Innovative employability guidance for higher education students in the context ofEuropean biodiversity management

Strategic Partnership in Higher Education

Public engagement in nature conservation

Public engagement=

Communicationin 2-ways

Communication is…emission ------------ > reception

reception < --------------- emission

» messages – public specific» channels (offline/online)

Communication strategy…1. Objectives – general / specific 2. Public(s)3. Message(s)4. Means/tools/channels: contents + materials + distribution (e.g. image, website, PR, events)5. Dates: planning time, duration, deadlines, etc6. Resources: HR, budget, partners+stakeholders, etc7. Evaluation / Monitoring

+ Plan before applications + Along with the project +

Communication strategy…1. Objectives – general / specific

Theory of change:» Change knowledge» Change attitudes» Change behaviour

soft > extreme public engagement

Three ways/steps for engagement » means

1) Informing (1-way)

2) Consulting (2-ways)

3) Collaborating (2-ways/dialogue)

1) Informing• Magazines

• Press releases / newspaper articles

• Newsletters

• Podcasts

• Web videos / websites

• Downloadable education materials

• Presentations

• Public Lectures

• Exhibitions

2) Consulting

• Panel groups

• Focus groups

• Online consultations

3) Collaborating• Scientists and interested members of the public to team up to

monitor what is happening. (bird count, seasonwatch, monitoring bird migration) » co-creation!

• Engaging children and adults in ecological observation. (zoo-camp, zoo pedagogy)

3) Collaborating• Nature activities - activities to encourage children to go outdoors

and observe and explore the natural world. Rather than providing lots of information, the focus is on direct immersion and observation of nature.

3) Collaborating• Adoption programs• Children laboratory• Save the sparrow project• Beach cleaning

• Challenge for scientists / promotors (they have to hear the public give feedback…)

Existing projects all around the world 1.

Existing projects all around the world 2.

Existing projects all around the world 3.

Existing projects all around the world 4.

TREND: Storytelling !!!

Public engagement / Communication pitfalls:- Unclear governance- Lack of internal communication- No strategy / strategy not well planned (eg. unclear

objectives, not enough time/budget » results )- Wanting to do everything » quantity is not quality- No use of best practises / No sharing - No follow-up » plan after-project- Lost in translation (peers vs not-peers)?- Connection to education- Etc

More info:» EU Life: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/toolkit/comtools/analysis/index.htmhttp://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/publications/lifepublications/lifefocus/documents/natcommunicat_lr.pdf

» Europarc: Manual enREDando Herramientas para la comunicación y la participación social en la gestión de la red Natura 2000http://www.magrama.gob.es/es/biodiversidad/publicaciones/herramientas_comunicacion_participacion_tcm7-265292.pdf

» CBD/UICN-CCE: Communication, Education and Public Awareness (CEPA): Toolkits: National + Localhttps://www.cbd.int/iyb/doc/prints/factsheets/iyb-cbd-factsheet-cepa-en.pdfwww.cbd.int/cepa/toolkit/2008/doc/CBD-Toolkit-Complete.pdfhttp://cbc.iclei.org/tools/

More info:» CAISE - Center for Advancement of Informal Science Education (USA)http://www.informalscience.org/

» Audubon Society: Influencing Conservation Action - What Research Says About Environmental Literacy, Behavior, and Conservation Resultshttp://web4.audubon.org/educate/toolkit/pdf/Influencing%20Conservation%20Outcomes%20Module%202013_National%20Audubon%20Society.pdf

» Cornell Lab of Ornithology » Public Engagement with Science – Citizen Science!!http://www.birds.cornell.edu/page.aspx?pid=1677

» European Citizen Science Associationhttp://ecsa.citizen-science.net/

» Portuguese SciCom Networkhttp://scicom.pt/

AND NOW… Wake up, we have work to do!

Activity 1. Collect the formats of public engagement (x min)

Activity 2. Create a public engagement activity plan (x min)

Activity 3. Present your plan to the other groups (x min/group)

» Discussion of the plans, summing-up (x min)

THANK YOU!

Photo by Faísca

Vanessa Oliveira - Assistant to the Terrestrial Conservation Department - SPEA /vanessa.oliveira@spea.pt/

Krisztina Lénárt – Education Coordinator / Talent Management Coordinator – ELTE /lenartkriszta76@gmail.com/

http://careersinconservation.elte.hu