Barrier 5: Agency lacks expertise and knowledge to provide outdoor recreational experiences that serve broader constituencies

Many agencies lack the capacity (expertise, staffing, resources) to design, test, and implement outdoor recreational opportunities that nontraditional audiences are interested in and that are compatible with conservation priorities. This constrains the ability of the agency to engage with and serve broader constituencies.

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Strategy 1: Obtain expertise and knowledge to provide outdoor recreational experiences that serve broader constituencies.

Agencies need to provide outdoor recreational experiences to broader constituencies to help them understand the importance of and their connections to conservation.

Step 1: Understand the diversity and changing nature of outdoor recreational experiences desired by broader constituencies.

Tactic 1: Define the scope and authority of agencies to provide outdoor recreational opportunities.

Agencies need to understand and define what types of outdoor recreational experiences they can or are willing to offer. Some agencies may not offer certain experiences or amenities because they are not legally able, is inconsistent with the agency’s mission or because they are offered by another agency.

Tactic 2: Identify the types and locations of experiences desired by constituents.

Routinely conduct social science inquiries to document constituents’ current and desired interest and participation in outdoor recreational experiences. Users of public lands should be surveyed routinely to reveal changing interests. Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plans can be an important resource. The U.S. Forest Service has an online interactive map to locate hiking, biking, and horseback riding trails, fishing and picnic sites, and wildlife viewing sites on national forests.

Tactic 3: Identify expertise needed to develop effective outdoor experiences.

Experts (e.g., social scientists, youth and adult education program designers, park planners) should be consulted to identify the type of expertise and knowledge needed to design, implement, and evaluate effective outdoor recreational experiences.

Tactic 4: Learn from other organizations offering similar experiences.

Data and expert opinion from other agencies and organizations that are implementing programs should be gathered, analyzed, and applied as appropriate. Outdoor recreational experiences in other regions or countries should be monitored to explore potential new outdoor recreational offerings.

Tactic 5: Assess and address conflicts among constituents.

Some constituents may have concerns about others having access to agency properties, concerns about conflicting use of agency resources, or incorrect information about other resource users. Assess and address real and potential conflicts among constituents about expanding programs and services to broader constituencies.

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Agency capacity success story: minority outreach manager

South Carolina Department of Natural Resources has hired a minority outreach manager to work with the Hispanic and Latino community. They have a Spanish version of their website and have provided cultural awareness training to staff.

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Step 2: Design and create outdoor recreational programs and services that engage and better serve current and broader constituencies.

Tactic 1: Acquire resources to design and implement outdoor recreational programs.

Acquire the needed expertise and knowledge to design, implement, market, and evaluate outdoor recreational experiences using either in-house expertise or through contractual arrangements.

Tactic 2: Leverage partners to design and implement programs.

An agency may lack capacity or expertise to design, test, and implement new or expanded outdoor recreational experiences that constituents have identified as important. The agency can partner with other agencies or organizations to design, implement, and manage outdoor recreation experiences in which broader constituencies are interested.

Tactic 3: Market outdoor programs to appropriate audiences.

Outdoor recreation programs and services should be marketed to constituents using methods that are most appropriate for them. Include explicit conservation messaging as a part of outdoor recreational experiences, including messaging related to how the public benefits from fish and wildlife conservation.

Step 3: Monitor and measure participation and desired conservation outcomes in outdoor recreation experiences by all constituents and use that information to adapt current and future programs and services.

Tactic 1: Leverage resources from other programs.

The intersection or complementarity of new outdoor recreational experiences with existing programs and services should be determined. Resources and expertise should be shared or leveraged whenever possible.

Tactic 2: Monitor, evaluate, and adjust.

Program participation and satisfaction should be monitored using appropriate evaluation metrics. Desired conservation outcomes should be assessed in all outdoor recreational experiences offered by the agency. Insight gained should be used to modify and improve programs and services.

© Texas Parks & Wildlife Department

Agencies must work to understand the diversity and changing nature of outdoor recreational experiences desired by broader constituencies

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