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Re: Keynote Speaker(s) for a Social Marketing for Species at Risk Workshop
2009-09-01 16:14:22 UTC
If available, Cathy Sakas is a very entertaining and engaging speaker with a unique background, having lived on a research sub and more. She is with NOAA Grays Reef National Marine Sanctuary in Savannah, GA. I worked with her on some activities related to the Natural South program on Turner South (after being interviewed as part of the first episode -- on sea turtles -- she was asked to become the host of the TV show we sponsored for 3 yrs!). I have had her speak to groups to engage them on several conservation education topics.
This link has a pretty good description of her background (near bottom of page):
http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/missions/2008nancy_foster/bios.html
And, here is her email: [email protected]
Leslie Montgomery
Southern Company
United States -
Re: Engaging Local Business/Industry in Species at Risk Recovery/Protection
2009-07-24 15:53:35 UTC
Rebecca,
I manage an environmental stewardship program for a large corporation and it is my personal passion so I would be glad to share my insights with you.
Kate Hayes provided some good suggestions - I would add that with limited resources and plenty of good will opportunities out there, if you can add to the list a tangible business benefit (license to operate, avoid future restrictions, minimize risk, create business opportunity, etc.) on top of the goodwill, PR/reputation and potential partnership benefits, your proposal may get more attention. There are many that want business to help their goodwill cause, but not many try to understand the business, especially challenges it faces (varies) and how they can help the business with one or more of its objectives.
Here are additional thoughts and resources that may be useful to you:
1. www.gemi.org - see the Corporate-NGO Guide to Successful Partnerships booklet developed by GEMI and Environmental Defense Fund, including specific case exaples which highlight key success factors, business benefits and social and env. benefits.
2. The core of of the external portion of the program I manage now is encompassed within a partnership we have with the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) - www.nfwf.org - two grant programs focus on specific bird & habitat restoration, longleaf pine ecosystem restoration - this includes a focus on some at risk species and involves some public-private partner efforts. We also are part of an existing national effort with EPA, NFWF, Wildlife Habitat Council and National Association of Counties, sponsoring community-based wetland/riparian/coastal restoration and education in our region (recently several other companies have joined that effort). It may give you insight into how to involve local business. Depending on what measures you are trying to accomplish to help the at risk aquatic species, there may be example 5 star projects that have been funded in years past that may be directly relevant - all of the 5 star partners mentioned have links to past project abstracts/grantees. Further, WHC (www.wildifehc.org) is a nonprofit that works specifically with companies on wildife and habitat projects - top story on thier site is a new MOU with Widlife Habitat Canada!
I consider NFWF to be experts on taking a strategic business approach to conservation and in implementing successful public-private partnerships - they help companies partner with many government and nongovernment groups. They have many corporate partnerships and gare successful because they marry business needs and interests with their wildlife and habitat conservation objectives. They have a portfolio of excellent efforts with government, NGOs and corporations that deliver tangible, on-the-ground results.
One 'big box' partnership they have is 'Acres for America', an initiative they launched with Wal-Mart. You can look at specific grant programs on their site s and often find some of what motivated the companies to participate.
3. Our partnerships with NFWF led to increased efforts to address at-risk species on our own corporate lands, including adding a Safe Harbor agreement at one site for red-cockaded woodpeckers (managing land for longleaf habitat). The Safe Harbor concept, developed by Environmental Defense Fund and USFWS to provide a win-win scenario for endangered species and private landowners. Specifically it is designed to encourage private landowners to restore and maintain habitat for endangered species without fear of incurring additional regulatory restrictions. See Environmental Defense Fund www.edf.org/page.cfm?tagID=87 or USFWS sites for more on these two concepts. And here's a paper EDF did specifically about safe harbor in relation to aquatic resources: http://www.edf.org/documents/840_aquaticSH.PDF
I have specific experience and examples from my current role and past employment(from government side, working on community-based env protection efforts). You are welcome to contact me if you would like to discuss your questions in more detail or if you need a contact person at NFWF.
Regards, Leslie
[email protected]
Leslie Montgomery
Southern Company
United States
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