Opportunities and Limitations

Bruce Lauber

Objectives Identify factors that organizations believe influence their capacity to

engage in AIS outreach Identify ways that non-outreach organizations do or could contribute to

AIS outreach

Methods Telephone interviews

Outreach organizations Non-outreach organizations

Interview Respondents: Outreach 8 nongovernmental organizations 5 extension 4 local government 4 state and provincial fish and wildlife agencies 3 Sea Grant 3 state parks agencies 2 federal government 2 state transportation agencies 2 soil and water conservation districts 2 other

Interview Respondents: Non-Outreach 113 boating facilities 6 angling and boating organizations 95 bait dealers

Results Outreach Organizations

Capacity – strengths and limitations Non-outreach Organizations

Capacity - opportunities

Capacity Commitment Legitimacy Resources

Commitment Whatever it takes. And even if we lose sleep and we don’t get paid for

everything, we have to do this because it’s for the good of the resource, which is our beloved water, our creeks, and our lake.

Legitimacy External

Legitimacy The big lack I think is creating laws, an actual deterrent for the transfer of

these species. If you could be ticketed if your boat’s driving down the road and it’s muddy and it’s got vegetation on it, that’s motivation for somebody that may not care about invasive species or they don’t see the value in it…

Legitimacy External Internal

Legitimacy Their executive staff was not in favor of that, and still is not in favor of

that, and so the education work that is done is very regionalized. Which is fine but there’s no central direction for that. Or resources.

Resources Funding

Resources The last couple of years we’re seeing a lot of the organizations that we used

to work with unfortunately aren’t there or have been cut to the bone because of the recession and the loss of whatever was funding them.

Resources Funding Staff

Resources I would say the limitation … of the Watercraft Steward Program is that we

can only be at one launch 40 hours a week … I know we would love to have more stewards in more places for longer hours.

Resources Funding Staff Information

Resources Much of what we’re talking about is driven by research that’s been

conducted by Sea Grant researchers. So … we are bringing science-based information… So I think that’s a strength. Certainly the fact that many of us … have put a great deal of time and energy into staying up to date on the information.

Collaboration Benefits

Contact with target audiences

Collaboration Benefits That program is targeted to two general groups: one group being teaching

the county Cooperative Extension educators about invasive species issues so they can become the multipliers of giving that information out. The second audience is … members of PRISMs … the PRISM winds up being the multiplier.

Collaboration Benefits

Contact with target audiences Materials

Collaboration Benefits The NYIS website has great, great information on it. It’s all print on

demand. If somebody calls me and says, “Can you send me 500 factsheets?” I’m going to say, “No, but you can print them out on your printer.” … The product is there.

Collaboration Benefits

Contact with target audiences Materials Consistency

Collaboration Benefits When you talk about the Stop Aquatic Hitchhiker campaign and you talk

about the New York Invasive Species Clearinghouse website, I think in some regard they’re as successful as they are because we don’t have resources… In the ‘90s … you never knew what you were going to get next… It was all basically the same concept but with a different logo and a little different focus … We have seen success … because … people don’t have the resources to be as creative on their own.

Collaboration Challenges

Competition

Collaboration Challenges When we work with some of these other organizations, it is a little tricky

because some of us compete for the same grants. So that can sort of damage relationships and the relationships are hard to build… And that definitely influences the perspective received by our audience and how we can be effective sometimes.

Collaboration Challenges

Competition Poor communication

Collaboration Challenges At the time that we needed this was in February. Whether [they] had a rack

card at that time I’m not even aware… ‘Cause they didn’t come out in a massive email to all outreach coordinators… So I’m not sure how it was supposed to travel through or across my desk… I’m glad it did eventually, but it wasn’t a systematic way.

Boating Facilities 74% moderately or very concerned about AIS 69% think it is moderately or very important to educate users 62% communicate AIS outreach messages

10,000 slips “Inspect” and “Remove”

44% have boat cleaning facilities 62% would like to do more to educate users

Brochures or pamphlets Signs

51% don’t know who to contact

Angling and Boating Organizations 5 of 6 very concerned about AIS 6 of 6 think it is very important to educate members 5 of 6 communicate AIS outreach messages

“Drain” and “Dry” 6 of 6 would like to do more to educate members

Brochures or pamphlets Information Speakers

Need materials and limited by time

Bait Dealers 95% moderately or very concerned about AIS 58% have a good understanding of AIS issues 56% communicate AIS outreach messages

51% talk one on one to customers 49% communicate what to do with unwanted baitfish

Conclusions Strengths

Commitment Information

Limitations Funding and staffing Facilities for implementing recommendations

Opportunities Collaboration Marinas and bait dealers