They must then spend extra time to find and adapt special teaching materials and obtain more training for themselves.
Today, teachers have many sources of information at their disposal. They can go to traditional sources, such as teacher associations (e.g., the NY Marine Education Association, the NYS Outdoor Education Association, the National Science Teachers Association), or they can venture onto the Internet. Entities such as the National Science Foundation, the Smithsonian Institution, the National Park Service and the Eisenhower National Clearinghouse for Mathematics and Science Education -- all accessible via the Internet -- are rich sources of information for teachers. When it comes to training, teachers can take advantage of opportunities including: those offered by one of three local Board of Cooperative Educational Services organizations; the Suffolk County Organization for the Promotion of Education; Queens College and other local universities; Project WET/Wild/Wild Aquatic; and various non-profit organizations.
There are a number of nature education centers and museums in the Reserve operated by local, state or federal government agencies, academic institutions or non-profit organizations. Many offer field programs for school groups. The Nassau County Board of Cooperative Educational Services operates its Outdoor and Environmental Education Program at Caumsett State Park on the North Shore. Educational cruises offered by Yankee III and others take students out on the estuary for hands-on educational experiences.
Taking students out into the field poses additional challenges for teachers. They may encounter limited transportation budgets and other restrictions that prevent travel to more distant sites. This accounts in part for the variable response nature center managers receive when they invite teachers to use their facilities for field activities. Managers report that some teachers come back year after year without prodding, many more never respond to invitations. Preserve managers are quick to add that their own funding is often tenuous and that they would not be able to accommodate a sudden surge in interest. They also must be concerned about protecting the natural resources in their care.
One simple way of augmenting regular curricula is to bring special programs into the classroom. Various organizations offer such programs. Suffolk County's Marine Extension Program, for instance, conducts a one-time session entitled "Ready, Set, Glow: Bioluminescent Marine Life." Long Island Traditions introduces students to Long Islanders who are knowledgeable about local maritime traditions. Up-A-Tree Puppetry brings some extra fun into the classroom by using puppet shows and story telling to teach natural science topics to elementary level students.
A number of institutions of higher education on Long Island conduct programs pertaining to the Reserve. They include: the State University of New York and the Marine Sciences Research Center at Stony Brook; Long Island University (CW Post and Southampton College); and Dowling College. These institutions serve a variety of functions. Beyond providing classroom and field training for future environmental scientists, they sponsor research in a wide range of coastal topics. The State University of New York, in cooperation with Cornell University, administers the Sea Grant Program. This program has as one of its prime responsibilities the transfer of science-based information to environmental managers and the general public.
People in the Reserve learn about their environment from a variety of information sources. Mass media outlets, including newspapers, magazines, television, and radio reach the broadest audience. The Council's public perceptions survey found that, of all mass media outlets, newspapers are the most frequently used source of information about the estuary. A dozen or so dailies and a multitude of non-daily papers carry stories about Reserve issues. In addition, special releases such as Newsday's annual "Fun Book" provide detailed information on Long Island's coastal environment.
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Numerous public and private organizations also reach out to the general public and various target audiences. These organizations include: environmental groups; sports and recreation clubs; neighborhood and civic groups; business and industry groups; academic institutions; and State and federal agencies. In their on-going efforts to capture the interest of all kinds of people, they use many avenues of outreach, including: newsletters; brochures; guide books; web sites; videos and slide shows; displays and exhibits; trade shows; workshops and conferences; and a variety of summer, evening and weekend programs for adults and children.
Organizations represented on the Reserve's Council engage in outreach activities to varying degrees. Local government members of the Council, in particular, are well-positioned to reach significant numbers of people through established channels of communication. Most devote at least some resources to outreach on environmental topics. The Council's Citizens Advisory Committee has been playing a key role in reaching out to citizens in the Reserve through its newsletter, educational brochure, displays, radio spots, information line, web site, and a directory of educational facilities. The committee also has sponsored public meetings on developing the Reserve's comprehensive management plan [Technical report: Directory of Educational Facilities, Programs, and Resources (1998)].
How effective all these diverse organizations are in raising awareness about the estuary is not known, nor is it very clear how the delivery of information might be better orchestrated to improve the overall level of understanding. The Council's public perceptions survey sheds only a little light on this. The survey found that respondents appear to differ markedly in the pathways by which they get useful information about the estuary. Fourteen per cent of the respondents received information from only one or two sources while 20% say they receive information from eight or more sources. A small percentage -- 5% -- actually said they received no useful information from any source. These results are important because, although cause and effect are hard to determine, there is ample evidence that respondents who depend on different sources of information differ from each other in terms of demographics, behavior and attitudes. This finding suggests that a varied program of outreach activities targeted to different audiences is necessary.
When the Council, in its public perceptions survey, looked at how committed people are to actively protecting the estuary, it found that respondents had modest to high levels of motivation, especially when they expected to benefit in a personal way from an action. Motivation, however, varies with age. Young people between the ages of 21 and 34 tend to have lower levels of knowledge and concern about the environment despite the fact that they frequently engage in activities that depend upon natural resources of the Reserve.
Many organizations on Long Island and elsewhere are moving beyond simple education and outreach activities and are striving to motivate individuals to become active stewards of the environment. Efforts in Reserve towns include: Oyster Bay's Separate Oyster Bay's Recyclables Today, Stop Throwing Out Pollutants, and composting programs; and the native landscaping display at Southampton Town Hall. These give residents the practical information they need to take action. Beyond the Reserve, there are innumerable examples of materials and programs developed to promote personal stewardship.
At the community level, local governments and neighborhood, civic and environmental groups are bringing citizens together in collective efforts to improve the environment. They are spearheading an assortment of activities in the Reserve. Examples include: harbor clean-up cruises organized by Stop Polluting, Littering and Save Harbors; beach clean-up activities associated with events such as Coastweeks; and habitat restoration projects such as Babylon's Santapogue Creek tidal wetland project. The NYS Department of Environmental Conservation has a Water Stewardship Program that encourages organizations to adopt a wetland, stream or even an entire watershed. These efforts bring out volunteers of all sorts -- concerned citizens, representatives of civic organizations, local businesses, school children and their teachers. By some accounts, the level of interest is growing as is the level of sophistication in how to take maximum advantage of this pool of willing workers.
Some organizations connect with potential volunteers through word-of-mouth, newspaper notices, or presentations to local organizations; others use clearinghouses such as Long Island Volunteer Enterprise to assemble volunteer crews. Sponsors agree that managing volunteers effectively takes a lot of effort. Volunteers need to feel a sense of accomplishment when the day is done, which means they must be matched with tasks that reflect their particular interests, skills, and time constraints. Volunteers come out in part to socialize and have fun. Organizers need to recognize this aspect of the volunteer experience and make sure that volunteers feel welcome and have a chance to get to know one another. Finally, when a project is done, organizers report that simple rewards -- a certificate of recognition for work well done, for instance -- help to make people feel appreciated and strengthen their commitment to return another day.
Participants in public meetings on developing the comprehensive management plan for the Reserve emphasized the importance of education and outreach in building a citizenry that can play an effective role in shaping the future of the estuary. In keeping with this sentiment, the following recommendations focus on: educating young people; reaching out to the general public to raise awareness and understanding; and motivating citizens to become active stewards of the Reserve. The Council considers all the proposed recommendations to be of equal importance. However, the human and financial resources available to accomplish them are finite. To maximize the effectiveness of these resources, the many organizations currently engaged in education, outreach, and stewardship activities will need to reinforce their cooperative ties. The Council can serve as a promoter and facilitator, but can by no means accomplish the job alone.
The following recommendations specify the organizational structure needed to carry out the education and outreach recommendations made in this plan.
1. Create and support the efforts of a formal education workgroup, consisting of Council and advisory committee members and other interested parties, which would advise and guide the full Council, its Citizens and Technical Advisory committees, and/or their successors, on formal education activities in the Reserve.
A formal education workgroup would be responsible for furthering the formal education recommendations presented on subsequent pages. Its membership should include representatives of organizations such as: school districts (e.g., science administrators); Boards of Cooperative Educational Services; professional organizations (e.g., New York Marine Educators Association); parent organizations (e.g., Parents as Partners, Parent Teachers Associations); local governments; State agencies (e.g., NYS Departments of Education, Environmental Conservation and State, and Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation); colleges and universities; Cooperative Extension and Sea Grant; the Peconics and Long Island Sound estuary programs; and nature centers and maritime museums. The workgroup's main purpose would be to nurture formal education activities focused on the estuary. The Reserve's Citizens Advisory Committee should convene the initial meeting of the formal education workgroup.
2. Increase support for the Reserve's Citizens Advisory Committee and its outreach activities.
The Citizens Advisory Committee should be responsible for outreach and stewardship activities, both on-going and proposed (see recommendations on subsequent pages). The South Shore Estuary Reserve Act created the Citizens Advisory Committee and gave it responsibility for integrating citizen and user group concerns into the Reserve planning process and for encouraging public education and involvement. During the process of developing the comprehensive management plan, the committee has reached out to the public through various publications and activities. Completion of the plan will initiate a new phase for the Citizens Advisory Committee and will increase its responsibilities.
Local neighborhood, civic and environmental organizations in Reserve communities engage citizens in activities aimed at protecting and improving the local environment; however, few focus exclusively on the estuary. To build a strong citizen base for implementing the comprehensive management plan, local outreach groups should be encouraged to form. Each group would determine its own particular objectives but, in general, would be active in: (1) promoting local estuary-related education, outreach and stewardship activities; (2) networking with counterpart groups in nearby communities to organize sub-regional activities; and (3) cooperating with the Citizens Advisory Committee on estuary-wide activities. Local groups should sponsor a variety of activities, including: a Reserve column in a municipal newsletter or in the local newspaper; a local cable TV program; local forums on issues, such as supporting water-dependent businesses or promoting tourism; local programs aimed at helping homeowners to reduce nonpoint sources of pollution or to create new habitats on their property; natural area restoration projects; and local waterfront festivals.
Municipal employees responsible for community education and awareness should work closely with the Council, its Citizens Advisory Committee, and other community groups to coordinate and implement education and outreach activities that relate to the Reserve's natural, cultural and historic resources.
Reserve towns and counties have been on the front lines in the effort to raise public awareness and understanding of the Reserve and to engage citizens in stewardship activities. However, local governments need to strengthen their capacity to inform and involve citizens.
A formal education workgroup will be primarily responsible for furthering the following recommendations to provide students with the information and tools they need to become responsible citizens, better able to form well-reasoned opinions and make intelligent decisions about how their immediate environment should be used and managed.
6. Increase opportunities for teachers to obtain professional training that pertains to the Reserve.
Many teachers lack the confidence and knowledge to present multi-disciplinary estuarine-related topics. To correct this situation, a concerted effort is needed to expand opportunities for teachers to obtain training in content and teaching methods in estuarine ecology for both classroom and field settings. Support should be solicited from existing training providers. Providing more training opportunities may not be sufficient to achieve the goal of better educated teachers. In order to inspire teachers to seek additional training, it will be necessary to work with school districts to provide more in-service credits (e.g., salary increments associated with professional development).
Another way of enhancing skills is to bring teachers together for regular meetings and conferences. The New York Marine Educators Association holds an annual conference; a special program for teachers in Reserve districts should be added to their agenda.
7. Develop and package teaching materials related specifically to the South Shore estuary for teachers to incorporate into regular class work.
Some work has already been done to develop estuary-related teaching materials. The Citizens Advisory Committee supported development of a course on Long Island estuaries. It was tested in Sayville High School during the 1996-97 school year and was to be offered in Massapequa High School as an elective science course. The Town of Oyster Bay has developed activity sheets specifically about waterfowl in the estuary, while the Long Island Sound Program and the Peconic Estuary Program have developed their own educational packets. All these could be adapted for use in Reserve school districts.
New teaching materials should conform with the State learning standards for math, science and technology and with core curricula. To ensure that students at all levels receive age-appropriate education in estuarine topics, a comprehensive approach to developing special materials should be pursued.
A complete list of teaching materials should be included in the updated Directory of Educational Facilities, Programs and Resources of the South Shore Estuary Reserve (see Recommendation 13).
8. Create more opportunities for students to obtain first-hand experience with the estuarine environment and with Long Islanders who have intimate knowledge of the estuary and its resources.
At best, teachers are able only occasionally to take their students on field trips to distant sites. To bring students into more frequent contact with the estuarine environment, teachers should take advantage of convenient opportunities on or near school grounds. In addition, more concerted attempts should be made to bring special in-school programs to classrooms.
Examples of possible activities for primary and second level students include:
For college level students to obtain better access to the estuary, there is need for one or more conveniently-located research facilities along the shore which might include labs, meeting space, and boat storage. One such facility already exists at the Southampton campus of Long Island University. Dowling College has been suggested as a potential site; there may be others.
9. Sponsor annual events that bring together students from throughout the Reserve to learn more about estuarine resources and to share concerns.
Students for Environmental Quality, a club at Bellport High School, holds an annual conference for high school students in connection with their Save the Bay Mayday project. The Town of Oyster Bay and Nassau County both sponsor environmental education days geared to fourth and fifth graders respectively. These types of gatherings are both fun and educational. They could be replicated in other towns and school districts or expanded into larger events that would bring together students from throughout the Reserve. Other ways of bringing students together include science fairs and poster competitions.
RECOMMENDATIONS TO INCREASE PUBLIC AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING THROUGH OUTREACH ACTIVITIES GEARED TO GENERAL AND SPECIFIC AUDIENCES
Public awareness and understanding can be increased through a variety of outreach activities, but whatever the venues, the same messages about the estuary should be conveyed. In broad terms, they are as follows:
The Citizens Advisory Committee would be primarily responsible for furthering the following recommendations.
10. Build an interpretive system that presents a unified picture of the Reserve and encourages people to travel throughout the Reserve to learn about and enjoy its many features.
The Reserve is a vast area, but many parts of an interpretive system are already in place -- from State and local parks to nature preserves, historic sites, maritime museums, and visitor centers for tourists. The Long Island Convention and Visitors Bureau already packages information that helps visitors find attractions of interest throughout Long Island. What is needed are ways to link disparate sites within the Reserve into a "system" that includes one or more primary visitor centers, "point of entry" exhibits and various satellite exhibits. System planners have an array of techniques available to create linkages. In addition to traditional methods such as paper maps and guidebooks, they can now take advantage of modern computer networks to link one site with another.
It is easy to find examples of efforts to link and interpret multiple sites in large geographic areas similar to the Reserve. These include: the NYS Canal Recreationway; the Hudson River Valley; the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor (in Massachusetts and Rhode Island); and various scenic byways programs, such as the Seaway Trail and the one conceived for New York's North Country.
11. Continue to build and maintain the dedicated Reserve Internet web site.
The Internet is a potentially powerful outreach tool. A web site has been established to introduce people to the Reserve. The site should be expanded to include: a calendar of events; the Directory of Educational Facilities, Programs and Resources of the South Shore Estuary Reserve; a volunteer registry; and fact sheets about the estuary's resources. Links to other web sites of potential interest should also be established.
12. Revise and augment the Directory of Educational Facilities, Programs and Resources of the South Shore Estuary Reserve.
A great deal of information exists pertaining to education and outreach in the Reserve. The June 1998 edition of the Directory of Educational Facilities, Programs and Resources of the South Shore Estuary Reserve was a first attempt to assemble some of this information. The directory currently contains a mix of information about educational facilities open to the public and about organizations that provide various other educational services.
To make the directory more useful, it should be expanded to include new information, such as: a map showing the location of nature centers and other educational facilities; a listing of important education contacts; a bibliography of written material (brochures, fact sheets, how-to guides, etc.) available from various sources; information on funding available for educational activities; a catalogue of teaching materials or sources of such materials; a listing of teacher training opportunities; and a listing of in-school programs offered by various organizations. The directory should be available both in paper form and on the Reserve web site.
An expanded directory will be a valuable reference for municipal outreach coordinators, interpretive planners, tour organizers, economic development planners, residents, visitors, teachers, and others. An upgraded directory would also serve as a marketing device for various organizations that have developed education and outreach programs.
13. Collaborate with traditional mass media outlets, as well as government and private sector information outlets, to run stories and carry information on a regular basis about the estuary.
The mass media (e.g., newspapers, magazines, radio, TV) contend with a constant overload of information, while government and private sector information outlets (e.g., local governments and non-profit organizations) operate with their own limitations on staff and time. The Citizens Advisory Committee has developed and released two public service announcements and worked with reporters interested in the Reserve. However, to take full advantage of the media, an orchestrated campaign needs to be undertaken to convey messages about the estuary in easy-to-use formats through: draft articles; press releases; press advisories about upcoming events; short radio spots; and other means. Weekly newspapers, local cable TV stations and local government newsletters that target more localized audiences may be more fruitful outlets for information than some of the larger media organizations in the region.
14. Encourage and work with coalitions of public and private sector entities to organize and sponsor events about the Reserve as part of existing state and national festivities that aim to raise awareness about the estuaries and the coastal environment.
State and national festivities include: Earth Day; Coastweeks; National Estuaries Day; and Water Week. Local events that involve sporting competitions, food, and entertainment are excellent ways of attracting people to the shore where they can learn about the estuary while having a good time. These events are especially good for attracting young adults, an important audience of individuals who are otherwise difficult to reach.
15. Develop and maintain a roster of speakers who will reach out to members of civic, non-profit, and business and industry organizations in the Reserve.
Speakers could be solicited from various sources, including member organizations of the Council and its committees, and encouraged to sign up for several speaking engagements per year. A slide show that introduces people to the estuary should be developed for use at such events and other outreach programs.
16. Develop and distribute one page fact sheets on geology, oceanography, estuarine species and topics and issues pertinent to the Reserve.
Brief, readily understandable fact sheets should be prepared to complement other efforts to disseminate information and increase public awareness and understanding.
17. Continue on-going outreach activities, including Reserve newsletters, mobile displays, and information phone line, that have proven effective in reaching the general public.
The Citizens Advisory Committee should continue in its efforts in planning and conducting education, interpretation, outreach and stewardship activities within the Reserve.
RECOMMENDATIONS TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE OF ALL AGES TO BECOME STEWARDS OF THE ESTUARY
The Citizens Advisory Committee should be responsible for furthering the following recommendations.
18. Expand and adapt existing stewardship programs in order to encourage more residents of the Reserve to engage in personal actions that address various issues, in particular nonpoint source pollution and loss of habitat.
There are many existing examples of stewardship programs that encourage people to change their beliefs and behaviors in ways that will benefit the natural environment. The most successful programs are grounded in a solid understanding of historical reasons for why people think and behave in certain ways. These programs recognize that if people are to change long-standing beliefs and behaviors, they need to understand how their own actions impact the environment and what personal benefits they can expect from making changes. The best programs provide clear and simple guidance on what people can do in their daily lives to protect and enhance the environment.
Within the Reserve, nonpoint source pollution and loss of fish and wildlife habitats are considered to be major problems. Programs should be expanded or adapted to provide practical information on how they can help address these particular problems. Examples of possible activities include:
19. Encourage more people to join their neighbors in volunteering for various activities that benefit the Reserve and its residents.
Local governments, non-profit organizations and nature centers need volunteers of all ages and interests to help with a variety of tasks, including: habitat restoration projects; environmental monitoring; facility maintenance; and programming (e.g., leading tours, giving lectures, and conducting workshops).
Examples of possible activities to promote volunteer involvement include:
20. Institute a Reserve stewardship award to honor: individuals; families; schools; businesses and business associations such as the Telephone Pioneers of America; non-profit organizations; communities; and others who have made outstanding contributions to protecting and enhancing the natural resources of the Reserve.
Non-profit and government organizations present awards that recognize individuals and organizations for their commitment and contributions to protecting and enhancing the environment. Awards are frequently presented at special ceremonies and announced in local newspapers. Recognition of this sort is one of the most effective ways to sustain a committed citizenry.