Running head: CULTURAL DIVERSITY IN CONSERVATION 1

Cultural Diversity in the Environmental Conservation Workforce:

Communications Plan
Elizabeth Braker
University of Idaho
Running head: CULTURAL DIVERSITY IN CONSERVATION 2

Rationale:
Sustainable development in the United States still seems a distant goal in light of a political
landscape that favors economic development over social and environmental development/justice.
Yet finding ways to manage social, environmental, and economic development have never been
more urgent. Environmental, social, and economic domains are all linked. Changes in one
domain cause changes in the others. Domains are said to be resilient if they can absorb
disturbances and still retain the characteristic functions that are essential to their identity. As an
example of an environmental domain, a mangrove forest ecosystems can withstand a certain
level of anthropogenic disturbance and still retain their identity (provide ecosystem services).
Such a forest continues to provide provisioning (i.e. wood & fiber), supporting (saltwater
filtration & soil retention), regulating (flood/storm buffering, climate regulation through carbon
sequestration), and cultural (educational, spiritual, aesthetics) ecosystem services, and thus is
said to be resilient, even if degraded. If the mangroves timber resources are clear-cut and
converted to shrimp farms, then the ability of the ecosystem to prevent erosion of coastlines, help
filter saltwater and recharge the water table, and maintain fauna and flora biodiversity identity
changes. Unsustainable exploitation of natural resources (i.e. the environment) for social and
economic gain pushes an ecosystem past its threshold, which lead to alterations, and possibly,
irreversible changes in the environment (Appendix A, Fig. d). Irreversible changes in one system
create feedback loops which amplify problems the social and economic systems of society
(Walker & Salt, 2012, p. 10). This understanding drives the concept that managing sustainable
environmental development and maintaining resilient (eco)systems (i.e. managing natural
resource extraction without exceeding critical thresholds) must necessarily involve not only the
ecosystems themselves, but the social and economic dimensions, as well. If social and economic
inequality persists in the United States, then social and economic systems will be pushed closer
to their tipping points (thresholds), which will have negative implications for the environment
(Walker & Salt, 2012, p. 10).

Forward-thinking businesses have understood that their success no longer depends on their
ability to optimize and innovate within the scope of their limited business models. Rather,
success lies in turning the focus outward to the social and environmental dimensions in which
any given business operates. Over the last 20 years, businesses have found that implementing
Running head: CULTURAL DIVERSITY IN CONSERVATION 3

sustainability-oriented innovations gives them a competitive advantage (Network for Business
Sustainability, 2012). This is a strategy that environmental conservation professionals should
also follow. But how can the environmental conservation workforce adequately address
changing environmental challenges rooted in socio-economic inequalities if the members of the
environmental conservation collaborative groups are drawn from a predominantly Caucasian
conservation workforce (Davis, 2002)?

Environmental conservation and sustainable environmental development is not an exclusive
hobby or project to be managed by social elites; even the perception that conservation is an elitist
concern is damaging. Environmental decision-making should be culturally inclusive and promote
participation across socioeconomic lines because changes in the environment impact everyone
(Tercek & Adams, 2013, p. 240). It would be a mistake to attempt to solve environmental issues
by focusing only on the environment. Instead, environmental conservation efforts need to take
into account issues influencing factors in the other domains as well (Walker & Salt, 2012, p. 10).
Therefore, the focus of the environmental conservation workforce needs to shift outward to the
social and economic domains in order to set the stage for sustainable natural resource
management and environmental conservation. With the growing need for interdisciplinary
collaborative teams in environmental conservation research and workforce, diverse collaborative
teams will be able to contribute unique insights and broker innovative decisions based on their
experience and background in the conservation workforce (Gratton & Erickson, 1997). One
strategy for doing so is to promote cultural diversity in the natural resource management and
environmental conservation fields of study.

To set the stage for a demographically-representative environmental conservation workforce,
substantial effort needs to be made to increase the engagement of underrepresented minority
groups in science, and (in particular) in the natural resource management and environmental
science fields of study at the undergraduate level. Maughan, Bounds, Morales, and Villeges
(2001) emphasize that intervention in communities and in public schools is fundamental to
building interest in the environment, which in turn influences students choices in college
degrees and careers. Initiatives should attempt to increase ease of access to greensspaces in
mixed urban/rural metropolitan populations where residents have been shown to have a
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weakened appreciation for nature (Smith, Case, Smith, Harwell, & Summers, 2012).
Environmental conservation professionals need to step outside of their realm of expertise and
focus on effectively communicating the relevance of science and the environment to students of
varying ages and backgrounds in the public school system, who might go on to choose an
environmental-related career. Environmental conservation professionals must take an active role
in constructing a public dialog (Weber & Word, 2001) about science, natural resource
management, and environmental conservation issues, especially in mixed urban/rural
metropolitan areas where appreciation for the environment is low. In creating a two-way
conversation with students, environmental professionals and young citizen-scientists can engage
in creating a shared meaning and understand the relevance of environmental issues as part of
storylines to which they can relate, and which directly impact the social and economic well-
being of communities in which they live.

Segmenting minority youth in mixed rural and urban metropolitan areas by age will be essential
to the long-term success of communications campaigns geared towards increasing cultural
diversity in the environmental conservation workforce. Driving the social learning of
environment-related topics will need to occur in different phases and be communicated in
different forums. For the purpose of this recruitment program for minorities in conservation, we
require a combination of two communication strategies, personal and non-personal (Stevens,
Loudon, Wrenn, & Mansfield, 2006, p. 203). The first strategy involves using a non-personal
mass media and marketing campaign designed to reach college-bound minority youth. The
second strategy involves personally engaging adolescents through environmental education
initiatives in public schools and in the community to build their interest in science. The
messages for both strategies should explain how science, conservation, and sustainable
development lead to personal fulfillment, success, and social equality. Messages should
specifically communicate how this Minority Mentoring and Conservation Collaborative
(MMCC) Program can help youth explore the benefits of environmental conservation & natural
resource management careers, which include salary, incentives, job security, education, and
career advancement opportunities (Adams & Moreno, 1998).
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The Minority Mentoring and Conservation Collaborative Program (MMCC):

The Minority Mentoring and Conservation Collaborative Program (MMCC) will be implemented
in phases, under subordinate projects. In the first phase, a pilot project will be developed in one
mixed urban/rural metropolitan area. This will lay the groundwork for creating a forum where
science is explored in relevant ways and used to create meaningful conclusions about the local
environment in the minority community. Ideally, the pilot project will include outreach to
students at all levels of public education, and lead to work-study programs centered on
mentoring participants and introducing them to natural resource management and environmental
conservation job opportunities. Once this project is successfully implemented and adaptively
managed in the selected metropolitan area, then it can be adjusted and replicated in other areas.

MMCC Vision StatementTo inform highly competent individuals from diverse cultural and
socio-economic backgrounds about environmental conservation job opportunities, and attract
them to join the environmental conservation workforce.

Goal 1Starting in 2018, the MMCC Program will host five community-based science
initiatives yearly in four regions (mixed rural & urban metropolises), with an outreach to three
high schools with culturally diverse student body in each region.

Goal 1
Objectives Indicators/Signs of Success
Establish a memorandum of understanding with the
Public School District in four mixed rural & urban
metropolitan regions. In each Public School
District, MMCC will collaborate with three High
Schools to engage 5 college-bound students at each
high school in community-based science initiatives.


-Results from pre & post program surveys to detect
increased awareness of environmental and social
issues in their communities.
-High student participation and retention during
high school academic year.
-3 out of 5 participating college-bound students
chose an Environmental Major in MMCC Project
Universities after their high school graduation.

Each year, MMCC Project Schools will coordinate -Increased environmental consciousness &
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five community-based science initiatives (e.g.
Community Development Projects, Field Trips,
Speakers, Citizen Science Projects, Student-led
science outreach to elementary & middle schools,
Community garden or farmers market for each
High School) targeting high-performing, college-
bound high school students.
appreciation for nature100% Students
participating in MMCC Project High Schools are
able to articulate how their actions impacts their
local environment.
-High community engagementstudents
participating in the MMCC Project in their high
schools actively participate in additional
community events.


Goal 2By 2020, the MMCC Program will establish MMCC Projects at two universities with
strong environmental science and natural resource management programs. MMCC Projects will
serve to guide and assist students in administrative, personal, and academic excellence resulting
in an 80% graduation rate with a Bachelors of Science.

Goal 2
Objectives Indicators/Signs of Success
Establish a memorandum of understanding between
the MMCC Program, a federal agency, and two
universities within the same geographic region as
participating MMCC Project High Schools. The
MMCC Project staff will work with the university
staff and the federal agency to financially sponsor
and mentor students from MMCC Project High
Schools, providing logistical, administrative and
academic support.

-Results from student satisfaction surveys every
semester.
-Retention statistics of students in Environmental
fields of study.
-Maintaining & adhering to study Professional and
academic development plans.
-Active monitoring & mentorship of students.

By the 2020-21 academic school year, each of the
four participating MMCC Project Universities will
have the infrastructure and processes established to
receive the first cohort of 8-10 college students
from MMCC Project High Schools, who intend to
major in an Environmental Conservation degree.
-80% graduation rate (32/40) for the Class of 2024.
-15-20% of graduates chose to continue their
studies and are accepted into a M.S or Ph.D.
program at a participating MMCC Project
University.

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MMCC staff will work to build mentor/mentee
relationships, provide on-the-job training for part-
time research assistantships during academic year,
and coordinate the research projects during the
summer.

Goal 3Starting in 2021, the MMCC Program participants will actively engage communities in
the region through four primary & secondary education mentorship/community-based science
initiatives, and through cross-disciplinary collaborative research work groups.

Goal 3
Objectives Indicators/Signs of Success
By 2021, 100% of MMCC University
undergraduate participants will establish a
community service project with metropolitan
MMCC Project public schools or community
centers coordinating Summer science &
conservation programs for youth 10-18 years of
age.
-Consistent student participation (high attendance).
-Pre/post-summer assessments.
-Completion of Summer science project & student
exposition (science fair, mass media, or of
Community-based science projects, audio-visual
report, etc.).
-Active coordination, assistance, and programing
support from teachers, counselors, and/or parent-
guardians.
After 2024, 75% of MMCC Project graduates will
serve as mentors to MMCC Project High Schools
and B.S. students, while pursuing their career in
environmental conservation or natural resources
management.
-Participating MMCC conservation professionals
serving as a mentor for at least one student (public
school or undergraduate) who also participates in
the MMCC Program.
-Participating MMCC conservation professional
serving as a facilitator, mentor, or co-coordinator in
Summer science & conservation programs.
Between 2026-2030, we will retain three to five
MMCC Project University students per cohort
seeking a Masters and Doctoral degree to
participate in one of two MMCC collaborative
work groups. One collaborative work group will
-Identify community needs
- Identify skill sets needed to address need
- Identify potential partners & stakeholders
-project design
-team roles, communication,
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focus on urban conservation as a means to build
appreciation for the natural environment, and one
group will focus on implementing green
infrastructure to emphasize the feasibility of
investing in natural capital for densely populated
metropolitan areas.
-completed science/environmental education
community project
-completed green infrastructure or ecosystem
restoration project.


Audience The MMCC Pilot Project will be implemented in Pasco, a mixed urban/rural
metropolitan area in Franklin & Benton Counties, Washington (Fig. 1). The Kennewick-Pasco
Urbanized Area and incorporated surrounding area have a combined population of 210, 975
(Department of Commerce, 2012), and is
part of the Tri-Cities region. According to
U.S. Census Demographic and Housing
Estimates data, Franklin Countys
population is 51% Hispanic, 2% Asian,
1.9% Black, and .8% Native American or
Alaskan Native (Fig. 2 & 2008-12). A
review of the U.S. Census QuickFacts for Franklin County indicates that agriculture is the
biggest industry, employing 16.5% of the population. Only 69.6% of residents are high school
graduates and 14.8% college graduates, which is a marked contrast of 90% and 31.6%
respectively for the rest of the state (2008-12).

Although the long-term target
audiences for Pasco (and
beyond) are adolescents in
elementary, middle, and high
school, the short-term target
audience of the MMCC Pilot
Project should be minority high
school students with strong academic backgrounds between the ages of 16-18. This is the most
important target audience because as they leave the public school system, they making major
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decisions about their futures. Their decisions will be informed by their past experiences and
access to role models, mentors, and/or career counselors. They must weigh competing demands
and choose whether to enter the unskilled workforce, continue their education, find funding for
college, or select a college, as well as a field of study.

The target audience in
Franklin County belongs to
families of the market
segment whose parents are
mostly ethnically diverse
heads of households and
are engaged in agricultural
labor, entry-level service
related jobs, or a mix of white & blue-collar jobs. Their parents average age is 28 years old, and
their median household income is $31,719 (below the $50,500 median income for the area) (Fig.
3). Households are above average in size and number of members under 18 years of age (U.S.
Census QuickFacts, 2008-12 & Fig. 4). Leisure time activities for this market segment include
playing games/sports, eating at
fast-food restaurants, shopping
at discount chains and
convenience stores, surfing the
internet, watching television,
and listening to music. Parents
are likely to read parenting
books or magazines in Spanish
(Ser Padres), shop at Wal-Mart, and purchase childrens toys (Nielson Pop-Facts
Demographics, 2013).

Youth are very informed about the entertainment industry (music artists and movies), fashion
trends, and sports. Major artists from the entertainment and Hip-Hop culture have successfully
been used in marketing for the minority youth segment, for example Beyonc Knowles appeared
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in a series of Pepsi advertisements (Johnson, 2005). Passive methods of mass communication
like radio, broadcast, and cable television are very popular sources of entertainment and
information for youth. In addition, youth with an average command of computers may also be
well versed in the use of new media like Internet radio, YouTube, and social media (Johnson,
2005). Media communication about the environment is more likely to be successful if it appeals
to teens emotions, if it is presented in their native language or lexicon, and if trusted role model
celebrities deliver the message (Frankenberger & Sukhdial, 1994).

According to Frankberger & Sukhdial, Variations in geographic, demographic, psychological,
and behavioral characteristics among teens suggest the need for further segmentation for
targeted communication messages (1994, p. 140). Additionally, as adolescents mature and their
cognitive functions develop, they will be better able to respond to factual appeals in advertising,
rather than emotional appeal. As a result, messages will need to be adjusted over time to match
age and social settings. The next phase of the MMCC Program will require different message
characteristics (language complexity, straight-forward framing of key messages) for each
targeted segment that also corresponds to ethnic and cultural background.

Messages

Key Messages
Clean, Green, and Healthy communities create jobs, raise real and intrinsic value, and help
protect residents in densely populated areas from climate disasters. A career in Natural
Resources Management empowers you to make decisions that benefit you and your familys
future.
Science helps us understand the world around us! Every environment has a job that makes our
lives better.
If we protect the environment, the environment will protect us.

Arguments to Key Messages:
People are more important, and they need jobs. How can we invest in the future when people are
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starving now? Development brings jobs.
Why spend money on restoring ecosystems when no one cares about it? Green space is lost
space. Wetlands/deserts have too many bugs.


Spokespersons:
The MMCC Program messages will be more effective in changing attitudes and behavior about
the environment if the spokespersons are viewed as credible, likeable, and of similar cultural
backgrounds to the target audience (Frankenberger & Sukhdial, 1994). Different minority
groups will view different spokespersons as credible, likeable, or similar; therefore, hosting
focus groups with teens from the area may help identify the best candidates to carry the
conservation messages. Neil de Grasse Tyson, an African American, is a prominent
astrophysicist and host of Foxs popular remake of Cosmos, and he has potential to be an
Visual images:
Central Park as an example of urban greenspace. Appendix C

A creative tree graphic with caricatures of ecosystem services (shade, help
water filter down, reduce erosion, produce oxygen, etc.).
The Everglades with an approaching natural disaster (e.g. tropical storms) in the
distance.
MMCC Mass Media Statements:
Taking steps to clean and revive urban landscapes into greenscapes will benefit the community
by creating jobs, raising property value through clean air & water that sustains human health, and
helping protect residents from climate disasters. Everyone can choose to make their community
a better place.
Every environment has a job that makes our life better. Science helps us understand why the
environment is important!
If we protect the environment, the environment will protect us.
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effective spokesperson for the MMCC Program. Other spokespersons may come from the sports
or entertainment industry, like Mexican boxing star Juan Manuel Marquez, Mexican dance group
La Arrolldora Banda El Limn or R&B artist Nicki Minaj. Although a spokesperson that is
genuinely interested in science is most desirable, the spokesperson(s) should be selected based
on their ability to convince the target audience members that an education in the environmental
sciences is a way to elevate themselves and their communities.

Proposed Media:

The MMCC Pilot Project will target college-bound minority youth (16-18 years of age) in Pasco,
Washington and the surrounding urban/rural metropolitan area using print media and broadcast
media. The proposed media coverage for communicating the conservation message will be
regional, and will extend into the Tri-Cities (Franklin and Benton Counties). Mass media is a
means to shift cultural norms, attitudes, and behaviors, and has been used to reach youth
marketing segments to change attitudes and norms about smoking and HIV/AIDS prevention
(Frankenberger & Sukhdial, 1994). The target audience communications must be personalized
and prevalent in media that encompass their leisure activities (e.g. surfing the internet, watching
television, or listening to radio).

Advertisements will air on NBC-KNDO during peak target audience viewership (e.g. Family
Guy re-runs), local Spanish radio station KDNA-91.9FM, and internet radio advertisements on
tunein.com live stream of the radio station broadcasted in Spanish. The MMCC Pilot Program
will also maintain a website linking to conservation/science YouTube channels and to its
Facebook and Twitter accounts. Print media will include outdoor signs (billboards) within one
mile of high schools, ads in school publications (the back cover of academic year planners, the
scholarship section of school newspapers, yearbooks etc.), and sponsor community sports teams
(enabling the MMCC to place ads on team t-shirts & playing fields).

The MMCC Pilot Projects advertising and promotion campaign will need to develop a logo, a
brand, and a slogan. These will help build recognition of the MMCC Program, and will aid in
meeting advertising goals of informing, persuading, and reminding the target audience about
environmental conservation. The target audience likely has a low motivation to change their
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attitudes about conservation and natural resource management; therefore, advertising for the
MMCC Program will need to follow Peripheral Route of the Elaboration Likelihood Model
(Appendix A), wherein advertisements rely on simple peripheral cues (music, celebrity
endorsement, humor etc.) and emotional appeals to achieve marketing goals (Voyer, 2007).

Estimated Budget & Production Costs:

During the pilot phase of the MMCC Program, the communications campaign budget will be
focused on a specific audience background and age. A key aspect involves successfully
informing and persuading the target audience about the importance of environmental
conservation, employment opportunities, and the availability of support programs like the
MMCC Program at their high schools. As the MMCC Program expands, it will be necessary to
revisit the communications campaign media mix and budget, to ensure the media mix is
consistent with additional target audiences, because effective mass media communications vary
with culture (Leonard, Van Scotter, & Pakdil, 2009).

Forming alliances with similar initiatives in other regions that promote inclusion of
underrepresented minority groups in environmental conservation will bolster the strength of this
program. It will be important to integrate or model after the University of Arizonas Minority
Training Program and expand the partnership and commitment of agencies like the Fish &
Wildlife Service (Maughan, Bounds, Moreles, & Villeges, 2001). The Pasco-based MMCC
Program staff may make publicity communications decisions to reach the target audience
without additional costs. MMCC Program news releases and updates may be sent to the Tri-
Cities Herald newspaper to be featured in the Education Section of the paper and digital versions
of the newspaper. The MMCC Media Mix Budget in Table 1 includes paid advertisements of the
communications campaign. The Operation Budget is found in Appendix D.
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Table 1
MMCC Media Mix Budget
Target Audience: Minorities in Pasco, WA & the Tri-Cities
Media Type Age Estimate/ad Year 1
Estimate

8-11 12-15 16-18
Television TBD TBD
1 ad 5 days/week for
12 weeks of Winter
& Summer break
2K-100K/30sec
spot
$120,000
Radio TBD TBD
2 1 minute ads 5
days/week. Year
around. Non-school
hours.
100-200/min
78,000
School
Magazine,
Newspaper,
or Yearbook
TBD
12 ads per year $5k-20k/page
$60,000
Outdoor
Signs
TBD TBD
2 billboards. Year
around.
4-5k/30-60 days
$48,000
Internet
Radio
TBD TBD
2 30 second ads $50-200/ad per
thousand people
$400
Website TBD TBD
$200 / year in
domain &
webhost
$200
Facebook TBD TBD
1 Post/day Free

Didactic
Material
TBD TBD TBD
Booklets $700 /
300 color 8 pg
booklets
TBD
TOTAL $306,600


Stephens et al., 2006 pp. 204
Source for internet radio estimate: http://www.ehow.com/how_5806774_advertise-internet-radio.html,
accessed March 20, 2014.
Source for booklet cost estimate:
https://www.printingforless1.com/pricing/pages/catalogseight.aspx?__utma=18375032.1155038724.1395
637474.1395637474.1395637474.1&__utmb=18375032.1.10.1395637474&__utmc=18375032&__utmx
=-
&__utmz=18375032.1395637474.1.1.utmcsr=google|utmccn=(organic)|utmcmd=organic|utmctr=(not%2
0provided)&__utmv=-&__utmk=144897204 , accessed March 20, 2014.
Source for website setup: http://www.thesitewizard.com/gettingstarted/cost-setting-up-website.shtml
Source for online interactive didactic activities for teachers and students:
http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/lsps07.sci.life.oate.ecosystem/analyzing-an-ecosystem/
accessed March 20, 2014.

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MMCC Program Media Mix & Outreach Action Plan:

Once funding is approved for the first phase of the MMCC Program in Pasco, Washington and
the Tri-Cities, a Pasco-based MMCC Program staff needs to be hired. The staffs director will
charter a marketing, communications, and visual design team from within the staff and through
consultants. The implementation of this media mix communications campaign is an engagement
activity that helps reach Goal 1, Objective 1:

Establish a memorandum of understanding with the Public School District in four mixed
rural & urban metropolitan regions. In each Public School District, MMCC will
collaborate with three High Schools to engage 5 college-bound students at each high
school in community-based science initiatives.

MMCC Program Media Mix Action Plan
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
-22
Activities J
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Form MMCC Program staff in
Pasco (hiring, training & admin
tasks)
x
Establish contact with Franklin &
Benton County Public School
Districts
x
Identify Marketing and Comms
Team
x x
Select Logo Design & Slogans
which includes Key Messages
x
MMCC Website Design & Domain x
Activate MMCC Facebook account x
Hire broadcast media consultants
for radio and internet radio ads
x x
Hire broadcast media consultants
for television ads
x x
Design & Identify graphics to be
used on printed media
x x
Send out News Releases, KNDO
TV Interviews, Radio Interviews
x x x x x x
Start MMCC Program in 3 Tri-
Cities high schools (Goal 1, Obj.
2)
x x x x x x x x
ID four additional urban/rural
metro areas
x
Expand MMCC Program to other
urban/rural metro areas
x x x x

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Project Monitoring & Evaluation:

Monitoring Plan

The programs monitoring checklist is to be reviewed periodically throughout the lifecycle of the
MMCC Pilot Project to ensure milestones are being met, and to help facilitate communication
among the MMCC Program executive staff (Peace Corps, 2003, p. 101).

What to
monitor?
Things to verify How? Who will
verify?
When?
Staffing &
Administrative
requirements
Hiring of staff with
desired skill sets,
contracting budgets
approved, staff
training
Review staff personnel
files
MMCC Program
Director
Initial
implementation &
quarterly for the 1
st

year.
Materials and
Equipment
Inventories, receipts,
maintenance logs,
office supplies
Inventory ledgers,
accounting ledgers
Quarterly
Roles &
Responsibilities
Job descriptions
outlined,
Performance
Reviews , Job
contracts
Attendance, progress
on assigned tasks,
review and
implementation of
contracts, staff
feedback
MMCC Program
Director
Bi-weekly
Outreach to media
outlets in Pasco &
Tri-Cities
Ledgers & copies of
official correspondence
Quarterly
Budget Expenditures are
approved and w/in
budget
Bank statements,
checkbooks, and
Financial
spreadsheets/ledgers
MMCC Program
Director
Monthly
Media
Communications
Media
communication
portfolio
# and quality of non-
personal mass media
products created and
broadcasted on
schedule
Marketing,
communications,
and visual design
Team-Lead
Monthly
Interest &
motivation
Effectiveness of
Mass media
products and their
messages
Hits to website, fB.
Inquiries through
school, interest and
participation in MMCC
Program in High
Schools, participation
in contests
Community-based
Science Initiative
Coordinator
Bi-weekly
Training &
Education of
MMCC Program
participants
Level of knowledge,
participation in
events, # of
community events,
increased interest in
science &
conservation
Pre & post survey
results, membership
(new students and
community members)
Community-based
Science Initiative
Coordinator
Monthly

Running head: CULTURAL DIVERSITY IN CONSERVATION 17

Evaluation Plan

The programs evaluation checklist is reviewed after the first and second year of the MMCC
Pilot Project in Pasco to assess whether the goals and objectives are being been met, and to
measure the impact of the project (Peace Corps, 2003, p. 101). Adaptive management strategies
should be employed as the MMCC Program expands to other mixed rural/urban
Metropolitan areas.
Key Question for MMCC
Project In Pasco, WA
Quantita
tive-
Qualitati
ve Info
Sources of Info Methods to
Collect Info
Who
participates
/When
Where the goals and objectives met?
Was the communications campaign
effective in informing the target
audience about science and
conservation? Were students
persuaded to participate in projects?
Did participants choose to go to
college and major in Environmental
Conservation or Natural Resource
Management?
Qualitative
and
quantitative
MMCC Program
participants, Outreach
Coordinator, high
school counselors,
disclosure of college
applications
Interviews,
survey,
following-up
with students
who enter their
1
st
year of at an
MMCC partner
college.
Outreach
coordinator at
bi-weekly
meetings and
events. The
Director at the
end of the
academic year.
Did the MMCC Program have a
positive effect in the minority
community in Pasco?
Qualitative Teachers, community
partners, media
coverage, project
benefactors (e.g.
younger students)
Feedback in
interviews.
MMCC
Program staff
Qualitative Graduation rate, college
applications,
participation in MMCC
partner college /
universities
Public School
District,
MMCC Project
Statistics in
Pasco
MMCC Project
staff
Did the MMCC Pilot Project link the
local government, private industry,
and the community members to meet
shared goals of using science and
conservation to develop and prepare
youth for continued education?
Quantitativ
e
Number of businesses,
NGOs, and local
governments who
participate in MMCC
Project initiatives;
number of collaborative
initiatives.
MMCC Project
Statistics in
Pasco & event
rooster, event
sponsors.
MMCC Project
staff
What were the key decisions and
how did they influence the project?
What were the alternatives
Qualitative MMCC Project staff,
public/private sector
participants
Group
discussions,
feedback,
surveys
MMCC Project
staff
Running head: CULTURAL DIVERSITY IN CONSERVATION 18

Summary:
Promoting cultural diversity in environmental conservation and natural resource professions is an
important factor in appropriately managing our nations natural resources and ensuring a healthy
and optimal quality of life for all segments of our citizenry. This initiative aims for widespread
efforts to tackle social and economic inequality through environmental conservation. The
MMCC Program will result in the creation of more diverse collaborative workgroups. Along the
same vane, laying a strong foundation for the MMCC Program will require interdisciplinary
work with professionals from different fields and from government, nongovernment, academia,
and private sectors. Full financial support and a commitment from natural resource professionals
to work with the MMCC Program outreach staff and the public school system will need to be
implemented during Phase I. Programs like the MMCC can effectively change attitudes,
behaviors, and culture over the long-term with consistent support. Therefore, the MMCC
Program will need to be supported by politicians, government agencies, education professionals,
private foundations, conservation professionals, citizen activists, and private industry. Specific
challenges to the MMCC Program and other social and Science-based initiatives are government
budget-cuts and politically-based anti-science communications campaigns. One such campaign,
run by Beacon Hill Institute (BHI), produces scientific studies that consistently refute the
viability of renewable energy and evidence of greenhouse gasses as a factor in climate change; a
recent BHIs grant application cites measures of success as media recognition and political
activity that will pare back or repeal greenhouse gas initiatives (Ackerman, 2014). These and
all such efforts must be met with strong pro-science communications and initiatives, and
scientists must be willing to participate in this important campaign; the enduring success of
conservation depends upon it.



Running head: CULTURAL DIVERSITY IN CONSERVATION 19

References
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hacking-science
Adams, C. E. & M. Moreno. (1998). A Comparative Study of Natural Resource
Professionals in Minority and Majority Groups in the Southeastern United States. Wildlife
Society Bulletin. 26(4), 971-981.
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Running head: CULTURAL DIVERSITY IN CONSERVATION 21

Appendix A





Source: Walker & Salt, 2012, pp. 8
Running head: CULTURAL DIVERSITY IN CONSERVATION 22



Appendix B







Source: Telis, 1998 (as cited in Voyer, 2007)
Running head: CULTURAL DIVERSITY IN CONSERVATION 23

Appendix C
Sample Visual Images for the MMCC Program Media Mix















The Gates in Central Park.
Source:
http://raichart.com/blog/nfblog//__HOMEDIR__/www/b
log/nfblog/wp-content/uploads/2007/01/DSCF0032.JPG,
accessed March 27, 2014.
Source:
http://theriverwhisperer.blogspot.com/2012/0
1/ecosystem-services-provided-by-
urban.html, accessed March 24, 2014.
The Everglades National Park. Source:
http://www.tropicalconservancy.com/?p=95, accessed March, 24,
2014.
Running head: CULTURAL DIVERSITY IN CONSERVATION 24

Appendix D
Draft Operational Budget for All Phases of the MMCC Program


Table 2.
MMCC Operational Budget
Phase 1- Lift Off Cost
Staff Salary
(Director/Liaison,
Youth outreach,
marketing & Web
administrator)
4 Person staff @
$15/hour, 40 hours a
week
$9,600 / month
Staff benefits 3.1% of salary 74.4/employee
Office Space $800/month rental $800/month
Office equipment
and supplies
4 computer, 1 printer,
furniture, office tools
$4,000 + $1,000
supply & maintenance
/ year
Travel
Reimbursement &
Per Diem
.68/mile & 30/day
Phase I I - Science & School are Cool
Monthly materials
for community based
projects
TBD $2,000/year
Transportation
Costs of MMCC
Students
$120/day van rental $600/year
Incidental meals for
MMCC Students
during projects
$10/student/meal time $500/year
Phase I I I - Choosing to Study Conservation


Phase VI - A Career in Conservation

Phase V- Conservation Research in Collaborative Groups