The Power of Collaboration: Building Relationships and Fostering Public Support For Science Maria Mayer, Lisa Thornton, Heather Ewing, Molly Elvin, Elizabeth Spinney VT Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation Elements of Successful Relaonships Image Credit: modified, tealeaf by M@ck (cc by 2.0) hps://creavecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/ Worked with hundreds of volunteers on non-nave invasive plant (NNIP) projects Trained cizen sciensts to use iNaturalist to map NNIPs Protected thousands of acres of crical habitat on state land Educated current and future land stewards Establishing an Invasive Plant Program Next Steps: Community & Next Generaon Forest Stewards —Shared Passion— • FPR and private landowners are struggling with the same forest health issue: NNIP • Collaborave efforts towards finding workable soluons —Open Communicaon— Since 2014, FPR has had dedicated staff, Invasive Plant Coordinator and Strike Team, who: • provide outreach to communies, the Agency of Natural Resources, and other State Agencies “Spread the word, not the plant” • are developing a model that other regions and groups can use for outreach, educaon, and management —Trust— • Gaining public support for the program and the work staff do on and off state land • Leading by example— staff acvely involved in management and outreach Contact Informaon: FPR Strike Team— [email protected] FPR Invasive Plant Coordinator— [email protected] www.VTinvasives.org —Sense of ownership— • Looking to build a network of 40+ trained Community Forest Stewards • Stewards will provide NNIP experse to their communies throughout the region • Potenal for an exponenal transfer of knowledge when the expert is your neighbor —Long lasng effect— • Audience of future forest stewards: middle & high school students • Help integrate science-based curricula, teaching about NNIP • Educang students for 3 years of new program, reaching beyond that as they share with peers, family, community —Trust— • Listening to and discussing concerns about state management pracces • Involving SCC in some management decisions and evaluang outcomes collaboravely • Advising community on a town wide invasive plant management plan —Open communicaon— FPR and the SCC have developed a symbioc relaonship where FPR provides technical knowledge and the SCC provides eyes on the ground • FPR teaches ID skills → SCC shares NNIP observaons • FPR teaches treatment techniques → SCC manages NNIP outside of volunteer days • FPR held an iNaturalist mapping training → SCC maps NNIP —Shared Passion— • FPR and the SCC want to keep Coolidge State Forest a healthy ecosystem • FPR has organized NNIP volunteer work days focusing on projects and species that the SCC is interested in such as a non-herbicide treatment for phragmites Case Study—Shrewsbury Conservaon Commission (SCC) The SCC is a group of passionate community members that have become involved in non-nave invasive plant (NNIP) management at Coolidge State Forest over the past four years (2014-2017) —Shared Passion— • Finding common ground • Collaborang to solve a mutual problem —Open Communicaon— • Listening to quesons and stories • Sharing knowledge and skills • Listening to and understanding concerns —Trust— • Pung a face to a name or tle • Working as a team to accomplish shared goals • Building a foundaon for connued collaboraon Strike Team providing outreach to State Foresters Invasive Plant Coordinator pulling water chestnut with volunteers Engaged cizens learning about NNIP idenficaon and control (Top) Middle school students working with FPR staff to remove NNIP from a Vermont State Park (Leſt) Students proud of the restoraon work they’ve completed SCC volunteers and FPR staff celebrate a muddy workday in Coolidge State Forest SCC volunteers dig invasive Phragmites roots SCC volunteers experiment with FPR staff on different ways to remove invasive goutweed Volunteers from Grace Congregaonal Church pose aſter a successful work day Volunteers from Orvis use a Weed Wrench to remove invasive privet None of this would be possible without building strong relaonships and fostering public support through shared passion, open communicaon, and trust. The Department of Forests, Parks & Recreaon has… *These projects are made possible through a US Forest Service Compeve Allocaon RFP (CARP) grant, and by funds obtained through the USDA Forest Service, The Nature Conservancy, and the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources.
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The Power of Collaboration: Building Relationships and Fostering Public Support For Science
Maria Mayer, Lisa Thornton, Heather Ewing, Molly Elvin, Elizabeth Spinney
VT Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation
Elements of Successful Relationships
Image Credit: modified, tealeaf by M@ck (cc by 2.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Worked with hundreds of volunteers on non-native invasive
plant (NNIP) projects
Trained citizen scientists to use iNaturalist to map NNIPs
Protected thousands of acres of critical habitat on state land
Educated current and future land stewards
Establishing an Invasive Plant Program
Next Steps:
Community & Next Generation
Forest Stewards
—Shared Passion—
•FPR and private landowners are struggling with the same forest health issue: NNIP
• Collaborative efforts towards finding
workable solutions
—Open Communication—
Since 2014, FPR has had dedicated staff, Invasive Plant Coordinator and Strike Team, who:
•provide outreach to communities, the Agency of Natural Resources, and other State Agencies
“Spread the word, not the plant”
•are developing a model that other regions and groups can use for outreach, education, and management
—Trust—
•Gaining public support for the program
and the work staff do on and off state land
•Leading by example— staff actively involved in management and outreach
Contact Information: FPR Strike Team— [email protected]
FPR Invasive Plant Coordinator— [email protected] www.VTinvasives.org
—Sense of ownership—
•Looking to build a network of 40+ trained Community Forest Stewards
•Stewards will provide NNIP expertise to their communities throughout the region
•Potential for an exponential transfer of knowledge when the expert is your neighbor
—Long lasting effect—
•Audience of future forest stewards: middle & high school students
•Help integrate science-based curricula, teaching about NNIP
•Educating students for 3 years of new program, reaching beyond that as they share with peers, family, community
—Trust—
•Listening to and discussing concerns
about state management practices
•Involving SCC in some management
decisions and evaluating outcomes
collaboratively
•Advising community on a town wide
invasive plant management plan
—Open communication—
FPR and the SCC have
developed a symbiotic
relationship where FPR
provides technical
knowledge and the SCC
provides eyes on the ground
•FPR teaches ID skills
→ SCC shares NNIP observations
•FPR teaches treatment techniques
→ SCC manages NNIP outside of volunteer days
•FPR held an iNaturalist mapping training
→ SCC maps NNIP
—Shared Passion—
•FPR and the SCC want to keep
Coolidge State Forest a healthy
ecosystem
•FPR has organized NNIP volunteer
work days focusing on projects and
species that the SCC is interested in
such as a non-herbicide treatment
for phragmites
Case Study—Shrewsbury Conservation Commission (SCC) The SCC is a group of passionate community members that have become involved in non-native
invasive plant (NNIP) management at Coolidge State Forest over the past four years (2014-2017)
—Shared Passion—
•Finding common ground
•Collaborating to solve a mutual problem
—Open Communication—
•Listening to questions and stories
•Sharing knowledge and skills
•Listening to and understanding concerns
—Trust—
•Putting a face to a name or title
• Working as a team to accomplish
shared goals
•Building a foundation for continued
collaboration
Strike Team providing outreach
to State Foresters
Invasive Plant Coordinator pulling water chestnut with volunteers
Engaged citizens learning about
NNIP identification and control
(Top) Middle school students working with FPR staff to remove NNIP from a Vermont State Park
(Left) Students proud of the restoration work they’ve completed
SCC volunteers and FPR staff celebrate a muddy
workday in Coolidge State Forest
SCC volunteers dig invasive Phragmites roots
SCC volunteers experiment with FPR staff on different ways to remove invasive goutweed
Volunteers from Grace Congregational Church pose after a successful work day
Volunteers from Orvis use a Weed Wrench to remove invasive privet
None of this would be possible without building strong
relationships and fostering public support through
shared passion, open communication, and trust.
The Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation has…
*These projects are made possible through a US Forest Service Competitive Allocation RFP (CARP) grant, and by funds obtained through the USDA
Forest Service, The Nature Conservancy, and the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources.
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