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research Report2014

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December 2014

Dear Prairie Rivers of Iowa,

We, the members of the Drake University public relations capstone, present our research report intended to promote the mission of Prairie Rivers. This semester we conducted primary and secondary research to help us gain a better understanding of the organizations current state, the current impact on its target publics and potential opportunities Prairie Rivers could pursue. Our research findings focus on revealing present conditions, key findings and recommendations for future growth and development.

Our research team divided into six subgroups, each focusing on a different target audience or element of Prairie Rivers. Prairie Rivers impacts the community through a great number of different projects, services and efforts, and each of projects has its own unique target audience. Therefore, it is important to include and consider each one of these audiences. Our subgroups/target audiences are listed below:

•Secondary Research •Internal Organization •Land Users and Enthusiasts•Economic Development and Public Opinion•Programming•Potential Partnerships

Some of our main findings revealed a lack of organization and understanding of Prairie Rivers’ mission and main goals within the organization’s staff and board members. We also discovered that Prairie Rivers may run the risk of overextending themselves in the future if they continue committing themselves to so many different projects and causes. Currently, the community is lacking awareness regarding Prairie Rivers and the causes it champions. Despite these challenges, we found that Prairie Rivers’ positive cause is easy for the public to support and believe in.

We are looking forward to applying these findings and promote the mission and service of Prairie Rivers in the next phase of strategic planning. Thank you for the opportunity to share our research findings with Prairie Rivers.

Sincerely,

Internal OrganizationChristy Baccam christy.baccam@drake.eduScott Reeve scott.reeve@drake.eduKelly Tafoya kelly.tafoya@drake.edu

Land Users and EnthusiastsMaryna Rath maryna.rath@drake.eduMark Reiter mark.reiter@drake.edu Taylor Rookaird taylor.rookaird@drake.eduAnthony Thomas anthony.thomas@drake.edu

Economic Development and Public OpinionMadison Dockter madison.dockter@drake.eduRandy Kane randall.kane@drake.eduTaylor Larson taylor.larson@drake.eduLaura Plumb laura.plumb@drake.edu

Secondary ResearchTess Fischer tess.fischer@drake.eduFaith Gachii faith.gachii@drake.eduBob Griffith robert.griffith@drake.eduMary Kelly mary.kelly@drake.edu

ProgrammingJordan Hyde jordan.hyde@drake.eduTrevor Marchuk trevor.marchuk@drake.eduRicardo Martinez ricardo.martinez@drake.edu

Potential PartnershipsLauren Anderson lauren.anderson@drake.eduKaylyn Maher kaylyn.maher@drake.eduEZ Okeleye ezekiel.okeleye@drake.eduRaquel Rivera raquel.rivera@drake.edu

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Executive Summary 3

Secondary Research 7

Internal Organization 19

Land Users and Enthusiasts 25

Economic Development and Public Opinion 33

Programming 45

Potential Partnerships 55

Appendix 63

contents

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secondary research In order to create a comprehensive plan for Prairie Rivers, the Secondary Research Team performed a situational analysis of Prairie Rivers in regards to the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the organization. Our team also performed a comparative analysis, where we analyzed like-organizations that are involved in conservation efforts in the Midwest. We looked at those organization’s programs, partnerships, sponsorships, volunteer opportunities/coordination and media/publications - in order to complete the analysis. By looking at what similar organizations in the Midwest are doing, we will be able to effectively compare and recommend changes that can be implemented in order to better serve Iowa, and fulfill the overall mission of improving the quality of life of citizens while strengthening the health of Iowa’s environment and communities. In addition to like organizations, we looked at two organizations that Prairie Rivers can aspire to regarding overall organizational structure; The Illinois Stewardship Alliance and the Conservation Fund. Our team also looked at watershed organizations in Minnesota per client request, and developed the book design and layout that presents all of the research done by all of the teams.

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Situation analysisIn addition to the in-depth research conducted by each team in their particular area of focus, the Secondary Research team determined that it would be beneficial to include within this report a general overview of the current situation regarding Prairie Rivers. This situation analysis provides a holistic look at the current strengths and weaknesses of Prairie Rivers, as well as potential opportunities and threats facing the organization. Many of the broad themes introduced in this analysis will be covered in much greater detail and precision later in the report.

strengthsPerhaps the greatest strength of Prairie Rivers is the cause they champion. The end goal of the organization is overwhelmingly supported by today’s society, with the environment and sustainability garnering more support and attention than ever before. There is nearly no legitimate resistance to the spirit of Prairie River’s programs, and it can be confidently stated that the vast majority of people today are in favor of Prairie Rivers’ efforts. Of course people are always interested in what’s in it for them – even regarding the environment and sustainability – but the programs that Prairie Rivers maintains offer a great deal to individuals both economically and environmentally. Simply put, protecting the environment and using our natural resources more responsibly is en vogue in today’s culture, and Prairie Rivers’ has wisely positioned itself to utilize this general sentiment to garner support for its impactful programs.

Internally speaking, Prairie Rivers has the benefit of many passionate and devoted staff maintaining its programs. The staff and volunteers of Prairie Rivers believe strongly in the work they are doing, and so dedicate incredible effort and passion to their job. The positive impact of this cannot be overstated. Especially in the arena of not-for-profit organizations, having a dedicated and zealous group of staff and volunteers to draw from is essential for success. Prairie Rivers’ staff has a strong belief in the internal leadership of the organization and the direction it is currently heading. This atmosphere of excitement and dedication makes all the things Prairie Rivers aspires to do possible. Finally, contrary to the situation facing many smaller market not-for-profit organizations, Prairie Rivers has a strong foundation and understanding of social media. In today’s viral society, the impact of an effective social media campaign on an organization can be massive. Conversely, an organization that is ineffective in their use of social media loses out on a major opportunity to build their message and achieve their goals. Prairie Rivers has a diversified presence across multiple platforms of social media, and most importantly they have been very consistent in their activity and presence on various sites. It is not enough to simply have an account with a particular social media platform, such tools are only beneficial if properly utilized and Prairie Rivers has a strong foundation of online activity.

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WeaknessesWhile the programs and partnerships that Prairie Rivers has engaged in since becoming an independent organization have been generally very successful and visible to the public, there are a few areas where we see some room to improve.

The first is the lack of clarity in the eyes of the public of what exactly Prairie Rivers is all about. Obviously it is tremendously important for the public to have a clear understanding of the goals and mission of an organization in order for it to raise any support for its programs. Because Prairie Rivers engages in such a diverse and expansive approach to protecting the environment and its resources, it can be challenging at times for the uninformed outsider to grasp the concept of Prairie Rivers. This is something that needs to be remedied if Prairie Rivers is to move from grant funding to self-funding. People need to fully understand something before they are willing to commit to it, and thus a clear and comprehensible organizational identity that can be easily communicated to the public is essential. We are confident that we will be able to provide this clearly communicated identity to Prairie Rivers.

Second, internally while passion and dedication to the cause is high, organization and a clear understanding of individual roles is lacking. It is understood that Prairie Rivers is involved with a wide range of programs and initiatives, and that with the limited staff and resources they have to work with, multi-tasking is unavoidable. However, it is important to have clear and established primary roles for all staff so they can have a firm foundation to expand out from. Not having clear roles within the organization can lead to decreased quality of work and potential confusion. Above all, if internal roles are unclear the organization’s mission will be unclear.

Opportunities Prairie Rivers is fortunate to have positioned itself to have numerous opportunities to strengthen their existing programs and expand into new ones. Part of the reason for this is their tremendously engaged executive board, which is a valuable asset to the continued success of the organization. We are excited by the many opportunities that are available to Prairie Rivers, especially in regards to potential partnerships, and these opportunities will be covered in greater detail later in the plan. However, in this general analysis we would like to highlight a couple areas we determined as particularly valuable for expansion.

While the large number and wide scope of projects Prairie Rivers is engaged in can make the organization challenging to grasp for the uninformed public, it is also a huge opportunity to maximize recognition. Because Prairie Rivers is involved in so many different areas of the environmental arena so to speak, they have a much larger surface area for recognition and exposure than a typical organization. This increased exposure opens the door for untapped partnership opportunities and funding sources.

Along with the increased opportunity for partnership and funding, the diversity of Prairie Rivers allows them to expand their expertise over a wide range of issues. This is significant in that with the appropriate messaging, Prairie Rivers can position itself as a leader in all categories and sub-sets of environmental sustainability. Their experience with issues from local foods and clean water, to environmental education and historical byways affords them a unique position of authority on the subject in Iowa, and potentially the Midwest. The possibilities are truly expansive.

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ThreatsAs is the case with any not-for-profit organization there exists threats to the continued long-term success of the organization. Prairie Rivers has done a tremendous job of establishing themselves as a valuable and stable environmental sustainability group here in Iowa, yet it is important to recognize the potential threats that exist.

As discussed earlier, the wide variety of issues and projects which Prairie Rivers involves itself in offers it many opportunities for new partnerships and funding sources, however Prairie Rivers must be careful to extend a clear mission statement to potential partners. Generally, potential partners look for organizations which align with their philosophies and goals, and search for key messaging within an organization’s website and social media channels that effectively communicate these goals. Because Prairie Rivers is involved in so many different causes and it communicates this involvement to the public, it may be difficult for a potential partner to see the immediate values in this partnership at first glance. It other words, it may seem a bit overwhelming. They might be more included to seek out more specialized and established organizations with which they can see immediate benefits from a partnership. This should not discourage Prairie Rivers from continuing to maintain its diversity within the environmental community, but it is a valuable reminder of the importance of a clear and communicable mission statement.

Finally, as with any not-for-profit organization that depends on grants and other outside methods for funding, maintaining adequate levels of funding is always a concern. This is a major reason why developing programs that are self-funding or revenue generating is so important. They essentially preform two functions at once; protecting the environment and generating needed revenue. Additionally, because of the nature of many of Prairie Rivers’ programs, state and federal regulations and requirements are a concern. Keeping up to date with and adhering to government regulations will be a constant task, as the penalties for failing to comply can be severe.

Situation analysis cont.

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comparative analysisThe comparative analysis is intended to give Prairie Rivers perspective on what other organizations are doing in order to discover new opportunities for growth and development. We focused on programming, partnerships, sponsorships and social media presence.

Like Organizations

Kansas Association for Conservation & Environmental Education Kansas Association for Conservation and Environmental Organization (KACEE) is a statewide non-profit organization in Kansas that promotes environmental education. The organization serves as a medium for the exchange of information among different agencies in Kansas that are involved in environmental education.

Programming Kansas Environment Education Conference KACEE hosts the Kansas Environment Education Conference every year. During the conference they foster relationships with community partners while offering workshops that are catered to a variety of individuals who contribute to environmental education in Kansas, including preK-12 grade teachers, administrators, and other community-based educators. The workshops vary, focusing on how all of the organizations and individuals present can collectively enhance environmental education in Kansas.

Water Festivals KACEE hosts several water celebrations as educational tools to increase awareness and appreciation of local water resources.

Workshops KACEE offers a variety of conservation and environmental workshops, which are facilitated by various formal and informal community educators. KACEE offers five core-programs for K-12:

•Project learning Tree - PLT uses the forest and trees as “windows” into the natural and built environments, helping students gain awareness of the world around them and their place in it.

•Wild & Wild Aquatic - Project WILD is an environmental education resource program that helps participants develop an awareness, appreciation and understanding of wildlife

•WET - water education program which focuses on water related topics such as atmospheric, surface, and ground water; water history; chemistry; watersheds; water economics; and water stewardship.

•Leopold Education Project – An interdisciplinary education, conservation education activity guide based on the writings of renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold.

•Project Learning Tree Environmental Experiences for Early Childhood – A core program for children ages 3-6

•Growing Up WILD – An early childhood education program that builds a child’s sense of wonder about nature and invites them to explore the world around them.

PartnershipsKACEE offers a variety of conservation and environmental workshops, that are facilitated by PreK-13 teachers, community college instructors, camp college instructors, camp and scout leaders, home school educators, zoo& park staff, naturalists, child care providers, after school program, staff, natural resource professionals, and pre-service teachers.

Kansas Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy: Kansas WRAPS offers a framework that engage in locally

based watershed planning and implementation efforts aimed at protecting and restoring Kansas Watersheds. KACEE

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supports WRAPS through hosting a forum series, offering professional development and network opportunities to stakeholders and coordinators. KACEE also offers workshops that serve both formal and non-formal educators in field studies as well as offer teaching resources to build understanding of local watershed resources and issues.

SponsorshipsKACEE partners with other like organizations to help fund and promote their programming, aligning interests and capabilities. Some of their sponsors for different programs include,

•Kansas Forest Service •Kansas Department of Health and Environment •Kansas Corporation Commission-State Energy Office

Social Media/ Online Presence/ Publication Facebook: Kansas Association for Environmental Education

•Frequent posts•Foster group discussions by posing questions for

members to interact with the administrators•Sponsoring giveaways on the Facebook page•Promote events and programming

Twitter •The organization does not have a twitter page

Newsletter • Online News on their website Website

•KACEE has a website that is updated regularly. The website is hard to navigate and find information.

VolunteersKACEE meets offers different ways for individuals to get involved at different capacities such as:

•Fund development •Publicity/promotion•Environmental Education Programs •Conference Planning•Attending KACEE meetings•Article Contribution for KACEE news

KACEE organizes its volunteers into different committees, based on their capabilities, interest, and time commitment and potential volunteers can indicate which committee to join, the committees include:

•Membership Committee •Public Relations Committee •Fund raising/fund development committee•Planning and assessment committee •Leadership development committee •Education program committee

Board and Staff•21 board members•6 staff members

Bridging the Gap, Kansas CityBridging the Gap is an organization that works to make the Kansas City region sustainable by “connecting environment, economy and community”. The organization provides environmental education and volunteer action through more than 1,000 volunteers annually and fulfills its mission through an extensive array of diverse programming.

ProgrammingBridging the Gap has six different programs. Its own board, all under the direction of the main Bridging the Gap board, oversees each program. The programs that are overseen by Bridging the Gap’s staff members are:

•Community Recycling Centers – Bridging the Gap manages three of KCMOs recycling center

•Tree planting through Heartland Tree Alliance –The Heartland Tree Alliance, engages people of the Greater Kansas City region, in educating and advocating for a healthy community forest.

•Keep Kansas City Beautiful – An affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, Keep Kansas City Beautiful works with citizens, business and government in creating a cleaner and more beautiful Kansas City.

•Kansas City WildLands – A coalition of resource professionals, private conservation organizations, and conservation minded citizens whose goals are to restore and manage the remnants of Kansas City’s original landscape.

•Green Business Network – a network of environmental professionals and business people whose goal is to make sustainable business decision to protect natural resources.

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•Shadow Cliff Lodge and Retreat Center – Bridging the gap owns the lodge and retreat center, which is a source of education, strategic planning, and inspiration, teaching nature’s sustainability principles to individuals, businesses and governments.

Social Media/ Online Presence/ Publication Facebook: Bridging the Gap

•Solid Facebook presence with over three thousand likes•Relatively low engagement from fans•Event photos •Promoting other like organizations through their page by

sharing links to articles, websites and events that are relevant to their fans

Twitter: @btg_KC•Solid twitter presence with 1,379 followers and over

2,000 tweets•Re-tweeting, mention and sharing of information that is

relevant to their followers•Promoting events, pictures of volunteers, and overall

community promotion

Website: bridgingthegap.org•Updated regularly •Difficult to find specific programming – hidden pages that

can not be accessed directly from the homepage

Newsletter •Monthly newsletter•Newsletters archives can be accessed through the

website

Blogs•Each program has its own blog that individuals can

subscribe to, based on interest

Volunteer Due to their unique approach and different programming, Bridging the Gap works with more than 1,000 volunteers annually. Volunteers can volunteer for a few hours or make ongoing commitments. Bridging the Gap has a Volunteer Services Manager on staff to match volunteers to different programs. Board and Staff Bridging the Gap has a board that oversees all programming,

and there are is also a different board or a committee for each of the different programming which brings the total to 3 boards and 3 committees

•12 staff members •3 boards•3 committees

rc&d'sFor other RC&Ds, we looked at financials, in order to determine how other similar organizations were receiving funding. We looked at two different organizations’ financials for 2013. Recurring themes for income included memberships, donations, grants, endowments, private and public funds.

Shawnee Resource Conservation & Development Shawnee RC&D, shifted its focus to become a self-sufficient organization, acquiring funding from partnerships with area agencies such as:

•Illinois Department of Natural Resources•Prescribed Burn Association•University of Illinois Extension

Shawnee RC&D also has secured multiple grants from different foundations, organizations and corporations, as well as funding for specific programs (Appendix 1.1)

Northeast Nebraska Resource Conservation & Development

The Northeast Nebraska Resource Conservation & Development collects membership fees, has funded projects and also gets federal funding to run different projects. The financials for the 2013 fiscal year can be found in (Appendix 1.2).

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Because Prairie Rivers expressed interest in watershed programs, we’ve done some research on successful watershed organizations in Minnesota. Two of these organizations are focused on water and soil efforts alone while the third we consider to be more aspirational as they, similar to Prairie Rivers, are committed to a number of conservational efforts. All of our research is pulled from these organization’s online presence and is meant to give Prairie Rivers an idea of what other organizations are doing and how to begin their own program.

Whitewater River WatershedaboutThe Whitewater River Watershed is the area of land and water, including homes, farms, forests, and cities, that drain into the Whitewater River. The Whitewater, in turn, drains into the larger Upper Mississippi River Watershed at Weaver Bottoms.

The Whitewater River Watershed Project is governed by a Joint Powers Board of local elected officials. The JPB is made up of a County Commissioner and a Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor from each of the three counties in the watershed. The mission of the watershed project is to nurture a land stewardship ethic in the watershed. The project focuses on improving water quality, reducing sedimentation and flooding, and improving habitat for all plants and animals.

The watershed is in Southeast Minnesota, and includes parts of Winona, Olmsted and Wabasha Counties. The Whitewater River Watershed consists of 205,000 acres of land which drain into the Whitewater River. The Whitewater River drains into the Mississippi River at Weaver Bottoms. The maps section outlines the boundaries of the project.

PartnershipsCannon River Watershed PartnershipOlmsted County Soil & Water Conservation DistrictRoot River Watershed ProjectSoutheast Minnesota Water Resources BoardWabasha County Soil & Water Conservation District

Winona Soil and Water Conservation DistrictZumbro Watershed Partnership

Staff/Board •6 board members •3 staff members

Social Media/Online Presence •No social media presence •Website is a bit outdated but updated semi-frequently •http://www.whitewaterwatershed.org

ProgramsEducation and Outreach: •Forest Stewardship Plans - A natural resources professional will work with you to develop a forest stewardship plan describing your forest resources and recommending appropriate management based upon your goals •Workshops and field days on land and water stewardship •Nutrient and manure management planning •Customized GIS mapping for sensitive feature setbacks •Neighborhood meetings •One on one contacts with watershed residents •Newsletters

•Brochures on watershed forestry, biodiversity, and historyMonitoring: •Citizen stream monitoring program: Since 2001, sixteen citizen volunteers, as well as staff from the Whitewater River Watershed Project have participated in Citizen Stream Monitoring Program (CSMP) activities in the Whitewater River Watershed. Volunteers collect data on stream transparency, stream stage, water temperature and precipitation. •The CSMP activities have been helpful to develop stream awareness and to better understand the relationship of land use and precipitation to stream conditions. Local data are also included in the state database compiled in St. Paul.Forestry •Tree Planting: CRP (conservation reserve program), Windbreaks and Direct Seeding •Timber Stand Improvement: Seedling release, Pruning, Thinning and Crop tree release •Stewardship plans

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•Harvest recommendationsMinnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program: •In 2013 the Whitewater River Watershed was selected as one of four pilot areas for the new Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program (MAWQCP). The program is designed to speed voluntary adoption of agricultural practices that enhance water quality, while maintaining a productive agricultural economy.

Stearns County Soil & Water Conservation District aboutThe Stearns County Soil & Water Conservation (SWCD) District is a local unit of government that manages and directs natural resource management programs at the local level. The SWCD works in both urban and rural settings, with landowners and with other units of government, to carry out a program for the conservation, use, and development of soil, water, and related resources.

Mission StatementTo provide local leadership in the conservation of soil, water, and related natural resources through programs and partnerships with individuals, businesses, organizations, and government.

Partnerships Natural Resources Conservation ServiceMississippi River RenaissanceBoard of Water and Soil ResourcesMinnesota Dept. of AgricultureUniversity of MinnesotaMinnesota Association of Conservation District Employees

Staff/Board •12 staff members •5 board supervisors from each county district

Social Media/Online Presence •Strong Facebook presence •Updated website and monthly newsletter •http://www.stearnscountyswcd.net

ProgramsThe SWCD has many programs, we selected a few that we think could be modified and applied to suit Prairie Rivers needs and interests.

Lake Koronis Subwatershed Protection Project: •(SWCD) received a Clean Water Partnership Grant from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) to work with the public in an effort to protect and/or improve the water quality of Lake Koronis. The goal of the project is simple. It is to work with property owners on or near Lake Koronis to create natural buffers, fix shoreline erosion issues and capture excess runoff

Clean Water Land & Legacy Amendment: •In 2008, Minnesota voters passed an amendment to increase tax by three-eighths of one percent to help four different funds. •Outdoor Heritage Fund •Parks and Trails Fund •Cultural Heritage Fund •Clean Water Fund •SWCD applies for grants from this fund to help: protect, enhance, and restore lakes, rivers, streams and groundwater •Protect drinking water sources

The Healthy Lakes and Rivers Partnerships (HLRP) program: The Program empowers local shoreline associations to improve the quality of their lakes or rivers by helping them: •Enhance the leadership skills of key lake/river association members. •Provide a forum for shoreline property owners to plan for the future of their watershed. •Obtain opportunities to network, work cooperatively, learn from one other, and advocate for healthy waters in central Minnesota •Create visions, missions, goals, and management plans for their watershed using a template developed by the Healthy Lakes program and modeled after the State Interagency Lakes Coordinating Committee guide. •Establish indicators to measure the success of their association’s efforts. •Receive training, technical assistance and support for citizen-based planning and project implementation.

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Washington Conservation District The Washington Conservation District (WCD) is a local unit of government in Washington County, Minn. dedicated to soil and water conservation. Our mission to enhance, protect, and preserve the natural resources of Washington County through conservation projects, technical guidance, and educational services is governed by the state law and the Soil and Water Conservation Policy. We have been providing local expertise on water quality, erosion control and natural resource information since 1942 through partnerships with individuals, local government units, and other organizations and agencies to meet our mission of the protection, conservation, and enhancement of natural resources.

Partnerships •East Metro Water Resource Education Program (EMWREP) •EMWREP is a partnership formed in 2006 to serve 18 local units of government in the east metro area. The purpose of the shared education program is to provide education about the impacts of non-point source pollution on local lakes, rivers, streams, wetlands and groundwater resources and to engage people and communities in projects that will help to protect and improve water quality in the region. http://www.mnwcd.org/emwrep-resources •Minnesota Association of Watershed Districts (MAWD) •Brown’s Creek Watershed District •Carnelian-Marine St. Croix Watershed District •Comfort Lake Forest Lake Watershed District •Middle St. Croix Watershed Management Organization •Ramsey Washington Metro Watershed District •Rice Creek Watershed District •Valley Branch Watershed District •South Washington Watershed District

Staff/Board •18 staff members •5 board members – one from each of the 5 districts of Washington County

Social Media/Online Presence •Updated website with new content posted often, http://www.mnwcd.org/ •Very active on Facebook

Programming103C.005 Soil and Water Conservation Policy The soil and water conservation policy of the state is to encourage land occupiers to conserve soil, water, and the natural resources they support through the implementation of practices that:

•control or prevent erosion, sedimentation, siltation, and related pollution in order to preserve natural resources;

•ensure continued soil productivity;•protect water quality;•prevent impairment of dams and reservoirs;•reduce damages caused by floods;•preserve wildlife;•protect the tax base; and•protect public lands and waters.

Water Quality Monitoring•Stream Monitoring Program•Lake Water Quality Monitoring Program•Observation Well Program•Rain Gauge Program•Lake Gauge Program•Volunteer Stream Monitoring Program•Zooplankton Monitoring•Macrophyte (Aquatic Plant) Surveys•Sediment Surveys•Infiltration Monitoring

Blue Thumb Program •Blue Thumb - Planting for Clean Water is a partnership

program with the Rice Creek Watershed. Its mission is to help homeowners beautify their yards while improving local water quality by creating native flower gardens, building raingardens and stabilizing shoreline property with plants.

•bluethumb.org•They host neighborhood parties to make learning about

planting for clean water fun with drinks and presentations. •They list a number of resources on the site to help

people make smarter choices when choosing what plants to put in their gardens and how to construct raingardens.

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aspirational organizationsWe also found it to be beneficial to look at organizations that Prairie Rivers can aspire to in order to fulfill their mission.

Illinois Stewardship Alliance Illinois Stewardship Alliance (ISA) promotes environmentally sustainable, economically viable, socially just, local food systems through policy development, advocacy, and education. ISA is a membership-based organization. The organization works to get individuals who want to increase the supply of fresh, local foods. Programming •Local Flavors – A farm-to-table series that connects Illinois growers and produces with local restaurants. The participating restaurants offer a lunch or dinner special highlighting fresh, seasonal, locally produced food. •Chef-Farmer Mixers- A series of events that are designed to bring local chefs and farmers together in order to create new partnerships that will foster relationships that encourage the use of locally grown food. •10% Pledge Campaign – ISA is asking chefs, cooks and restaurant owners to make a pledge to try and buy 10 percent of the food that they use locally. By doing so, ISA will connect those who have made the pledge with local farmers in their area in order to fulfill their commitment. •Golden Beet Award – The Golden Beet Award is an award that is presented t to recognize creative, innovative individuals organization or businesses that are pioneering local food activities in Illinois •Farm Speaker Bureau – provides organizations and event planners, as well as the media, with easily accessible contact list of experts in the fields of local food and farming that are willing to speak publicly about their areas of expertise.

PolicyIllinois Stewardship Alliance also works to drive policy change in Illinois on a state level as well as on a federal level. ISA represents sustainable agriculture, family farms, and local food producers to policymakers, supporting good policy, and oozing policy that hinders the sustainable agriculture. Conservation

The Illinois Stewardship Alliance also offers resources for those interested in conservation, including the endorsement of Cover crops, which prevent soil erosion, offer consultation and additional resources for farmers through the Conservation Stewardship Program, as well as act as a liaison to partner farmers with different environmental organizations and groups in Illinois.

Sponsorships •Goodness Greenness: Certified Organic Produce •Farm Here •Bacaro •Physiotherapy Professionals •Advance Cover Crops •Mud Prairie Farm

Online Presence/ Social Media •Facebook: Illinois Stewardship Alliance •Twitter: @ILStewards •Newsletter •Monthly newsletter archived on the website •Website: www.ilstewards.org

staff and board •5 staff members •9 board members

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aspirational organizations cont.

The conservation fund, Arlington, VA The Conservation Fund is very aspirational organization in that it is a nationwide organization that is involved in conservation efforts in almost every state in the country, but it is still worthwhile to look at the Conservation Fund to draw on some inspiration for efforts that can be reciprocated and made relevant to the work that needs to be accomplished in Iowa. The Conservation Fund works to save land for future generations and find ways to make economic and environmental goals work together.

StrategyThe Conservation Fund works to balance conservation and the economy. The Conservation Fund implements different strategies for different cases, from land acquisition to empowering rural communities. The Conservation Fund is also involved in strategically planning infrastructure as well as investing in sustainable businesses in order to accomplish conservation goals.

Programs Since the Conservation Fund is involved in such a large capacity all over the country, it has divided up its programming into five different categories:1.) Conservation Leadership Network – A team of experts working together to forge conservation solutions to communities, government and corporate leaders.

2.) Freshwater Institute – A team that works with government, industry, nonprofits and individuals in order to shape sustainable, solutions to water resource management.

3.) Resourceful Communities – This program, based in North Carolina, works to preserve the rural landscape and elevate individuals out of poverty. This program promotes local resources and encourages youth to participate in programming.

National Scenic Byway Program The National Scenic Byway program is a part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration. The program is a grass-root collaborative effort established to help recognize, preserve and enhance selected roads throughout the United States.

In May 18, 1995 the Federal Highway Administration set an interim policy, which still provides the criteria for the National Scenic Byway Program. The Iowa Lincoln Byways would have to meet the standards, which are outlined in the policy (appendix 1.1), in order to be recognized nationally as a Scenic Byway.

4.) Strategic Conservation – This program offers business, government leaders, conservationists and others to help create strategic plans in order to conserve land.

5.) Sustainable Efforts in the Midwest – This program works to combat issues in the Midwest, ranging from issues of land use, food security, green energy, farming flood management and more.

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Internal organizationIntroductionTo ensure an effective and efficient plan is executed for Prairie Rivers, it was essential to research all angles of the organization which could have a direct effect on their sustainability. Because Prairie Rivers is a smaller, growing non-profit organization it was feasible to involve all internal staff, the board of directors and Prairie Rivers’ donors and volunteers. By engaging with the staff members, past or present donors and volunteers, it gave us a better understanding of the internal successes and shortcomings of the organization. Because these publics have a close relationship to Prairie Rivers, they will play a part of the success in the company going forward.The purpose and goal of conducting research on the internal staff of Prairie Rivers was to gain a better understanding of three key things:

1. ) Mission and Values – Because most businesses use their mission statement as a base of what they stand for and what they believe in, it was important to see how employees of Prairie Rivers interpreted their statement and if they felt their day-to-day responsibilities stayed true to that mission.2.) Current Situation – Analyzing internally how the company functions, their work environment, daily interactions with coworkers on and off site, their leadership and any challenges would provide more feedback on what those successes and shortcomings were.3.) Forecast – In order for any business to grow and be successful it is important to see beyond the present and plan for the future. Having a clearer understanding of where the organization wants to go, will help become a starting point for where this plan will go.

Although the internal staff members play a big part of Prairie Rivers’ success, it was also beneficial to get some insight on what past or present donors and volunteers thought of the organization, their satisfaction levels and their connection to the company. These findings will help us understand how these relationships are built, as well as maintained and help us provide valuable suggestions to improve community engagement with this target audience.

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MethodsBoth qualitative and quantitative methods were used to gather the information needed to further the research. A questionnaire was used as a guideline to conduct in-depth face-to-face interviews that took place onsite over a course of two days on Friday, November 7, 2014 and on Wednesday, November 19, 2014. During that timeframe, the internal communications team met with the in-house staff members of Prairie Rivers. Those participants engaged in a 45 minute interview and answered a series of questions regarding their job descriptions, daily responsibilities, challenges, successes, the leadership of Prairie Rivers, and their future predictions for Prairie Rivers.

In addition to the interviews that took place at Prairie Rivers, the team conducted face-to-face interviews with employees who were housed offsite throughout the city and held phone interviews with a number of individuals who currently has or had a relationship with the organization.Since Prairie Rivers has access to their past and/or present donors and volunteers, a well tailored survey, which would be quick and easy for participants, was created. This survey is to provide reliable data needed to determine how to best target past, present and future volunteers and donors.

The survey’s uniqueness allowed it to tailor to a specific audience. It contains three different tracks based on the relationship the individual had with the organization. Each participant answered the same first four questions used to collect general demographic data. Depending on how the fifth question was answered determined which survey the participant took; donor survey, volunteer survey or both.

Finding #1Passion for the organizationEmployees and executive board members at Prairie Rivers of Iowa care about the programs that they work for. All employees in our in-depth interviews showed enthusiasm about the projects they were affiliated with and discussed their passion for the organization as a whole. “I believe in Prairie Rivers of Iowa’s programs, they greatly benefit the communities they affect. I’m proud to work for my particular program.”

In-Depth Interview Themes

“Prairie River’s of Iowa produces programs and projects that benefit communities through the use of natural resources. There’s no one out there like us!”

Analysis: This provides a great opportunity to engage employees and executive board members further so that they continue to (and further) invest in the organization. Whether

that’s in monetary support or wanting to stay with the organization as an employee.

Finding #2Need for more collaboration and empowerment amongst employeesEmployees at Prairie Rivers of Iowa described that for the most part, there wasn’t a very collaborative environment and they lacked the ability to make decisions within their job.Due to the variety of programs that exist, the staff rarely works collectively and doesn’t feel that they can make decisions within their position. Employees also lack a benefits package which results in high turnover. “I love my job don’t get me wrong, I just don’t make a lot of decisions within my position. Penny is a great leader but everything has to go through her, so when she’s not here, everything slows down…I don’t know what’s going on with other programs, the staff meetings don’t serve that purpose. I don’t see myself working here in five years.” “I’m not aware of the progress with other programs, the staff doesn’t work that way even though we work well together…One time when Penny went on vacation, everything just came to a halt because decisions aren’t made without going through her first. I don’t see myself working here in the next five years because the liberal vacation policy isn’t enough to make me want to stay since there’s no benefits and poor compensation.”

Analysis: Employees could use more autonomy over their positions to make decisions regarding their programs in

order for the organization to be overall more efficient. More collaboration would help employees feel more empowered in

their work.

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Finding #3Employees and executive board members strongly believe in the current leadershipExecutive board members and employees are proud of their leadership within the organization and feel that leadership positively affects the organization. “Penny has been instrumental in the success of Prairie Rivers of Iowa. She is a great visionary that knows the direction we need to be going in order to continue to exist and thrive.”

“We wouldn’t be where we are today without the leadership of our executive directors. Penny stepped into her role and became a great leader for the staff. She really knows where we need to go and how to get there.”

Analysis: The organization is strong due to the leadership exhibited by the past and present executive directors.

This keeps the organization moving in a positive direction according to executive board members and employees

.

Finding #4Lack of internal communication within the organizationEmployees and executive board members did not fully understand why certain aspects of Prairie Rivers of Iowa work the way they currently do, resulting in disgruntled employees that lack awareness of how the overall organization is functioning.

“It feels like there’s new people at Prairie Rivers of Iowa every month. It’s difficult to keep track of who everybody is and what they all do. Some days there’s people loudly talking in the conference room and other times maybe one or two people are in the office.” “There’s people constantly coming into the conference room and they talk loudly and disrupt those of us attempting to work. I don’t know why they’re there and when they’ll be there.”

Analysis: By not communicating with employees, employees perceive a lack of transparency and become unhappy with certain situations in the office that could

easily be explained via email or in person through Penny the executive director. There’s a need to communicate

more with employees so everyone is up to date on what’s happening within the organization.

Finding #5Lack of cohesive understanding of what Prairie Rivers of Iowa stands forVery few executive board members and employees could recite the mission statement or explain what Prairie Rivers of Iowa stands for in less than a minute or two. People had very different understandings of what Prairie Rivers of Iowa stands for. “I have no clue what the mission statement is without a piece of paper in front of me, we have so many different programs that it’s hard to summarize them all in one statement. I would say the best way to explain what we stand for is that we provide community based programs that utilize natural resources.” “The mission statement has something to do with conservation? It’s really vague and could be applied to almost any non-profit.” Analysis: Employees and executive board members should all be on the same page for what the organization stands

for and would benefit from a cohesive understanding so that name recognition and awareness could be an easier

process.

Survey ThemesThe survey for Prairie Rivers’ donors and volunteers was taken by 25 current or past volunteers and donors. Of these 25, twelve were male, eleven were female and two chose not to specify. The majority of participants were 56 plus (65 percent). Eight participants were between 33 and 55 (32 percent). No participants in this survey were under the age of 26.

The sample overall was well educated. Seventy six percent of participants had obtained at least a bachelors degree. Only four participants had only a high school education. Two had associates degrees and eleven had bachelors degrees. Eight participants had a masters degree or higher. This distribution means that the majority of people volunteering and donating to Prairie Rivers are well educated. This helps create a target market for Prairie Rivers’ donor and volunteer databases.

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Volunteers None of those asked in the survey volunteered more than ten hours. Three of the sixteen respondents to answer this question said they volunteered six to ten hours per month. The other thirteen said they volunteered zero to five hours per month.

The majority of participants heard about Prairie Rivers from other people. Going forward it is important that Prairie Rivers get their name out by engaging in the community rather than just through staff or friends of the organization.

Most participants reported that they were “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with the volunteer work they did through Prairie Rivers. Because of this, keeping volunteers coming back to the organization should not be hard. Once Prairie Rivers engages volunteers who work with the organization keeping them engaged and coming back to work for the organization will be critical.

Participants in our survey enjoyed almost all aspects of volunteering for the organization including: the project or event, the staff, their role volunteering, the other volunteers of the organization and advancing the mission of Prairie Rivers. When asked what could be improved, six participants responded “other volunteers,” five reported both “the event” and “your role.” While there are some improvements that could be made, overall participants did not have a problem with Prairie Rivers or their projects.

When asked what projects participants would be interested in working on in the future, participants responded evenly across all categories with a slight drop for log products. Because the log product program is fairly established while the others are growing this is a good sign for the direction of Prairie Rivers as an organization as as a growing non-profit.

Donors Based on survey responses most participants stated that they donate $0-100 to Prairie Rivers every year. There were however several respondents that stated that they donated between $2,500-5,000. If this target market can be reached and they can become loyal donors, Prairie Rivers can worry less about funding and more about the programs they want going forward.

Beyond this category many of the responses were tainted by participants who elected to take both the donor and volunteer survey rather than just the volunteer survey. Accurate responses cannot be collected based on some free response questions in this portion of the survey implying that the donor donated time rather than money. These participants should have chosen to take the volunteer only survey but did not. Because of this there is a significant error in the data collected in this portion of the survey and these questions will not be helpful.

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RecommendationsTo improve the day to day production and internal communication amongst Prairie Rivers staff, we recommend having accessible staff meetings that provide every member with an overall understanding of all existing and future projects. In order to keep everyone involved and present, a recurring meeting time and place should be established that will allow all Prairie Rivers of Iowa staff to attend.

Although there is a liberal vacation plan, employees seek more benefits and job security. Health benefits and 401K plans should be provided to employees to reduce employee turnover and attract top candidates for their position openings. Offering opportunities for career development amongst staff members could assist in greater investment within the organization and increase success within programs.

An evaluation process needs to be established to hold employees more accountable for their day to day responsibilities. This process will include quarterly reviews for all staff members in their first year and a yearly review going forward. Included in this review will be the staff member’s strengths, weaknesses, goals and benefits/reimbursement. Having a written documentation will allow both the leader and subordinate to assess and compare quarterly or annual development plans and find new areas of improvement.

To increase collaboration and to increase team efforts, internal communication networks should be established including but not limited to a staff calendar, weekly staff email updates and implementing an instant messaging system accessible to all staff members. As new staff members join the team, Penny should send out an email with their overall job description and overall introduction to the current employees. At staff meetings this person should be introduced by Penny to each member of the organization.

In addition to technological improvements personnel in the form of an assistant director should be hired to further improve communication amongst employees and executive board members. Penny estimates that she spends half of her work week out of office, having a dedicated staff member onsite to act in her absence will improve the efficiency within the organization.

Make the executive director’s office more visible and accessible to the staff members that are in-house. Centralizing her location within the office will allow employees to communicate with her easily and feel more support and collaborative with the executive leader.

Job descriptions need to be better adhered to so staff members feel that they know what programs and projects they are in charge of or are working on. This will alleviate any confusion amongst staff members of who is in charge of what and provide a why for what they’re doing.

Create a new mission statement that is more clear and concise about what the organization stands for. The statement should be made easily identifiable and connects all programs to the organization.

Make the relationship with other companies that utilize Prairie Rivers facilities and resources more transparent to the staff and board of directors. Doing so, will provide employees a clearer understanding of their job description and what their priorities are within Prairie Rivers.

Target both donors and volunteers who are highly involved both financially and with their time to Prairie Rivers. Ask these people for contacts to people like them who may buy into the mission of the project and also donate significant money or time to Prairie Rivers.

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land users & enthusiastsPrairie Rivers of Iowa is a diverse organization with several different programs and initiatives that touch many areas across the state of Iowa. To narrow this down, the area that held our focus consists of individuals and other organizations that fit within two diverse segments: land users and enthusiasts. Land users are defined as individuals or groups who occupy land for business or personal means and are directly affected by the condition of the land. Enthusiasts are defined as individuals and organizations that share similar ideals as Prairie Rivers of Iowa, such as preserving the ecological integrity of the land, and working towards more sustainable communities in Iowa. These two groups of people are in touch with the environmental needs of Iowa, as they are the ones out every day interacting with other individuals and organizations that have a similar passion for the nature resources of Iowa.

The purpose of our two research areas was to gain a better understanding of the current environmental situation in their areas. We wanted to learn more about the current public awareness of the organization and its programs. Knowing this information would be beneficial for us to decide how to best focus our time and in allocating Prairie Rivers resources. The second insight we wanted to learn from our research was about what current programs are in Iowa right now, and their thoughts on conservation efforts in Iowa - what they do well, what could be improved, what resources are under-utilized and what area should be allotted more time and dedication. Last, we wanted to learn about how the organization approaches the “average Iowan” about conservation efforts and how to live greener and more environmental friendly.

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Methods After extensive research and discussion, the decision was reached to use both qualitative and quantitative methods. Both of these methods will assist in capturing a full image of the two audiences we are working with.

In-depth InterviewsIn-depth interviews were conducted with a non-profit conservation group, a land enthusiast, an individual in higher education and a regional utility. The goal was to gain a better understanding of current environmental situation, we formulated interview guides that best represented our interviewee and their position in the community. Each guide focused on themes of resource use, community and organizational involvement, obstacles faced, and environmental impact. Our question bank that was used for all of the individual interviews can be found below in Appendix 3.1. Within each of these guides, more specific questions were formed based off of secondary research gathered on the organization/individual being interviewed.

Potential interviewees were contacted via email and interview times were set up according to the interviewees schedule and preferences. The scheduled interviews were conducted in pairs of two over the phone, a greener solution that was suggested by our interviewees. All audio from the interview was recorded for accuracy and physical notes were taken. The average length of time for an interview lasted about 45 minutes. Although conducting interviews over the phone was a greener solution, interviewing in person would have provided a more complete picture. Gauging responses through body language and the ability to observe the reactions of interviewees are qualities lost in a phone interview.

Focus GroupWorking with our second target audience, land enthusiasts, ten individuals were brought together from various organizations for a focus group. This consisted of four men and six women.

The concentration of the group was focused on what environmental efforts are happening within Iowa communities and their attitude toward them.

Research was conducted to find individuals to include or organizations that aligned with the intent for the focus group. Once a list was compiled, outreach began to each of the selected individuals inviting them to a focus group to be held during a weekday evening at the Franklin Avenue Library. We requested no more than 60 minutes of their time and offered a light dinner catered from Gateway Market as an incentive.

A guide was created to structure the focus group. This can be found in Appendix 3.2. The guide contained four distinct sections, an introduction, an overview of their participation, talking points, and a conclusion. The introduction served as a formality and welcoming statement. The participation section covered confidentiality, the recording process and the general format the focus group would be taking. Third, the talking points served as an outline for potential questions that were asked depending on the direction the participants took with their answers. When the focus group ended, the conclusion served to wrap-up conversation and participants were warmly thanked for their time.

The discussion of the group focused on what relevant conservation programs were growing, and about conservation efforts in Iowa. There was a moderator present to lead the group and recording methods were used to capture all information discussed. The focal point was on what is done well, what can be improved, what resources are under-utilized and what area should be allotted more time and dedication. Discussion also touched on how organizations approach the “average Iowan” about conservation efforts and how to live a greener, more environmentally friendly lifestyle. The session lasted about 50 minutes. Factors such as time constraints, access to participant contact information, and the convenience sample nature of our focus group all served as obstacles that should be taken into consideration in the future.

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SurveysWorking with our second subgroup within our audience, conservationists, a three- minute survey was created. This survey was then emailed out to various county conservation boards (CCB) as well as soil and water conservation districts (SWCD). The goal was to identify trends in the survey that would reveal more information about issues faced, resource use and distribution, programs, and community engagement.

The survey consisted of 7-8 multiple choice and open-ended questions. Individual surveys were created for county conservation boards and soil and water conservation districts. 129 surveys were emailed with a total of 40 participants completing the survey. Contact information was gathered from websites and a comprehensive email list was created. Completed surveys were submitted through Qualtrics online survey system. Scheduled follow up and conclusion emails were sent to ensure the highest number of surveys was completed. Some issues we faced were the method of survey distribution as well as participant engagement.

County Conservation BoardsFor county conservation boards a combination of personal and general email addresses were collected. In total, 97 emails were sent the survey. A total of 28 participants completed the survey; however, not all of the participants answered every question on the survey. The survey itself was 8 questions that sought to identify how county conservation board resources were being distributed and their interaction with the community. (Appendix 3.4)

Soil and Water Conservation Districts One part of the created survey was to be delivered to go to the district conservationist at the Soil and Water Conservation Districts in the 99 counties within Iowa. Preliminary research was performed and personal email addresses for 32 district conservationists or other members of the SWCD in that county. To reach the other 67 SWCDs, the decision was made to submit information to the SWCDs through an online submission form.

After sending out the first round of requests for survey participation, it was discovered this method was not reliable, as email messages were not going to the intended individuals they were submitted for. The decision was made to only approach the 32 SWCD’s that personal emails were obtained for. The survey itself consisted of nine questions and asked about the programs happening in their county, how they feel their time and resources are being utilized, and their thoughts on the largest environmental issue within their county. In total, there were 12 counties that participated in this survey. (Appendix 3.3)

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ResultsAfter completing our various methods of research, below we would like to summarize and explain what we learned throughout our research process that will be helpful to Prairie Rivers going forward.

Interview #1A phone interview was conducted with an employee of a nonprofit conservation group. The nonprofit had a large focus in sustainable farming and increasing outdoor recreation and education engagement. The interviewee made it very clear that their mission is not to facilitate and provide local economic impact, although they do contact local businesses and encourage them to be ready for tourists. Their primary mission is to attract people to visit a large ecological preservation that they oversee. Other than volunteer opportunities, these ecological visits are the primary way they engage the surrounding community. Their hope is that after seeing the natural history and beauty of the land, the community will help to preserve it.

The nonprofit engages in multiple promotional mediums. Apart from quarterly newsletters, website, and email blasts, they also provide agricultural tours. Currently, they have 30 roadsigns and plan to add another 10. These signs will advertise sustainable farming, ecological preservation, and natural history. An interesting way they attract people is to provide a venue for weddings. Apart from the extra operating money, this serves as a way to bring hundreds of people to their ecological preserve and show them the conservation efforts that are taking place. They would also like to begin developing a community garden as well as roadside produce stands.

The nonprofit seeks advice from experts in state conservation groups and scientists from various universities and colleges. The interviewee explained that an outside nonprofit could assist them in the development of a strategic plan. He/she also mentioned assistance in creating a master plan for how to manage their landscape.

Interview #2 A phone interview was conducted with an enthusiast who runs a website that benefits and empowers public interest. In relation to conservation, he/she contributes by providing public outreach specifically for small houses and green belts.

The interviewee sees small houses as an affordable and environmentally friendly alternative for people in their early 20’s with no kids. This type of minimalist living is more affordable and forces people to look at what they truly need and how they can lessen their impact on the environment. The interviewee sees small houses/unconventional neighborhood developments as a way to build community. The interviewee gave the example of Peninsula neighborhood in Iowa City, which contains a community center, a central location for mailboxes, and different types of houses all mixed together. The interviewee believes that conventional neighborhoods force people into isolation. People have everything they need in their homes and when they leave they drive a car rather than walk or bike. Another unconventional community he mentioned was pocket neighborhoods. These areas function as a central park style green space surrounded by small cottages. The idea is this urban forestry encourages people to walk and interact rather than stay inside their homes or drive.

To further promote and increase development of small houses, the interviewee suggested setting up an independently operated small house chapter in Iowa. Currently, there are seven small house encampments in Des Moines; they are working with nonprofits to improve housing conditions. The main obstacle preventing further development of these encampments and small houses in general is a law that specifies minimum size standards for small houses and houses on wheels.

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Interview #3A phone interview was conducted with an employee of an institution for higher education in a department that works specifically with agriculture and natural resources within the state of Iowa. A majority of the work that the interviewee does is the education of farmers in regards to soil conservation, water quality and farm profitability. There is a special emphasis that they place on making sure that farmers are aware that being efficient means both for their individual short term profit, but also for the long term profitability of the land and the ecosystem they are a part of. One of the methods this institution uses to instill this message, they remind farmers of the common farmer mantra of leaving the land better than they found it. The interviewee discussed the several different educational programs that they put on in order to inform farmers of the different effects common farming practices have on their environment at a local, state and national level. In addition to receiving education from institutions of higher education, many receive educational materials from salesmen of agribusinesses. This has potential to reverse the work that people these higher institutions do by presenting ideas that only have the corporation’s business goals in mind. In order to remain the honest broker of objective information that this institution of higher education strives to be, they also provide education and workshops for these agribusinesses. While they might not see eye to eye on all issues, it is important to educate and be a source of information and research for these corporations on issues that they can find common ground on. To further promote and increase the development of farmers who are educated on the issues of soil conservation and water quality across the state, the interviewee suggests the continuing of educational programs like the ones they are currently putting on, while evaluating and discovering important issues that farmers and agribusinesses will need answers to in the coming years.

Interview #4 The interviewee works for an independent utility that focuses on water use and distribution. Throughout the interview, the interviewee emphasized the issue of water pollution, engaging the community and collaborating with different organizations to help reach conservation goals.

The interviewee went into detail on the various causes of water pollution. Much of the runoff that contaminates rivers stems from draining districts and the tile systems that funnel water off the land. Although draining districts are beneficial to farmers, the chemical runoff from fertilizer negatively impacts Iowa’s drinking water; this is a conflict of interest between farmers and the independent utility. The interviewee stressed the importance of holding discussions with nonprofits on ways to help reduce the water pollution problem.

The primary method the independent utility uses to engage the community is through a large recreational park; specifically, natural filtration systems called water retention ponds. These ponds take in contaminated water and naturally filter out the chemicals. Apart from providing opportunities for recreation such as kayaking and canoeing, water retention ponds allow visitors to physically see the filtration process and show them the effects of runoff. This is an important and tangible education tool.

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results of focus group #1 Wording is everything. The average person does not view the words ‘conservationist’, ‘environmentalist’, or ‘naturalist’ the same way someone does that is working within the industry. Although a worker may use the words interchangeably, the word naturalist seems less aggressive to the average Iowan. A simple way to start a discussion is to have the other party view nature as a benefit. The consensus in the focus group was to know your audience. When speaking with someone, he or she may already have barriers involving your organization or based on your title from past experiences. Once barriers are down, what is left is to figure out what to do and how to do it.

#2 Education is key, especially at a young age. Connecting with communities to show the value of the quality of life outdoors should be built upon. Any action is unlikely to happen until there is a crisis or depletion. The responsibility is on the city to educate their citizens and council members.

#3 Providing programs to the community and giving access to the land and its resources will push attendees to explore their surroundings. For example, the focus group believes that water activities will become more popular within the next three years. Once citizens are out on the water, they often want to know what else is out there.

Focus GroupBackground research was conducted to find ten individuals in various environmental and conservation positions and organizations to take part in a focus group. Individuals taking part in the focus group was based on a ‘first come, first serve’ basis. This meant that all individuals the researchers had an email for were emailed. As responses came in and the individual was able to attend, that would mean one less spot was available for the group. The maximum amount of participants was ten based on the researchers discretion. Possible participants that were contacted had positions including: director, chair, board member, vice-president and more. Although the organization or group may be working on state initiatives and/or programs, every group was Des Moines based. This was due to travel constraints due to the time the focus group was conducted. As stated earlier, the focus group was conducted at the Franklin Library at 5pm on November 12th.

#4 In today’s world, a social approach tends to draw more interest than a traditional approach. Finding a common cause or hobby between friends or even strangers can make a difference.

#5 The focus group defined conservation effort many ways. All of the responses could be summarized as preserving and protection resources can be summarized as perserving and protecting resources.

#6 It is difficult to get politicians on board. The pressures of big money and development are enormous. In return, natural resources suffer. Although money is available, legislation is not getting passed. A small minority can change any plans, even if money was secured previously.

Although there was a large amount of information about organizations that pertain to our research topic, access to contact information, was more difficult than our research group initially thought. For groups that did not have a staff member, it was a challenge due to issues arising around a specific contact due to the fact that these members were voluntarily part of the organization. As stated earlier, selection was based on whether or not the person responded and how quickly he or she responded. Due to this, the selection of the focus group was a convenience sample of the individuals who could have been part of the group.

The time constraint also poised an issue for the focus group that was conducted. To be of convenience, the focus group began at 5pm, after the group was out of work. However, the library where the focus group was conducted was set to close at 6pm. This meant that introductions, procedure, discussion and conclusion had to be conducted within 50 minutes in order to have time to cleanup and set the room back to its original state. More time to discuss could have allowed room for other questions the research group had in the original guide. It could have provided more insight to the individuals’ thoughts and concerns regarding various initiatives and organizations.

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Survey Results

Soil and Water Conservation Districts SurveyEach of the different counties represented in this survey provided valuable insight into the status of the environmental conditions in their county. To start off, the first question asked what the largest issue facing their county was. This question allowed for multiple answers by each respondent. The most selected answer was land erosion, followed by clean water and soil preservation. Other answers available that were not chosen or were not as frequently chosen were restoring wildlife habitats, improved crop and forestry, forestry management, management of mineral resources and availability of local foods. On average, each of the participating counties also hold on average, two to three workshops or events in one calendar year. One county said they hold on average six or more events in one calendar year.

Moving into the functionality of the SWCDs, when asked if they felt the resources they provide the residents of their county were utilized to their greatest potential, half of the respondents answered neutral, declining to say yes or no. The other half followed by saying they agreed with the question. Last, half of SWCD’s responded they are currently working with a non-profit organization in their county, and half also agreed they would be interested in forming relationships or partnerships with other nonprofits if they shared the same ideals and goals.

When asked about their thoughts on programming , here were a few of the answers:“Sometimes I think we would do more good just spending time with producers to talk about soil conservation and water quality and not spending so much time with program.”

“The most valuable program that we offer the public is our technical conservation planning efforts. We assist land users and landowners to identify resource concerns and apply the most effective conservation practice to solve the source of the resource concern. At times we are able to utilize local, State or Federal conservation programs to assist with the funding of a conservation practice to help in the application of our customers conservation plans.”

“Time is a huge issue for us, we spend as much time with the public as our workload will allow.”

“Takes time to develop and offer quality information - sometimes, time that we don’t have available.”

“We offer a large variety of cost share programs that promote conservation. We implement a lot of practices but not with the majority of landowners.”

When asked about their SWCD's involvement in area elementary, middle and high schools , here were a few of their responses: “We hold an outdoor classroom for all county 5th graders each year; we have a tree program for all county 2nd graders; we offer a poster contest to all students; and we offer an agricultural scholarship program to county seniors going onto a college ag program.”

“Poster contest sponsor in the past. Also offer educational materials to teachers. Have presented as guest speakers for classes.”

“We do a variety of presentations at elementary schools, we have also partnered with polk county conservation board to do a high school education program where we worked with 6 area high schools with a combination of in class and field trip learning opportunities.”

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County Conservation BoardsThe CCB survey results revealed multiple trends that offer insights into thoughts on conservation and resource usage. When asked if they would collaborate with a nonprofit with similar goals, an overwhelming majority of CCBs responded yes. According to survey results, the largest issue that they face is water quality. As made evident by our respondents, water pollution is a statewide problem that is affecting multiple organizations. In contrast, CCBs indicated that water conservation consumes the least amount of their resources while land conservation consumes the most. Other issues raised were habitat loss, funding, and urban sprawl.

Another theme that arose through in-depth interviews, focus groups, and surveys was the success and growth of education programs. Youth education programs have the highest enrollment rate among CCBs while wild life improvement and invasive species cleanup ranked low. The CCBs also indicated multiple ways that they educate the community on their conservation efforts. The most common methods were education programs, newsletters, and through their website.

Further SuggestionsFrom our interviews and focus group, an area that was highly referenced by our participants was education in the communities with a focus on school-aged children. Multiple individuals expressed their thoughts about how important of a tool education programs could be when utilized correctly. This seemed to be a field many thought Iowa was lacking a leader in.

The second topic that was frequently discussed was the importance of community building across the state. By building on these relationships within communities, it allows everyone to work together toward supporting different initiatives and programs. If legislation is passed, money will be allocated amongst these efforts throughout the state, so it is best to have a civil, working relationship that will better all communities.

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economic development, public opinion , and policy

IntroductionThe purpose of the research conducted in this section was to gain an understanding of how to better serve Iowans. In order to conduct our research, we used a mixture of qualitative and quantitative research techniques: depth interviews and surveys.

We split our category of economic development, public opinion, and policy into key publics to best gauge how Iowans interact with the environment and the Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway. We identified three key publics:

•Economic Development, which includes small businesses, convention & visitors bureaus, tourism boards, and chambers of commerce.

•Public Opinion, which includes statewide residents and residents that live along the Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway.

•Policy, which includes both city and state government.

Our research gave us insight on the perception of the environment all across the state. We conducted research in a variety of locations, taking particular focus to variety in size of the city and where in the state the city is located.

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Economic Development (Businesses, CVBs, Chambers of Commerce)In order to understand how Prairie Rivers of Iowa can better serve local communities along the Lincoln Highway and around the state of Iowa, we decided to investigate economic development. We chose to research local businesses, convention and visitors bureaus (CVB), and chambers of commerce along the Lincoln Highway to determine how these organizations promote the Lincoln Highway and environmental efforts. These groups will be key allies for Prairie Rivers of Iowa as they promote the Lincoln Highway and improve the environment around the state.

METHODSFor local businesses, we sought to connect with regionally owned businesses in Denison, Clarence and Boone that we identified from the city website. It was difficult to get ahold of the owners and managers, so we expanded our outreach to include the chambers of commerce for all counties along the Lincoln Highway. In addition, we contacted employees of the Convention and Visitors Bureaus in Cedar Rapids, Council Bluffs and Ames by phone. These three cities represent a non-probability sample of cities along the Lincoln Highway. We selected Cedar Rapids, Council Bluffs, and Ames in order to get a good grasp on how these organizations interact with the Lincoln Highway. This selection represents three of the largest cities on the Highway, including east, west and central Iowa, as well as the cities in which Prairie Rivers of Iowa hopes to grow.

Our research questions revolved around two major themes: the Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway and more general knowledge about the environment. We investigated the small business owners’ knowledge of the Lincoln Highway, their perception of their stake in environmental issues, how willing they are to get involved, and what an organization can do to help them in their environmental efforts. We modified these questions slightly for chambers of commerce, and convention and visitors bureaus to better understand the efforts they were taking in their region, and the way the organizations they work with deal with the Lincoln Highway and conservation efforts. We conducted the depth interviews over the phone, in order to efficiently reach our target audience.

FINDINGSThe majority of the organizations we spoke with didn’t promote the Lincoln Highway in any way. Their reasons were varied, but focused on the fact that the Lincoln Highway is seen mainly as a way of getting from one place to another.

•The Council Bluffs CVB reported that they don’t promote the Lincoln Highway because in their area, there are six different byways that run through. They also believe that it’s also hard to get people to appreciate natural prairie lands in Iowa.

•The Cedar Rapids CVB only promotes the Lincoln Highway as a way to get to other communities, such as Mount Vernon and Marion.

•The owner of a small bowling alley in western Iowa knew that the Lincoln Highway ran in front of his building, but has never promoted the fact. He does do some advertising, but it’s mostly local residents that come through bowling, not tourists from the Lincoln Highway.

•The Nevada Economic Development Council representative we spoke with said that the Lincoln Highway brings a lot of people in for the Lincoln Highway Days festival, but in terms of the highway itself, there are a lot of people who don’t know about the history. People in outlying communities in Iowa probably aren’t aware of it, especially younger people. She believed that the Lincoln Highway is almost like a service road at this point, because it’s only two lanes. It serves a more historical purpose rather than people actually going across it. To travel across it, someone going across the country or state would probably be going on Highway 30. The highway initially was used more, but now it’s just historical and a business road between communities in the country.

•The Ames Chamber of Commerce believed that businesses in the area would be willing to promote the historical piece of the Lincoln Highway. It contributes to community pride.

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FINDINGS cont.•However, when we spoke with the Ames Convention &

Visitors Bureau, they told us about an event they held last year: the Lincoln Highway centennial celebration. A car group came through town last year as part of the celebration. They were already promoting the Lincoln Highway and holding events, but the Ames Chamber of Commerce wasn’t aware of those efforts.

•The Cedar Rapids Chamber of Commerce believed that the Lincoln Highway can be economically beneficial, but that it is not currently. For towns along its path, it certainly played an important role and allowed a path to prosperity when it opened as the first transcontinental highway. Today, the highway is too far away from the interstate system that it doesn’t have much impact.

•The Crawford County Chamber of Commerce expressed disappointment that they are often excluded from specific projects because they aren’t on a four-lane highway.

However, many people also agreed that the benefits of Lincoln Highway are numerous. They emphasized that the Lincoln Highway has a niche audience, but the benefits can be plentiful for this group. They stated the following reasons:

•The Lincoln Highway brings people in who like to travel and who like history, said a Council Bluffs CVB representative.

•The Cedar Rapids CVB also emphasized that the biggest benefit to them is linking them to other cities.

•Missouri Valley’s Harrison County Welcome Center is largely tied to the Lincoln Highway, and the Missouri Valley CVB is working to divide the Lincoln into two parts: one for commuters and trucks, and one for travelers and scenic drivers. The Chamber of Commerce representative we spoke with highlighted the importance of finding the niche audience for the Lincoln Highway.

•The owner of a small bowling alley in western Iowa said that, “I think the highway actually benefits me because more are travelling through right in front of business.”

•The owner of a small store in Boone had heard of the Lincoln Highway, but wasn’t sure exactly where it was in relation to her store. She thought it probably helps with economic development. They don’t currently see a lot of action because of it, so she has no problem with it becoming more important.

•For the Nevada Economic Development Council, there is no question that the highway has an economic impact. DuPont is building a $250 million facility right on the highway. The proximity to Interstate 35 and US 30 is important for companies. DuPont will have 100 trucks a day going in and out of their new facility. Transportation access is an extremely important aspect of the Lincoln Highway.

•The Ames Chamber of Commerce believed that the highway can aid in economic development, but not necessarily to a great degree. However, the Ames CVB didn’t consider being on the Lincoln Highway a benefit to them at all.

•The Cedar Rapids Chamber of Commerce thought that if the goal was to promote tourism and encourage travel on the Lincoln Highway as an alternative to the Interstate, then there is still work to be done. According to the representative we spoke with, the Lincoln Highway doesn’t compare to Route 66, but could be a way for people to experience the country in a way that would be unique.

•The Crawford County Chamber of Commerce thought that most people are aware of the “life goal” of driving the Lincoln Highway, although it is a niche goal. Last year, visitors came from Europe with their classic cars and stopped at local businesses along the Lincoln Highway in town.

•In addition, the Crawford County Chamber of Commerce explained that transportation opportunities for businesses is important for economic development. Although the highway isn’t four-lanes, it’s still their number one method of transportations. It’s their most important highway. They are part of the Highway 30 Coalition that lobbies for the future economic development of the Lincoln Highway.

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When asked what kind of support they could use from a non-profit, the local businesses, CVBs and chambers of commerce emphasized assistance with educating the population and area businesses on environmental efforts and the benefits of the Lincoln Highway. Other ways to provide support that they mentione are:

•Promoting the reasons for travelling the Lincoln Highway and its unique attractions, such as museums, breweries, and wineries, would be helpful for the Council Bluffs CVB.

•Increase signage along the Lincoln Highway to clearly designate the historical route. “Signage is key,” said a representative from the Cedar Rapids CVB.

•The owner of a small bowling alley in Western Iowa thought that an outside organization could support the bowling alley with advertising, possibly by including the business on a general ad about businesses along the Lincoln.

•The owner of a small store in Boone would be interested in doing more environmental and conservation efforts if she had more information.

•The Ames Chamber of Commerce thought that non-profit groups like Prairie Rivers can partner with the city government on educational efforts. For example, Ames partners with groups for a Lunch & Learn program.

•The Cedar Rapids Chamber of Commerce emphasized that if businesses realized that investments in the Lincoln Highway would result in increased traffic, they would be more willing to support it. It needs to be clear to the store owners how the tourists are coming in. For example, a Lincoln Highway card that is organized by a statewide organization that offers discounts would help the store owners connect that the Lincoln Highway is the reason for this business.

•The representative from the Cedar Rapids Chamber of Commerce also discussed that the business owners have learned about conservation through best practices or code.

Various organizations have done a good job of promoting energy conservation, but there is room for more groups. He said it is rare for someone to call them out of the blue, unless they’re looking for what is most cost effective for them. They’re looking for grants, incentives and other support from state and federal government:

•The Crawford County Chamber of Commerce thought that a nonprofit could educate businesses on break-even scenarios for environmental efforts. They have a good mix of businesses that would be interested in something like that. He thought a campaign that would reach outward, instead of waiting on businesses to ask about environmental issues, would be most useful because beyond reaching out to utilities, they don’t have a lot of information on hand.

Some communities already participated in eco-tourism, while other thought this might be an area to grow:

•Cedar Rapids has the Prairie Woods & Indian Creek Nature Center that is an eco-tourism destination for the region.

•The Harrison County Welcome Center has large ties to the Lincoln Highway, with their walking trails and museums in the area.

•Missouri Valley’s Chamber of Commerce said that the biggest conservation effort locally is soil preservation.

•The Nevada Economic Development Council works on the annual Lincoln Highway Days festival. The woman we interviewed has been attending for years and years and years.

•The Ames CVB recognized that Story County conservation and other organizations similar to Prairie Rivers of Iowa helped Ames participate in environmental tourism. Ames has plenty of biking and hiking trails, and outdoor businesses to bring visitors, including Jack’s Outdoor and Skunk River Cycles.

Economic Development cont.

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A few local businesses and their chambers reported that they were already taking environmental conservation efforts. They might not be communicating those efforts to their patrons and the general community, though. For these businesses, they were working to conserve and improve the environment because it made financial sense for their business:

•The small store in Boone participates in environmental efforts. Their main effort is recycling, as much as they possibly can, according to the owner. They reuse and recycle materials when they can. She says that they do a crazy amount of recycling, like saving peanuts and packing paper for people to reuse, but that her customers just don’t know about it.

•The Nevada Economic Development Council believed that they were conserving and improving the environment as well. They are working with a company in Minnesota and Iowa State University to turn cattle and hog feed into fertilizer. There are also land conservation efforts and they understand the importance of water quality. They said that there was “a lot more of that going on than people realize. Some people think we don’t care about the next generation and our land, but it’s simply lack of education. We aren’t getting out there and telling people what’s going on.”

•The Ames Chamber of Commerce sees that local businesses subscribe to the SMART business principles that outline environmental criteria.

•Ames is an area for growing the local foods program, according to the Ames CVB. They added that the local foods/farm to table movement has lots of opportunity in Ames.

•In Cedar Rapids, the Chamber of Commerce has seen local businesses cutting electricity and gas costs, and generally being smarter with utility usage. Many businesses are looking to “green” their facilities, use wind energy, etc. Companies in Cedar Rapids are also doing things for the watershed – to control the flow of water to decrease flooding and to be a better steward of streams too, by minimally disrupting wildlife.

•The Crawford County Chamber of Commerce noted that they mostly receive complaints about conservation and the EPA. They have certain businesses that go out of their way to implement processes. Recycling is an easy one as they have a good county recycling program. Beyond that, water usage and wastewater chemicals are heavily regulated by municipal utility there. The representative we spoke with wasn’t aware of any businesses going above and beyond the legal requirements. In his experience, 99 percent of the time cost cutting is more important than any concern for the environment.

In terms of responsibility for maintain the Lincoln Highway and the environment, the response was more split. The local businesses we spoke with didn’t want to take full responsibility for either, while the CVBs and chambers were more willing to assign responsibility to themselves and the organizations they work with:

•According to a representative from the Missouri Valley’s Chamber of Commerce, people rely on the government to pass environmental initiatives, but it takes every public (government, businesses, individuals, etc.) to make something happen.

•The owner of a bowling alley in Western Iowa said that he was not willing to be involved in environmental efforts because he was pretty full on everything running his business. He said he probably didn’t have a whole lot of interest in getting involved in environmental efforts. However, he was more willing to get involved in improving or conserving the Lincoln Highway. “I guess I would help, I guess it’s right out in front of my building so, yeah, sure I’d help,” he said.

•The Ames Chamber of Commerce said that city government, not the chamber of commerce, is responsible for mandating environmental efforts.

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LIMITATIONSOur biggest limitation was time constraints. It was difficult to find a good time to speak with local business owners when they weren’t assisting customers or working with employees. We expanded our research to include Chambers of Commerce in order to minimize the impact of this limitation.

RECOMMENDATIONSWe would recommend conducting further discussions with chambers of commerce and CVBs around the state of Iowa in order to understand their challenges and limitations, and identify opportunities for collaboration. There are plenty of partnership opportunities with just the organizations we spoke with. Although many of them haven’t heard of the organization, they all expressed interest in learning more about Prairie Rivers’ mission. It would also be useful to try to get ahold of additional small businesses to determine their needs.

In addition, we would recommend connecting with the parks department in these local cities to determine whether they have any parks, whether city, county or national, and how that impacts their efforts surrounding conservation. Another useful organization to connect with is Keep Iowa Beautiful, which has a similar message and a branch in Boone (Keep Boone Beautiful). Finally, another group we would recommend speaking with is the Department of Transportation, to determine their goals for the Lincoln Highway and understand any sort of promotion efforts they are making.

The organizations we spoke with brought up many events that Prairie Rivers of Iowa would benefit from being involved with. For example, the Lincoln Highway Days, and the Crawford BBQ. These events could help expand the organization beyond the niche audience already interested in the Lincoln Highway.

Additionally, there appears to be many opportunities to work with the chambers of commerce on an education campaign for local businesses to improve their environmental and conservation efforts. The chambers were willing to partner and thought that the information might best be disseminated through them.

Economic Development cont.

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Public Opinion (Residents)We chose to research Iowa residents in order to gain a more solidified grasp on public opinion of both the environment and the Lincoln Highway. Residents in cities along the highway and those affected by Prairie Rivers’ statewide programming are consequently the biggest source of public opinion and, overall, who we want to successfully reach with messaging. They are also our potential donors and volunteers during implementation of a campaign.

METHODSIn order to effectively measure public opinion of both the Lincoln Highway and the environment, we began by populating a list of the cities throughout the route and choosing, at random, eight cities of different population sizes (gathered by the Iowa League of Cities).

The cities we chose for the Lincoln Highway are: •DeWitt (population 5,322)•Marion (population 34,768)•Belle Plaine (population 2,534)•Logan (population 1,534)

The cities chosen for the statewide survey include: •New Vienna (population 407)•Anthon (population 565)•Tama (population 2,877)•Waverly (population 9,874)

To best reach these audiences, we conducted a mail survey to 2,500 residents across the eight cities, asking questions about their opinion of the environment and the Lincoln Highway, whether or not they use it, and how important economic development and land conservation are to them personally. A percentage of each town, not the whole population, was used to reach 2,500 surveys distributed.

We distributed a mail survey to each of these cities, with a purchased mailing list and the help of Drake University’s nonprofit mailing system, that contained questions such as “What is the current state of the environment?” and “On average, how often do you hear about the environment in the media?”

We conducted a separate survey of residents along the Lincoln Highway, pulling from a list of cities along the highway. The survey they received includes the same questions about the environment as the statewide survey, along with additional questions regarding the Lincoln Highway. The survey was distributed in November 2014, and a reminder postcard was sent to the potential respondents two weeks after the survey was released. Secondary research was also collected by analyzing a survey conducted by the city government in Des Moines in 2013. Data was retrieved with the help of the city’s assistant manager and sustainability coordinator.

Supporting researchThe Des Moines 2013 Resident Survey from the City Manager’s Office [http://www.dmgov.org/Departments/CityManager/PDF/DesMoines2013ResidentSurvey_FinalReport.pdf]

FINDINGSResults from the mail survey will be presented in February 2015, after allowing ample time for residents to return their responses.

According to the 2013 City of Des Moines Resident Satisfaction Survey, “The highest level of satisfaction with environmental services, based upon the combined percentage of “very satisfied” and “satisfied” responses of residents who had an opinion, was recycling/composting (70 percent). Residents were least satisfied with greenhouse gas emissions (44 percent) and water quality improvements (45 percent)” (Resident Satisfaction Survey iii). 93 percent of Des Moines residents also responded that protecting the environment was important to them, while only 58 percent of them said that it is “very important” for the City of Des Moines to invest in initiatives that will help preserve the environment. Finally, 43 percent of survey respondents reported that their first or second choice when prioritizing environmental services

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provided by the City is protection of waterways, 29 percent responded water quality improvements, and 22 percent said energy conservation.

We had an overall response rate of 12 percent. We had 207 responses from along the Lincoln Highway, and 114 responses from our statewide surveys. The breakdown by city is as follows: Logan: 12 Belle Plaine: 11 Marion: 137 DeWitt: 47 Waverly: 83 Tama: 16 Anthon: 9 New Vienna: 6

Our demographics were skewed toward the older generation, with 29 percent of participants aged 70 years and older and only 2 percent of respondents between the ages of 18 and 29.

COMBINED•50 percent of respondents said the environment is in good

or somewhat good position.•58 percent of respondents said that individuals have

primary responsibility for maintaining the environment.•19 percent of respondents said that the federal

government has primary responsibility for maintaining the environment

•43 percent of respondents said nonprofit organizations had the least amount of responsibility for maintaining the environment.

•60 percent of respondents said they were “very concerned” about water quality.

•50 percent of respondents said they were “very concerned” about land conservation.

•33 percent of respondents said they were “very concerned” about local foods.

•34 percent of respondents said they were “very concerned” about urban forestry.

•21 percent of respondents said they heard about the environment “daily” in the media.

•86 respondents said they participated in environmental advocacy by “educating others about the environment.”

•Several respondents said they didn’t participate in environmental advocacy because of their advanced age.

•95 percent of respondents said they participated in recycling.

•83 percent said they participated in conserving energy.•70 percent said they participated in conserving water.•67 percent said they participated in buying local foods.LINCOLN•79 percent of respondents said they had heard of the

Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway.•36 percent of respondents had positive feelings about

the Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway, but 36 also reported “neutral.”

•74 percent of respondents use the Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway at least once a month.

•Several respondents couldn’t identify the Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway, but reported using Highway 30 frequently.

•41 percent of respondents said achieving national scenic byway status for the Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway was important to them, while 41 percent of respondents said it was “unimportant.”

•Several respondents said the most important contribution of the Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway was its “historical value.”

LIMITATIONSWhen conducting mail surveys, time and money were our biggest constraints. As our budget was only $300 per research group, a survey of this magnitude required that we pull funds from other groups that didn’t use their full budget. In addition, we only had six weeks for the entire process. All the steps, including purchasing envelopes and return envelopes, printing, and other manual labor (i.e. stuffing and sealing the envelopes), made gathering responses in our timeframe extremely difficult. Although the data will be very useful in the end, the time constraint of a semester meant we weren’t able to fully follow all the steps for conducting research, involving multiple ask letters and follow-up letters for the potential respondent.

RECOMMENDATIONSWe recommend further research into Iowa’s STAR communities, the national program to rank cities by their environmental measures, because of it’s close connection to the secondary research in this section (Des Moines is a three-STAR community.) We would also recommend, depending on time and resources, further study into public audiences in Iowa that our constraints didn’t allow us to research at this time. For example, sending surveys to every community statewide, rather than having to choose them at random. Policy (City and State government)In order to learn more about public opinion and some of

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METHODSWe split the public of city government into several segments based on the variety of cities across Iowa. We selected cities that we have identified as small, medium, large, and super large. These cities are population sizes of under 500, 500-1999, 2000-7999, and more than 8,000. We picked three cities in each of these categories, totaling twelve, but only got responses from four. In each of these cities our public is the Mayor, city hall, and city council members. The city governments we spoke with were Colo (population 876), Grundy Center (population 2,706), Urbandale (population 39,463), and Des Moines (population 203,433). Outreach to other city governments was not returned. We randomly selected cities within each of those categories. We wanted to have diversity within the city governments we researched and have representation from all across Iowa. We used the method of in-depth phone interview to obtain information about environmental issues from members of our various city governments. Our interview guide is included in the appendix. Because of personal connections to the Iowa Senate, we were able to schedule an in-person interview with a senator. Our interview with Senator Dotzler involved asking about environmental issues in his district and in Iowa in general, what environmental issues are at the forefront of public policy, and what kinds of policies are most likely to pass in a bipartisan legislature. We also talked to Senator Dotzler about the Lincoln Highway and the role it plays in tourism and economic development for the state. The policies and laws that the state government implements are passed down to local governments, businesses, and ultimately non-profits such as Prairie Rivers of Iowa. Therefore, it is necessary to know what the political climate of environmental issues actually is.

FINDINGSThough we were only able to speak with four city governments, certain trends did emerge with respect to how residents interact with the environment and what kinds of environmental policy are implemented and supported in Iowa.

The first question we asked the interviewees was what they believed the current state of the environment to be in Iowa. Responses varied, but remained neutral or positive:

•The Urbandale city government reported that we should be “cautiously optimistic” about the environment. Preserving the environment is “critically important” because “it’s the only environment we’ve got.”

•The Colo city government representative believed that although the environment does not seem to be getting worse, it also does not seem to be improving, either.

The main environmental effort that is supported throughout Iowa cities is recycling. Each of the cities we talked to mentioned residents’ involvement with and support for a citywide recycling program. However, the gap of public support between recycling and the next best environmental initiative seemed to be very large:

•The Grundy Center city government reported that its residents are very supportive of and participative in the recycling program, but other environmental issues such as land preservation are the responsibility of the county.

•The Colo city government reported that their recycling program is the only environmental initiative they have implemented on the city level.

One of the main deterrents to cities implementing more environmental initiatives is the cost of such programs. Especially in smaller Iowa cities, the funds may not be available to start new environmental projects:

•The interviewee from Grundy Center said that it is quite expensive to commit to environmental initiatives, so their government does not usually choose to do things it is not mandated to do.

•Though Des Moines is the largest city government we spoke with, its representative admitted that the funds are not available for smaller communities to be on the same level of programming as cities like Des Moines.

the economic development actions being taken as it relates to environmental issues, we decided to take a look at city governments across the state of Iowa. The most significant results from such actions are most noticeable on the city level. Overall, measuring city governments helped us identify and verify environmental policies currently in place and recognize their success or failure. Another of our target publics was state legislators. We interviewed Senator Dotzler, who serves on the Economic Development committee in the Iowa Senate. He was chosen because he would be able to address both economic development efforts on a statewide level, and speak to the tourism aspect of the Lincoln Highway.

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findings cont.Another deterrent to the lack of environmental initiatives in Iowa communities is that in smaller towns, city government is not regarded as being responsible for those initiatives in the first place. However, larger cities (with more financial support) view individual communities as being the most responsible for maintaining the environment:

•Grundy Center reported that the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is the most influential actor in environmental policy, and initiatives are handed down from them.

•The Colo city government representative agreed, and claimed that the DNR is “next to God” with respect to their responsibility for environmental policy and implementation.

•Urbandale claimed that local government is most responsible for protecting the environment, because it’s “where the rubber hits the road” in terms of implementing policy.

•The Des Moines interviewee placed emphasis on city government, but added the extra stipulation of government reinforcement: “If it were up to me, I’d like to see the state hold every community responsible.”

The two largest cities we spoke with, Urbandale and Des Moines, generally had more knowledge and more to say regarding environment initiatives in their communities. They particularly emphasized the importance of different entities coming together when working on an environmental initiative in order to be the most successful:

•The Urbandale city government believes that prominent non-profit groups can have a large influence on environmental policy because they are responsible for educating the community. Non-profits can hold particular credibility because they do not stand to benefit from any economic gains made in the process, and therefore they are unbiased and solely motivated by environmental consciousness.

•The Des Moines representative asked that groups notify the city government if they were working on the same environmental initiatives. This fosters collaboration and small projects (such as tax reform) can have significant influence. Des Moines also actively seeks connections between current projects, such as watershed efforts and maintaining Gray’s Lake as a popular community space.

Similarly, the Urbandale and Des Moines city governments agreed that implementing environmental policy has benefits for the community outside of the environment:

•Urbandale claimed that policy can be beneficial both ecologically and economically.

•Des Moines reported that environmental efforts help the city government to reach its sustainability, financial, and social goals for the community.

Lastly, Des Moines reported their participation in the STAR community rating program, which sets a benchmark for policy and strategy, and allows communities to compare themselves to others:

•Currently, Des Moines has a STAR rating of 3/5, with set goals to improve the rating in future years.

The perspective of Iowa State Senator Dotzler is objectively different from those of city government employees. Our interview with Senator Dotzler (representative from Black Hawk County) showed that statewide environmental concerns are on a much larger scale than those experienced by individual communities:

•Senator Dotzler cited Iowa’s waterways as being the greatest environmental issue on the legislative agenda. Currently, there is a proposed bill to reduce runoff, eliminate pesticides and create biodiversity by planting native grasses near rivers.

•In addition to planting native grasses, water quality can be improved in Iowa’s rivers by moving cattle to separate streams. This benefits the recreational purposes of Iowa’s rivers: “Recreation years ago on the river once a week would be a big thing. Now recreation on the river is every day.”

•Senator Dotzler also reported that the more educated people are, the more they care about the environment. Dotzler’s district is near the University of Northern Iowa, so the people in his district are more informed about issues as compared to other districts.

Senator Dotzler also spoke on the benefits of clean rivers with respect to tourism and economic development. Environmental initiatives can bring in tourists and recognition from other parts of the state and the country:

•The Charles City whitewater rafting course on the Cedar River can operate as a model for other communities that want to bring in revenue via environmental tourism, while serving as motivation to clean up the rivers.

•Improving environmental tourism can also contribute to job creation in the fields of recreation, arts, and entertainment.

•RECATP: River Enhancement and Community Attraction and Tourism Program. This program creates events along clean rivers to bring in additional tourism, but unfortunately their source of funding is temporary and not dependable.

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LIMITATIONSOne of the greatest limitations to our research into local and state government was that many of the smaller communities in Iowa operate with a very small city government staff, which makes it difficult to get in touch with people in a short amount of time. Additionally, members of larger city governments have busier agendas, making them somewhat difficult to get ahold of as well.

Additionally, the environmental initiatives taken on by communities in Iowa vary greatly dependent upon the city population and where they are located. It is difficult to generalize our findings to the entire state because of our time and resource limitations and also because, in general, public opinion and policy is very diverse.

When talking to state senators, limitations on our time and resources also hindered the research we were able to accomplish. State senators are often unable to be in the Des Moines area, and have very busy agendas as session approaches. We were fortunate to be able to speak with Senator Dotzler, but insight from other senators and representatives could only strengthen our research.

RECOMMENDATIONSWe recommend Prairie Rivers remains aware of the environmental initiatives taking place in the communities they work in, and partner with city governments to better execute their goals. Prairie Rivers will only benefit from having conversations with mayors or city managers in the cities they are involved with, especially those communities that are along the Lincoln Highway. Local governments enjoy working with non-profit organizations because of their influence and credibility, and building their brand through partnerships with the government can help Prairie Rivers become more prominent in more cities across Iowa.

CONCLUSION

Although our findings were varied and wide spread, we were able to categorize that more environmental and economic development work can be done across the state. The main theme that came out of our research is increasing awareness. There is more work to be done in order to generate awareness among the public about the environmental actions and economic development work that still has to be done. The public needs to be educated about the Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway, how it’s improving the state, and what it means to the public. People need to be informed about the environmental actions taking place and what they can do to help as well. Overall, the research we conducted showed us that the biggest room for improvement was education.

All three of our key publics were interested in collaborating to address the environmental and economic development issues that face Iowa. They were all aware of the issues and beginning to take action to improve them. Collaboration between these publics will ensure that progress will be made across the state to improve the Lincoln Byway, improve tourism, and restore Iowa’s land and rivers.

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programming

IntroductionPrairie Rivers of Iowa has developed many programs and initiatives to help develop children’s and young adults’ understanding of the environment. Prairie Rivers believes that through experience and knowledge children will learn the importance of sustainable living. In order for them to continue this mission, our team has conducted research to help improve and further develop Prairie Rivers’ programs. Our team has carefully selected certain programs of Prairie Rivers to focus in on, such as the school gardens, the Local Food Cycle, Grow Your Small Market Farm, and outdoor learning environments. We deliberately studied elementary through middle-school children and college age adults. We focused on this audience because they are the demographic that Prairie Rivers primarily reaches out to with these programs. Through our research, we will be able to provide Prairie Rivers with valuable information that will help develop their brand, expand their organization and build awareness among surrounding communities. In order to begin writing a research plan, our team developed four overall objectives to help us focus our research and keep in mind the types of information we would like to achieve when conducting this research.

Main Objectives1. Discover how community gardens help children learn

about the environment, with the hopes of finding new partnerships for Prairie Rivers of Iowa.

2. Learn what attracts college students to an event, specifically focusing on increasing attendance of the Local Food Cycle and fine-tuning it.

3. Expand the Grow Your Small Market Farm business program, specifically by increasing attendance of college age students.

4. Evaluate established program structures to gain better insight into defining an outdoor learning classroom and assessing the necessary functions to implement this kind of learning environment.

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PublicsYouth The Forest Avenue Library was chosen because of the nature of its learning environment. We foresee this kind of establishment as having the potential to implement outdoor learning classrooms. The Boys and Girls Club of Central Iowa was another organization we chose to reach out to in our research. This club works directly with children and encourages outdoor learning environments through day camps and their work in community gardens. Boys and Girls Club has created the Des Moines Urban Youth Learning Garden into a learning space within the community. They have provided us with perspectives on outdoor learning environments and what necessary functions are required to keep this kind of environment successful. Furthermore, we included the Evelyn K. Davis Center and the Food Corps of Iowa in our research. The Evelyn K. Davis Center currently has several different outdoor learning classrooms and camps that encourage children to experience and interact with the environment. Lastly, the Food Corps was chosen because of the their food initiatives and their work with community gardens.

College StudentsThis public consists of Drake University’s Environmental Action League (DEAL) and students with biology majors at Grand View University with an area of concentration in environmental issues. These environmental groups were chosen because their goal of creating a culture of sustainability on their campuses coincides with Prairie Rivers’ initiatives. The students involved in these clubs make for a fitting public because of their demographic and their areas of interest. With this public, we specifically focused on Prairie Rivers’ Local Food Cycle and how this age group would be more receptive to learn from Prairie Rivers’ expertise in conservation. Additionally, they provided us with information on what they would like to learn given the opportunity to become involved in Prairie Rivers’ Grow Your Small Market Farm business program.

MethodsThe methods we chose to conduct this research were focus groups, in-depth interviews and a few surveys. We conducted focus groups with the university environmental groups. The nature of a focus group is to expand on answers and probe participants to gain better insight. We believe this was a good method to use when conducting research with university students. The students of these environmental groups had previous knowledge of environmental issues. The second method we chose to use was in-depth interviews. In-depth interviews were conducted with Forest Ave. Library, Boys and Girls Club, Evelyn K. Davis Center and the Food Corps. Interviews gave us the chance to talk one-on-one with participants from these publics and helped us gain a better knowledge of what would encourage them to participate in some of Prairie Rivers’ programs, specifically the community gardens and outdoor learning environments. Lastly, we conducted surveys among majority of our target publics. We used this as an additional method to gather more generalized data. These surveys helped us to better understand attitudes and beliefs among participants. By surveying each public we were able to gauge participants’ awareness of and perspectives on Prairie Rivers’ programs.

ImplementationThis research was carried out with careful and strategic planning. All focus groups were set up through the use of volunteers. These volunteers were reached through email correspondence. Volunteers were well informed of the nature of the research, that they would be able to leave at any point, and that all answers would be kept confidential. A detailed discussion guide was used to help lead and focus the discussion. One of the focus groups was recorded to ensure accuracy when evaluating results. The other focus group was recorded using traditional note taking.

In-depth interviews were conducted face-to-face. Participants were reached via email and all volunteered to participate. Participants were given a brief description of the nature of the research before beginning and were informed that all answers would remain confidential.

One survey was distributed to majority of our publics: DEAL, Grand View University, Evelyn K. Davis Center, ISU Extension, Boys and Girls Club, and Forest Ave. Library. The survey was created using Drake’s Qualtrics Survey Software. All participants were briefed on the nature of the research before participating in the survey.

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FindingsCommunity Gardens/Food InitiativesIn speaking with various sources of programs involving both community gardens as well as local food initiatives, we discovered that these types of programs are about much more than simply growing or purchasing local foods. When interviewing two supervisors of the Evelyn K. Davis Center, they cited hands-on discovery as a key component to the community garden program they hold. The theme of hands on involvement to reinforce learning was repeated at both the Boys and Girls Club as well as when interviewing the Food Corps. Having kids experience the responsibility and ownership of working with the Sprout community garden was another factor that Boys and Girls Club mentioned as being significant to the success of their program. The Boys and Girls Club said that working with a community garden rather than a school garden can be incredibly rewarding for children, however they stated that the implementation of a lesson plan and curriculum would be beneficial to create a structure for the kids, which is more likely to be present at a school garden.

While we were unable to speak with elementary schools regarding these programs, the Food Corps stated that each school garden is certain to look different depending on the needs of that school and community. The Food Corps works with a variety of schools that have invited a service member to begin garden and food initiatives at their school, but since school districts look different everywhere,

programs have to have flexibility, however their purpose is to act as an outdoor learning environment. Local food initiatives share the commonality of requiring heavy engagement to be successful. Marlie Wilson, Food Corps Iowa fellow with the National Center for Appropriate Technology in Des Moines, says that when trying to reach kids to teach them about local food initiatives, involvement with teachers, administrators and school food directors is key because schools are a main entry point to teaching about the importance of local food since much of the food children eat is during school hours. Wilson said that barriers to local food initiatives can include the fact that there may already be a conventional system in place, affordability, convenience of preprocessed foods as well as how kids will react. The opinion of children in terms of food initiatives is incredibly important, so having programs that give them time to taste and work hands on with the food is essential. These programs have included side-by-side taste tests, cooking classes and family nights. According to Wilson, children are also a main access point for service members to connect with parents, so that kids will request healthier snacks from their family, which is the idea behind the Pick a Better Snack Program the Food Corps encourages.

Key Findings:•Hands-on involvement is key•Responsibility and ownership encourages kids•Community and school gardens vary depending on the

need of that community •The main access point for reaching children about local

food initiatives is through school•The main access point for reaching parents about local

food initiatives is through their kids•In order for local food initiatives to be effective, teachers,

administrator and food directors need to be on board

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Camps/Kids on the BywayIn order to support the Kids on the Byway program that Prairie Rivers implements, we reached out to Forest Ave. Library that encourages learning environments of all kinds, and is interested in the possibility of an outdoor learning structure. Ashley Molzen, who coordinates volunteer opportunities for the library says they love having community partnerships because of the learning experience the children get from them. In the past, they have partnered with Evelyn K. Davis Center to create educational opportunities for children. Much like Prairie Rivers, Evelyn K. Davis Center operates off of donations and grants and focuses on creating learning environments and events for all ages, especially children. Programs at Evelyn K. Davis Center have been successful by creating opportunities for hands-on discovery, to keep kids engaged while teaching them about what is around them so they have ownership of it and care more about it. While it is clear that Prairie Rivers wants to focus on the nature aspects of their camps, Evelyn K. Davis Center found success integrating play, crafts, and exploration to keep the focus of kids. Additionally in order to receive funding Evelyn K. Davis Center stressed finding non-profit organizations that shared similar ideals in order to accomplish goals.

Key Findings:•Programs and camps put on by Evelyn K. Davis Center

integrate hands-on discovery and ownership•Creativity and play are important aspects to holding

children’s focus •Partnering with similar non-profits can help achieve goals

Local Food CyclePrairie Rivers’ Local Food Cycle is a 40-mile bicycle ride through local farms. At each farm, participants are able to sample the food grown there. The purpose of this program is to promote locally grown food and celebrate sustainable food systems. Our team focused on expanding this program to college age students and researched how we could attract a broader community, such as Des Moines. Through focus groups we researched what would attract students of this age to an event like this, what the best ways to promote an event like this are, and how the bike ride can be altered to better fit this age groups’ needs. Our research findings will provide Prairie Rivers with information on how to tailor their event to reach maximum success. Our focus groups were conducted with a group of students from DEAL and a group of students in the biology program at Grand View University with a special emphasis on environmental issues. We found overlapping themes throughout these focus groups that helped us establish solid conclusions.

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open -ended questionsThe same guide was used for both focus groups and consisted of a series of open-ended questions. The similar themes we found between both groups.

Question: What are your interests and how do you spend your spare time?

Theme: Among all participants there was an agreement that this age group likes to stay busy and active. They enjoy outdoor activities and look for ways to be mentally stimulated.

Example:“Staying active and spending time outdoors sums up how I like

to spend my spare time.”- - - -

“When I get a chance I like to experience nature, in a way such as camping. I love the freedom it brings.”

Question: What are the things that you are sure would attract people, with similar interests to you, to these activities/events?

Theme: Having the opportunity for competition. Being able to see a problem and be apart of the solution. Volunteer opportunities that will show people how the cause affects them.

Examples: “If there was an opportunity for us to get involved in something that shows how everything going on in the

environment affects everything else, a holistic view, then that would really attract people.”

- - - -“Returning students to nature will attract them because when

your outdoors you’re reminded of how important it is and how it’s vital to your existence.”

“Promoting free food or rewards would help attract people.”

Question: Imagine you are part of a committee designing activities for people in your age group. These are activities that people like you might be involved in to improve the environment, offer you a valuable learning experience, or simply offer a volunteer opportunity. What are the factors that you will make sure your committee considers in designing these activities/events?

Theme: The most frequent response given was that the activities and events have to be hands-on and engaging. They desire to be involved in activities that involve them both mentally and physically and offer a sense of accomplishment. There was an overall consensus that offering education in an attractive way is key.

Examples: “Hands-on work, right there in front of you, is the most

attractive. You are able to see the work your doing and the result of it.”

- - - -“Programs and different activities I join have to be

applicable to my life. I want to be able to take away something from them.”

- - - -“Hands-on activities gets you moving and helps you stay active. It also provides a connection to the things we tend

to be disconnected from. For instance gardening allows you see where your food comes from, picking up trash helps

you realize how much people litter.”- - - -

“Becoming educated is the most important. I think the best way to gain that education is through experiences and

doing cause and affect work.”

Question: Currently the bike ride costs $45 to participate. How much would you be willing to pay, relative to this price, to participate?

Theme: All participants agreed they would participate if they were given some sort of discount.

Examples: “$45 seems a bit high for college students, but advertising

a college discount would definitely catch people’s attention.”

- - - -“I think $30 would be a more reasonable price.”

- - - -

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“College and family discounts would attract more people.”

open -ended questions cont.

Question: What type of environmental activities do you think people in your age group are most interested in: those that lead to a sense of self-fulfillment, or those that can be used to improve sustainable living for the greater good?

Theme: Most students of this age group are attracted to activities and programs that give them a sense of self-fulfillment.

Examples: “People need to see the direct impact they have

on something. This sense of accomplishment instills confidence.”

- - - -“I would like to think people join things for the

betterment of the greater good, but realistically we do things for self-fulfillment at least in the short run. In the long run, I think people think more about sustainable

living for the greater good.”- - - -

“People our age are more egocentric, so showing them how taking care of the environment affects them would

be more beneficial.”- - - -

“I think it’s a combination of both, but people generally think of how something will benefit them and then how it

will benefit the greater good as an after thought.”

Question: What are upsides and downsides of each type of these activities?

Theme: Majority of students stated that logistics seems to be the biggest thing preventing them from getting involved in different activities, clubs and programs.

Examples: “Finding time to get involved in things is the hardest

part.”- - - -

“I would like to see more opportunities to get involved with things on the weekends, such as Saturdays during the day.”“I like to get involved with programs that are flexible and

can work with my busy schedule.”

Question: We’d like to hear about the hands-on environmental activities that you have participated in, including the benefits and downfalls of the activity and/or program?

Theme: Majority of participants seemed to have only been involved with simple volunteer opportunities that don’t offer repeated involvement.

Examples: “Volunteered to plant trees”

- - - -“Trash cleanup, brush cleanup, water cleaning facilities”

- - - -“I’ve done a lot of small volunteer things, but I would like to see more opportunities to stay involved and not just have it

be a one time deal.”- - - -

“If we have the opportunity to repeat these activities then we are more likely to become favorable towards them and

learn more for the future.”

Question: We would like you to know how to make Prairie Rivers’ programs more welcoming to people 18 and older. If you were to hear of a local bike ride to promote healthy and sustainable food by visiting several farms would you participate?

Theme: Majority of participants said they would attend an event like this but would be more likely to do so if they had a friend with them.

Examples: “This would be a really cool experience. You would be able

to discover new bike trails and explore local foods.”- - - -

“The bike ride would definitely provide a self-fulfillment aspect and would be even more rewarding to do with a

friend.”

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Question: If your answer was yes, what would attract you to this event?

Theme: All participants agreed that some sort of physical prize or reward would make this event more attractive.

Examples: “If they offered free water bottles, or t-shirts, or even food

then why wouldn’t you want to!”- - - -

“Promoting free food or rewards would help attract people.”

Grow Your Small Market FarmWith our two focus groups, we wanted to explore how Prairie Rivers’ Grow Your Small Market Farm business class could attract a broader audience and what kind of information could be offered to fulfill people’s needs. In both groups, there were multiple participants who had either grown up on a farm, foresaw themselves entering the farm business, or were a part of Future Farmers of America (FFA). Questions were asked regarding why or why not they would be interested in attending this type of class and the type of information they would want to receive from these classes. Majority of participants stated they would be interested in learning about farm technology, the business models of farming and how to create sustainable land for the future. Participants showed an interest in this program because they stated that they have realized the connection with locally grown food and how it affects them. One example a participant gave was that she hoped to become a veterinarian one day and has learned about food basics and food production and how all of it plays a role in managing farm life and managing animals.

Outdoor Learning Environment/Classroom For this part of our research, our team reached out to three different organizations that we believed would offer useful insights about their approaches to providing kids with outdoor learning experiences. This report aims to provide details of the programs offered by three organizations - The Boys and Girls Club, the Forest Ave. Library and the Evelyn K. Davis Center. It was observed that each of these organizations has programs aimed at kids ages 5-13, thus the information provided could be used by Prairie Rivers in order to develop new programs or use them as a basis to evaluate their current programs.

Throughout our research we found a variety of similarities shared by these three organizations. Each of them are interested in the development of children’s cognitive skills with an emphasis on hands-on projects. They share the belief that outside learning is important for children because it helps them build their imagination and it is vital for their social development to have the chance to explore nature. Another major similarity among these organizations is the fact that they want children to have a deeper understanding of their environment through the application of their five literary devices (reading, talking, singing, writing and playing) in a real setting; kids are learning where their food comes from and the importance of the environment for human beings by applying what they learn in their indoor classes. Creating awareness in children of how important the environment is, what they can do to use it responsibly and how to appreciate what it offers is the main goal of these three organizations.

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Key Findings:•Willingness to collaborate with groups that provide

hands-on opportunities for children•We identified that these organizations believe in

the importance of having kids engaged in their natural environment because by doing so they can apply what they learn throughout their lessons in a real-life setting; however, tight budgets many times limit their opportunities to provide children with these kind of activities.

•Seasonal outdoor projects, mainly during the fall and the summer

•Emphasis on getting kids involved with projects that allow them to be outside and explore (i.e. field trips)

•Tight budget limitations •Collaboration with local organizations •Need for structured lesson plans from their partners

so learning is consistent and allows for measurable outcomes

•Along with budget limitations, these organizations have a shortage of staff that can supervise the kids in their outdoor activities. We identified that these three organizations would like their partners to provide them with durable and structured plans that are consistent and easy to follow, however also providing them with a way to evaluate what works and what can be improved. By having these structured programs they can use their limited resources more efficiently.

•Options for parent involvement •Need for programs that are durable

Concluding from our results, the most positive feedback from participants was regarding hands-on programs or the bike ride. These types of programs attracted the most compliant answers. This supports one of our major, overall findings of the importance of placing a heavy emphasis on hands-on environmental work and education. We can also conclude that majority of our participants were disinterested in a business farm class. This could be because of a lack of interest in it or not seeing a future in the farm business

SurveysAlong with many in-depth interviews and focus groups, our team believed it to be valuable to gain a broader, general knowledge of people’s perspective on the environment and Prairie Rivers itself. We distributed our survey to everyone we contacted throughout our research. The results were as follows:

•93% of our participants stated they had not heard of Prairie Rivers of Iowa

•53% of our participants claimed that the environment is “very important” to them and only 7% viewed the environment as “very unimportant”

•40% of our participants said they would be “interested” in developing a community garden. 33% said they would be “very interested.”

•33% of our participants said they would be “likely” to volunteer in the up keeping of a community garden

•33% of our participants stated they would be “very likely” to participate in an outdoor classroom. 13% said they would be “unlikely”

•40% of our participants stated they would be “interested” in learning more about the history of the Lincoln Highway

•27% of our participants said they would be “uninterested” in learning about the history of the Lincoln Highway

•53% of our participants claimed they would be “likely” to participate in a program that involves hands-on environmental work and education

•54% of our participants said it would be likely for them to participate in a bike ride event hat visits different farms, learning about each

•60% of our participants said they would attend a bike ride event that visits local farms, taste testing the food grown there

•53% of our participants said they would be unlikely to attend a business class, learning about essential skills to strengthen your farm business ventures

•60% of our participants said they would be unlikely to participate in a program that provides a practical, hands-on approach to building a farm business

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LimitationstimeOne major limitation we ran into in our study was the time restriction. We had hoped to involve elementary schools and children specifically in our research, however due to time constraint we were unable to. This type of research requires several forms of paper work as well as a full IRB review. Given only two months to conduct the research limited us from accomplishing this.

Responses and AvailabilityFurthermore, we faced difficulty in receiving responses from a few publics we had hoped to include. These included many ISU environmental clubs along with the ISU FFA. We reached these groups through email, Facebook and phone but never heard back from them. The ISU Extension further helped us to get a hold of these groups, however they failed to respond. Along with that, it was challenging getting our publics to respond quickly enough, given our time frame. With focus groups and in-depth interviews it can often be hard to find a time that everyone is available. We ran into this issue a few times throughout our research.

SeasonDue to the time of the year our research was conducted, we were limited when discussing programs and activities that take place outdoors. Although we were able to discuss outdoor learning environments and the community gardens with many of our publics and gain insightful information, we were limited from actually observing the programs. Since we are coming into the winter months, we were unable to observe the way children interact with the environment.

Future Research Suggestions Although our research resulted in extremely valuable information and we were able to successfully gather a considerable amount of data, there are a few suggestions our team has made for future research conducted in this area.

#1Allow for enough time to include elementary schools into this study. Elementary schools would provide more information related to school gardens, how they work with them, and how they benefit the children.

#2Include children in the research. Due to a lack of time to complete the forms we were unable to include children in our research, however studying children and how they interact with the environment would provide applicable information. Participant-observation could be used for this kind of research. Also, interviews could be done with children to take into account their perspectives regarding the programs they’re currently in and how that could pertain to Prairie Rivers’ programs.

#3For future research it may be valuable to include participants from outside Des Moines and Ames. This would include communities both west and east. This would help bring in a broader perspective and a perspective more representative of Iowa as a whole. Data collected from this type of research could be valuable for Prairie Rivers when they are ready to expand on a large scale across Iowa.

#4Further examination of more non-profit organizations, with similar interests to Prairie Rivers’, would yield more conclusions on how to create a partnership to aid programming in the future.

ConclusionThroughout our research we’ve learned that the majority of our participants believed hands-on, mental and physical engagement with the environment is key to creating a sustainable future. We also learned that educating our younger generations of where things come from and how you can positively change them has a strong impact on our future. Another important aspect of our results was to consider your public when building a program and the implications that will have on logistics and content of the program. Our research as a whole produced useful information on how to create effective programming. This research will allow for Prairie Rivers to evaluate potential partnerships and ways to effectively strengthen their programs, thus strengthening their brand. As a result, Prairie Rivers will be able to successfully expand and accomplish their goal of creating better living environments within Iowa.

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potential partnerships

Introduction The purpose of this research was to discover how organizations reach out to potential partners, maintain relationships with current partners, promote and execute various programs, and improve current outreach methods. The researchers wanted to know how these organizations’ outreach methods differ or overlap with each other and what made specific strategies more successful than others.

The researchers conducted in-depth interviews with board members, communication directors, membership coordinators, outreach executives, chairpersons, and other individuals in communication or outreach positions. Initially, they were going to send out surveys to members of these organizations, but soon realized that this method would limit the number of organizations they could reach, as not all organizations have members, but instead have partners. This led the group to focus on in-depth interviews with executives in organizations and companies that could give insight on how they, as an organization, reach target audiences, promote and execute various programs, and improve outreach methods.

The researchers conducted primary research through phone and in-person interviews. In order to accurately get the responses the researchers needed and to ensure the interviews were as consistent as possible, each researcher asked the same eight questions of each interviewee.

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MethodsThe objective of this research was to collect qualitative data to better understand how established organizations conduct research on, reach out to, and maintain relationships with new partners and customers. The researchers chose to examine organizations that had goals, values and audiences that aligned with those of Prairie Rivers of Iowa. The researchers gathered in-depth interviews from representatives at local restaurants, local businesses, Iowa-based corporations, RC&D’s, community events organizations and other nonprofit organizations. These organizations have established themselves within the community, and have developed effective research and outreach methods over time.

The researchers reached out to 50 organizations, and obtained 34 responses with a 68 percent response rate. The research participants were asked eight questions (Appendix Page). The questions asked would provide insight into the ways in which successful organizations form and maintain partnerships in their communities.

After collecting all of the data, the researchers evaluated the responses to each in-depth interview question, and discovered themes within their findings. The results they found were used to compile this report.

ResultsResearchers spoke with representatives from various organizations that played a role in forming and maintaining community partnerships. These included nonprofit organizations, corporations, advocacy organizations, community organizations and environmental councils. When the research was collected, the organizations were divided into categories. These categories included nonprofit organizations, corporations, advocacy organizations, community organizations and environmental councils.

The researchers found that for each category, different methods of partner outreach were used. It is important to note that for almost all types of organizations, social media outreach and word-of-mouth marketing are used.

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Nonprofit OrganizationsMany nonprofit organizations rely on word-of-mouth marketing and social media to reach out to new members and partners, as this is a cost-effective option for organizations with a small budget. These organizations utilized current member connections to obtain new members by word-of-mouth. Many nonprofits also used email and phone pitching as a free option for advocacy. These organizations typically targeted an older age demographic for outreach.

Buy Fresh. Buy Local“We do a lot of direct outreach through email. We use social media, web pages and Internet searches to find people. We also use relationship with businesses, sometimes actually going to the businesses themselves. We look for new restaurants that have opened and go to them. We do a lot of reaching out to businesses that way.”

Practical Farmers of Iowa“We have members speak with non-members about us. We send 90 press releases a year, and use social media and our newsletter to promote events.”

CorporationsThe researchers found that corporations obtain and maintain partnerships by utilizing multiple outreach methods. They host events and attend events in the community. These organizations were also less likely to conduct formal research on their audiences, but would frequently survey their current members, and listen to social media channels. The researchers found that corporations use social media as a primary way to reach out to new members and potential partners, particularly younger audiences. These organizations recognize that social media is a way to reach different audiences that have the same interests as their own. Furthermore, they consider word-of-mouth marketing a secondary method of outreach that is developed from the use of social media.

Nationwide “Leaders in our company, on any level, are required to be involved in other organizations and sit on their board. This gets their face out there and makes it known that they are interested in the growth of other organizations and not just their own.”

“Even though we are a big corporation we do exactly what you guys are doing. We call up organizations that we see as successful in whatever we are trying to get better at and simply talk to them about why it works. Taking little bits and pieces of successful outreach methods of multiple organizations can piece together a puzzle that will cover a gap

an organization may have. Researching what your members think a good organization does is also helpful in knowing how to retain your current members, and then get members like them.”

Advocacy Organizations (Associations)Associations understand the importance of relationships and use member-to-member communication as a way to establish a successful team of associates and supporters. Their methods include face-to-face contact, phone calls, and direct mailing on occasion. Third party databases also provide data that they use to determine which partners would be relevant and beneficial for them. These organizations also use social media and word-of-mouth marketing to obtain new members and partners. Soybean Association of Iowa “Having a niche group of people as your audience is key. Those are the people you build your connections off of and help you grow as an organization. Once you have a stable base of people who regularly contribute and commit time to your cause the more partnerships will form and then, there you go! You are on your way to changing something worth your while.”

Iowa Water Quality Initiative: Clean Water Iowa“We reach out in a lot of different ways. We work with established partners and establish dialogue with them. From there we share articles with, and reach out to those new organizations to see what fits.”

Community Organizations (Local Foods, Community Events)The researchers found that these organizations focus heavily on building and maintaining close relationships within the community, and work to build their own reputation within that community. They use word-of-mouth marketing, as well as hosting and attending local events to advocate for their organization. These organizations also advertise on local media outlets such as newspapers and radio stations, and rely heavily on social media.

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Advocacy Organizations (Associations) cont.Eat Greater Des Moines“We help our partners make connections too; it’s all about helping each other since we ultimately want to accomplish the same goal. We utilize social media for a lot of our promotional pieces but then use mail for any feedback forms or surveys we need our members to take. We don’t always use formal forms of communication, sometimes just picking up the phone and asking a member, what kind of things are you interested in and how can we work with that market, are questions that lead us to site visits and entering a new market that we may have no tapped into.”

“We don’t ever schedule an event for ‘everyone.’ We are very specific in what target audience we want coming to each event, and really drive that home in our promotion for that event. If everyone was invited to everything, the important people we are trying to get our message to would get lost and then we wouldn’t have the strong membership and partnership base we have.”

Downtown Farmer's Market“We rely heavily on existing partnerships with radio stations, TV, and local media. We buy advertising and PSA’s from them and reach out in that way.”

Environmental CouncilsThe researchers found that these organizations communicate heavily with farmers, producers and the community. They provide benefits to their members, and frequently survey current members to determine best methods for further outreach. Organizations, communities, and potential employees usually reach out to the RC&D’s. If reaching out is necessary, word-of-mouth methods, press releases, and website interaction are their primary methods. To become a partner of one, the relationship must be mutually beneficial and interests must be similar.

Environmental Advocates “Listen. We put our ear to the ground. We listen to the direction of where members are stepping first, and then where they put in the most effort. It also helps to look at demographics to tailor your promotional efforts. If you are reaching out to older people, you need to mail surveys. Social media is awesome if you are targeting parents or a younger group of people, but most farmers will pay more attention to things that come in the shape and form that they are most used to.”

Conservation Districts of Iowa“Members are what makes organizations and companies thrive. Without them, we have nothing. It’s like a leader with no followers; your dream will never come true if you can’t convey it to others and instill passion in them about your cause. “

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Additional FindingsThe researchers found several other themes in the organizations’ methods of outreach that did not fall within the themes previously mentioned. The researchers included this information, as it is still important for the purposes of this research.

First, the demographic for many member organizations was older. In addition, very few organizations reached outside of Iowa to form partnerships. The researchers also found that many environmental advocates did not actively seek feedback from their members and partners. Additionally, many RC&D’s and environmental councils relied on members and partners to advocate for their organization, and inspire others to join. The researchers also feel that it is important to add that a common theme amongst all organizations is the desire for a partnership that will be mutually beneficial. Organizations seek partners they can gain something from, and provide something for.

“Organizations succeed when they run on a constituency-basis, and constituents are energetic and can work together.”

“How can one plus one equal more than two?”

“Partnerships are successful when both organizations can add one plus one and get three.”

“Everyone is potential partner. We identify whether or not they are willing to come to the table and contribute.”

Limitations Nature of research:Because the nonprofits worked toward the same cause, it was difficult to get a variety of answers that highlighted different ways of obtaining members, or retaining them. Originally, the researchers wanted to have direct contact with the members, but soon realized after talking with two organizations that the researchers would not have access to membership information due to confidentiality reasons. This led the team to reach out to 50 organizations for in-depth interviews, which, with 34 responses, gave them a 68 percent response rate. Several individuals were not reached because of scheduling conflicts, or last-minute interview cancellations.

Timing/Time Constraints:Were this not for a class and were the researchers not students, they may have been able to conduct more interviews, but because of conflicting class schedules with professionals’ busy workday schedules, it was difficult to coordinate interview times with students. There also may have been more time to spend researching the community, reaching more members of our audience, giving the researchers more detailed data.

Because not all organizations that the researchers contacted were open during regular weekday hours, or during hours that were between class times for these students, not all organizations were able to provide interviews. This impacted the individuals willing to participate in interviews. Had these individuals participated, the results of this research may have been different.

Most of the organizations contacted were nonprofits. This could have affected the data and made the findings repetitive because many of the organizations went about conducting their research and hosting events in the same way.

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Questions asked during interviews:Some of the questions listed in the researchers’ interview guide were worded in a way that evoked the same response from the interviewee as other questions did, leading the interviewee to say, “You’ve already asked me that.” This may have affected their willingness to expand on their answer because they felt as though they had already answered it.

Another limitation could have been that because the researchers wanted to keep interviews brief, each interview only lasted about 15 minutes, and there were only eight questions asked. This was limiting because the researchers were not able to ask a large number of questions, for fear of the interview taking too long , and the interviewee losing interest, and not giving thought-out answers.

The researchers failed to ask questions pertaining to the demographics of the members, but were able to gain this information through questions about the organization’s outreach process for members.

RecommendationsWhile the research of non-profit organizations was helpful in revealing successful trends with programming, marketing and outreach efforts, larger companies and corporations are the ones who more actively network with industry groups, and create partnership projects. Significantly less research on companies was completed on these types of organizations, but these are the groups who are able to create stronger successful partnerships, and possibly provide funding for the issues they care about. The researchers recommend that the selection of nonprofit organizations and businesses for research be balanced in order to find a better mix of model organizations, and the qualities that organizations look for in partners. More corporations should be included in the mix because the researchers’ requests are more likely to get lost in the larger amount they receive on a daily basis. The in-depth interviews allowed the researchers to retrieve a rich amount of information about marketing and outreach initiatives from executive directors, sustainability managers, marketing departments, strategic planning groups and other industry experts. With the limitations that came with trying to survey members and customers of these groups, the researchers recommend including focus groups in the mix of research methods. Focus groups could present new

findings, because they give people the ability to bounce ideas off of one another, and would reveal how groups within organizations work and communicate with one another. Focus groups could be implemented with boards of directors, marketing departments, strategic planning units, organization volunteers and other employee groups. We also recommend creating a better balance in the types of groups included in the research, based off of their focus and mission. Prairie Rivers of Iowa has such a wide range of programming and such a broad brand message that it would be useful to tap into an even amount of groups who focus on each of its initiatives.

ConclusionResearch collected from the 34 in-depth interviews of different organizations suggests that Prairie Rivers of Iowa must focus on advocating for themselves to create partnerships and public recognition. Researchers discovered several major themes that each type of organization believed was the most efficient way to gain new members and create partnerships.

One theme that is worth noting from nonprofit organizations is that they rely heavily on word-of-mouth methods to market their brand, as well as social media. Being a nonprofit, Prairie Rivers of Iowa should invest their time into these two methods of outreach, and establish relationships with potential members and partners this way. This is the best source of cost-effective marketing, and can lead to strong, beneficial partnerships with other organizations. Community event involvement, member-to member communication, and surveying members for success ratings are additional themes that corporations, associations, environmental councils, and community organizations suggested as well.

Seeking relationships is a priority, as it will bring connectivity with members and partners that have similar values and interests as Prairie Rivers of Iowa, as well as surround Prairie Rivers of Iowa with organizations that can benefit the organization. We recommend that Prairie Rivers of Iowa designate a staff member to take on partner outreach efforts specifically, as building and maintaining these relationships requires significant time and effort.

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appendix1 Secondary research page 64

2 internal organization page66

3 land users and enthusiasts page 80

4 economic development, public opinion, and policy page 84

5 programming page 90

6 potential partnerships page 98

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2.1 Introductory Questions - Gathering Basics on Interviewee 1. What is your title? 2. Can you tell us what your job is in one sentence? 3. How long have you been employed at Prairie Rivers of Iowa? 4. How did your career begin at Prairie Rivers of Iowa? 5. What changes have you seen since you’ve been at Prairie Rivers that you think have affected the organization? (I.e. change in leadership, staff changes, job description, organizational shifts, etc.). 6. If you could write a mission statement for Prairie Rivers, what would it be? (Ensure statement is detailed and clarified). 7. Where do you see Prairie Rivers of Iowa in five years? 8. Where do you see yourself in five years? (be sure to follow up if necessary) 9. Who, in your opinion enacts the mission statement the most everyday at Prairie Rivers of Iowa? 10. What staff members do you work with on a regular basis? In what ways? 11. On a whole, how well do you think Prairie Rivers staff works together? 12. On a scale of 1-10 how satisfied are you with Prairie Rivers of Iowa? and why? More In-depth Questions - Diving Deeper 13. What sort of challenges do you see the company facing? What challenges do you face on a regular basis? 14. Name some of the successes/highlights you have seen within the company? What successes/highlights have you had within the organization? 15. Do you think the company has strong leadership? Do you think the company is headed in a strong direction?

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3.1Appendix 3.1 In-Depth Interview Questions:

1. First, could you tell us how you got started with XXX organization? 2. How would you describe your company’s viewpoint on being environmentally

friendly? 3. What tools do you currently use to decrease your impact on the environment? 4. How could an outside, non-profit organization assist you in allocating your

resources to help your company reach its objectives? 5. What initiatives, if any, are you taking to promote community-based stewardship? 6. How are you collaborating with other local, state and/or national businesses? 7. Have you considered getting involved with or starting a community garden in

your community or school district? 8. Where do you see your role in the community in which you are located? 9. How important do you feel preserving natural history of the land is to Iowa and its

future? a. Does it affect your business? b. What steps are you taking to (advance? develop?) the Des Moines Lobe/Southern Iowa Drift Plain

10. What services (be specific) do you provide? a. What is the primary method you use to spread awareness of these services? b. What tools and/or programs do you use to educate the community on these services?

11. Do you feel partnering or working with another organization would better help you achieve your organizational goals? How so?

12. Are you aware of any pending legislation particularly in regards to conservation/environment that may affect your business?

a. Are you familiar with the Clean Water Act? a. How will this act affect your business?

13. Who is your target audience? a. What do you feel is their largest need?

14. What has been the most effective way to reach them?

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3.2Appendix 3.2 Focus Group Guide

A. Welcome (Moderator) 1. Welcome and thank you for agreeing to be part of this focus group.

We appreciate your willingness to participate. B. Introductions (Moderator)

1. Moderator a. My name is ____ and I am a senior at Drake University.

My team and I are conducting this focus group for our capstone client who focuses on sustainable living and conservation of the environment.

2. Participants a. At this time, why don’t we go around the table and

introduce ourselves before we get started. C. Rules (Moderator)

1. Before the first question, we would like this to work simply like an open discussion and would like everyone to voice their opinions and participate. You may be called on if I haven’t heard from you in or I may ask you to wait until another member has spoken.

2. There are no right or wrong answers. Every person’s experiences and opinions are important and I would like to hear about them. Don’t say what you think I want to hear.

3. What is said in this room stays in this room. 4. We will not identify anyone by name in our report. You will

remain completely anonymous unless you personally asked to be quoted.

5. We will be videotaping and recording audio this focus group for our research efforts after you leave. Do I have everyone’s permission? Forms?

D. Group Discussion points to talk about: 1. What is your current definition of a conservation effort? 2. What are your thoughts on how conservation efforts are being

handled within your residential communities? 3. What organizations, groups or initiatives taking initiative working

toward improving your community (within your roles as professionals)?

4. What types of programs do you envision to gain popularity within the next three years?

a. Are there any specific programs you see will grow quicker than others?

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3.3Appendix 3.3 Online Qualtrics survey sent to Soil and Water Conservation Boards

1. County you serve: 2. What do you see being the largest issue facing your county?

a. Clean Water b. Land Erosion c. Soil Preservation d. Availability of Local Foods e. Management of Mineral Resources f. Forestry Management g. Improved Crop and Forestry h. Restoring Wildlife Habitats

3. How many workshop(s) or event(s) do you hold for the public in one calendar year with your county’s SWCD?

a. 0-1 b. 2-3 c. 4-5 d. 6+

4. Do you feel the resources you provide the residents of your community are being utilized to their greatest potential?

a. Strongly Agree b. Agree c. Neutral d. Disagree e. Strongly Disagree

5. Describe your thoughts on the programs you offer to the public: 6. In what ways is you SWCD involved in area elementary/middle/high schools? 7. What types of people do you find to be the most active in conservation efforts that

you work with? a. School-aged Children b. Young Adults c. Middle-aged Adults d. Senior Adults

8. Do you currently work with any non-profit organizations in your county? a. Yes b. No

9. Would you be interested in working with a non-profit with similar goals as yours? a. Strongly Agree

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3.4Appendix 3.4

Online Qualtrics survey sent to County Conservation Boards

1. County you serve: 2. Do you work with any nonprofits currently?

a. Yes b. No

3. Would you be interested in working in partnership with a nonprofit with similar goals as yours?

a. Yes b. No

4. Of the programs you offer, which has the highest enrollment rate? 5. Which area of conservation consumes the majority of your resources? 6. How do you educate the community on your conservation efforts? 7. What is the largest conservation issue that faces your community and why?

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4.2

APPENDIX  4.1      INTERVIEW  GUIDE  -­‐  Local  Businesses  Depth  Interview      

1. Are  they  aware  of  the  Lincoln  highway?  2. What  conservation/environmental  efforts  they  are  taking?  

a. Are  you  interested  in  being  more  environmental?  b. Do  you  see  a  benefit  for  your  business  in  being  environmentally  conscious?  

3. How  can  an  org  support  you  &  your  environmental  efforts?  4. How  willing  are  businesses  to  get  involved  in  environmental  issues?  5. How  willing  are  businesses  to  get  involved  in  improving/conserving  the  highway?  6. Does  a  highway  help  with  economic  development?  Be  specific  –  how  has  the  highway  affected  

your  business?      INTERVIEW  GUIDE-­‐  Chambers  of  Commerce/Economic  Development  Depth  Interview  

1. Do  you  think  people  in  your  area  know  about  the  Lincoln  Highway?  2. Have  you  seen  tourism  specifically  from  the  Lincoln?  3. Can  a  highway  aid  in  economic  development?  1. Does  the  Lincoln?  1. How  wiling  do  you  think  businesses  in  your  area  are  to  get  involved  in  Lincoln  promotion  and  

conservation?  2. What  conservation  efforts  are  businesses  in  your  area  taking?  3. Have  businesses  ever  called  in  search  of  ways  to  become  more  environmentally  conscious?  4. What  do  you  do  to  support  environmental  efforts  in  your  area?  1. What  can  a  non-­‐profit  do?  

 

APPENDIX  4.2    INTERVIEW  GUIDE  –  CVB’s  Depth  Interviews      

1. What  are  the  main  tourist  attractions  in  town?  Why  do  people  visit?  2. Do  you  promote  the  Lincoln  Highway?  If  so,  how?  If  not,  why  not?  3. What  benefits  do  you  see  in  being  on  the  Lincoln  Highway?  4. What  do  you  know  about  the  effort  to  become  a  National  Heritage  Byway?  Is  this  important  to  

your  town?  5. How  can  an  organization  support  your  efforts  surrounding  promoting  the  Lincoln  Highway?  6. How  do  you  work  with  local  businesses  to  promote  the  byway?  7. Does  your  town  promote  environmental  tourism?  In  what  ways?  

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APPENDIX  4.3    INTERVIEW  GUIDE  -­‐  City  Government  Depth  Interviews      

1. What  is  the  current  state  of  the  environment,  in  your  opinion?  2. How  important  is  the  environment  to  you  in  your  daily  life?  3. What  actions  have  you  taken  to  address  environmental  issues?  4. What  are  your  goals  for  improving  the  natural  environment  in  your  town?  5. What  is  your  stance  on  state  environmental  policy,  as  you  have  to  implement  and  enforce  it?  6. What  level  of  government  do  you  think  is  most  responsible  for  protecting  the  environment?  7. What  could  individuals  and  organizations  do  to  support  your  policies  and  programs?  

         

APPENDIX  4.4      INTERVIEW  GUIDE  -­‐  State  Legislators  Depth  Interviews      

1. What  policies  have  you  been  involved  with  regarding  the  environment?  2. What  issues  will  be  discussed  this  coming  session  regarding  the  environment?  3. Have  people  lobbies  you  about  environmental  issues?  4. Are  there  certain  politicians  that  are  more  focused  on  these  issues  than  other?  1. Are  there  certain  districts  in  the  state  that  are  more  concerned/focused  on  environmental  

issues?  1. Do  you  feel  that  your  constituents  are  concerned  with  the  environment?  

   INTERVIEW  GUIDE  –  Tourism  Legislators  Depth  Interviews      

1. Is  your  district  along  the  Lincoln  Highway?  2. What  role  does  the  Lincoln  Highway  play  on  a  state  level?  3. Are  there  any  current  issues  on  the  agenda  surrounding  the  Lincoln  Highway?  4. How  important  is  the  Lincoln  Highway  to  Iowa  tourism,  in  your  opinion?  5. How  do  see  state  level  and  city  level  organizations  interacting  to  promote  the  Lincoln  Highway?  1. How  important  is  maintaining  the  Lincoln  Highway  to  residents  of  your  district?  

     

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4.5SAMPLE  ASK  LETTER  FOR  LINCOLN  HIGHWAY  RESIDENTS    

 

  Dear Belle Plaine Resident, Enclosed is a survey being sent to your residence as a part of our effort to gauge public opinion of the Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway and the current state of the environment. This survey is part of first steps by Prairie Rivers of Iowa, in collaboration with Drake University students, to better serve Iowans along the Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway and across the state. Your residence has been chosen at random from a list of residences in your zip code. This survey is being sent to several other people in your area. Completing this questionnaire should take no more than ten minutes, and is also available online at http://bit.ly/BellePlaineLincolnHighway, should that be more convenient for you. Your response is crucial to the accuracy of our final results and is greatly appreciated. Thank you for your help. We look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely, Taylor Larson Laura Plumb Drake University Student Drake University Student Madison Dockter Randy Kane Drake University Student Drake University Student  

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SAMPLE SURVEY FOR LINCOLN RESIDENTS Please answer each multiple-choice question by circling the best answer. Your responses will remain anonymous. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact taylor.larson@drake.edu.

1. Have you ever heard of the Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway?

a. Yes b. No c. Unsure

2. What are your feelings about the Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway? a. Positive b. Moderately Positive c. Neutral d. Moderately Negative e. Negative

3. How often do you use the Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway? a. Daily b. Weekly c. Monthly d. Yearly e. Less than yearly f. Never

4. How important would achieving national scenic byway status for the Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway be for you?

a. Very Important b. Important c. Unimportant

5. Which of the following is the most important contribution of the Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway, to you?

a. Economic development b. Land conservation c. Tourism d. Other (please specify) ____________________________________

6. What is the current state of the environment, in your opinion?

a. Good Condition b. Somewhat Good Condition c. Neither Good Nor Bad Condition d. Somewhat Bad Condition

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4.7SAMPLE ASK LETTER FOR STATEWIDE SURVEY

Dear New Vienna Resident,

Enclosed is a survey being sent to your residence as a part of our effort to gauge public opinion of the current state of the environment. This survey is part of first steps by Prairie Rivers of Iowa, in collaboration with Drake University students, to better serve Iowans across the state.

Your residence has been chosen at random from a list of residences in your zip code. This survey is being sent to several other people in your area.

Completing this questionnaire should take no more than ten minutes, and is also available online at http://bit.ly/NewViennaEnvironmental, should that be more convenient for you. Your response is crucial to the accuracy of our final results and is greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your help. We look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Taylor Larson Laura PlumbDrake University Student Drake University Student

Madison Dockter Randy KaneDrake University Student Drake University Student

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4.8SAMPLE SURVEY FOR STATEWIDE RESIDENTS Please answer each multiple-choice question by circling the best answer. Your responses will remain anonymous. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact taylor.larson@drake.edu.

1. What is the current state of the environment, in your opinion?

a. Good Condition b. Somewhat Good Condition c. Neither Good Nor Bad Condition d. Somewhat Bad Condition e. Bad Condition

2. Rank the following groups in order (1-7) of their responsibility for maintaining the environment, 1 being the most responsible.

______ Individuals ______ Local Governments ______ State Government ______ Federal Government ______ Non-profits/Advocacy organizations ______ Large corporations ______ Small businesses

3. How concerned are you about the following issues? Please check the box that applies.

Very

Concerned Somewhat Concerned

Not Concerned

I don’t know

Water Quality

Local Foods

Land Conservation

Urban Forestry

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1. Let’s do a quick round of introductions. Can each of you tell the group your name, major,

and why you chose to join the environmental club you are in?

2. What are your interests and how do you spend your spare time?

3. In what ways does this extracurricular club teach you about improving the environment?

4. In what ways do you feel that the extracurricular club you are in falls short in developing

your knowledge of the environment and sustainability?

5. Now imagine that you are part of a committee designing activities for people in your age

group. These are activities that people like you might be involved in to improve the

environment, offer you a valuable learning experience, or simply offer a volunteer

opportunity.

a. What are the factors that you will make sure your committee considers in designing

these activities/events?

b. What are the things that you are sure would attract people, with similar interests to

you, to these activities/events? Remember, this can be a wide range of ideas: the type

of activity/event, the length, the time of day it’s offered, whether the activities

promote hands-on interaction, or anything else you can think of.

6. What type of environmental activities do you think people in your age group are most

interested in: those that lead to some sort of sense of self-fulfillment, or those that can be

used to improve sustainable living for the greater good?

7. What are the upsides and downsides of each type of these activities?

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8. At this point we’d like to hear about the hands-on environmental activities that you have

participated in.

a. In what ways were the activities helpful to you?

b. In what ways do you feel that the activities fell short in helping you advance your

knowledge in the environment?

9. We would like to know how to make Prairie Rivers’ programs more welcoming to people

18 and older.

a. If you were to hear of a local bike ride to promote healthy and sustainable food by

visiting several farms would you participate?

b. If your answer was yes, what would attract you to this event?

c. What would you like to learn through this bike ride?

d. Currently, this bike ride costs $45 to participate. How much would you be willing to

pay, relative to this price, to participate?

(Questions only for ISU Collegiate FFA)

1. What kind of skills would you be interested in learning more about to help strengthen

successful farm business?

2. Would you be interested in attending a class focused on addressing the special needs of

farm business ventures? Why or why not?

   

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5. How likely would you be to participate in an outdoor classroom?

a. Very Unlikely

b. Unlikely

c. Neutral

d. Likely

e. Very Likely

6. How interested would you be in learning about the history of the Lincoln Highway?

a. Very Uninterested

b. Uninterested

c. Neutral

d. Interested

e. Very Interested

7. How likely would you be to participate in a program that involves hands-on

environmental work and education?

a. Very Unlikely

b. Unlikely

c. Neutral

d. Likely

e. Very Likely

8. How likely would you be to participate in a bike ride event that visits different farms,

learning about each?

a. Very Unlikely

 

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a. Unlikely

b. Neutral

c. Likely

d. Very Likely

9. How likely would you be to participate in a bike ride event that visits local farms, taste

testing the food grown there?

a. Very Unlikely

b. Unlikely

c. Neither Likely or Unlikely

d. Likely

e. Very Likely

10. How likely you be to attend a business class, learning about essential skills to strengthen

your farm business ventures?

a. Very Unlikely

b. Unlikely

c. Neither Likely or Unlikely

d. Likely

e. Very Likely

11. How likely would you be to participate in a program that provides a practical, hands-on

approach to building a farm business?

a. Very Unlikely

b. Unlikely

a. Neither Likely or Unlikely

b. Likely

c. Very Likely

 

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Appendix 5.3

Interview Guide for Local Establishments

(Questions for Forest Avenue Library about outdoor learning environments)

What sorts of learning environments does your library encourage among children?

What sorts of environmental aspects or learning do you try to incorporate within your library?

Would you be interested in providing learning environments outdoors?

What do you think outdoor classroom/learning environments could offer children?

How do you think an outdoor learning environment would be structure to help guide its success?

 

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5.4Appendix 5.4

(Questions for Boys & Girls Club of Iowa)

What exactly do the children in your program do with the Des Moines Urban Youth Learning

Garden?

How did your program get involved with the Sprout – Des Moines Urban Youth Learning

Garden?

What does the garden consist of?

How has this garden created an outdoor learning environment for the children?

What do you see the children learning from this experience?

What is the best quality of the Des Moines Urban Youth Learning Garden?

What would you change about the program?

How would you expand the program?

What are advantages from learning environments set outdoors  

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In-­‐Depth  Interview  Questions-­‐  Potential  Partnerships  

 1.          Being    (Title)  what  are  the  responsibilities/daily  tasks  of  your  job?  

           2.          How  do  you  go  about  reaching  out  to  your  potential  new  members?  Or  

customers?  

         3.          How  do  you  conduct  research  on  your  members/customers?  

           4.          What  form  of  research  methods  has  worked  best  in  finding  your  

members/customers?  

       

5.          What  do  you  do  to  uphold  your  brand  image?  

       

6.          How  do  you  identify  potential  partners?  What  would  interest  you  most  in  a  partnership?            

       

6.1

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