RESULTS Nature Education in Oakland County, Parks and Recreation Leanna Popp 1, Dr. Dan McCole 2, Dr. Gail Vander Stoep 3, and Jon Noyes 4 Literature Review Benefits of nature education were organized by: Health Education Economy Community Absence of classification system for nature education Inventory and Classification of 31 Nature Education Providers Case Study: KNC and PCCI Key Lessons: To establish a niche, identify current strengths or unique assets of the organization. Then dedicate focus, time, and resources toward being the best provider of that service Approach services of a non-profit with a for-profit business model and create a business plan Practice constant and thorough evaluation. Evaluate viability of programs based on relevance to mission and net revenue (See Figure 3) 1-3 Michigan State University, 480 Wilson Rd, East Lansing, MI Oakland County Parks and Recreation Commission, 2800 Watkins Lake Road Waterford, MI Map 2.Three zones of 10, 15, and 20 miles were identified. Cities within these zones are likely to hold competitors as well as potential consumer markets. The Nature Education project is a partnership between Oakland County Parks and Recreation Commission (OCPRC) and the Community, Agriculture, Recreation Resources Studies (CARRS) Department of Michigan State University Goal: provide data for OCPRC to make informed decisions about the future of their nature-based education services, and Wint Nature Center INTRODUCTION How can OCPRC best meet the nature education needs of Oakland County residents? What is the value of nature education in Oakland County, and how can this be demonstrated to OCPRC decision makers? Can nature education be approached regionally, where the needs of OC residents are met collaboratively rather than competitively? Which market needs are saturated, and which are under- represented? PROBLEMS 1.An analysis of literature on the benefits of nature-based education 2.Examination of OC demographics and 2010 Census data 3.Inventory of nature and outdoor education providers in OC and surrounding area 4.Interviews and visits at the Kalamazoo Nature Center and the Pierce Cedar Creek Institute Figure 1. Process Diagram APPROACH Figure 3. Service Value Model, provided by KNC CEO/President Bill Rose, "Kalamazoo Nature Center." Personal interview. July Examples: Recommendations Market-driven programs: Multi-generational programs: Older people have a strong desire for opportunities to pass on information to younger generations while also learning from them. Off-site (outreach): Become a traveling nature center by offering interpretive services that travel to different locations as the need presents itself and are unattached to any certain location. Program topics: Workshops on topics of interest to community members (e.g., composting, organic gardening, green cleaning etc.). Examples: Evaluation Questions What to think about when considering a new program: What are the opportunity costs? What will you not be able to do because of the investment (time, energy, financial, etc.) in this new program? What to think about when considering a fundraiser: What messages will you try to communicate to potential donors? Is this something that will be interesting for them to participate in or might it be perceived as a burden? RECOMMENDATION & EVALUATION QUESTIONS Map 1. Oakland County Nature Education Services were classified according to: Facilities Target Audience Revenue sources Program Types Program Topics On-site or off-site Other IMPLICATIONS This analysis has allowed conclusions to be made regarding the provision of nature-based education in and around Oakland County. The overall result of the data suggests that there are services/subjects in each of the categories (facilities, revenue sources, program types, program topics, other services, and target audience), that may be over- provided or under-represented in the community. Services under- represented in the inventory provide opportunities for OCPRC to expand or change its nature-based education providing services. Primary service areas under-represented: Target market- Adult/senior education, teachers, college students Off-site (outreach) interpretive programs Program topics in emerging areas of interest- new topics in areas of art, trade, politics, ‘green’/sustainability etc. that may integrate with natural science or resources Integration with technology In order to address these recommendations, a set of recommendations for nature education in OC was developed.