4 Comments
-
Re: Changing social norms around native plants in your area
2024-04-22 23:39:19 UTC
Thanks for sharing this project, Julie! I plan to visit the "In the Zone" program pages to learn more and for ideas to enhance Virginia's native plant marketing efforts. I am coordinating the Plant Virginia Natives Initiative (www.PlantVirginiaNatives.org), which includes regional native planting marketing campaigns using CBSM. Our first campaign on Virginia's Delmarva Peninsula - Plant Eastern Shore Natives - launched in April 2009 was featured in Social Marketing to Protect the Environment: What Works.
That campaign became a model for 9 additional campaigns statewide which employ three main CBSM tools - captivating communications, commitments/social norming and point-of-sale - www.plantvirginianatives.org/virginia-regional-native-plant-campaigns-guides. Not surprisingly, our pre-campaign research identified the same common barriers that the were found in Canada. In terms of commitment, we collect pledges through programs and exhibits (verbally or signatures on a big banner), and those who pledge receive a decal to display publicly as well as a full-color native plant guide for their region and "Please Carry Cards" to use when shopping.
An email list from on-line pledges will be useful as we roll out other campaign materials - we are about to release a 2 min animated video on the habitat benefits of native trees - and we will reach out when we conduct a survey to help measure behavior change. (We are currently designing a tool for Northern Virginia.) Developing a tool to Signage and plants tags or stickers are part of our point of sale work with centers but demand is far outpacing supply. (A Virginia Native Plant Provider Survey will go out soon.) We are currently piloting a Garden Center Liaison Program with Master Naturalists to continue building rapport with retail partners and to keep the line of communications open.
We also are responding to people who are now excited to plant native but who are new to gardening. To help break down the new barrier of "where do I start with landscaping with natives," we are adding more info to our growing website to meet that blossoming need. I love the puns that naturally come with this work!
The second facet of the Plant Virginia Native Initiative is a public-private marketing partnership to identify and prioritize opportunities to collaborate on Virginia native plant communication and marketing efforts and form cohesive and coordinated messaging and strategies to increase local availability and use of native plants state-wide. See www.plantvirginianatives.org/about-virginia-native-plant-marketing-partnership (the partnership's Action Plan and a factsheet on the regional native plant campaign marketing model are downloadable).
I would be happy to answer any questions and share more details - Virginia Witmer, Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program, [email protected].
-
Re: Need Clear Success Stories
2010-12-01 09:25:40 UTC
Good morning, Elaine. The Virginia CZM Program has been working on a social marketing campaign to increase the use of native plants on Virginias Eastern Shore Plant ES Natives - that shows really great promise and has, just two years in, shown some good results. We will be conducting a behavior change survey next spring. There is an article in the latest Virginia Coastal Zone Management which gives an overview of the campaign http://www.deq.virginia.gov/coastal/magazine.html Let me know if you would like additional information or have any questions - (804) 698-4320.
Virginia Witmer
Outreach Coordinator
Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program
United States
www.deq.virginia.gov/coastal/ -
Re: Visibility of Participation in Apartments
2009-12-16 18:18:06 UTC
Hi, Lesa.
We also use a vinyl static decal to help raise visibility for the Plant ES Natives campaign on Virginia's Eastern Shore. During our pre-campaign research, this handout idea was proposed and met with enthusiasm by representatives of our target audiences. They can be used in any window, e.g. the doors of garden centers and they disappear quickly from the table during campaign exhibits. They certainly appear to be a popular alternative to a bumper sticker and are very affordable in large quantities. And for a long-term social marketing program they have a timeless appeal. Our decal includes just the campaign logo, slogan and website.
Virginia Witmer
Outreach Coordinator
Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program
United States
www.deq.virginia.gov/coastal/ -
Re: Signage for Species at Risk
2009-10-09 12:59:45 UTC
Hi, Karen.
The Virginia CZM Program and its partners published a brochure in 2006 titled "Life on the Beach Isn't Always Easy" to help educate barrier island visitors about the critical role island habitats play in the life-cycle of beach nesting birds. Thousands of birds nest on the beaches of the barrier islands each year from April to September, which coincides with the height of tourism in the region. The survival of beach nesting birds on the islands is already difficult due to predation on eggs and small chicks, and natural forces such as storm waves and high tides which threaten to wash the nests away. People using these beaches can also affect the birds' survival by accidentally stepping on nests, bringing dogs to the island, and leaving trash on the islands which attract predators to these areas.
Perhaps some of the language and graphic elements used in this brochure might suggest approaches to designing your signage.
This brochure can be viewed and downloaded at http://www.deq.virginia.gov/coastal/vshp/goals.html#beachnestingbird
Virginia Witmer
Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program
United States
0 Recommends
You haven't saved any recommendations.
Messaging 0 colleagues