A Concoction of Culture, Community and Conservation

A Spicy Recipe for Improving Environmental Justice

Tamberly Conway, M.S. Conservation Education Specialist USDA Forest Service Environmental Justice: Reaching Our New Constituencies

A Recipe for Success

Gather information from the community and integrate their input into projects and programs Develop and nurture non-traditional partnerships Use the I-Triad for connecting community Stir the pot!

Youth Leadership in Nature Challenge (YouthLINC) sowing seeds at NRCS Plant Materials Center

Justification
Federal Requirements Regarding Minority Participation Executive Order 12862 Setting Customer Standards identify potential minority customer survey for kind and quality of service desired provide customer satisfaction equal to private sector

Executive Order 12898 Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low Income Populations no exclusion of persons due to race, color or national origin from receiving program benefits data on race and national origin of residents surrounding Federal facilities

Justification
Increase knowledge and cultural awareness of the Hispanic segment Identify activities, facilities, services and programs appropriate for Hispanic visitors React to changing demands and trends Create an inviting environment for this specific visitor segment

Projected Proportion of Population by Race/Ethnicity in Texas, 2000-2040*

Percent 70.0
59.2 53.1 53.2

60.0

50.0
45.1 39.3 37.3 32.0

46.5

40.0

30.3

30.0
23.9

20.0
11.6 11.1 10.3 4.5 5.9 9.2 7.3

Photo by Josh Birnbaum YouthLINC International Year of Forests

8.0 8.9 3.3

10.0

0.0 2000 2010 Anglo 2020 Black Hispanic Other 2030 2040

*Using U.S. Census count for 2000 and Texas State Data Center 1.0 population projection scenario for 2010-2040.

Houston - 42% Latino Dallas - 58% Latino San Antonio - 77% Latino

Sam Houston National Forest Scotts Ridge Boat Ramp 2003-2004

Conducted visitor-use surveys n = 314

Activities Facilities Services

Hispanic vs. Non-Hispanic White Visitor Preferences on U.S. Forest Service Recreation Areas in Texas
ZIP Code data shows visitor concentrations

Sam Houston National Forest

Latino Non-Latino White

More Kids in the Woods

Latino Legacy:
Building Place-Based Connections of Youth through Family Experiences on Forest Lands

Latino Legacy

El Bosque Mvil

Forest Information Team

> 30 employed members

approx. 40% bilingual > 40 volunteers

Building place-based connections

Family-based
Hands-on learning Stewardship activities

Service learning

On-site microinterpretive programming

Methods
Location: (Houston/Conroe, TX) Pilot Project Period

May 2007 Feb 2008 13 Latino & non-Latino events 10 on-site visits

Two pilot self-administered surveys

Spanish - 66% English - 34%
Pilot 1 : n =50 Pilot 2 : n =80 Total n =130

Results
Language preference/Time in the US
Language Preference
To receive information/ conservation education program (n =121) Spoken (n =121)

Spanish English
52% (13 yrs) 39% (14 yrs) 33% (22 yrs) 4% (24 yrs)

Both
15% (20 yrs) 57% (20 yrs)

Read (n =121)
Language spoken at home (n =121)

40% (14 yrs)

67% (14 yrs)

6% (28 yrs)
17% (26 yrs)

54% (20 yrs)

16% (22 yrs)

Reinforces the need for materials and communication in the Spanish language.

Generating a level of comfort with subject matter that may be uncomfortable initially.

Results
Use of Bosque Mvil (Forest Mobile) to reach Latino community
98% yes (n =108) Accessible/beneficial to the community

Use of Forest Information Team (Amigos del Bosque) to communicate about natural resource conservation
91% yes (n =108)
Communicative,

knowledgeable, bilingual

and friendly

65% interested in natural resource conservation volunteer opportunities (n =116)

Results
Comments to improve outreach to Latino community (n =79)

Visit venues frequented by Latinos

Television/radio announcements Spanish language media More bilingual communication

Hispanic Heritage and Cinco de Mayo

The Power of Partnerships

Initiate and nurture partnerships that provide for a more sustainable effort and find new community-based partners already connected to: Families Children Ethnic groups

Success in reaching broad and diverse audiences Delivery of collaborative conservation messages Stewardship & service learning opportunities

Chikawa Aztec Cultural Group

Non-traditional original partner of the Latino Legacy program

Unique relationship which provides benefits:

Cultural performances at Childrens Forests in Texas Chikawa acts as a liasion into Latino community Creating connections among art, culture and nature Partner assists in providing programming

Friends of the National Forests & Grasslands in Texas a 501.c.3

Oversees program partnerships of:

Latino Legacy - Amigos del Bosque Childrens Forests in Texas USFS/NEEF Prescriptions for Nature Project Learning Tree GreenSchools! & GreenWorks! Y-LINC- Youth Leadership in Nature Challenge Community, school & regional events

Diversity and Community Outreach Team

I-Triad - Invite, Include and Involve

Invite people to participate Include diverse youth, community members and leaders in the planning, development and delivery processes Involve diverse communities in decision-making processes related to natural resource conservation Provide diverse audiences with voice and empowerment

* What are some ways you have included youth or community in the planning process?
Chavez, D. (2002) USDA Forest Service

Technology Today
Creating programs to reach broad and diverse audiences Discover the Forest
4 yr partnership effort with Ad Council in an effort to connect kids and families to nature

Descubre el Bosque (Hispanic Campaign)

Latino Legacy manages Spanish language social media component Engages youth Latino writers in developing social media content

A Recipe for Success

Listen, understand and speak to core values of new communities
Form new alliances, share resources, pick up new tools, and adapt to changing conditions Become a leader in making the changes needed to become more inclusive!

Special thanks to our collaborators:

Latino Community Participants and Partners Friends of the National Forests and Grasslands in Texas

Texas A&M Forest Service

Chikawa Aztec Cultural Group Houston Independent School District Conroe Independent School District Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture Stephen F. Austin State University Project Learning Tree - GreenSchools!

..and many others!

Stir the Pot!

Thank you! Gracias!!

Get all your ingredients lined up. You have the recipe for success. Now, get cooking! Tamberly Conway U.S. Forest Service tkconway@fs.fed.us