Protecting Pennsylvania’s Protecting Pennsylvania’s Streams: People, Perceptions Streams: People, Perceptions

and Preservationand Preservation

Our Tag TeamOur Tag Team

CAC and CNRAC coordinating in an effort to CAC and CNRAC coordinating in an effort to encourage better coordination between our encourage better coordination between our respective departmentsrespective departments

CAC: CAC: – Cynthia Carrow, Jolene Chinchilli, Sue WilsonCynthia Carrow, Jolene Chinchilli, Sue Wilson

CNRAC:CNRAC:– Kurt LeitholfKurt Leitholf

Overview

Synopsis of the two councils.

The role of public perception in stream protection.

Barriers to interagency cooperation in watershed protection.

Importance of community support for land and water conservation as an essential component of watershed protection planning.

What are the CAC and CNRAC?What are the CAC and CNRAC?

The Citizens Advisory Council was legislatively The Citizens Advisory Council was legislatively created in 1971 as part of Act 275, which created the created in 1971 as part of Act 275, which created the original Department of Environmental Resourcesoriginal Department of Environmental Resources

The Conservation and Natural Resources Advisory The Conservation and Natural Resources Advisory Council was legislatively created in 1995 as part of Act Council was legislatively created in 1995 as part of Act 18, which created the Department of Conservation and 18, which created the Department of Conservation and Natural ResourcesNatural Resources

Each provides advice to its respective department, Each provides advice to its respective department, the Governor, and the General Assembly on the Governor, and the General Assembly on environmental and natural resource issues.environmental and natural resource issues.

Who are the CAC and CNRAC?Who are the CAC and CNRAC?

Each Council is comprised of 18 appointed citizen Each Council is comprised of 18 appointed citizen volunteers appointed by the:volunteers appointed by the: Governor, Governor, President Pro Tempore of the Senate, and President Pro Tempore of the Senate, and Speaker of the House of RepresentativesSpeaker of the House of Representatives

The Secretary of the respective department is the The Secretary of the respective department is the 19th member19th member

Membership is to be geographically, politically, Membership is to be geographically, politically, and professionally diverseand professionally diverse

What do we do?What do we do?

Review Pennsylvania’s environmental, conservation and natural Review Pennsylvania’s environmental, conservation and natural resource laws and make recommendations for revision, modification & resource laws and make recommendations for revision, modification & codificationcodification

Study the work of their respective department and make Study the work of their respective department and make recommendations for improvement – Council is to have access to all recommendations for improvement – Council is to have access to all department documents, papers, records, etc. for this purposedepartment documents, papers, records, etc. for this purpose

Five CAC members are elected to serve as the only non-governmental Five CAC members are elected to serve as the only non-governmental representatives on the Environmental Quality Board (EQB), the representatives on the Environmental Quality Board (EQB), the rulemaking arm of DEP. CAC also sits on a number of other single-rulemaking arm of DEP. CAC also sits on a number of other single-issue advisory committeesissue advisory committees

The Role of Public The Role of Public Perception in Stream Perception in Stream

ProtectionProtection

Why aren’t the facts enough?Why aren’t the facts enough?

Why is Perception Important?Why is Perception Important?

With public sentiment, nothing can fail; With public sentiment, nothing can fail; without it, nothing can succeed.without it, nothing can succeed.

----Abraham LincolnAbraham Lincoln

Politics is about belief, not facts. Politics is about belief, not facts.

--Andrew Jackson --Andrew Jackson

Public Perception:Public Perception:

Can influence the level and quality of public Can influence the level and quality of public participation and acceptanceparticipation and acceptance

Can either help or hinder working together Can either help or hinder working together with government or businesswith government or business

Can sometimes be frustratingCan sometimes be frustrating Is not always accurate, but not necessarily Is not always accurate, but not necessarily

irrationalirrational Incorporates a variety of qualitative factors Incorporates a variety of qualitative factors

Factors Influencing Public Factors Influencing Public Perception Perception

KnowledgeKnowledge AcceptabilityAcceptability AvailabilityAvailability PresentationPresentation Personal ExperiencePersonal Experience TrustTrust Individual vs. Societal PerspectiveIndividual vs. Societal Perspective

KnowledgeKnowledge

For most people, factual information exerts For most people, factual information exerts relatively little effect on estimates and relatively little effect on estimates and tolerance of risks.tolerance of risks.

Initial impressions extraordinarily persistent Initial impressions extraordinarily persistent – even in face of contrary evidence– even in face of contrary evidence

Experts vs. General Public Experts vs. General Public

(know your audience) (know your audience)

AcceptabilityAcceptability

ImmediacyImmediacy Availability of alternativesAvailability of alternatives FamiliarityFamiliarity OutrageOutrage DreadDread Voluntary vs. involuntaryVoluntary vs. involuntary Potential for error or abusePotential for error or abuse

AvailabilityAvailability

Easy to imagine or recallEasy to imagine or recall Dramatic or sensationalDramatic or sensational Familiar vs. new or exotic Familiar vs. new or exotic

Personal ExperiencePersonal Experience

People tend to exaggerate their personal People tend to exaggerate their personal immunity to hazardsimmunity to hazards

Accidents happen to “others”Accidents happen to “others” Personal experience tells them they are Personal experience tells them they are

“above average”“above average” DenialDenial

TrustTrust

Trust in experts, agencies and industry Trust in experts, agencies and industry erodederoded

Adversarial context exaggerates Adversarial context exaggerates disagreements disagreements

People uncomfortable with uncertaintyPeople uncomfortable with uncertainty Hindsight biasHindsight bias

Individual vs. Societal PerspectiveIndividual vs. Societal Perspective

Experts or agencies take societal Experts or agencies take societal perspectiveperspective

Public prefers to individualize people and Public prefers to individualize people and the risks they facethe risks they face

Abstract statistical evidence not cognitively Abstract statistical evidence not cognitively convincing in light of personal experienceconvincing in light of personal experience

ExampleExample

Removal of low head damsRemoval of low head dams

• Cultural issuesCultural issues• FamiliarityFamiliarity• VoluntaryVoluntary• Personal ExperiencePersonal Experience

Lessons LearnedLessons Learned

Experts may have all the facts, but not all the Experts may have all the facts, but not all the possible perspectives. Engage variety of possible perspectives. Engage variety of stakeholders.stakeholders.

Know your audience. Don’t present information Know your audience. Don’t present information in terms meaningful only to experts.in terms meaningful only to experts.

Don’t underestimate the importance of social, Don’t underestimate the importance of social, cultural and economic factors.cultural and economic factors.

Lessons LearnedLessons Learned

Give the public meaningful information, Give the public meaningful information, opportunities for defining the problem and opportunities for defining the problem and evaluating alternative approaches. This gives evaluating alternative approaches. This gives them some control over the situation. them some control over the situation.

Appearance matters. What will a protected Appearance matters. What will a protected watershed look like? Incorporate characteristics watershed look like? Incorporate characteristics that the public values and expects to see. that the public values and expects to see.

Cooperation is necessary; coordination is often Cooperation is necessary; coordination is often difficult. difficult.

Overcoming Barriers to Interagency Cooperation in Watershed Protection CNRAC and CAC recently collaborated on a

review of interagency coordination and cooperation

We offered recommendations to improve interagency communication, coordination and ultimately the effectiveness of agency programs created to protect our natural resources

Agency Priority Setting

Finding: while both agencies are charged with protecting natural resources, they have no common vision and/or mission in grant-making at the central office level

Recommendation: The agencies should identify, stress the value of, and formalize opportunities for joint communication and coordination in grant-making

Interagency Administrative Consistency

Finding: It is difficult for applicants to go through the application process due to varying grant cycles, award timing issues and other administrative inconsistencies.

Recommendation: DEP and DCNR should pursue compatible data systems that can be easily shared with the other agency

Outcome: E-grants

DEP and DCNR have signed a joint Memorandum of Agreement to pool resources to make online grants management happen over the next year and a half.

Cross agency teams have started meeting to identify the steps to create self-service functionality for grantees and significant workload/workflow enhancements for grants management staff.

Communication with External Partners

Finding: Organizations that have learned how to be proactive in their communications with agency grant staff, and in the grant application process generally, have been more successful in receiving grants than those that tend to be more reactive to department grant announcements.

Recommendations: – Be proactive in communicating with grant and technical

staff; know who to talk to– Support and encourage joint agency grant workshops,

training and outreach to assist in attracting mutually beneficial and agency-coordinated grant applications

Rivers Conservation Planning

Finding: Both agencies recognize the value of the RCP process. The resulting plans would be more easily implemented if they were to include better data and specific measurable goals.

RCP Recommendations

Future RCP grant awards should:– Require involvement of key staff from both

agencies, appropriate external partners and the conservation districts’ Watershed Specialist in the planning process through completion

– Clearly define what information DEP needs for implementation purposes

– Prioritize funding for the implementation of those RCPs that are updated

Leveraging Resources

Finding: Many are frustrated with the lack of sufficient funding being provided by the agencies for local education, administrative, implementation and outreach efforts

Recommendation: – Encourage foundations to partner with the agencies to

develop support strategies to address local match, education and outreach, administration.

– Providing support for project administration would help assure long term commitment to implementing key projects and providing administrative accountability.

Sustainability

Finding: Both agencies need to better measure the value gained from the grants awarded.

Recommendations: – Both agencies should evaluate the measurable

outcomes of grant projects to demonstrate the effectiveness of the grant programs.

– The agencies should jointly develop a framework to evaluate and ensure the long-term sustainability of the environmental outcomes of projects funded by grants.

Land and Water Conservation and Public OutreachLessons Learned

Historical Approach Before mid-1990’s• Top down• Quietly acquiring land

o Keep prices downo Third party transactions

• Complete deal/transfer to public agency (if applicable) before public was aware

Mid-1990s Public Push Back Regional Experience:

• Skepticism and distrust• Resentment for dictating land use• Negative local attitudes

o Don’t want or need outsiders working in our area

o Don’t want or need outsiders dictating our land use

o Too much public land

Continued…..

oAdding public land takes more land off tax rollsoAdding public land takes land out of inventory for

potential developmentoDon’t trust government oPerceived “ownership” of landoDon’t want increased tourism through more public landoNonprofits make money on transfers to public agencies

Negative public sentiment resulted in:• Circulation of inaccurate information• Formation of anti-land-conservation

groups • Local detractors• Efforts to block transactions• Public policy development • Growing Greener II DCNR funding

Overcoming Difficult Barriers

Develop local outreach strategy including:

• Development of key messages for consistent communication

• Building local relationships and awareness of conservation work and priorities

omediaolegislatorsocounty commissionsolocal groupsocommunity influencers

• Identifying and engaging local champions

Understand local community goals

• Determine local community issues and needs

• Understand drivers of local economy

• Understand the local demographics

• Determine how to assist with local needs and issues

• Be knowledgeable of county comprehensive plans

• Be visible in the community

• Offer to speak at local Rotary and other groups

• Attend local events

• Read local papers

Consider conservation alternatives to respond to community concerns

• Conservation easements to keep lands on the tax tolls

• Retain property and pay the taxes

• Retain property and manage as a working landscape

• Enter into land management agreements with private property owners

Navigating public outreach around specific land acquisition transactions

(transfers to public agencies and/or state funded)

• Engage a local group to help execute outreach• Early outreach to legislators in confidence--- heads up without specifics• Outreach to township supervisors, school districts, and county commissions when agreements signed (long process)

o One on one meetingso Attend regular meetings and present project with local partnero Secure letter of supporto Include outreach requirements in confidentiality agreements

• Optimize public access

Contact Info:Contact Info:

Kurt Leitholf—CNRAC Kurt Leitholf—CNRAC kleitholf@state.pa.us

Cynthia CarrowCynthia Carrowccarrow@paconserve.org

Jolene ChinchilliJolene Chinchillichinchilli@verizon.net

Sue Wilson—CAC Sue Wilson—CAC suswilson@state.pa.us