protect our ponds: a community- based social marketing ... · improve water quality . the challenge...
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Protect Our Ponds: A community-based social marketing task force to
improve water quality
The challenge of controlling nutrients from stormwater runoff
The stormwater system links all of the yards in the neighborhood
Floridians apply 35 million pounds of nitrogen to their yards every year
The fertilizer/algae connection
Nutrient pollution in Florida waterways
Removing nutrients from stormwater is expensive
Several baffle boxes have been installed through Martin County to filter runoff water. Workers here install the concrete lid of a baffle box. Officials hope a stricter fertilizing ban could eventually reduce the need for these efforts.
Closer to Home: Fertilizer and nuisance algae
Solutions must use a combination of approaches
1. Government mandates that target behavior 2. Education about stormwater and landscape
connection 3. Technological solutions combined with community
engagement 4. Improving performance of ponds through
landscaping (buffer planting, littoral and aquatic) 5. Controlling nutrients at the source through
behavior change 6. Recognize that the cultural practices of turf grass
management is greatest barrier to behavior change
Controlling nutrient runoff is key to water quality efforts
What behaviors need to change?
1. Follow the summer fertilizer blackout to reduce runoff
2. Control grass clippings (in street and ponds)
3. Install buffer zone around ponds
4. Increase aquatic plants to uptake nutrients
Increasing shoreline and aquatic plants are the long term solution
Benefits of planted buffer around ponds
• Absorb nutrients
• Prevents fertilizer from
directly entering the
pond
• Littoral plants pump
oxygen into water and
create habitats
• Control nuisance
vegetation
• Provide shoreline
habitat
Qualitative research
Any kind of research that produces findings not arrived at by means of statistical procedures or other means of quantification (Strauss and Corbin 1990).
Where quantitative researchers seek causal determination, prediction, and generalization of findings, qualitative researchers seek instead illumination, understanding, and extrapolation to similar situations (Hoepfl 1997)
Why is qualitative research relevant?
Formative
Engages participants
Describes behaviors in ways quantitative research cannot
Makes quantitative research better
Focus group questions
• What do you like about your neighborhood and your landscape?
• What would you change? What prevents you?
• What do you enjoy about the “lakes”?
• Interaction with landscape contractor
• What is your reaction to different types of landscaping around ponds?
Participant characteristics
• 26 men, 11 women
• Almost all lived on a “lake”
• Average time in home was 10 years
• Most had served in HOA governance
• None did their own landscaping
• Half in “maintenance free” neighborhoods
Cultural & social norms • Value interaction with
neighbors (what neighbors think)
• Appreciation for restrictions-
controlled/consistent
environment- fit in with
neighborhood aesthetics
• Pride of ownership- manicured
look and good upkeep
• Pride in neighborhood and
community
• Wildlife highly valued
Perceptions of algae problem in their backyard ponds
• “Cruddy”, “swampish”, “scummy”, “ a health issue”
• “We’ve had social gatherings at the house and people have made comments… what’s up with your swamp out there”
• ..the smell off of those lakes will take your breath away.
Barriers to shoreline buffers
• Neighbors won’t like it
• Blocks view of the water
• Plants will get out of control
• Cost of maintenance
• Unwanted wildlife
What contributes to the problem? • Design of stormwater systems (everyone
connected)
• Landscaping dominated by turf
• HOA rules that encourage intensive watering and fertilizing of turf
• Landscaping on ponds that makes natural function difficult
• Homeowner preference for one kind of landscape
• Homeowner knowledge about the connection between fertilizer and algae growth is limited
• Maintenance practices cause additional problems
Survey Findings
• 44% of respondents (on-pond n = 429 & off-pond n = 268) did not know landscapers in Manatee County are required to be certified
• 24% have talked to their landscapers about keeping fertilizer away from sidewalks, curbs, and ponds
• 12% have talked to their landscapers about keeping grass clippings out of stormwater drains and ponds
Survey Findings
• Residents who have talked with their landscapers about keeping fertilizer or grass clippings out of stormwater drains and ponds tend to be those who knew that landscapers in Manatee County must be certified
• No other variable (such as age, gender, income, ethnicity, or environmental attitude score) was significantly associated with the likelihood of talking with a landscaper about these issues
0.5
23.1
20.1
18.8
22.4
15.2
5.1
16.3
16.1
48.5
10.7
3.3
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
No valid response
Very Unlikely
Unlikely
Undecided
Likely
Very Likely
Percent Respondents On Ponds
Shoreline Plants
Neighbors
Respondent
How likely are you, your neighbors to accept or request…
0.5
27
16.5
18.5
22.1
15.4
4.4
17.9
13.9
50.1
9.5
4.2
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
No valid response
Very Unlikely
Unlikely
Undecided
Likely
Very Likely
Percent of Respondents On Ponds
Aquatic Plants
Neighbors
Respondent
How likely are you, your neighbors to accept or request…
Social marketing approach to promote compliance with county ordinance
Audience: HOA leadership that hires contractors
Homeowners to help monitor
Landscape contractors
Employees
Behaviors: control grass clippings and debris and comply with fertilizer blackout
Product: Clean ponds, no more algae
Barriers: Change in established practices, more involvement by HOA and homeowners, surveillance
Must have buy-in from community leaders
Engaging in community events
Protect Our Ponds Science Cafe
Walkabout educational activities
Social marketing websites • The Social Marketing Institute
(social-marketing.org)
• Fostering Sustainable Behavior (cbsm.com)
• Tools of Change (toolsofchange.com)
• socialmarketingquarterly.com
• waterwordsthatwork
• On Social Marketing and Social Change
(socialmarketing.blogs.com)
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