Transcript Slide 1

Creating Community and
Environmental Impact: The
Rutgers Environmental Stewards
Bruce Barbour
Environmental Program Leader for Rutgers Cooperative Extension
with
Internal:
Jan Zientek, Mary Cummings, Chris Obropta, Joe Ponessa, Mary Powers Nikola, Stephanie
Murphy, Lisa Evard, Dave Robinson, Dave Specca, Joe Paulin, Rebecca Jordan, Paul Gottleib.
External:
Duke Farms Foundation, Conservation Resources Inc., Nj Audubon, The Nature Conservancy, NJ
Conservation Foundation, the County Environmental Health Officers of Burlington, Someraet and
Essex Counties, The NJ Bureau of Geology, The Association of New Jersey Environmental
Commissions, Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve, The Passaic River Coalition, D&R Greenway,
Upper Raritan Watershed Association, South Branch Watershed Association, Hanson Park
onservancy, Great Swamp Watershed, Montgomery Friends of Open Space, Hunterdon Land Tru
Alliance, Pinelands Preservation Alliance, Hackensack Riverkeeper.
Situation
Environmental issues are central to New Jersey’s future
growth, development and well-being. Citizens trained in
basic science and communication skills can effectively
participate in local and statewide environmental decision
and policy making, avoiding the wastes of time and money
that occur when environmental issues are decided primarily
by politics and emotion.
Rutgers Environmental Steward Volunteer
Training
Purpose
The Rutgers Environmental Steward
program provides training and
experience which equips
participants to contribute effectively
to the process of finding solutions
for environmental problems in the
communities of New Jersey.
Land management –
A major issue that invites a volunteer based solution
Desired Outcomes
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Graduates will be knowledgeable
about:
the basic processes of earth, air,
water and biological systems
scientific techniques and tools
the research and regulatory
infrastructure
group dynamics, leadership, conflict
resolution
• Participants will become networked with subject
matter experts and each other for help in the future
Graduates will use their knowledge to facilitate
positive change in their community.
Stucture
• Phase 1: Environmental Education Immersion Series
(60 hours)
• Phase 2: Internship (60 hours)
• Phase 3: Advanced Training In Environmental Issues
(periodic)
• Phase 4: Veteran volunteer (ongoing)
Offered regionally in NJ
2
2
3
4
locations in 2005
locations in 2006
locations in 2007
or 5 locations planned for 2008
Finances
• Tuition $175 to
$325
• Used to fund
program and
operating expenses
• 1/3 to local
cooperator, 1/3 to
Duke, 1/3 to state
program.
• Lecturers – no
honorariums
http://njaes.rutgers.edu/envirostewards/
-Promotion
-Instructional notes
-Networking
-Impact reporting
Core Curriculum
Geology and Soils
Water in the hydrologic Cycle – the Watershed
Ecology – Living Systems
Leadership – Social Systems
Energy/Climate
Localization
• Beyond the core topics we customize the curriculum
to emphasize topics of particularly local concern and
having the need for volunteer involvement.
For example:
• Coast- Water issues
• Rural suburbs – wildlife and land management
• Cities – building health, energy, waste management
Selecting Lecturers
• Must contribute to defined objective in curriculum
• Should be leading authority in state and potentially of
use to students in solving problems
• Incentive to lecturer is either altruism or the potential
to attract high quality volunteers to their projects
• Have to be good!
Lecture Content
• Rating of lecture content by students was 4.6 on a
scale of 1-5, 5 being best.
Program Totals
Completed Training
110 of 124
88.00%
Engaged in Intern Project
74
67.27%
Completed Intern Project
21
19.09%
On Environmental Commission
11
10.00%
Evaluation of Immersion Experience
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Environmental Sensitivity
Environmental Science knowledge
Civic Participation knowledge
Knowledge of Action
Environmentally positive behavior
-Evaluation designed by Dr. Rebecca Jordan
Evaluations
• Environmental sensitivity:
The group consider themselves greatly empathetic
toward the environment. In spite of this, 77% in
2005 and 88% in 2006 reported considerable gains in
empathy that can be attributed to the environmental
stewards course.
Environmental science knowledge:
The group considers themselves to be moderately
knowledgeable about environmental science. 97% in
‘05 and 96% in ‘06 report considerable gains in their
environmental science knowledge.
Civic participation knowledge:
The group considers themselves moderately
knowledgeable. 83% in ’05 and 96% in ’06 report
gains in their understanding in these areas.
Knowledge of action/locus of control:
The group believes they have moderate influence over how
environmental problems/issues are resolved. 55% in ’05
and 81% in ’06 feel that the course has contributed to a
moderate increase in the belief that they can influence
environmental problem resolution.
Enthusiasm and Confidence:
89% reported increased enthusiasm and confidence.
Describe what you learned as a result of course
participation:
• Made many contacts and areas to obtain information. Did learn
the level of technical skills that I wanted to obtain. I still have a
long way to go to achieve my goals but it was a great start.
• How to access information
• Geology of NJ, watershed issues, power source issues, how to
address problematic people in lectures
• Soil science. Water science.
• Better communication skills
• Armed with fact and with controlled passion, I can make a
difference.
Describe how you are able to influence environmental issue
resolution:
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I now speak to friends and acquaintances re: problems and issues and
small changes one can make to make a large difference
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This course has given me confidence to be able to find the information
that will help solve these environmental issues
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This course has enabled me to better be a source of information for
stewardship of a watershed/estuary
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I realize that I know more, because of a better background on
environmental situations and feel more confident about using that
knowledge in working with my local government and local agencies.
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Now aware of environmental commission in my town; the class made me
focus more on that info.
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By translating complex issues into easily understandable and relevant
topics in people’s everyday lives
Internships=Action in the community
Internships by Subject - 2007
Envrionmental
Commission
Leadership
6%
Energy
Conservation
6%
Environmental
Education
9%
Water Quality
22%
Other
4%
Land
Restoration/
Management
48%
Solid Waste/
Recycling
5%
Sample internships:
• Introduce innovative town recycling system
• Map & manage invasives on preserved land
• Manage for native species in park
• Make her synagogue is a green building
• Become a climate observer
• Docent at a state park
• Join watershed monitoring program
• Start watershed monitoring program!
• Make local high school a “river friendly” campus
• Educate on the need to eliminate combined sewer
outflows
• Box turtle restoration with Rutgers researchers