Watershed Toolshed

Planning a Watershed Education Program

Education is a critical component of most watershed protection and restoration efforts. Educational programs that target a broad audience can help increase public awareness and appreciation of local water resources, which can also increase support for your watershed group or project. But educational programs can also be used to help those individuals who have a direct impact on water quality make more informed decisions.

This module provides guidance for developing a watershed education program that targets a specific audience. Even if you've been doing watershed education for many years, this module can help you generate ideas for reaching new audiences or using a new delivery method.

Potential Audiences for Impairment Issues

Identifying your target audience can help you plan a more effective education program. The following table suggests audiences that may have an impact on some common watershed impairments.

Planning Your Program

While a comprehensive education plan will probably also include a general awareness component, we have emphasized strategies here that target specific audiences to address identified water quality impairments.

Step 1 - Identify the Impairment

Identify the impairment (e.g., organic enrichment caused by leaking septic systems) that has been identified in your watershed. Be sure that you have solid evidence of an impairment before you invest time or money in an educational program that addresses that impairment.

Step 2 - Identify the Audience

Identify the specific target audience that is responsible for the impairment. This may include both the person(s) whose actions are causing the impairment and the person(s) who can correct the problem.

For example, in the case of failed septic systems, potential target audiences could include homeowners with septic systems, contractors who install and repair septic systems, county health department inspectors, and plumbers who may be the first contact a homeowner makes when their septic system fails. The key is to narrow your target audience to only those individuals who can have an impact on the problem that is causing the impairment.

Step 3 - Identify Educational Objective

Identify your educational objectives. Now that you have identified your target audiences, what do you want them to know and what do you want them to do? If you want to encourage a specific behavior your educational programs should be designed with that objective in mind.

For example, if you are addressing organic enrichment caused by failed septic systems, your educational objective will probably look something like this:“Inform homeowners of the impacts of failed septic systems and who to contact for assistance with maintenance and repair issues.”

Step 4 - Identify Educational Activities

Identify the specific activities that you will use to educate your target audience. Visit the section on Watershed Education Activities for examples of activities that are commonly used in watershed education programs. Keep in mind that what is the “right” activity will depend on your audience and the educational objective.

For example, if you want to inform landowners about who to contact to inspect their septic system, a simple factsheet may be the most effective method. However, if you want to demonstrate how to collect a water sample to test for fecal coliform, a hands-on demonstration may be most effective.

Step 5 - Plan Evaluation

Plan to measure results. You should always have a plan for determining if and to what extent you met your educational objective. There are many ways to measure results, including questionnaires, interviews, and observations.

For example, if you conduct a workshop for contractors on locating septic systems to protect drinking water, you could develop a questionnaire that tests participants’ knowledge before and after the workshop.

The process of measuring results of education programs is called “evaluation” and you can get assistance with evaluation and with educational program development in general from a variety of sources, including:

Ohio State University Extension: Extension Agents, Watershed Management (http://www.ag.ohio-state.edu/~watershedagents/)

Many Soil and Water Conservation District offices also have an education specialist on staff.

Watershed Education Delivery Methods

This is by no means a comprehensive list. Also, keep in mind that success is more likely if you use more than one method to reach your target audience.

Field Days & Tours

Field days and tours are an excellent way to build interest in a location or subject through direct exposure. Field days and tours might include trips to a local wetland or a farm where conservation practices have been adopted. The purpose of field days and tours is to give your audience first-hand experience with both desirable and undesirable water resource management practices so that they can see for themselves the advantages and disadvantages of various approaches. Field visits can be greatly enhanced by giving the landowner an opportunity to explain how and why they adopted a particular conservation practice.

Workshops

Workshops give participants an opportunity to share knowledge and get in-depth instruction on a particular topic. Workshops typically last from several hours to a few days. Some key elements of an effective workshop include lots of hands-on activities and ample opportunity for discussion and interaction between participants and instructors.

Demonstration BMPs

A demonstration BMP is an on-the-ground display of a best management practice. The demonstration allows potential adopters of management practices to see for themselves what the practice entails and how it works to control non-point sources of pollution. Demonstrations are most effective when combined with field days and tours, so that conservation professionals and landowners can explain how and why the BMP works and why it was adopted. Signage can also be used to interpret BMPs to passersby.

Fact Sheets/Brochures

Fact sheets and brochures are effective for disseminating information on a specific topic to a large audience. They are most effective for providing in-depth information to individuals who already have an interest in a particular topic. Before printing and distributing a written publication, be certain the information it contains is accurate (cite your sources and where readers can go for more information) and appropriate for the intended audience.

Poster/Display

Posters and displays can effectively convey a message and increase awareness among a broad audience for a relatively small investment. They should be eye-catching and attractive with an emphasis on pictures and illustrations that demonstrate the message you wish to transmit. Text should compliment, not overwhelm, the illustrations and should be concise – a clear case where ‘less is more’. Posters and displays are valuable educational tools, but only if they are seen and read by the target audience, so choose carefully when and where to set them up.

Water Quality Monitoring

Water quality monitoring provides participants with an opportunity to test their local streams or lakes for indicators of water quality, such as dissolved oxygen or suspended sediment loads. Volunteers can also be taught to identify varieties of aquatic insects and other species as indicators of water quality. Monitoring programs can serve to build awareness and draw attention to known impairments. More sophisticated monitoring programs include a data storage and analysis component to identify trends and previously unidentified impairments to water quality. Before recruiting volunteer monitors, be sure they understand the goals of your program, whether strictly education and awareness or actual identification of water quality impairments.

Service Projects (e.g., tree planting, stream cleanup, storm drain labeling)

Service projects are an important component of any watershed education effort. There is no limit to the types of projects you can organize to involve one or several target audiences in direct efforts to address water quality impairments. Service projects work best when they encourage teamwork and include a brief educational presentation so that participants leave with a clear understanding of how their efforts will help to improve water quality.