Community-driven solutions for natural resources and agriculture

Transcription

1 Community-driven solutions for natural resources and agriculture UW Environmental Resources Center (ERC) staff and affiliates are leading and supporting applied research and outreach projects across the state and beyond, impacting the resources you rely on at home, at work and at play. A collaboration of the University of Wisconsin- E xtension and University of Wisconsin-Madison, our center is comprised of ten affiliated programs, three service units and a network of university, Extension, government and non- government partners. What drives us? We re passionate about what we do, but we know that our projects OUR PROGRAM TOPICS: Citizen Monitoring Community Resilience Sustainable Forestry Water Resource Wildlife only matter if they re visible and impact people in meaningful ways. Yes, we re educators, researchers and specialists, but we live in the real world like you. Our programs reflect our dedication to the people, landscapes and systems that make our state great. We are committed to healthy, thriving communities and the resilient, productive natural resources, food systems and economies that drive them. Agricultural Stewardship PROFESSIONAL SERVICES: Marketing & Communications Instructional Design Evaluation

2 Our impacts on you. Do you value clean and plentiful water? Citizen Monitoring Community Resilience ERC staff are leading the charge to connect water research and outreach in Wisconsin and beyond. Water Action Volunteers (WAV) Monitoring A network of citizen volunteers committed to healthy waterways in Wisconsin stream locations During a typical year, citizen volunteers under the coordination of UW-Extension and ERC, and in partnership with Wisconsin DNR, monitor water temperature, clarity, oxygen levels, stream flow rates and macroinvertebrate counts at over 800 stream locations across the state. Some volunteers with advanced training also monitor phosphorus levels. Collected data feed into WDNR s Surface Water Integrated Monitoring System (SWIMS) database and inform decisions that improve stream health and build stronger communities. Over 500 registered volunteers (and their families) and 2,000+ supervised students monitor 800 stream locations throughout the state annually. In 2016, 87 volunteers also conducted advanced phosphorus monitoring at 155 sites across the state. These phosphorus monitoring efforts saved the Wisconsin DNR an estimated $33,000 in time and travel costs. North Central Region Water Network (NCRWN) Connecting and educating regional water stakeholders 800 over 1,600 WEBINAR views Coordinated by UW-Extension via ERC, NCRWN is a collaboration of tribal and land-grant colleges and universities in the 12-state North Central Region that hosts trainings, funds projects and facilitates discussions around water issues like nutrient management, soil health, agricultural irrigation, invasive species, stormwater management, climate change, Gulf hypoxia and more. To date, 80+ water professionals have highlighted their work during monthly NCRWN webinars. Over 600 people have participated in the live sessions, while recorded webinars have received 1,000+ views on YouTube. The network has provided seed funding for 19 projects. Agricultural Stewardship Wildlife Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve (LSNERR) A leader in outreach, education and research in the ecosystem and communities surrounding Lake Superior s estuaries UW ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES CENTER Outreach & Applied Research Programs WISCONSIN REGIONAL NATIONAL Water Resource Sustainable Forestry $10M funding 36,000 CITIZENS, TEACHERS, & STUDENTS REACHED LSNERR s education and outreach programs model unique K-12 programming in local schools and offer community decision maker training to improve the understanding of Lake Superior estuaries and coastal resources and address the issues affecting them. Research topics include long-term water quality monitoring, climate change impacts, invasive species and restoration, as well as the human and community dimensions of coastal management. Since 2010, the reserve has secured over $10M in funding that directly impacts the surrounding community and reached over 36,000 citizens, teachers and students through education efforts. 2

3 Natural Resource Education (NRE) Program Water Projects Leading and facilitating water quality projects across the state ERC-based natural resource educators are providing leadership on nutrient reduction and water quality projects across the state. Key efforts include Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) planning and implementation projects in the Lower Fox, Wisconsin, St. Croix, Red Cedar and Rock River watersheds and the Lower Fox River Demo Farm Network initiative. TMDL projects, carried out in collaboration with federal, state and local partners, target excess nutrients that can contribute to low oxygen levels in water, nuisance algae growth, fish kills and drinking water contamination. The demo farm initiative works with farmers and their advisors to conduct on-farm demonstrations that measure the effectiveness of conservation practices to reduce erosion and sediment runoff, control phosphorus runoff and address other nonpoint sources of pollution. In 2016, three training events for the Healthy Soil, Healthy Water TMDL education initiative in the Wisconsin and Rock River watersheds attracted hundreds of participants. Six producers are currently using nutrient reduction best practices on their farms through the Lower Fox River Demonstration Farm network. A comprehensive Lower Fox integrated education and outreach campaign is planned for Are you interested in food and agriculture? From cropping systems to manure management, we re on the front lines of agricultural conservation. Conservation Professional Training Program (CPTP) Regional in-person, online and blended training programs for conservation professionals WATERSHED focused 4,200 conservation professionals TRAINED CPTP offers training for conservation agency staff (LWCD, NRCS), private sector agronomic and engineering consultants and NGO staff on topics like nutrient management planning, managed grazing, conservation activity plan development, conservation planning and Farm Bill assistance. These trainings help farmers and their advisors make better decisions to maximize efficiency and crop yields, improve wildlife habitat and minimize environmental impacts. To date, CPTP has trained nearly 4,200 unique conservation professionals. Over 1,100 participants attended trainings in Useful to Usable (U2U) Evaluation and Marketing Marketing and assessing 35,559 free online agricultural UNIQUE support tools online tool users U2U is a multi-institution project that shares relevant and actionable climate information with farmers and their advisors. ERC staff marketed and evaluated the effectiveness of new USDA-funded online U2U tools that provide farmers and agricultural advisors with climate data to help inform their decisions. ERC led interviews, surveys, usability testing and outreach events to understand the usefulness of the tools to end users and provide feedback to developers. The team also led a multimedia marketing campaign to promote the tools. In total, the media campaign reached 35,559 people. Website traffic data for 2016 show that 14,000 unique users accounted for 50,307 total pageviews. The decision support tools accounted for much of the site traffic with the Corn Growing Degree Day tool receiving 11,396 pageviews; Climate Patterns Viewer, 4,048 pageviews; AgClimate View, 2,769 pageviews; and Corn Split N, 1,775 pageviews. End of project surveys show the tools are being used in decision making, and over half of advisors indicated the project increased their likelihood of using weather or climate information in their advising. A total of 83% indicated they would recommend the Growing Degree Day tool to others. North American Manure Expo Demonstrating the latest advances in manure application research ANNUAL and technology participants Co-coordinated by UW-Extension and other university and Extension partners from the U.S. and Canada, this annual traveling event engages and educates up to 2,000 participants on the complex balance between crop yields and targeted nutrient application. Efficient and informed use of manure and its associated nutrients can reduce runoff, positively impact water quality and limit environmental impacts. The event brings together industry innovators, manure applicators, Extension specialists and regulators to demonstrate equipment innovations and share research on manure and nutrient management issues. up to 2,000 As a result of attending the 2016 event, up to 22% of attendees suggested they either started using the highlighted methods and technologies or made changes to the way they were already using them. Technologies/methods included agitation boats/barges, frac tanks for application, spreader calibration, cover crops, sidedressing manure on corn, manure composting, solid/liquid separation, anaerobic digestion, biosecurity procedures and nutrient management planning. 3

4 Do you fish, hunt, camp or enjoy outdoor recreation? ERC staff are committed to ensuring that state resources remain optimal for a variety of outdoor pursuits. Farm Service Agency (FSA) Wetlands Identification Training Assisting in the nationwide preservation of wetlands Under federal law, USDA-FSA staff are required to comply with wetland protection policies when offering advice or providing service. To that end, FSA asked ERC to develop a suite of online, classroom and field train-the-trainer materials to ensure that the 5,000 FSA staff throughout the country are able to evaluate sites for potential wetlands and help farmers maintain compliance. ERC is partnering with five land-grant universities to develop and deliver the training suite. A total of 29 FSA staff attended a pilot training in Bozeman, MT, in Post-training evaluation revealed that 100% of participants were satisfied with the teaching techniques used, 93% felt the training was relevant to their needs and 97% were satisfied with the overall quality of the field day. Nationwide rollout begins in March Learn About Your Land (LAYL) Engaging private woodland owners to encourage sustainable forest management 5,000 FSA STAFF to be trained 549 WOODLAND OWNER PARTICIPANTS 80% completed best practice ERC-based Natural Resources Educators and key partners are leading Learn About Your Land workshops and other efforts to engage landowners and encourage sustainable management of Wisconsin s privately-owned forests. Recommended best management practices positively impact wildlife habitat, ecosystem health and recreation. Lake Superior Landscape Restoration Partnership Restoring and protecting the waters and forests of the Lake Superior Basin UW-Extension, via ERC, coordinates a broad partnership of more than two dozen local, tribal, state, federal and non-profit organizations known as the Lake Superior Landscape Restoration Partnership. Working across land ownership boundaries, the program strives to restore and protect the waters and forests of the Lake Superior Basin through coordinated on-the-ground management and restoration efforts. Special emphasis is placed on projects that improve habitat for the sharp-tailed grouse, brook trout, goldenwinged warbler and Kirtland s warbler. The program has planned and implemented critical habitat improvements on nearly 2,700 private and public acres and 48 stream miles. Fire break installation and wildfire fuel reduction efforts have also been carried out on 5,360 acres. Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Waterfowl Hunter Campaign Engaging waterfowl hunters in the fight against aquatic invasive species 2,700 acres of improved HABITAT 500 FIELD conversations with hunters As a transient recreational user group, waterfowl hunters have been identified as a key audience in the fight against aquatic invasive species. In response, ERC-based AIS coordinators, DNR partners and other volunteers led an education and outreach campaign to engage waterfowl hunters on invasive species prevention and inform them of mitigation strategies. Efforts included in-field conversations with hunters during the two opening days of the 2016 waterfowl season and a series of newsletter articles sent to the Wisconsin Waterfowl Associations list. The campaign resulted in around 500 in-field conversations with hunters and 11,000 potential impressions. A total of 549 woodland owners, representing over 15,000 acres of forest, attended LAYL classes in Follow-up surveys revealed that approximately 60% of attendees contacted a professional forester for assistance and over 80% completed at least one sustainable management practice post-training. 4

5 Are you interested in communitybased natural resources and energy projects? ERC staff and affiliates are engaging citizens and community stakeholders to create place-based change for today and tomorrow. Energy On Wisconsin Leading Wisconsin to renewable energy and efficiency e-news reached 1,000 ENERGY STAKEHOLDERS A collaboration of UW-Extension and the State Energy Office, Energy on Wisconsin provides information on renewable energy and energy efficiency programming through trainings, workshops, webinars, technical assistance, web-based guidance and an e-newsletter. Primary audiences include state and municipal officials, nonprofits, utilities, energy providers and other stakeholders in Wisconsin. SUCCESS INDICATOR: In 2016, the program s monthly newsletter was actively read by 1,000 stakeholders who used the Wisconsin case-study information to help craft, finance and implement renewables and energy efficiency programs. G-WOW Changing Climate, Changing Culture Putting climate change in a place-based, culturallyrelevant context 130 EDUCATORS 740 students A partnership of UW-Extension, Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, National Park Service and US Forest Service, G-WOW creates unique opportunities for place-based, culturallyrelevant climate literacy education. G-WOW s online curriculum investigates evidence of climate change s impact on the sustainability of species that support Ojibwe cultural practices. The program also offers teacher and student workshops on the G-WOW education model and an interactive exhibit at the Great Lakes Visitor Center in Ashland, WI. Since 2012, G-WOW professional development institutes have trained over 130 classroom and informal educators in applying the G-WOW climate service learning curriculum. Trained educators have facilitated the involvement of 740 students in follow-up climate camp learning experiences. In 2016, G-WOW secured $55,000 in Great Lakes Restoration funding. Additionally, the program helped to leverage $1.3 million in NASA funding through a partnership with Fond du Lac Tribal Community College, $245,000 in EPA funding through a partnership with the Chicago Botanical Garden and $50,000 in Sea Grant funding through a partnership with UW-Stevens Point. Online climate change training for tribal professionals was also included as a key outreach focus in a $219,000 BIA grant in partnership with the UW Nelson Institute. Wisconsin Master Naturalist Program (WIMN) Training citizen volunteers to become leaders in conser vation stewardship, interpretation and citizen science 34,548 service hours $ 752,455 MARKET VALUE The ERC-based Wisconsin Master Naturalist Program is a network of well-informed citizens dedicated to conservation education and community service. The WIMN Volunteer Training Course provides coursework in natural history, interpretation and conservation stewardship. Courses combine classroom instruction with field experiences and are taught by natural resources educators and scientists trained by UW-Extension and UW-Madison staff. WIMN volunteers perform at least 40 hours of volunteer service each year and receive 8 hours of annual training to maintain certification. In 2016, Master Naturalist volunteers recorded 17,454 hours of volunteer service, representing $380,148 of value to the state of Wisconsin. Since 2013, volunteers have logged 34,548 hours of service valued at approximately $752,455. 5

6 ERC PROFESSIONAL SERVICES: Planning and delivering tailored solutions to improve programs and help partners shine ERC s professional service teams provide marketing and communications, evaluation and instructional design support to dozens of internal and external partners annually. Marketing & Communications Branding and identity Graphic design Web development Editorial guidance and review Marketing strategy Instructional Design Online and blended courses Peer-based instructional strategy Content analysis Video and script development Captioning Webinar delivery Evaluation Program planning and development Quantitative analysis (pre-, post- & follow-up surveys) Qualitative analysis (individual and focus group interviews and field observations) Multi-method program evaluation Visit erc.cals.wisc.edu for more information on ERC programs and services. G-WOW As EEO employers, our partner institutions provide equal opportunities in employment and programming and meet Title IX and ADA requirements.