RI is 56% forested, 376,400 acres and forestry is an agricultural practice. State Forester expressed concern that this may not be addressed.
1,000 people work as wood operators and arborists, $17M contributed, forest and open space program is lacking 1,000 people. Need to connect those people to the land. Extension’s role can be to work with landowners.
RI Department of Environmental Management (DEM) lost staff from 81 to 13 people and has lost capacity to do outreach, must contract with other entities. There are a number of programs that do benefit forest – Master Gardeners, plant and insect Extension. We no longer hold workshops.
Bill Buffum has been engaged in Forestry Extension; ecosystem resilience may have forestry wrapped into this (response).
Groups we need to partner with:
RI Forest Conservators Organization (RIFCO), Tree Farm Group, Conservation districts, RI Tree Council, land trusts
Farm bill excludes land trusts from getting funding from Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
Resources available for funding – US Forest Service Landscape Scale Restoration grants, 50/50 grants and DEM staff is relatively new and do not have a lot of grant writers currently
Workshop on how to get grant money is a way to reach land owners
Question: Environmental field in RI would be stronger and more effective if we found new channels of leadership. Organizations and programs that small conservators always looked to for leadership have chosen other strategic directions or blown up view to regional scale and left vacuum. Environment was not part of RI Foundation’s strategic plan (example of this). Environmental community has not done a good job keeping this as a priority in the public’s eye. This leadership is a potential role for Extension.
How do we reach private landowners with our programming if they are not already on our lists? Managing small acreage farming programming example
Northern and Southern Conservation Districts reach those groups
The people who seek information already have some level of awareness of importance of issues. As a landscape architect there are many people from diverse backgrounds could benefit from awareness of the resources that exist. They could impact the environmental and conservation communities. A lot of ignorance out there – those are the people that need to be targeted with our programming.
Working with land trust community, there is so much turnover. Constant need for training with the stakeholder group of volunteer-based conservation organizations
Clarification – similar to sub-goal 1 of food production. Are we defining agriculture more generally or also talking about food production? Include livestock, ornamental horticulture, etc.
Our vision for agriculture includes maintaining biodiversity, minimizing impact to waterways,
Charrette on agriculture in 2010 and talked about RI’s remaining farmland and took information from Rhode Island Geographic Information System (RIGIS) land showing all land and protected land. Erased 100’s of acres of farmland because so much farmland has been lost to development. How do we get people who have large lot subdivisions to loan land to farmers? Pilot programs by identifying property owners with 3-20 acres, sent letters about leasing land to farmers in South Kingstown and Narrow River, Aquidneck. Identified 12 people (low number) for workshop. Need one-on-one discussions with landowners to raise awareness of resources for managing land.
RI votes for farmland protection on ballot. It’s about maintaining the aesthetic quality of life, sense of place.
Working with South County Land Trust (SCLT) when developing; had roadblocks with city planners, councils. We need to also have legislators and policy makers as important audience to support local agriculture.
Land trust council, SCLT, – protect household plots in inner cities and larger land areas. Northeast Organic Farming Association, Young Farmer’s Network, other important stakeholders of people who need land to farm.
Describe unique character of RI’s agricultural character to convince policy makers to treat ag differently.
RI’s sense of place – agriculture is so important. Farmers are stewards of land and general population doesn’t view farmers as stewards. Important message to emphasize this role in our public education programs.
Communications: Social media will help reach small landowner. Use local newspapers as advertising to reach new audiences.
Partner – EcoRI established as voice for environment.
Washington County Fair is venue to celebrate success, focus on this event to celebrate our agricultural heritage.
Key words are important. Certain language doesn’t resonate with people e.g. woodland owners (woods not forests). When dealing with how we market make sure we use words that resonate with proper audience.
Master Gardener Program to impact suburban landowners with grass plots
RI Nursery and Landscape Association workshops – open those workshops to the public to show what you can do on your property. Publicize example landscapes from professionals to general public.
RI Natural History Survey (RINHS) – 40-50% of clients ask these questions about invasive control, water quality as relates to land management. Capacity is a limitation for RINHS. Concern – if bring academics in, it disempowers the landowner – invasive control is an example. There’s a lot people could do if they were assisted. Rhody Native is another important component.
How often does green industry promote certain practices to clients? Group of professionals who can do some of this work are important audience. How do residents reach landscape professionals that use sustainable practices?
Conservation Stewardship Collaborative to help empower this community
RINLA and URI Master Gardeners who reach private landowners
RI Wild Plant Society want to bring conversation toward Doug Tallamy perspective of managing yard habitat.
RIFCO – RI Forest Conservators Organization
DEM Forestry offers grants for green infrastructure catch basins to municipalities
NRCS has a number of programs
There are too many fragmented inputs – a role that Extension could play is to help end user navigate the many resources and organizations.
URI does Pesticide Certification – those licensed professionals are important
RI Coastal Resources Management Council Invasive Managers
Land trusts have difficulty engaging landowners in invasive removal
RI Environmental Education Association – funding into strengthening environmental education in public schools. Place-based education is getting more traction in K-12 and this is a good way to get information to parents.
Important audience – Youth via Future Farmers of America, 4-H and local schools – youth are future policy makers and voters and affect adult behavior change.
Where does working with landowners for forestry production fit into this sub-goal?
Does this fit into sub-goal 1? Can we broaden sub-goal 1 to include forestry production, broad view of agriculture’s definition?
Need better signage for demonstration – resilient landscapes, septic system demonstrations on campus and elsewhere. This worked in Glocester with signage for town forests
There are people who know about green infrastructure and land stewardship but don’t change behavior because of “keeping up with the Joneses” and current norms. How do we make stewardship trendy?
Communication marketing is a good tool
Increase capacity by using YouTube and social media as a communication tool.
Acknowledge the value of ecosystem services to real estate value.
Need more support for translating data into maps and visuals. We have the rich data but we could do better job of translating scientific data into useful information
Google Earth created time lapse – could this be model to do on town-by-town basis? This could be worked into any educational presentation to drive importance of stewardship home.
Put more maps and tools in public areas with signage showing RIGIS as a resource. Keeping data updated is critical; e.g. this helps with development, local bond issues
Managing information at statewide level fits with URI’s size and scale.
Challenge is resistance from older people to using data – lack of user knowledge or comfort. Conservation portal at NRCS where landowners can manage property online,
Should we invest limited resources on future generations or technologically averse older generation? 60% of woodland owned by people 60 years +
Powerful strategy to connect high school students as marketing tool to assist older landowners –RI Environmental Education Association connection and high school senior project.
Maps that are powerful – full buildout with current zoning.
Energy Fellows group – there must be more students to engage. Extension could compound connection of providing academic training to students to meet needs of conservation community. This is a land grant university and we should engage more students in fellowships via Extension.
URI and land trust community partnered on baseline documentation project with undergraduates and graduates partnering trained students with land trusts. This was a huge success and incredible service for land trust who have huge backlog of baseline document reports. This basic data is used for management plans. Students loved developing skill set and applying knowledge; some students hired right out of class.
Students in GIS program – could they provide services to land trusts or forest owners or other stakeholders? For example, RIGIS international project mapping damage in Nepal to target recovery/response efforts using students
Animal science majors developed curriculum for youth in afterschool settings. Can students be used in same way with educating adults? Resume boost, skill building, credit. Need solid plan for providing experiential opportunities, Extension can teach students how to deliver information. Tremendous potential.
Most people want to do the right thing. Sometimes for economic gain, quality of life. Refer people to proper resource, service. Extension could be one group you call and there’s a flowchart with proper resources. Small landowners are important audience for connecting resources.
Communication: Regular spot on news, YouTube, Extension’s weekly topic on local television station. People don’t like regulation or respond to resources in writing (handouts/pamphlets).
Expand on Plant Pro to include environmental issues? Nurture relationships with NRCS.
Is there too much awareness of connectivity? I don’t know who to call so I am paralyzed in decision making. In other cases, we want to communicate the connection between land use planning and cost to taxpayers. This resonates with people.
Never enough funding for outreach – consistent messaging and environmental marketing to audiences.
Critical audience – what’s annual turnover in planning boards, town council, zoning boards. Do they know cost to individual for zoning decisions?
Programs by National Arbor Day Foundation show cooling and heating effects of tree planting. Helps plan for future
A lot of interest in stormwater infrastructure’s use for amphibian habitat in urban and developed places (this is where people live).
RI’s national park, the Blackstone Valley is urban – opportunity to connect with National Park Service to achieve this sub-goal
Land trusts are interested in working in urban environment because “community conservation” helps connect the population to conservation work. Need to reach new audience – climate change and green infrastructure to address specifically urban issues.
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