Nora Demers Apr 25, 2007 15:19 pm

Hello,

We are the very happy recipients of a grant from NOAA that will be implemented through the local NEP office to instutite "Florida Friendly" Yards practices in our older local community here in Southwest Florida. My question to the list is to solicit your feedback on how to best engage the community so they are interested and motivated to participate in our lofty plans? I am collecting water quality data so we can hopefully demonstrate improved water quality as we implement these soft BMP's, and I also have the EPA's "Community Culture and the Environment" workbook, although I have not had the chance to do a training workshop or read all the way through the workbook. It is my opinion that we have a lot of blissfully ignorant people in my neck of the woods who are unaware that they need to be concerned about how their personal actions impact the planet (septic tanks, lawn fertilizer, toxins from cars etc). I absolutely concur with the ideal of using positive reinforcement for behavior modification, and would appreciate learning helpful strategies from those of you who have more knowledge that I on how to proceed.

Thanks for you help!
Nora D

Nora Egan Demers
Associate Professor of Biology and Interdisciplinary Studies
Florida Gulf Coast University
Ft. Myers, FL 33965
(239) 590-7211
FAX (239) 590-7200
e-mail [email protected]
http://itech.fgcu.edu/faculty/ndemers/demers.html