| Winter 1998 .. |
| Note From Editors:: Once again, thank you for the great articles sent to us for the Fall Issue. In order to remain up to date, articles for the next issue need to be submitted by mid January, to meet the February 1 publication deadline. Please keep your articles brief! We would like to include everyone. Debbie Morlock-(307) 543-2386, and Jeanie Thurmond-(307) 739-5434
|
| Conservation Education The USDA Forest Service has a myriad of public education and outreach programs. Despite the significant cost in terms of both dollars and personnel of current endeavors, those efforts are also fragmented and uncoordinated, with no clear strategy or priorities. The Directors of Cooperative Forestry, Recreation, Heritage and Wilderness Resources and Wildlife, Fish and Rare Plants and the Office of Communication realized the opportunity conservation education offers the Forest Service and the inefficiencies of efforts. Under Chief and Staff direction, these Staff Directors commissioned a task force in September 1996, to develop a national corporate vision for all education programs of the Agency. The task force was also directed to develop a clear strategy for achieving this vision. To accomplish this, the task force conducted 24 listening sessions around the country involving over 600 Forest Service employees and collaborators from other Federal and State agencies, non-profit organizations and educators. At these listening sessions, the following questions were asked: Should "educating the public about natural and cultural resources" be a Forest Service priority? What should the main themes be in educating the public? Who should the target audiences be? Using the valuable input from these sessions, the task force formulated a Service-wide response to these questions and then developed a strategy for Service-wide implementation. On October 30 1997, the task force presented the results and recommendations issued from its research to Chief and Staff. In terms of vision and mission, the task force considers that, by the year 2002, Forest Service conservation education will be an effective, dynamic means for the Forest Service to connect the American people with their environment. The Agency will provide the tools. This proposal will mean a new way of thinking and a new way of doing business. The vital priorities the task force considered necessary to give conservation education preeminence in the Forest Service are the following:- Inter-Deputy Leadership and Coordination is necessary to ensure integration of all efforts across Forest Service program areas and avoid duplication; - Sustenance of natural and cultural resources in forests, grassland, and aquatic ecosystems and awareness and understanding of interrelationships in natural systems and between people and the land will be the two core themes of the Forest Service conservation education programs; -Efforts will focus on 3 target audiences: our visitors, youths, and urban communities rather than trying to reach the general public as a whole; - Partners will continue to be involved both strategically and tactically and emphasis will be given to increasing partner involvement at all levels and in all phases of financing/fund-raising, development and implementation; - Local and national programs are encouraged to share successes and failures, information and material, increase efficiency in utilization and distribution of conservation and education tools and in training staff. Local flexibility remains an essential practice, but coordination and collaboration among the elements needs to occur to strengthen our efforts. On October 30, 1997, Chief and Staff approved and endorsed the overall direction and these priorities necessary to this repositioning of conservation education in the Forest Service. The task force also proposed the first concrete actions to implement this new strategy. An inter-deputy conservation-education board of directors, composed of the Associate Deputy chiefs, and an implementation team will coordinate the carrying out of the recommendations made by the task force. For more information contact Pam Godsey: /WO or Rich Calnan: /WO. |
Conservation Education Homepage