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Community Culture
and the Environment
A Guide to Understanding
a Sense of Place
-------
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has this
technical of fools for the
of protection. It is designed to
provide In the a for better
as they to
In effective
to solving
The are to In or
of or In resource book not
an by EPA but Is to provide
Information, resources, or the
In of own
Community the Environment A to o of
-------
Community Culture and the Environment: A to a of Place
-------
This by EPA's former Office of Policy
the Office of Water with EPA
and 8W-2690-NASA, and
professionals.
call the National Center
for Environmental Publications Information at (513)
or by mail to NCEPI, U.S. EPA
Publication Clearinghouse, P.O. Box 42419, Cincinnati, OH
45242. or by e-mail to ncepiwo@one.net.
;, refer to it as Community
Culture and the Environment: A Guide to Understanding a Sense
of Place, U.S. EPA of Water,
Washington. DC. Permission to copy all or part of it is not
required.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to Understanding a of Place
-------
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to Understanding a of Place
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nee upon a time a proud people lived on
' the top of a mountain. From that
summit, it seemed, thev could nee
every iking everywhere. Daily clouds obscured the
distant horizon, but occasionally they would glimpse
a huge mountain Jar in the distance. These
momentary revelations notwithstanding, thev were
content in believing that the whole world was what
thev could see on their own mountain. Because of
this they did not realize that their mountain was in
reality a foothill, one of many that circled the huge
mountain in the distance. Nor did they know that
other people on other foothills shared the same
belief that what they saw from their own summit was
the whole world, everything everywhere, even
though it was hut one of many foothills.
One day a terrible cataclysm struck the land. A
violent tremor shook the foothills until they began to
crumble. All the proud people had to descend from
their particular mountain to seek refuge in the
lowlands at the base of the huge mountain. There
thev discovered that other people from other
foothills had also descended to the lowlands to
escape the wrath of nature. Now suddenly the land
became quiet, the clouds lifted, and all the people
could see for the first time the huge mountain in all
of its towering glorv whereas before thev had
known it only in part through a fleeting glimpse.
.But nature was not finished with these people. A.
great flood came thundering into the veil lev, and all
the people scrambled onto the higher land on the
side of the huge mountain to escape the deluge. Day
after dav the flood waters rose. All of the people
realized that they would need to ascend the
mountain together to save themselves. But as they
began to climb, great disputes broke out between
the different people, for each had their own idea
about how best to climb the mountain. After all,
each of the people had long believed that thev had
seen everything everywhere and therefore they knew
everything everywhere. It was difficult for then to
admit they had seen only a portion of the huge
mountain and only from the angle of vision of their
particular foothill.
As the flood waters continued to rise, the clamorous
disputes yielded to the urgencies of survival.
Despite their different points of view, they had one
thing in common: they had to climb the hill to
.survive. As thev debated their dilemma, they came
to a new revelation. Each of the different people
knew a different part of the huge mountain — one
knew where the rockslides were, one knew where
wafer was to be found, another knew the passage
through difficult terrain. Now they came to a new
vision of everything everywhere, a new vision of
truth. They realized that they had been looking
differently at the .same mountain, and, once they
exchanged views with the common purpose of
climbing to the mountaintop of truth, thev developed
a more complete understanding oj the mountain
than any of them had developed separately. They
formed a community' of climbers and began the
difficult ascent. They are still climbing and we do
not know the end of the story.
Wong, F.F. 1991. Diversity and community: right
objectives and wrong arguments. Change: The
Magazine of Higher Learning, July/August.
Heklref Publications, Washington, DC.
Reprinted with permission.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to Understanding a of Place
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Community Culture and the Environment A to a of Place
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....................¥
................... I
What Is the Community Culture the Environment Guide? . . 3
How Will the Guide Help? 4
Will You Find in the ............. 5
...... f
Community 10
Community Culture II
to ...... 13
Community Definition .................. 14
Audience Targeting IS
Communication 15
Coalition/Consensus Building: Partnerships. ........ 15
................. 16
Public Participation 16
Community 17
.................. 17
for Economic Development 17
Setting Visioning 18
................. 18
Information .................... 18
Indicators 19
Conclusion ....................... 19
Bibliographic ................. 19
Community Culture and the Environment A Guide to a of Place
¥11
-------
Contents
The Tool Hit .................. 23
in Conducting Your Assessment Project 24
STEP I. Conduct Planning 29
Your to an Assessment. ... 29
Forming a Team 31
Searching for Similar 33
............ 34
for Momentum ............ 34
of ................. 35
............... 36
Act/Information Collection
...................... 37
................ 38
W-l
Contact List .................... 39
of . ... 40
STEP 2. Define Goals and Community. .......... 41
Defining Your Goals. ................. 41
Defining Your Community............... 42
W-3 .......... 43
W-4 Community 44
STEP 3. Community Characteristics ........ 47
How to This ................ 47
Overview of Community Characteristics ........ 49
W-5 WORKSHEET—Community Characteristics and
................ 50
Community Boundaries ................ 51
Community 53
Community Flow 55
57
Economic Conditions and 59
61
Environmental Awareness and Values 63
Governance ..................... 65
Public ........... 67
.................... 69
............. 71
........... 73
Property Ownership, Management, and Planning. .... 75
and 77
Religious Spiritual Practices 79
Community Culture and the Environment: A to o of Place
-------
Contents
STEP 4. ........... 81
Using This ................... 81
Overview of ........... 82
Background Research (includes Internet) 86
Census 90
Content Analysis 94
W-6 WORKSHEET^Content 100
Environmental Values Typology 101
Focus Groups 105
Interviewing. .................... 112
............ 120
...................... 126
Observation. .................... 139
.......... 143
................... 146
Surveys Polls 172
182
STEP 5. ................. 187
Comments on Analysis ......... 187
Storing Information ................. 189
Revisiting Community
Questions. .................... 190
by 190
Analyzing by Type 191
Summarizing and Presenting Results 197
199
........... 201
Community I: Adams County, Ohio ........... 202
Community 2: Central River.......
Community 3; Community Pollution Prevention
in —
212
Community 4: The "Chip Hill"
in North Carolina .............. 216
Community 5; of Well-being in
Communities of the
218
Community 6: Forces of a — The River
Community Forum 221
Community 7; Protecting Louisiana Wetlands 224
Community Culture and the A Guide to a of Place
-------
Contents
Community 8: The for Vermont's
Third Century 227
Community 9: Columbus Priorities '95 .......... 230
Community 10: The of Local the
Function of Information Flow 232
Community 11: Octoraro Watershed Association ..... 234
Community 12: Assessing of
Poisoning in Providence, 239
Community 13: Tangier Watermen Community
2020 Initiative 241
Community/4: Farming in the 21st Century: A Documentary
Photography Project ................. 244
Community IS: Worcester County Maryland's
..................... 246
for
................... 249
of ........
................. 271
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
-------
Contents
Community Culture and the A Guide to a of Place
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Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
-------
CHAPTER I:
of
* the
is the of the
usually using
or
place,
* Involving In
a vision,
» the
the
of the
to the
environment.
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economic, in a
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For more information,
A
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July
— of homes,
towns, cities, or other collections or networks of people
— are part of the natural environment. We live among.
and are deeply to, the rivers,
meadows, forests, wetlands. mountains that compose our
it the livable place so
many of us value. More and often. communities
realize that the health vibrancy of the natural environment
affects the vibrancy of the community vice versa.
We value the land, air, water available to us for material
goods, beauty, solace, recreation, for all
creatures. Throughout the nation, communities are engaging in
efforts to protect resources the quality
of life they provide.
of today's most pressing environmental problems, such as
nonpoint pollution, sprawl. destruction.
vehicle emissions are rooted in the cultural fabric of the country.
The to resolve problems has led to new environ-
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is
developing tools and to support community-based
to supplement the Agency's traditional
regulatory role 1-1).
0 The belief that holistic, place-based protection
efforts will lead to effective long-term protection. Is the
basis of protection
watershed protection approaches.
0 These to be voluntary Involve the people
who live and work In the
0 Community-based air, water, land.
pollution, living concerns in a
strategy.
0 These ecological with local
economic and social to resolve or prevent local
0 Tailoring environmental protection to local
partnering with community to
Involvement ultimately, to
environmental protection.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
-------
CHAPTER I:
For details, see Community-based Environmental Protection:
A Resource Book for Protecting Ecosystems and Communities
1997), as well as Watershed
Approach Framework (EVA Top 10 Watershed
Lessons Learned 840-F-97-001), and Clean Water Action
Plan: Restoring and Protecting America s Water (ISBN
0-16-049536-9). Also see
http://www.epa.gov/ecocommunity/links.htm and
http://www.epa.gov/owow/org.html.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to
Understanding a Sense of Place the social cultural
of community-based protection. The
Guide offers a process set of tools for defining
understanding the of an Issue.
It gives leaders in government agencies in nongovernmental
as directors of watershed groups,
officials, coordinators,
educators, environmental justice workers) technical tools for
more effectively with the on
protection efforts. The Guide is on the elements of social
theory (e.g., anthropology,
geography, political science, and sociology) that are most
relevant to defining understanding community life as it
relates to (The full spectrum of social
science theory methods is well beyond the scope of the
Guide.)
es
The Guide you work closely and effectively with
community members to develop environmental protection goals,
educational outreach tools, indicators to progress.
It you members In for,
making decisions about, participating in environmentally
1-2).
1-2— Is
is
development that the
of the
the of to
,»» ..M*! «
Community-based protection recognizes that
values held both individually as a group contribute to the
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
-------
CHAPTER I:
quality of community life. Expression of through social
cultural practices can a "sense of community." Many
of these directly to the "place" In which people live,
a "sense of place." Use of the Guide
to a clearer understanding of how such feelings can translate
solutions actions.
Community to people. It is an
early essential of any community-based -project.
The Guide discusses the concept of "community" a
worksheet tools to help you define community in a way that
fits your needs. Defining community is an iterative process;
you your as you the Guide,
J O £ J J J
U A for
The Guide to a local by
at issues that are "below the surface" to what people
why, what people to
partnerships to take action. It a systematic approach to
a community's values,
how they are in life; and how they
to environmental issues.
By working with the (iiiliif, or conducting what will be referred
to as a or simply
you will
0 Evaluate your point, or for an
assessment project,
0 Set as a of the process.
0 Establish a project develop a work to
your project.
0 Define the community you want to
El Choose the community characteristics and questions you want
to investigate.
0 Select appropriate methods tools for your assessment
project.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
-------
CHAPTER I:
0 Organize, analyze, and present the results of your
•project,
0 Incorporate assessment results into your environmental
protection strategies.
And, on. your project goals, you will be
to important
0 How can the community be described? What are its size and
geographic boundaries? Its resources? Its
makeup? Its economic profile?
0 How can the community be understood? What are its values
priorities? Its needs? What the
community why? What the community
why?
0 How the community understand perceive issues
to its quality of life? How it see the environment
to its quality of life? How does it
different environmental issues?
0 Who be involved in helping develop implement an
protection project? Who is likely to be a
why? Who can be part of a of support?
Who the process if not included?
0 Who is the for strategies?
What kinds of messages and language will work for them?
Is a good of all the
stakeholders'! Will the strategy be of the
community? Will it reflect a balanced array of
issues?
What is a community
This an overview of the Guide
background information on its development.
This discusses key terms as community, culture,
social process. It how
of community life
community-based efforts.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
-------
CHAPTER I:
Community
Community
Community
Flow
Employment
Education
Environmental
Values
Governance
and
1-4—
*
» Census
»
»
»
»
*
»
»
»
»
n
n
0
0
»
»
3. to
chapter discusses how information can contribute
to support a variety of environmental protection
at the level.
Step 5: Anciyze Results
A "
6: ond
Best |
Step 1: Conduct Pre-projeet
Planning
you your Ste? 2:rDefine 6oo!s and
. J •
to begin an
assessment and S!eP 3: Identify
. , , , , Characteristics
you
necessary steps as
forming a
your goals, establishing
your and
evaluating your financial
resources,
understanding the ethics
of
2: includes
information and worksheets to help you set your goals and
understand the community with which you plan to work,
3: outlines
15 community characteristics and related questions to
consider using in your assessment project 1-3).
This section can be as a checklist for determining
your assessment goals questions you can pick
choose from it supplement, as with your own
questions.
4: describes in
step-by-step detail how to use 13 different tools lo answer
questions about your community to develop a
community 1-4).
Bibliographic are
k Analyze presents guidance on how to
store, organize, and analyze the raw information the
assessment methods generate. It also suggests ways to
summarize, your in an
convincing
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
-------
CHAPTER I:
6:
in 3 in /
is
itv
PI
« A:
I:
(including validity,
questionnaire design).
• C: of
• D:
suggest for further
reading.
Is
ore
to be a
Community Culture and the Environment: A to a of Place
-------
CHAPTER I:
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
-------
D,
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
-------
CHAPTER :
his discusses two of the Guide -
community culture. Both are important to keep in
mind when working with communities.
2-1—Who Are
in, by, or
to
others.
2-2—
to
m unity:
* of
or
of living,
jurisdictions.
* of social
of a
To a of community of
place. The people the total
population of any geographic -place or one or more identifiable
smaller groups of people. a community might
people outside the geographic place. The people who are
in, by, or the of or
community-based project are often called "stakeholders"
2-1). The "sense of community" people or the "sense
of place" to which they can. be discovered
community cultural assessment 2-2), The
to a of a which Is
essential for any community-based project.
|j| of
When thinking of community as place, people find it easy to
of or political jurisdictions. This Is not
surprising, since so many of our civic functions (e.g., voting),
revenue generation (e.g., local taxes), other activities occur
within, clearly political boundaries. However, people also
define their place by its physical characteristics or a special
Place be in many ways, including one or a
combination of the following:
0 An having formal political or administrative boundaries,
such as a city, town, or neighborhood.
El An having natural boundaries, such as landscape
features, rivers streams, watersheds, or sensitive
such as wildlife habitats.
El An defined by physical infrastructure, such as highways
or solid waste facilities or key landmarks such as statues,
parks, or other historical sites,
El An defined by a specific problem, such as a
Superfund site.
Community as people typically entails groups of people
self-identified, or by who socially,
common historical or other ties, other's needs,
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
-------
similar values, physical space. This
result in what is called "a of community."
are as
who a history. are specifically
subcommimities, such as environmental activists who similar
political views or goals, or country or
who interact socially. To find this sense of community, it is
to look at or a of the following:
0 Community groups as religious
groups, volunteer activities, neighborhood councils.
0 In neighborhoods and "community
spots."
0 Key local activities such as football county fairs.
0 Leadership participation roles in endeavors.
Values, attitudes, behaviors, beliefs, assumptions people
others, about the world
in which they live, up a community's culture. It includes
the institutions, customs, and communication
have created to meet their needs. Broadly, it include
speech patterns, everyday behavior, social
religion, education, laws, values,
of goods services. Culture includes values of right or good
conduct such as of justice, freedom, sanctity of life, and
responsibility to future generations. And, similar to community,
a various
In 2-3).
Culture is expressed through the social structure (e.g., social
social links people
together. Social organizations are created to community
formally (e.g., religious organizations, school systems,
government) informally (e.g., neighborhood welcome
wagons, Friday civic groups). It Is
to know the social organizations of a
community because they are the cultural mechanisms within
which community life grows community are
Within organizations lie the daily behavior social
of life. Social are by
social roles/status and social norms. The many possible social
2-3—
Culture fhe
of
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
-------
CHAPTERj_:__^
roles/statuses in. any community to the
officials) and informal (neighbor) positions people occupy within
a who are the followers, who has
authority who not, who actively Is
less involved. Social norms are the daily behaviors that manifest
reinforce the local culture; bowing or
shaking hands in greeting, remaining silent or frowning to show
disapproval, not littering, obeying laws.
roles/statuses norms can help you identify key community
understand daily life, Including whether how
environmental protection efforts have or will be accepted.
Community cultural assessment can provide Insight into the
complexity of community life, an in
developing carefully crafted well-designed environmental
protection the of the
community. the Informal
people use for communicating be key to identifying local
In art
how people interpret the meaning of their lives and whether It
to environmental Issues. Understanding the role of a
public library or a scout troop can be key to education
awareness programs.
When all of these of a community's
always communities are dynamic constantly
evolving as people move In, move out,
enter new of their lives, or different challenges. A
you a at a
single point In time. Capturing the dynamic culture of a
community is an Iterative process.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
-------
IS A
!
IS
A
IF A
IS
1994)
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place »*
-------
CHAPTER 3: to Use the
his ways of using
results, The chapter does not the steps process
for use but some resources to consult for
more The corresponds with 6:
of the overall
process. As you will see, are only of your overall
for protecting the environment. Please see A,
for on a variety of projects that
Uses
0 Community Definition
El Community Targeting
0 Communication
0 Coalition/Consensus Building:
0 Environmental
0 Public Participation
0 Community Service Projects/Volunteers
0 Identification.
0 for Economic Development
0 Goal Setting Visioning
0 Comprehensive Planning
0 Information Gaps
0
0 What are the of the "community" with which you are
working?
0 What are its social boundaries?
0 What people or part of the
community?
0 What activities constitute community life?
0 What capacity the community have to local
Issues?
You have to but a closer
look reveal you know less than you think. Using the
:.. Community Culture and the Environment A Guide to Understanding a of Place
-------
CHAPTER 3: to Use the
Guide, -particularly the
4, 2)
4, 3), will
you have the most comprehensive definition.
An important part of any environmental protection strategy be
it for outreach, or involvement is to identify
a audience. An reveals information about
geographic socioeconomic status, gender, age, race,
language, other variables associated with groups of people
you might want to include in your efforts. In addition, it can
the roles of
individuals within the community that can help you increase
in projects.
Communication is vital to is
happening in the community. Clear communication about
environmental protection is especially for
generating enthusiasm participation for preventing
confusion. An can assist you in linking your
to local beliefs, issues, so that it is to the
intended audience. Since the is just as important as the
always take of a community's flow
of information. For example, use the local newspaper and radio
station, post on in community
as the post office, or work with local opinion to
the through a community social network. You
to link your to a significant event.
Also, be sure your is in appropriate languages for the
(e.g., fish consumption, advisories in English,
Spanish, Vietnamese), For more details, see Principles for
Effective Communication with Communities About Ecological
Issues (EPA, of Policy, Planning, and Evaluation, EPA
236-F-96-001).
Developing community-based be in
protecting the environment. However, it can be difficult to
the who
I
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
-------
CHAPTER 3: to Use the
the
to
lie
of
a community
or a
topic.
1991;
have very different opinions an issue. To
resolve conflicts and build consensus, you must first identify
people's positions
3-1). In general, people's conflict;
but. if their (which are often mutual) can be
cultivated, they can a agreement. An
assessment can uncover these distinctions and other
collaboration.
Environmental education is most effective when it to
issues, problems, and priorities. People are likely to
participate In from if they
see the direct link to personal as well as community well-being.
The be to
locally relevant educational materials to help link education
programs with current priorities. An
also identify who might get involved in developing a curriculum
who would benefit from being educated.
Many to public participation.
Assessment you design public participation
strategies select socially culturally appropriate processes.
Long-term is are
organized bound by formal rules, positions, guidelines,
provide direction a framework, of
membership changes. These groups might have created by
a government agency or organized by community members. An
assessment Identify whether are
who their might be, what issues they might
The following are two of such groups:
involve community
in
through committees, groups, or
to Public Advisory
Committees (PACs) related to EPA's comparative risk process
Community Advisory Groups (CAGs) at Superfund sites
are two examples of EPA stakeholder advisory groups.
bring community in a
particular watershed together to create a long-term,
collaborative, consensus-based approach to preserve, restore,
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
-------
CHAPTER 3: to Use the
the watershed its natural resources.
watershed councils are typically facilitated by one or two
organizations. They or sponsor
restoration. protection projects.
councils also provide a for community
to voice to
learn
practices. By bringing groups with differing opinions and
viewpoints together, watershed councils can forge
relationships where none previously existed.
Volunteer programs are an excellent way to involve community
in environment
environmental 'management, An can who
would be willing to volunteer for what, at In
what ways. is of the best
voluntary programs, giving people an active role in protecting
their local environment as they collect, often analyze,
environmental data. Other volunteer activities include watchdog
report as overflows
proper measures are to reduce their effects) volunteers
who monitor traffic patterns, conduct soil surveys. document
recreational use.
You discover a wealth of for the
issues you are assessing. This can easily be translated into
volunteer time, financial resources, and In-kind
contributions such as equipment or vehicles for project work.
Because the economy has such a huge impact on people's daily
lives, for are key to
ensuring the between the local environment the
economy. To be fully by the community,
development initiatives also must be consistent with local values
opinions. An give you on specific
proposals. You can In
use the results when you talk to local officials developers.
I
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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CHAPTER 3: to Use the
An assessment can help you deieimn-e wlielher your
environmental protection goaK aie lea^ibie and how they relate
to a community's own vision.
iell you how people relate to environmental issues and whether
they can fulfill environmental protection goals.
Visioning is a very popular way to establish a future vision
for a This brings
together to of
their hopes for it. This information is then
In a variety of ways, allowing community to
have input into establishing priorities, 'measuring progress, and
the
numerous diverse community who should attend,
to address, for successful implementation, A
of as social
inapping, environmental typology, can be
to structure the visioning and
to 4.)
f'ompielieusive planning all to a
community. An assessment can help you identify critical topics
(particularly quality of life concerns) the local capacity,
for be
used at various of planning to better characterize a
or topic. such as
mapping, can contribute to the planning process. Most important,
of a community
are the to be In any
planning process. An assessment can also that community
historically left out of
community-wide efforts have an opportunity to contribute to the
planning process.
An niight uncover new topics or community
concerns. As a result, you you have insufficient
Information topic(s) and will to investigate
further before addressing it. An assessment can fill these gaps,
your are on
information.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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CHAPTER 3: to Use the
Assessment results can be lo develop
indicators of socioenvironrnental change in a community. The
of your are a of data, or a
baseline, of the community's priorities, values, social
processes. And you
change to your indicators. For example, indicators can be
quantitative (e.g., of people who
as the of an campaign) or qualitative (e.g., the
narrative description of someone's appreciation for wetlands).
for developing community-based indicators
include defining the issue/goals to be measured, identifying the
for the Indicators, evaluating options,
identifying appropriate data sources. Each requires extensive
community participation.
As you programs, new
the will likely A Is
not static. As it changes, so its culture. A community
cultural is a that shows you the community
as it exists today. Over time, you might find that many of the
conclusions drawn from your are no
valid of the community (e.g., the job
base) might change, new environmental problems might arise, or
an of new community bring new
perspectives. Thus, you should periodically reevaluate and
your You to
conduct the from the beginning, or you might
simply want to or information a
particular community characteristic. No set of
procedures or rules will tell you when to reevaluate or
your profile; you and your as
or problems arise.
The Aspen Institute. 1.996. Measuring Community Capacity Building:
A Workbook-in-Progress for Rural Communities. Rural Economic
Policy Program, The Community Capacity-building Learning
Cluster. Washington, DC. (Write: Publications Office, The Aspen.
Institute, P.O. Box 222, Queenstown, MD 21658; fax: (410)
827-9174.)
I
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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CHAPTER 3: to Use the
Crcighton,,!. 1994. Public Participation Manual, 2nd ccl. Prepared for
the Edison. Electric Institute Public Participation Task Force,
Washington, DC.
Fisher, R., W. Ury, and B. Patton, eds. 1991. Getting to Yes:
Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In, 2nd cd. Penguin Books,
New York, NY
Franklin Quest Consulting Group. 1996. Environmental Public
Involvement Strategies, Franklin Quest Consulting Group, 2150 West
Blvd., Salt Lake City, UT 84119;
Governor's Watershed Enhancement Board (GWEB). Starter Kit for
Watershed Councils, Oregon's GWEB has dcvclocpd a kit that
explains the reasons for forming a watershed council who
should be involved. It also provides information on grant sources,
strategies for fundraising, and examples of watershed council
charters and activities. For more information or to order the kit,
contact GWEB at (503) 378-3589 ext. 826.
Hart, M. 1995. A Guide to Sustainable Conrnnmitv Indicators. Ipswich,
MA. http://www.sustaln.ablemeasures.coni.
Howell, R., M. Olsen, and D. 1987. Designing a Citizen
Involvement Program: A Guidebook for Involving Citizens in the
Resolution of Environmental issues. Oregon State University,
Western Rural Development Center, Corvallis, OR.
International Association of Public Participation. IAP2, 510 Southwest
3rd Avc., 400, Portland, OR 97204-2593; phone: (503)
287-4876. http//www.iap2.org.
Know Your Watershed. Watershed Partnership Starter Kit.
Conservation Technology Information. Center, West Lafayette, IN.
The kit explains the steps to developing a watershed management
plan. It also includes instructions for involving stakeholders, as well
as a video and a subscription to the newsletter Focus, For
information or to order the kit, contact Know Your Watershed at
(765) 494-9555 orkyw@ctic.purduc.edu.
Moore, C.W. 1996. The Mediation Process: Practical Strategies for
Resolving Conflict, 2nd ed. Jossey-Bass Conflict Resolution Series.
0787902489. Jossey-Bass Publishers, San. Francisco, CA.
National Civic League. 1.996. The Community Visioning and Strategic
Planning Handbook, Prepared for the Alliance for National Renewal
by the National Civic League, 1445 Street, Suite 300,
Denver, CO 80202, 223-6004.
Shipley Associates. 1995. Environmental Public Involvement
Strategies. Franklin Quest Co., Bountiful, UT.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 1994a. Environmental
Planning for Small Communities: A. Guide for Local
Decision-makers. EPA 625-R-94-009. Office of Research and
Development, Office of Regional Operations and State/Local
Relations, Washington. DC.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
-------
CHAPTER 3: to Use the
. 1994li. National Directory of Volunteer Environmental
Monitoring Programs. Assessment Watershed Protection
Division, Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds, Washington,
DC.
!"'"'b. Communitv-based Environmental Protection: A
A i''/1 rtook for Protecting Ecosystems and Communities, EPA
23u-B-yo-003. Office of Policy, Planning, and Evaluation,
Washington, DC.
1996c. Principles for 'Effective Communication with
Communities About Ecological Issues. EPA 236-F-96-001. Office
Policy, Planning, Evaluation, Washington, DC.
. 1996c. Community Advisory Groups: Partners in Decisions at
Hazardous Waste Sites. Office of Solid Waste Emergency
Response, Community Involvement Outreach Center,
Washington, DC.
U.S. Forest Service. 1993. Strengthening Public Involvement: A
National Model for Building Long-term Relationships With the
Public. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC.
Walzer, N., S.C. Deller, H. Possum, et al. 1995. Community
Visioning/Strategic Planning Programs: State of the Art. North
Central Regional Center for Rural Development, Ames, IA.
Western Center for Environmental Decision-making. 1996. Public
Involvement in Comparative Ri.sk Projects: Principles and Best
Practices: A Sourcehook for Project Managers. Meridian West
Institute, P.O. Box 7576, CO (303)
494-6393.
Western, D., and R.M. Wright, eds. 1994. Natural Connections:
Perspectives in Community-based Conservation. Island Press,
Washington, DC.
I
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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CHAPTER 3: to Use the
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
-------
S AS
... IT
IT IS
-
in
(Solo,
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
-------
4: The Tool Kit
Step 2: Goals end
Community
t
Step 3: Identify Community
Characteristics
Step 4:
Methods
I
Step 5: Analyze Results
$'
Step 6: and
Best
4-1—
« Communiiy
* Community
• Com m
»
«
Employment
«
* Environmental
Values
»
•
*
«
«
*
Planning
» and
»
ou've already an Is how
you can use it to your own community-based
environmental protection goals. This chapter provides the
"liov, to."
Although it is important for you lo develop the approach to your
project your certain. will
your project run smoothly produce
more complete and accurate results.
1 outlines the pre-project planning steps, from assessing
your to the is in an
ethical manner. It also includes keys to maintaining momentum.
fjl STEP 2:
Siep 2 includes information worksheets on how to define
your the community with which you will
work. It is important to do this within the context of your overall
protection, goals.
In helping you decide ,\ Lat you to know your
community, this step is in many ways the of your
assessment project. Step 3 includes descriptions and example
various topics you to explore. It
also useful methods for exploring these topics
4-1).
4 you to 13
helps you select methods that will explore the characteristics you
selected. You will to the are
appropriate for your assessment project, can be achieved within
your project's constraints, will collect the data you need. The
accuracy of the data will the accuracy of your
conclusions. You might want to technical assistance on
4-2).
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
-------
4: The Tool Kit
Step 5 helps you of the information you've collected
In of your overall as well
as your original assessment goals. Here, you'll to organize,
analyze, and summarize the you've collected,
* 5 also advises you on public disclosure of results.
You can use the results to develop to achieve your
environmental protection goals. In general, it is valuable to
with ecological economic
Findings to develop the best strategies. Review 3 when
you are your
-3 summarizes the important points in of the 6
steps. Refer to 4-4 for a of a
assessment project see A,
s, for more details.
As you can the Is
to help you the communities with
which you work. It Is also to help you develop
ones thai are consistent with local values and
so that your will be
As you use the Guide the tools it gives you, you will also
discover an Is an iterative process. You
have to revise your list of community characteristics
questions once. You to
about a specific characteristic that becomes important. You might
to your for collecting Information.
And almost certainly, you will have to revisit your
periodically to that you're the right questions to
help you the effective for your
goals.
4-2—
Contenf
Interviewing
Meetings
Observation
0
D
0
n
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
-------
4: The Tool Kit
4-3— in a Plan
• a
» for
»
* for
•
Analyse.. Summarize, and
• I*- ,. Community Culture and the Environment A Guide to Understanding a of Place
-------
4: The Tool Kit
4-4— of a
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to Understanding a Sense of Place • I** ,.
-------
4: The Tool Kit
4-4— of a Proji
• I** ,. Community Culture and the Environment A Guide to Understanding a of Place
-------
4: The Tool Kit
_Stgft Ij^onduct^re-projectPlanning
s the lo the Tool Kit (and 4-3)
illustrates, five major elements are involved in planning
.your project.
Perhaps you know that you want to protect the environment, but
you don't know exactly how to go about it. You might want to
use the project to collect Information
will help you refine your goals and identify stakeholders, thus
equipping you to your protection.
strategies.
Perhaps you know exactly why you are your
environmental community. You've already defined your project
goals and know what environmental protection strategies you
want to use. In this you are using to help
the best ways to implement your strategies.
Your will likely fall In two
scenarios. Sl-1 SI-2 will help you your own
for a
Step 2: Define Goals and
Community
............................................. .............................................
Step 3:
Clioraderistics
^^^^^^^^
Siep 4: Identify Assessment
Methods
$
Step 5:
............................................ t ..............................................
Step 6: and
Besl Strategies
Sl-1— lour T§ in
The will
to
» To
n
n or
to or to do,
to your (e.g., a public
n Do a of of
to
to
do
on
n To
n Do know you to get from the
will the
0 a for
do the
n
community?
n How you with the community's
0 Can
"know" is right?
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
-------
4: The Tool Kit
SI-2 for a
?: TOM o of one! Why
You might be complying with a regulatory requirement that
presents you with o cieody o'ficuiated gooi. For example,
many federal and stole regulations require pub:it
participation cs on active part of the regulatory pr'ocess.
Mosi notable of these reauiaiiens is the Natiortei Environ-
mental Policy Act iNEPA). NEPA ouilines broad goals and
specific requirements for public participation with the intent
of identifying the concerns of interested or affected
persons, agencies, groups, or crgonrzolions. the
Deportment of Energy's NEPA guidance (1998) provides
en assessment road rr:cp by outlining what you need to
assess and how to use Ihe resuils. Some of Ihese
recommendations include,
* Ensuring tbot public participation efforts meet the
needs of various effected sea merits of I he population,
especially taking info account low-income and
minority populations.
* tstabiishirsg working relationships wifh key audiences
such as state, local, and tribal governments.
• Actively seeking interactions with the public frirougti
speaking engagements, civic groups, mall exhibits,
workshops, focus groups, etc.
The guidance also suggests using o variety of techniques
such as public meefings, hearinqs, and workshops:
developing o mailing list to distribute newsletters, fact
sheets, press releases; end preparing a "a disploying
exhibits.
to include in the strategy, how to develop messages for the
cooropriatcr JargeJ audienceisi, and how to identify where
people live and work so Kiat meetings can be scheduled
and located to maximize participation.
2: TOM o
of
"ou mignf nave oeen osi
-------
4: The Tool Kit
Ij^onduct^re-projectPlanning
!l is advisable to build a team to help develop and implement an
assessment project. Try to put together 5 lo 10 people with
In the People do
not necessarily to have expertise, though you
wish to or two people who do if possible. As
you build this learn, seriously consider the following issue.
or
This is not an "either-or" choice. You as an individual or
organization might choose lo conduct an assessment project
or you might a project
a variety of stakeholders. have pros
Sl-3). In scenario, people work
alone, as a team, or half and half. Sl-4 presents
about potential members.)
Sl-3— vs.
Pros:
»
» to
of the of the
» by not having to with
or by
» fo highly on
for of
Cons:
» the of
community on or
people.
» by
» It to the of
m unity — be
or
» to community
» fo community
the so they
or
»
collaboration.
Pros;
» of a
» the of the project.
* be
« can
« to
data.
» the to out to, interest,
involve of the community.
»
fo "win-win"
happy with to
Cans;
» of
be
* By time, might
be
• It be fo
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
-------
4: The Tool Kit
—
by, or of the
of Commerce,
or
tribal,
of
use or are
the or
in
n of
groups.
D
n
n
n or
association i,
0
n Church
n
n
n
n
n
researchers.
n
n
D
—
Collaboration the scope and of the
assessment. Working with other groups also ensures that your
project is a
range of By in
conducting your project, you build ownership in the project.
In Its results, and in the long
unity around an issue. In addition, if you are not from the
you be as an "outsider"
collaboration will help you get to know the community and
thus ask the right questions.
You early In your project whether you to
work alone or collaborate. If you decide to bring partners in. the
you do so the likely they will feel part of the
process contribute meaningfully to defining the approach
resources (e.g., brain, power,
resources, assistance). If you to collaborate,
the following steps:
1, your the Guide with potential partners
2. Meet with your potential partners. Discuss and
on how the will work different
roles responsiblities (e.g., Will there be an
assessment working group? Who will chair it? How
will you meet? Who will be for
activities reports?).
3. what technical within your
group. If technical is not
from a you to hire
help. Sl-5 presents on choosing a
consultant.)
4. how to involve the
public in the project how to the
to the public.
5. To facilitate teamwork,
a list of team with
information.
Use W-l —
(found at the of this section) to keep track of possibilities
your decisions.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
-------
4: The Tool Kit
Ij^onduct^re-projectPlanning
Before you put logeliier >our projecl. find out if similar
have done or are currently in process. This helps you in
ways:
0 Similar provide a on which your can
build. If nothing else, you duplication, but you
to the
focus for your project.
0 Previous you the goals and
scope of your project, including identifying
characteristics and to investigate.
0 Previous studies might identify key sources of information,
to help you plan
conduct your project.
Check with a variety of sources to leam what has or
is in progress.
0 Local college and university faculty (in anthropology,
economics, history, marketing, political science, sociology,
environmental studies, geography, planning) might have
substantive research interests and technical expertise in
assessment methods.
0 Public at universities
might also be good sources of information expertise.
0 Local or
with the have
conducted studies themselves or could refer you to others who
have. You might even be to collaborate with a similar
project already under way.
0 Demographic and other assessment information might be
available from universities, other organizations, or
local governments,
0 Spend some time at the library to determine (and evaluate)
previous community work.
SI-5—Tips far
*S ™ ™ * ™ * *JT™° ""^* ™*«™ ™»f»»»:»!j
i
»
1. of
before!
2. Can
experience?
a, or
(portfolio).
b.
— for of
c. of
recognition).
»
1.
to
2. Can
Use W-2 — of at
the of this to of other studies.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
-------
4: The Tool Kit
Your financial resources determine the scope of your assessment
project. Community cultural assessments are often conducted
with, a of consultants. And
assessment differ by cost resource implications. By
carefully balancing the primary goals of your project with
options, you can your project within your
available Look at the in the Guide
A) for an of how In
cost; many list the total cost of their projects. Consider
points developing your
0 Review 4,
4) to the complexify of the
you might use.
0 If using technical/professional (not in-kind), solicit
Sl-5).
0 Estimate expected costs. track of actual costs.
0 Determine the scope of your for this project in both
actual dollars available and the tasks you expect to cover.
0 Investigate co-funding with collaborators in or outside your
organization.
0 Suggest in-kind sendees or from local
universities or
0 or sources.
To develop your budget, first list all elements of the project that
will cost money: staff, travel, and costs associated with particular
methods. Estimate the cost for each element compare it
with available resources in of dollars, staff, other
non-cash resources such as cars and in-kind contributions.
Finally, allocate existing funds to project as needed,
Many factors contribute lo the success or failure of a community
the of
programs to achieve longer-term goals. Here are a few "tried and
true" techniques that your project a success.
0 Set project are all
constraints.
• ,. Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
-------
4: The Tool Kit
Ij^onduct^re-projectPlanning
Throughout all of your project, those project goals
in mind. referring to them; they should all of
your actions.
Set frequent milestones so that progress is noticeable.
Put energetic, charismatic people in positions involving public
relations.
Clearly so that are
meetings, even if widely spaced, to
contact.
the effectively to in 4,
Make the project fun! Intersperse picnics or other social
the work so that the project not
all drudgery.
As you design your project, in the
considerations associated with a community cultural assessment.
Following are for conducting an
on those established by professional societies of social
researchers. You review with the
of your to by
0 — Methods that collect
information from community interrupt their daily
lives and ask to reveal
Therefore, no one should be forced to in a
collecting project.
0 to A community
should never the participating. This
particularly to information collected
would or homes or lives,
friendships, jobs, so forth.
0 To protect the
of community In a community
be Anonymity
the Is not to link a response, as
a self-completed survey, with a respondent. Confidentiality
that the assessor can link responses to respondents but
promises not to reveal the identity of the respondents, such as
in an interview or focus group.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
-------
4: The Tool Kit
0 You must always explain the
purpose of the project your own involvement. This might
how to your inquiries. But
if you follow the
honestly to
your
0 As an assessor, you also
to how you the data collected
during an how you the process.
Social as an rarely, If ever, follows
even the best plans. In actuality, it might have numerous
shortcomings. Ethically analyzing reporting
that you mention the problems, shortcomings, or negative
findings of the assessment so that the reader accurately
interpret your findings.
I Ethical 1995:448-454
If conducting an assessment under the auspices of the U.S.
government or with U.S. government funding, it involves
subjects, it be approved by the Agency
Subjects Research Review Official (HSRRO) under the Common
Protection of Human (40
CFR Part 26) by an Institutional Review Board. If your work
is not supported by money, it is still important to take the
following consideration.
"Human subject a living individual about whom an
professional or
1) through intervention or interaction with the individual, or
2) private information." [40 CFR Part 26.102(f)J
"(2) Research involving the use of educational . . ., survey
Interview procedures, or observation of
behavior Is unless:
"(i) Information is recorded in such a manner that
be Identified, directly or
linked to the subjects; and (ii) any disclosure of the
subjects' the reasonably
the subjects at risk of criminal or civil liability or be to
the subjects' financial standing, employability, or reputation."
140 CFR Part 26.101 (b)J
• ,. Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
-------
4: The Tool Kit
Ij^onduct^re-projectPlanning
The use of an. Is
all circumstances related lo working with subjects. An
is a by the
assessor describing the project, the of questions that will
be asked, how the answers will be used. how the person's
anonymity will or will not be preserved. The be
signed by all parties involved. The assessor to respect the
wishes of the with whom they are working.
refer to the Ethics of Assessment in the Guide.
Contact Roger Cortesi at (202) 564-6852 or the Human Subjects
Review Official in EPA's Office of Research and
Development if you have any questions.
The 1995 Act (PRA) to
the of federal on.
the public. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act.
are to approval the Office of Management
(OMB) to collect information from the public.
To obtain permission, the agency an Information
Collection Request (ICR) for OMB's approval. The ICR explains
Information will be collected, why the is
who will to respond, and It includes an.
of the of hours the public will to respond.
This process two Federal Register notices
responses to any public comment received. After reviewing an
ICR, OM.B disapprove, approve, or which
must be met for approving the ICR. The ICR process takes six
months. An ICR is requried when
0 Identical will be 10 or
persons.
0 is by EPA/agencies directly, or with
agency cooperative
0 EPA is to collect information in any way.
Contact EPA's Regulatory Information Division, (202) 564-0388,
if you have any questions.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
-------
4: The Tool Kit
Publishing Company, Bclmont, CA.
.S. Department of Energy, Environment, Safety, Health. 1998.
Effective Public Participation Under the National Environmental
Policy Act, 2"' ed. U.S. Department of Energy, Environment, Safety
and Health, Office of NEPA Policy and Assistance, Washington, DC,
http://tis.cli.doc.gov/ncpa/tools/guidaiice/piibpart2.litiTil.
.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 2001. Common Rule:
Protection of Human Subjects from Research Risks, U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and
Development. Code of Federal Regulations, July 1, 2001,
40 CFR 26.
• ,. Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
-------
4: The Tool Kit
Ij^onduct^re-projectPlanning
For example, Social science departments (e.g., sociology, Dr. Jane Doe, Assistant
Local Colleges anthropology) might have conducted similar Professor of Sociology
studies or have expertise that can help you
conduct some of the assessment techniques
Environmental Organizations
Civic Groups
Religious Organizations
Political Organizations
Social Service Organizations
Local Government
State Government
Federal Government
homeowners Association
Neighborhood Councils
Parent-Teacher Associations
Recreation and Tourism
Interests
Historic and Cultural
Organizations
Business and Industry
Labor Unions
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to Understanding a Sense of Place • I** ,.
-------
4: The Tool Kit
,£.
*o
O
*w
s
a
I
O
CB •*;
w O
O
-o
K
• I*- ,. Community Culture and the Environment A Guide to Understanding a of Place
-------
4: The Tool Kit
major step in an assessment project is defining project
goals the community. Goals the community
litself must be In concert can
affect the other. In addition, you want to make sure your
community are directly to your
overall environmental protection goals. The results of your project
might be interesting in of themselves, but their use is
In how they to your overall for
protecting the environment.
Goal selling is an iterative process, moving from the to
the as you the you
are assessing. Although it is important to reevaluate them
periodically, always your goals. They provide
a from which to your progress. S2-1
provides of project that might be supported by
For example, an assessment project goal could be as
"To use a community to
information on the demographics, beliefs, and
of minority In the so
a well-targeted justice program
(environmental protection goal) be developed."
Another be
"To leam community perceptions about threats to the
to riparian
(environmental protection goal)."
If you are working with to your goals, you might
wish to use an approach that will help you move
progressively from a broadly stated vision or goal toward more
narrowly goals. Typically, the in the
goal-setting process include the following:
0 Review your
0 all goals.
Step 1: Conduct Pie-project
Planning
Step 3: Identify Community
Choraderistics
$
Step 4:
t
Step 5: Analyze P.esulfs
: £
Step 6: and
Best
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
-------
4: The Tool Kit
Si-1—
inJ
If
is to
be
as "To an
will me
community In an
way," of
»
stakeholders,
» (to
a or
»
»
opportunities.
*
»
resolution,
» for
communications.
» e.g.,
»
populations, e.g., at-risk
populations,
» e.g.,
» planning,
» on a
process.
»
0 Develop apply evaluation criteria to help you prioritize
your goals.
El Refine and narrow your goals as you learn more.
Some evaluation for your goals
El How will the results of the assessment be used?
0 How will the support your goals?
0 Are they specific, action-oriented goals?
El Can you further refine them to develop more specific
objectives milestones?
0 Do you have for of your goals?
0 If you are working with on. your goals, do you
all on the goals?
Use W-3 — at the end of this
to goal In
4, 4, and Community-based
Environ mental Protection: A Resource Book for Protecting
Ecosystems and Communities (EPA 230-B-96-003, September
1997).
goals are effective If they are clearly
tied to specific objectives and milestones, and understandable to
all in the project.
El are specific accomplishments that, when
combined, accomplish your broader goals.
0 are the by which you to accomplish
objective or goal.
The of the you to
assess are as important as your assessment goals. It is therefore
Important to your community your goals.
2 provides an overview of the different ways a
be W-4 —
(found at the of this section) is a key tool for
specific about the community by defining the
physical boundaries, local
organizations, local activities, and various community
roles. Your an
assessment process as you information.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
-------
4: The Tool Kit
IS THE OF
List
Goal #1 :
Goal #2:
Goal #3:
List
OF
ivei
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to Understanding a Sense of Place • I** ,.
-------
4: The Tool Kit
"Community'' can mean different things to different people. To effectively work within a community, if helps to
define who and what is "the community." Human communities can be defined by physical or cultural
phenomena, and the definition might change overtime. This exercise is designed to help you define community
in the context of community-based environmental protection efforts. In an assessment project, community might
be defined at the beginning of the project and refined throughout as assessors learn more about the community
with which they are working. Defining "community" is an iterative process.
I. "place" In a of Use the list below to identify and discuss the
physical characteristics of your place. Add details as appropriate, e.g., names of places.
» Political boundaries (e.g., city and county lines)
» Administrative boundaries (e.g., school districts, soil and water conservation districts)
» Natural boundaries (e.g., landscape features, parks, rivers and streams, watersheds)
» Sensitive areas and resources (e.g., historic sites of importance, drinking water supplies, special wildlife
habitats)
» Physical/municipal infrastructure boundaries (e.g., transportation networks, sewer sheds, solid waste
facilities, and sewage treatment plants)
» Key landmarks (e.g., statues, cultural/historical/natural sites of significance)
« "Problem" areas that might have actual or potential public health and ecological impacts
» Nearby areas (e.g., those not within the defined boundaries of your study area, but which might
influence or be affected by your community's decision-making)
» Other places
II, of cornrnynitf": A place is a community because people live
and use the place. People participate in groups and organizations, which often results in creating a "sense
of community." Review the list of groups/organizations below. Write in specific names of ones related to
your community. Add entries in Other category. The groups/organizations do not all have to be within the
geographic boundaries defined in #1, but they should have some relationship to those boundaries.
« Religious organizations
» Political organizations
« Civic organizations
» Environmental grassroots/interest groups
« Social service organizations
» Outdoor recreation organizations
« Ethnic groups
» Parent-teacher associations
« Children's groups (e.g., Girl Scouts, 4-H)
» Historical societies
« Government agencies (federal, state, county, and local)
(Continued on next page)
• ,. Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
-------
4: The Tool Kit
» Business associations and interests
» Senior ciiizen groups
Academic associations (e.g., universities and schools)
Neighborhood councils
» Special constituencies (e.g., environmental justice orgs.)
» Other
Local activities are also important for community cohesion and are often
where people exchange information about community happenings. Identify local activities that characterize
your community, such as fishing or football.
commynitf Community leadership and participation are
important to building and maintaining community cohesion. List various leadership roles and ways to
participate in community life. Many might correspond with the above list.
This exercise is only an initial step in defining your community. The assessment will provide you with more detail
about these different factors. Revisit this worksheet throughout the assessment process. Upon completion of the
process, redo this exercise as a measure of what you already knew about your community and what you learned
through the assessment. The rest of this volume is designed to assist you in further defining your community.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kit
• ,. Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kit
he "community-based environmental protection"
clearly implies that ii is just that — community-based, ll
must the community's experience
its members' values and interests, So if you are to develop
specific environmental concerns, you
to know what those concerns are, why they're important, who
considers important. Use this to identify what
will help you your community Its
interests.
Brief fact sheets designed to be easily reproduced give you basic
information about In
S3-1:
0 Characteristic description
0 Why Information is
0 Questions the
0 Suggested methods to answer them
Also provided Is W-5 —
which will you
sort out your priority concerns.
Although you will select the ones most relevant to your needs, the
community In for of
reference. You might want to look at the geographic boundaries
will help you
the community boundaries. Next, establish a of
the community by such objective
information, as employment,
infrastructure, and public services. Finally, gather more subjective
as values,
religious spiritual practices. This less obvious, intangible
works in with objective to
you to your results. Take
suggestions as guidance; the exact characteristics you choose
be on the of your project.
Step 1: Conduct Pre-project
Planning
$
Step 2: and
Community
^^^^1^^^^
3:
Step 4: Identify Assessment
Methods
^^^^^^^^
Step 5:
$'
Step 6: Selert and Implement
Best Stroteaies
* Community
» Community Capacity
• Community
*
«
Employment
«
*
Values
•
»
*
«
«
*
•
»
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kit
•
In the for
characteristic are neither exhaustive nor comprehensive. The lists
are but a to tailor,
Investigative to your own
S3-2 gives you an example of how a community might
particular community characteristics to achieve its goals.
S3-2— in i
Reports by She Department cf Public Works have
revealed that combined sewer overflows {CSOs} from
the community's sewer system c serious problem
and fie'ifr'a worse. Row sewage is releosed to local
rivers more than 50 times per year.
To address !he problem, locai officials and community
members oareed that o communify cuifurol assessment
was needed to determine the extent of the problem.
Tins would inciude identity ing who in She comtnunily
was being impacted by the CSOs, whatthe-lr
perceptions were about !he problem, and what possible
alternatives might be developed to minimize the
danger of CSOs to at-risk suboop-uiations of the
community.
Since the sewer system is confined to the city limits,
identifying the geographic boundaries of the study area
was straightforward. Through focused discussions, it
was agreed that an assessment should be conducted
for five community characteristics:
» Infrastructure- and public services
* Demographic in term at: on
• Public health and safety
» Local leisure end recreation
* E ducal ion
An assessmerri ot She community's infrastructure and
Public services was needed 'i'O identify the number of
CSO outfalls, their location within the community, and
potential structural problems with the system. It was
also necessary for identifying the water bodies where
the outfalls were located. An i n vest i gal ion ot
demographies was conducted to determine which
groups in the community lived near The outfalls or
the most direct exposure to the water bodies that
received discharges from this outfalls.
I he need for an assessment of public health and safety
issues was obvious. When combined with the
demographic information, the assessment revealed that
the communify's Africon Amen con and LOT no
populations were disproportionately by the
CJbOs, Because of this, these groups faced more
significant exposure to health risks {e.g., E. col's
bacteria) than other groups in the community. These
groups fished both for recreation and subsistence,
consuming on a regular basis.
"he assessment of locoi leisure and recreation was
conducted because of the popularity of boating
swimming in the water bodies where the out tails were
located. Finally, the education assessment was
conducted to determine the appropriate language and
content of the public education campaign.
Using the information gathered through the assessment
effort, local officials, wii'h input from concerned
community members, devised alternative
strategies to address public health and safety concerns,
and recreation-related issues. It was decided that the
most cost-effective remedy for minimizing the CSOs
and their harmful health effects was c twofold
approach:
1. To construct a temporary storage tank to which
untreated sewage could be directed and held until
it was sate lo release.
2. To initiate a public education program targeted to
the at-risk African American and Latino
populations, advising them about steps they could
take to minimize their risks from CSOs.
'O address i'he issue of recreationisls end subsistence
fishermen using the water bodies near the outfalls,
local officials posted large signs near the outfalls
warning of the health risks associated with the high
concentration of CSOs. Signs were also posted in
Spanish for the safety of the non-English-speaking
Latino population.
• I** ,. Community Culture and the Environment A Guide to Understanding a of Place
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4: The Tool Kit
This step discusses 15 characteristics thai describe and define
communities. S3-1 lists these community characteristics.
The list of community characteristics includes, but is not limited
to, the types of community information must
the National Environmental Policy Act
Executive Order 12898 (Environmental Justice).
are to provide a
community, such as its geographic boundaries, landscape,
demographics, economic conditions and trends, and natural
resources. Federal, state, local agencies regularly collect
generally readily accessible.
Other community a as a
"sense of place." This information delves below the to
probe attitudes, values, perceptions, It
explores what community think feel. why.
Environmental awareness values surface here, as do local
traditions and history, religious spiritual practices, the way
travels, and how decisions are the very
local identity community
It is to note that all community characteristics are
For the
geographic boundaries of a rural community surrounded by
mountains or a river might strongly influence residents' level of
environmental awareness values. People might live there
they enjoy and the environment. The
value they on the of the
their art. their community celebrations, even how their
schools businesses operate. they want to live in this
area, residents might be willing to be underemployed, have
seasonal employment schedules, or commute to job centers
the An the
various of community life.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
-------
4: The Tool Kit
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Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
-------
4: The Tool Kit
ummunity boundaries are the
physical, administrative, social,
' economic characteristics that
one community from another.
0 might include
geologic (e.g., watershed,
range) (e.g., estuary,
river, plains, foothills).
which are by (e.g., major
corridors,
are by location, or use
(e.g., downtown, uptown, the waterfront,
rural, urban).
are
by for political
jurisdiction (e.g.. congressional districts.
town lines, school districts) and for
providing public services (e.g., waste
disposal, water supply).
refer to the ethnic
complexion of a certain place (e.g., Little
Italy, Chinatown), organized social
relationships around a place (e.g., civic
associations, Boy/Girl Scouts).
0 refer to economic
(e.g., upper class, working class).
These at scales.
For If community
community boundaries on a
ethnicity, It Is still to
for
the community.
Information community boundaries
might explain things as why the
community is located where It Is and its
connection to its natural resources (e.g., a
historically for a
river is for
production, in the mountains where miners
In the late 1800s). It
what types of people live why (e.g.,
resource
preferences for the landscape, rural or
lifestyles). This information is also helpful
which to
involve in community-based efforts. Knowing
a
boundaries will help identify key
decision-makers to involve In the process.
Identifying the community
financial
resources. In resources
might require that a particular restoration
be In
boundaries very useful.
Review the of in
2 and the
4, 2. to fully
the possible for
any one community.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kit
•
(methods key at end of table)
to
to , _ ~ _ _ _ _ „ , ,
ASiutrvHIJ
How do community members define the ^ •/•/•/•/•/
geographic boundaries of their community?
Are groups within the community grouped or */
-------
4: The Tool Kit
L'-iiimunity capacity and activism
•Inscribes the ability oflocal
•I'd citizen within the
ujiii!!imi% to influence local decision-making.
The community's capacity to its pool of
who are not necessarily or
appointed officials, but usually are 'prominent
persons, religious (e.g., priests,
ministers, or rabbis), tribal elders, presidents of
civic organizations (e.g., Jaycees or Kiwanis) or
labor unions, or landowners.
Community see as
influencing community on behalf of a
particular group, or the community as a whole.
Community capacity and activism Is
by the of community
groups such as coalitions to a
watchdog
organizations that track inform the
community on a of or
as homeowners' associations. Activism is often
through local demonstrations,
local officials,
discussions community members.
Community capacity and activism
describes the capacity of new to
within the community, for
empowering community not
previously involved with community decision-
making (e.g., minority groups), and the ability
of the community to work collectively to create
beneficial change.
By such as listed
here, you can identify the key
In the who are
responsible for "getting things accomplished"
for motivating other community members
to act. And, you can
networks and determine receptivity toward
environmental You can
identify examples of successful initiatives
in the community could be for
protection efforts. Once
you understand how community members care
how they work
together in making decisions, you'll have an
of how willing they be to
collaborate on an environmental
protection strategy work for your community.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kit
•
(methods key at end of ta.bie)
Questions to Answer
In generai, whcd kinds of opportunities exist to get
involved in community activities? What kinds of
volunteer activities thrive in the community (e.g.,
litter pickup, the recycling center, trail club, Big
Brother/Big Sister activities)?
What civic groups exist in the community (e.g.,
parent-teacher associations, religious
organizations, philanthropic groups, 4-H groups,
environmental justice organizations, and other
organizations such as Lions Club, Kiwanis, Rotary
Club) and what are their roles/missions? Which
organizations receive the most community
participation and support?
lo
What is the membership of civic groups (e.g., number
and characteristics of members)? Is membership
representative of the community's population, or do
certain members of the community belong to
particular groups? Why?
Who are the key nongovernmental
decision-makers and leaders (e.g., tribal elders,
religious, corporate, and academic leaders)?
How did such leaders become influential?
Which community organizations (e.g.,
homeowners* associations) and their leaders are
influential in community decision-making? How
did they become influential?
Are there any issues or local interests in particular
(e.g., environmental, economic, or political
issues) that are frequently addressed by these
organizations or their leaders? Are there any
issues or local interests that could be represented
by these organizations but are not? Why?
What some examples of successful
community initiatives? What made them
successful for the community? Do any initiatives
address environmental concerns?
Are there different approaches to dealing with
conflict in the community? What are they?
•/
IN THE
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kit
uHimunity interaction and information
flow how people in the
' community with
(e.g., do neighbors know visit with each
or do they to themselves?).
It also how of a community
exchange information, what information
are the in a community,
who influences the type of information
available within a community. Information
flow community
formal (e.g., newspaper. TV. radio.
public or (e.g., at
coffee shops, in grocery stores, on sidewalks).
Information flow reveals how perceptions of
the environment are influenced by the views of
others, the media. other sources of
information. And it shows how to
use of various sources
community members' environmental awareness
including which Inform
influence their environmental perceptions and
values. For
formal information dissemination mechanisms
can help you see how broad local trends might
develop, as the of a local TV
station broadcasting local environmental news
as a on the evening news.
familiar with community interaction
knowing where and how get
you community
outreach environmental education. An
will tell you who (e.g.,
race, class, age, part of town) where
groups (e.g.. church, the river, at a
restaurant) the important "hangouts" that
are often important places of informal
exchanges.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kit
•
(methods key at end of ta.bie)
Example Questions to Answer
Where are the soecrnc peaces where people meet
to chat and gossip? The supermarket? The post
office? The local bar?
Are there public forums for exchanging
information, e.g., town bulletin boards, town
meetings, Internet networks?
How do the groups/organizations communicate
with their members? Through newsletters?
Monthly meetings? Other?
What are the important media in the community
(e.g., newspaper, radio, television)? Are there any
media personalities who are particularly popular
or influential? What percentage of people in the
community have access to cable television and
public access channels?
What types of environmental issues receive
coverage by the local media? What has been the
nature of that coverage (e.g., support, oppose,
factual, opinion, interview-based)? Are there local
media people who specialize in environmental
coverage?
Besides local media, who provides
information about local environmental issues?
Are there any nongovernmental organizations or
interest groups disseminating environmental
information?
What percentage of people in the community use
the Internet? Do public libraries provide Internet
access? What other kinds of "interactive" media
do people in the community use to communicate
with one another (e.g., telephone, talk-radio, TV
call-in shows)? How often environmental
issues topics of discussion?
What percentage of the community receives a
newspaper? Owns a TV? Owns a radio? Are
there any groups in the community who might not
have access to information provided through
normal media channels (e.g., low-income
households)? Why?
What languages are used in which
communication vehicles or media? Why?
to
A
s
B
v-
s
s
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4: The Tool Kit
•.•mographic information
'' (he community's population. It is
primarily collected by local, state, or
federal agencies such as the Census
local It covers a
range of topics people in.
population size, gender, composition, ethnic
characteristics,
geographic distribution. vital statistics such
as of
Use demographic 'information to design 'public
participation, outreach,
that reflect the various age, educational,
in the
community. For example, different ethnic
the for developing
in
than English.
You can demographic information to
identify a specific subpopulation or
"community within, a community" (e.g., a
particular ethnic group) that might warrant
of
resources.
Demographic information might also predict
how an population can be to
change in the future (e.g., population growth or
decline, or or how
residential patterns (summer cabins, tourists)
sewer water quality quantity.
Demographic information is also for
assessing the community's for public
(e.g., clean.
water, land), estimating how population
on.
resources, developing strategies that
address the environmental concerns associated
with growth. It be to
populations you know to be disproportionately
by environmental issues, including
risks to health.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kit
•
(methods key at end of ta.bie)
to
What are the basic population statistics (e.g., size,
density, spatial distribution, age distribution,
ethnicity, typical family size and structure) in the
community?
What are the relevant subgroups in the
community (e.g., ethnic, religious, racial)? How
do these groups compare in their values,
priorities, and desired future conditions?
What is the projected population growth or
change in the community in the future? What is
Ihe basis for the projection?
How has the community's population changed
during the past year? Five years? Ten years? Are
any trends evident?
Are people leaving this community or coming to
Ihe community (e.g., young people or retirees
moving in)? Would the community best be
described as a permanent or transient
community? If permanent, how long have people
been living here? If people in the community are
fairly new, from where did they come? What drew
them to the community? If people are leaving the
community, where do they go and why?
•/•/
•/
•/•/
•/
•/
Does the community attract a seasonal S
population (e.g., university students, wintering
retirees, or summering vacationers)? Who
composes the seasonal population? What attracts
seasonal residents to this community?
What languages are spoken in the community? •/
What percentage of the community speaks
English?
KEY IN THE
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4: The Tool Kit
conomic conditions and employment
1 describes a community's economic
history, current economic well-being,
cind future potential. This information into
levels, of jobs, per
income, poverty, unemployment rates,
the of incomes in the community,
In (e.g.,
family-owned businesses versus national chain
businesses).
Information about a community's economy
employment
of past job dislocations (e.g., restrictions on
or activity or a
salmon industry), anticipate important changes
in the employment identify how
employment activities affect or be
affected by the local environment, You can also
use this to of
environmental concern identify elements
(e.g., population growth, sprawl)
with protection
strategies.
In to what
endeavors have succeeded in the past and
which for the
information on economic conditions and
employment to develop environmental
protection local
economic with environmental values. By
the the
proportion of the community that rely on
certain (e.g., natural
resource-based jobs, manufacturing,
technology), you'll figure out the ways in
which protection
might affect jobs in the local economy.
Employment can tell you how of the
economy is on extractive industries and
on outdoor recreational businesses and other
activities, as ecotourism.
Comparing figures to proposed economic
development plans can the community
how it can grow its economy while still
protecting its resources.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kit
•
(methods key at end of ta.bie)
to
to i i f n F
How would you describe the economic health »7
and vitality of the community (e.g., what is the
average per capita income, number of
people/families on welfare, etc.)? Do you think
the community's economy is healthy? What is the
average cost of living? How does it compare
regionally? Nationally?
Describe the different businesses and industry in */ -S
this community. How long have they been
around? Are they large or small? Family-owned?
Where are they located? How do the different
types of businesses influence the culture of the
community (e.g., banking, manufacturing,
mining, or forestry)?
is there one (or more) sector of the community's ^ v v
economy that is doing or worse than
others? What factors influence these trends?
Does the community have any businesses that v' v' v' v'
specialize in environmental technology? Are there
any businesses that market their goods and
services as being produced in an environmentally
friendly manner? What types of goods and
services are produced? How many people in the
community are employed by these businesses or
by government-based environmental programs?
What is the unemployment rate in the */ ^
community? How has it changed over time?
What is it projected to be like in the future?
Describe differences in unemployment between
gender, ethnicity, etc.
What types of jobs do people in the community v S
hold?
What is the percentage of dual-income ^ ^
households? What is the percentage of working
single parent households? How have things
changed overtime?
Are there people working in natural resource-
oriented sectors (e.g., mining, fishing, forestry,
tarming, ecotourism)? If so, how many, and
which ones?
What percentage of people who live in this ^ ^
community work in the community? Outside the
community? How has the dynamic changed over
time? Are there indications as to why these trends
are occurring? Is telecommuting on the rise?
KEY IN THE
A=Census Data Research F= Background Research
6 -----Content Analysis G=Maps and Geographic Research
C = Environmental Values Typology H = Meetings
D= Focus Groups !=0bservation
E= Interviewing J = Regional Economic Data Research
1 G H
v
•/ •/
v v
v'
•
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4: The Tool Kit
I'ucation the In
terms of the education levels of its
what or
informal education plays in the community. This
description, to the of the
system (e.g., the of schools in the
focus, and how school
activities integrate into the community). It might
of education, as
schooling,
experiential educational programs. And it might
the value of education to
members.
Information about education in a community
gives you a of the community's approach
to education which are
available useful for environmental
education. It also give you background
on the knowledge community
on a of
different educational experiences can be
to tailor public outreach messages
materials.
A community cultural assessment will also tell
you which
informal programs focus on
why. And knowing where educational
exist, as at a center, gives
you new outlets for distributing materials; it
you In
programs certainly you away from
costly duplication.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kit
•
(methods key at end of ta.bie)
to
tO ji i. ^ n ••
4 I C D F
What percentage ot adults in your community ^ •/•/•/
have a high school diploma? What percentage of
adults have additional education or a college
degree? How can those percentages be
explained?
How many elementary schools, junior high */
schools, high schools, colleges, and universities
are in your community? How many vocational
and technical schools? How many home
schooling or continuing adult education/literacy
programs? Where are these schools and
programs located?
What is the mix of public and private institutions? v'
What percentage of students attend each type of
institution?
Do the local schools prepare graduates to enter ^ S
the local or other job markets? Why or why not?
if not, where do students the education they
need to successfully enter these job markets?
What roles do schools play in this community ^ •/ •/
(e.g., is there an active PTA, sports program, or
some other source of civic pride)? What problems
cio these schools face? How are they trying to
resolve them?
How racially and ethnically diverse are the */ •
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4: The Tool Kit
"Vironmental awareness and values
1 describes people's knowledge, concerns.
iid perceptions of their local
uiv 11 oilmen t. It also whether how
environmental awareness and values into their
daily activities. Such activities can include
joining groups,
environmentally friendly goods and services, or
performing specific behaviors, as
recycling waste,
oil to collection centers, and using public
transportation.
Environmental awareness and values also
the ways
value the They
appreciate the role of wetlands in protecting
the quality of their drinking supply or the
role of trees in reducing their home heating
bills by providing They
might also value the environment for the
recreation opportunities it affords or simply the
way It feel.
Specifically, knowing environmental
awareness and values will help you
with
In a way to
them relates to their various interests
values. Meaningful communication
participation interest in environmental
protection. the to which
a community knows or not know about
threats to their environment will help you
specific groups within the
community for education outreach, and
you in effectively
materials. It might also help with conflict
resolution.
In many
their conflicting positions on an issue
they
values. Once similarities become evident,
efforts can be to build
consensus. For example, might be
concerned that agricultural practices are
negatively the of the
Fishery. You might that fanners also value
the fishery for recreation. In this case, both the
anglers the a naturalistic*
environmental value, which the
two groups to forge a solution.
er 4, 4.
.efer to the
description in
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
-------
4: The Tool Kit
•
(methods key at end of ta.bie)
Example Questions to Answer
How do citizens in the community feel local
natural resources should be managed (e.g.,
water resources and usage, scenic waterways,
water and air quality, endangered species,
migratory bird habitat)? What ethic is present in
the community: one promoting limits to use or
one promoting unlimited use?
How do people feel about the natural resources
in the community? How do they enjoy those
resources? Is any part of nature symbolically
represented as part of the community (e.g.,
school mascots, flags)?
What do community members know about the
natural history of the area (e.g., native species,
habitats, ecosystems, and any changes that have
occurred over time)? Are there any endangered
or rare biological species or habitats? Are
community members knowledgeable about
biological species that are either native or exotic
to the area? Where do they get their information
on these subjects?
What do residents feel are the most serious
environmental problems facing the community?
How have people addressed these problems?
What of support for environmental
protection currently exists in the community? How
do factors such as religious and concern
for future generations play into that support?
What percentage of the community participates in
environmental programs (e.g., birding clubs,
environmental organizations, river cleanups,
recycling)? What are the popular programs?
Why? What kinds of activities are pursued? Why?
What do residents know about potential local,
state, and federal facility environmental problems
{e.g., wastewater treatment facilities, military
installations, power generation facilities)? How
does this knowledge fit into what "experts" in the
field document about the environmental problems
in the community?
What local businesses offer "environmentally
friendly" products or services? Which recycled or
less environmentally harmful products or services
do community members use or buy?
to
*/*/*/*/
V
•/
KEY
A=Census Data Research
B=Content Analysis
C=Environmental Values Typology
D=Focus Groups
E= interviewee
IN THE
F= Background Research
G=Maps and Geographic Research
H = Meetings
l=0bservation
j = Regional Economic Data Research
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
-------
4: The Tool Kit
cvernance the
process of decision-making from the
local level (e.g., mayoral city
council decisions), through stale, tribal,
levels. Decisions
from regulations to local curfews. In
addition to assessing the formal
decision-making process, you want
to consider the more subtle influences on those
decisions by or (e.g.,
a wealthy class, an
minority group). For more information on
community
groups, refer to the earlier discussion on
community capacity and activism.
Understanding how governance functions
within the is critical to
results with community-based environmental
protection. It Is good to how
appointed officials in government interact
work with In the
community. the role
play In the political process. It be
necessary to understand the various functions
of the several
govern the local community (e.g.. authorities of
tribal local as well as
applicable laws and
regulations). Identifying including in your
who are in positions of
power influence in the community might
momentum for the assessment effort the
projects that follow.
In addition, the relationship local
government community members might
the design of your
project (e.g.. whether ballot initiatives or
are an appropriate or necessary
method for accomplishing certain goals).
Understanding governance can be critical to
approval for Is
obtained in good faith, efficiently, with the
of local officials. On the hand,
it's important to identify potential opponents
of the effort to
resolve any conflicts.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kit
•
(methods key at end of ta.bie)
to
Example Questions to Answer f
n B € D i
What is the system of local government in the ^
community? Do the boundaries of the study area
encompass more than one system of local
government (e.g., if the community is defined as
the area contained within a watershed, are there
several towns, each with its own governing
system, included within those boundaries)?
What proportion of this community votes in local, v*
state, and national elections?
Who are the key political decision-makers and V
leaders in the community (e.g., elected officials,
political appointees, city council members)? Who
are the federal and state legislative
representatives?
Has the environment been an issue in any ^ •/ S
election in this community? If so, which issue(s)
was raised? Has the environment been an issue
at a public hearing?
What state and federal environmental laws and */
regulations are relevant to this community? How
might those laws and regulations affect
community-based environmental protection
strategies?
What percentage of local government ^ ^
expenditures goes to environmental protection
programs? How has local government used its
regulatory authority to protect the environment?
Does local government sponsor environmental
education programs?
Where do community members the greatest V •/ •/
successes and problems in solving environmental
problems?
IN THE
A=Census Data Research F= Background Research
B- Content Analysis G=Maps and Geographic Research
C= Environmental Values Typology H = Meetings
D=Focus Groups l=0bservation
E = Interviewing J = Regional Economic Data Research
F G H
v v
•/
•/ s
•/ •/
s s
y
•S
K=Social Mappi
1
•/
j
K
s
•/
*/
£
•/
•/
y
•S
m
•ig
L=8urveys and Polls
M=Visual Methods
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kit
infrastructure and public services a
community's publicly supported services
such as highways, waste disposal,
public transportation, utilities, drinking water,
It schools,
hospitals, parks, libraries,
public services such as those -provided through
the local
Infrastructure and public services are
important the extent quality of
infrastructure might reflect the community's
values (e.g., recycling
environmental consciousness; efficient trash
litter illegal dumping; household and
conservation
consumption of precious natural resources).
Infrastructure and public services relate to
commercial,
development, access to roads, for sewer
lines, and Involved with growth
development. They affect community
cohesion. the of
place (e.g.. YMCAs, public libraries,
community centers),
Information on the of infrastructure
of public services
as a
to with air
or of
on resources. You
with
demographic data to
low-Income or a
of waste in
or live with
infrastructure and public services.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kit
•
(methods key at end of ta.bie)
Example Questions to Answer
Which utilities provide gas, electricity, and wafer in
the community? What are the sources of the
electricity and water? Have there been shortages?
What effect will population growth in the
community have on electricity and water supplies?
How old are the roads in the community? How old
are the sewer and drinking water systems?
Describe their condition. Do they adequately
service the community? In what ways do they need
improvement or changing?
What waste management services does the
community provide (e.g., recycling, household
hazardous waste disposal, trash pickup)? Are these
services provided by the city or private contractors?
Are people using these services? If there are no
such services, how are people managing their
waste?
Where are utility and waste management facilities
located? Do low-income or minority
neighborhoods host a disproportionate number of
such facilities?
What kind of public transportation does the
community offer? What are estimates of ridership?
How do about the public transportation
system? A.re there plans to change the public
transportation system? What percentage of auto
commuters carpool? What is the average time and
mileage of daily commutes?
What other types of public services and
infrastructure does the community provide (e.g.,
public bathroom facilities, libraries, convenient post
offices, community centers, indoor recreational
facilities, public parking, and walking trails,
parks)? Do community members feel that these
services are in terms of accessibility,
services provided, cost, etc. (e.g., affordable
parking, safety and accessibility, acreage and parks
per capita)? Why or why not? How would they
change things?
Does the community have adequate emergency
services? Who provides them? Do outlying areas
have the same protection as the incorporated area?
Do community members volunteer for these
KEY IN THE
to
•/ \ •/
y' i •/
y' i •/
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kit
ocal identity quality of life
preferences, local arts, history,
traditions.
as cleanliness, safety, the
friendliness of neighbors, strength of the
economy, cost of housing. (e.g.,
mountainous region, coastal plain), or
climate (e.g., cold/hot, dry/wet).
include pottery, sculpture,
painting, wood and working,
storytelling, music, song that
are specific to the area (e.g., textiles
of dye
to weave or music).
The of the community includes
of Important (e.g., town
the year a built,
drought or years),
Include the practices,
stories/myths a community's past
are orally (stories, song),
visually (photographs, paintings), and in
writing (life histories, scrapbooks).
Local identity provides insight into "sense of
place" "sense of community." The
in
events can be important for identifying local
the influence of local or
religious history in shaping community culture.
Community
lived in the community for generations can
provide important information materials
(e.g., photographs, clippings) that
depict changes in the community over time.
in
community perceptions, values, connection
to the land and other resources. This
be a point for
discussions about a community's future.
Local identity community
support for local environmental protection
can. develop environmental protection
consistent with community identity.
Art festivals, historical tours, and seasonal
are in which to
for environmental protection to increase
people's environmental For
instance, a community's fishing derby
be a catalyst for watershed
protection. The for a to protect
the watershed/lake/river can be linked to the
community's to preserve one of its
traditions presented in a that will
rally support. T-shirt
poetry writing contests among schoolchildren
can illustrate the symbolic and personal
of the to local youth.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kit
•
(methods key at end of ta.bie)
Example Questions to Answer
What do residents of fhe community feel is
important or special about the community (e.g.,
culture, diverse population, urban or rural
qualities, natural environment)?
What do the local chamber of commerce, tourist
bureau, or similar organizations emphasize as
key community attributes?
Are there any special natural features that
distinguish the community? Are there features
that offer recreational opportunities (e.g., location
next to a river or lake, access to beaches and
ocean, mountains, or desert)? Features important
for the conservation of biological and other
natural resources (e.g., endangered or
threatened species, unique geologic features)?
In what ways has the community recognized
(e.g., "Healthy City" award)?
to
How do people in the community describe
themselves in the context of the community (e.g.,
like-minded to their neighbors, outdoor
enthusiasts, young professionals)? In what ways
do people feel that living in the community has
affected them?
In general, how do people in the community feel
about their quality of life? What do people
consider important to quality of life (e.g., clean
air or water, good jobs, security, good relations
with neighbors, etc.)?
Do people feel that the quality of life has
improved or worsened over the 20 to 30
years? How? Why?
What feelings do people have about the future
quality of life in the community (e.g., economic
growth, population changes, protection of open
space and other natural resources, impacts
resulting from urban sprawl)?
•/
Are there any plans or other documents that
describe the community's overall vision (e.g.,
economic development plans, park and
greenway strategies, comprehensive plans)?
What organizations have a financial stake in
preserving local identity (e.g., merchants, hotels,
four guides, bed and breakfasts]? In what ways?
How do they communicate their stake?
IN THE
A=Census Data Research
B=Content Analysis
C=Environmental Values Typology
D= Focus Groups
E=intervie\ving
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kit
ocal leisure and recreation
how community spend their
time, how much, of It is
in the natural environment. You will learn about
participation in as
fishing, camping, picnics at a local park,
hiking, snow water skiing, boating,
swimming, visits to the local
library, shopping, arts or musical events,
working out at a gym, playing sports,
watching television, to the radio, or
using a home computer.
How community their leisure
and recreation usually
what's really important to them (e.g.,
staying healthy through physical exercise,
connecting with or
watching, informally interacting with friends
neighbors). This you
how the environ-
ment fits into the lifestyles of people who live
It Is likely that a community
relationship to the outdoors, in terms of leisure
and recreation, will his or her
interest in community-based environmental
protection.
Information on local leisure and recreation can
be used to galvanize support involve
people In developing that a
wide of needs. Leisure and recreation
activities can bridge class, race, and
in a community bring
people together around something they enjoy.
Information you the
to develop a watershed management plan to
protect by recreationists. The plan
might include educating private landowners in
conservation practices such as erosion control
to recreation (e.g., fishing,
swimming) for the entire community.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kit
•
(methods key at end of ta.bie)
to
tO ji i. ^ n ••
4 I C D F
How would people in the community define •/ •/
leisure and recreation?
What kinds of outdoor activities occupy residents' S
leisure and recreation time (e.g., hiking, boating,
camping, snowmobiling, playing baseball with
coworkers, picnicking, making home
improvements)?
What kinds of indoor activities occupy residents' •/
leisure and recreation time (e.g., playing indoor
basketball, reading books, making home
improvements, lifting weights, taking in arts or
music, going to the movies, watching TV, listening
to the radio, bowling, going to the mall)?
Do people in the community spend more time S
indoors or outdoors? How much time do people
spend outdoors, and with whom (e.g., alone or
as of a sports team)?
What percentage of time combines leisure and */
work-related activities (e.g., coed sports team
sponsored by the company, golfing with
coworkers, doing research on a project without
compensation)?
What kind of annual or periodic special events or -S •/ •/
entertainment activities exist (e.g., sporting,
cultural)?
What natural features of the community are S S S S
important to residents and their leisure or
recreational time (e.g., local lakes, rivers, parks,
forests, bike paths, hiking trails, nature prese ' >•-
wildlife, etc.)?
Do the community's natural recreational feat >r> .. S •/
attract tourism (e.g., kayaking opportunities,
fishing and hunting, rock climbing, skiing)? How
do residents feel about tourism?
Are there any federal or state-managed parks, -S
forests, or wilderness areas that are easily
accessible to community members?
Do people want more outdoor recreational S S S S
opportunities available to them? What would
people like to see? Are there any reasons or
conflicts that keep people from enjoying the
outdoors (e.g., inaccessibility, crime, pollution)?
KEY IN THE
A=Census Data Research F= Background Research
B=Content Analysis G=Maps and Geographic Research
C=tnvironmental Values Typology H = Meetings
D=Focus Groups l=0bservation
E= Interviewing J = Regional Economic Data Resean i;
F G H
/
,/
•/ •/
/ s
f
Y
•S
•/
•/
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4: The Tool Kit
, ifural resources and landscapes
efers to the natural features
thysical layout of the area in which
A ^uinmumly is located. Some of the features
(e.g., rivers,
lakes, wetlands, aquifers, oceans), geologic
resources (e.g.. minerals), and geographical
(e.g., forests, plains, or
coastline). This information can include
habitat, location of key
flyways traveling for
historic natural landmarks (e.g., Grand
Canyon).
The natural resources and landscape of a place
might contribute to a community's local
identity or way of life (e.g.. fanning),
recreational (e.g., sportfishing),
economic pursuits (e.g., mining, ecotourism).
Information will provide insight how
members of the local community value their
resources (e.g., aesthetically,
economically, spiritually) the relationship
the the of the
community. Natural resources and landscapes
to why to live
where they do. Residents might appreciate the
openness of freedom of rural areas;
the power of majestic
mountains, the soothing rhythm of rolling
hillsides, or the of waves
crashing along a coast. Local natural resources
and landscape can
community development strategies.
Natural resources and landscapes are the
features of a community that invoke local
pride, attention, and
economic activity. They can therefore serve as
a catalyst for community involvement in
environmental restoration. And
the of resources such as
or significant waterways can to
outside recognition increased funding for
restoration or preservation work.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kit
•
(methods key at end of ta.bie)
Example Questions to Answer
this community? What are the important natural
resources in the community? Why? To whom are
they most important?
How do people in the community define their
surroundings (e.g., landscape features,
topography and vistas, arrangements of streets
and buildings and architectural styles, distance
end physical separation from other
communities)?
What are the primary landscape characteristics of
fhe community? What are the major categories of
ecosystems in the community (e.g., oak/hickory
forest, tall grass prairie, cypress swamp)? How do
seasonal climatic changes alter the community's
landscape during different times of the year (e.g.,
heavy snowfall, frozen lakes)?
Are there any nationally, regionally, or locally
recognized natural resources in the community
(e.g., a wild and scenic river)?
Are there particular areas of natural beauty or
species of special significance that residents
revere or that draw visitors?
What are the major threats to natural resources
in the community?
Has the community ever experienced a time of
scarcity for any of its natural resources? What
were the effects? Can community members
imagine any effects that might happen to the
community today if natural resources were to
become scarce? Is the community currently
experiencing any such effects? What are they
cioing to overcome them?
to
*/*/
*/
•/•/•/•/
What is the connection between land use in the
crea to history and culture? Has any aspect of the
landscape influenced the community's cultural
>:• identity?
•/
IN THE
F= Background Researcn
G=Maps and Geographic Research
H = Meetings
l=0bservation
J=Regional Economic Data Research
B=€ontent Analysis
C=Environmental Values Typology
D=Focus Groups
E= Interviewing
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kit
about property ownership,
management, and planning describes who
owns and (e.g.. private
landowners, stale or agencies) as well as
who is for
the community (e.g., the city or county
agency). This information might also indicate
how long
controlled use of the land; what types of
development occupy tracts of land;
tenants rent, or actually own the properly.
This a "community's
of place" empowerment in of
ownership control over
land-use planning decisions. Information about
property ownership, management, and
planning you who Is for
the land, what types of restrictions
use, community
a of ownership
accountability for the land and resources
In the community (e.g., Who rents or owns?
Who lives In an building, on a
quarter-acre lot in town, or in the country?).
This information can. in
land use over time, as well as the various
factors that have contributed to such changes
(e.g., growth, out-migration from the
core, increases In light industrial.
commercial, or development).
Use information about property ownership,
management, and planning to
the Involvement of key (e.g.,
private and public land managers) in
community-based
protection that sustainable
land-use practices. You can use this
information to Identify opportunities for
developing greenways and nature trails; setting
up on private
redeveloping brownfields; and implementing
grazing, farming, logging
practices on public/private lands.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kit
•
(methods key at end of ta.bie)
to
tO ji i. ^ n ••
4 I C D F
Who owns and manages the land in the •/
community? What percentage of land in the
community is owned by the federal government?
The state government? The local government?
How are they involved in community affairs?
What percentage of land in this community is */
owned by timber, mining, or other
resource-extraction industries? How are they
involved in community affairs?
What percentage of land is used for agriculturai ^ ^
purposes? Small or large farms? Is agricultural
land being converted to residential, commercial,
or other uses?
What percentage of land in this community is S v'
owned by land preservation or conservation
organizations or is held as a conservation
easement or protected in some other way such as
wilderness areas or military bases? How are such
organizations involved in community affairs?
is most property (including land) privately owned •/ S
or rented/leased? Is there a trend? What is the
basis for these trends (e.g., can members of this
community afford to purchase homes or property
in this community)? What are the current housing
types and housing ownership patterns in the
community? What is the percentage of home
ownership?
What are the local zoning ordinances? Is there a ^
regional planning program? If so, does the state
exercise any land-use authority? Is there a Main
Street Program?
What is the average density of people per square ^* ^* ^*
mile? Is "sprawl" a concern for the community?
is there a land-use planning office in this ^ ^ ^
community? What has this office done? Do
community members participate in planning
efforts? How are land-use conflicts handled?
What are the principal land-use/planning issues ^ v' v' v'
in the community? What are the long-range
land-use plans for this community?
IN THE
A= Census Data Research F= Background Research
6=Content Analysis G=Maps and Geographic Research
C=Environmental Values Typology H=Meetings
0-Focus Groups l=0bservation
E= Interviewing j = Regional Economic Data Research
F G H
v- v-
v v
v v
y' y'
•/ •/
*/ */
V' V'
•/
y' y' v
f
S
S
s
«/
j
V
s
i
,/
i
,/
J
•/
•/
K=Social Mapping
L=Surveys and Polls
M= Visual Methods
Community Culture and the Environment A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kit
ublic safety and health describes the
factors that contribute to a community's
of personal safety (e.g., crime,
dangerous roads) its environmental health
(e.g., contamination,
use, monoxide emissions,
household materials, lead poisoning,
rates). This the
safety of public recreational (e.g., use of
dark, on
trails). The of environmental
management facilities such as wastewater
or the affordability and
convenience of landfills might also be factors.
And community members' perceptions of safety
are Important.
Information public safety and health
identify potential community environmental
Whether or perceived, this
information tells you how residents believe
various their health
safety, what they or government agencies
are doing them, how
where they live.
It also can reveal whether vulnerable groups
(e.g., children, senior citizens) are by
environmental health issues (e.g.. toxic waste
air or quality). This
in formation can be to develop community
programs that minimize actual risk.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
-------
4: The Tool Kit
•
(methods key at end of ta.bie)
1
to aornrc^u
A o i U t run
Do people fee! safe in the community? Why or ^ •/
why not? What factors contribute to residents'
feeling of safety or lack of safety?
What is the crime rate in the community (for both •/•/•/
violent and nonviolent crimes)? Are there any
particular neighborhoods in the community that
have a higher crime rate than others? How does
the crime rate compare to neighboring
communities? How have crime rates increased or
dec'eosed o-e- t me- Is t~>e>e a me m
!<»! le"'1l'M ,li ! i'jK'f ! • 'I'll ! - '•
How does the actual crime rate compare to the •/•/•/ •/
perception of crime (i.e., statistics vs. public
opinion)?
How do residents about potential harm to •/•/•/•/
human health or the environment from local
manufacturing, agriculture, business, or
household practices? Are there any data to
indicate unusual rates of certain that
might be associated with such practices?
community? Which ones are specific to the
community? Which ones are specific to particular
neighborhoods within the community? What are
the top five leading causes of disease and death
in the community in each age group? What
stress-related or mental illnesses affect members
of the community?
What environmental management facilities exist •/ •/ •/
in the community (e.g., landfills, incinerators,
compost sites, etc.)? What concerns are
associated with these facilities? How many local
jobs are linked to these facilities?
Is there a history of fish or swimming advisories */ ^
for water bodies around the community?
What is the infant mortality rate in the •/ •/ •/
cornmunity? How has il changed over' time?
What are the suspected causes?
IN THE
A- Census Data Research F= Background Research
B=Content Analysis G=Maps and Geographic Research
C= Environmental Values Typology H=Meetings
D= Focus Groups l=0bservation
E= interviewing J=Regional Economic Data Research
•S •/
•/•/•/
•e
j
•/
•/
i
s
•/
•/
•/
L
s
•s
•S
•/
•/
•
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4: The Tool Kit
eligious and spiritual practices
describes the importance of religion
spirituality to community
nicmbeis, the kinds of religious spiritual
within the community
(e.g., churches, synagogues, prayer groups),
the various religious spiritual beliefs
of It
community activities sponsored by religious or
organizations (e.g., fairs,
service), the
memberships of such organizations, and how
religious
perceptions about the environment
protection of natural resources (e.g., the
environment is God's as it
must be revered preserved). This
or
spiritually significant places (e.g., cemeteries,
churches, "holy places").
efforts to a community's strongly held religious
practices can tap an
network of active and devoted volunteers and
a community's
religious and spiritual practices can help
determine which religious in the
community be for
outreach involvement concerning
environmentally issues. on
community members' spiritual relationship to
to the
of environmental
formal religious/spiritual teachings, ultimately
the community's environmental
awareness. Nature often plays a central role in
practices, meditation,
lessons on the interdependence of humanity
nature, and the giving of thanks for a
involving
religious organizations can also legitimize
community-based environmental protection
efforts in the eyes of the community.
Reiigiou,\ and spiritual practices often play a
central role in the lives of community
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kit
•
(methods key at end of ta.bie)
to
tO ji i. ^ n ••
4 I C D F
Which religious and spiritual beliets are •/•/•/
represented in the community? Which most
active (e.g., which hold fundraisers such as
dinners or cookie sales, sponsor youth activities
such as bible study or camp, care for seniors and
low-income persons)? What are their
membership numbers (total, active)?
What kind of influence do religious or spiritual •/ •/ •/
groups have in the community?
Do any of these religious or spiritual •/•/•/•/
organizations do work related to the
environment? What ports of the environment?
What types of religious or spiritual traditions, •/ •/
practices, or ntuais take piece within the
community? Are there areas/sites in the
community that have religious/spiritual
significance?
How do the different religious traditions or */ •/ •/ •/
scriptures of each religious organization view the
natural environment (e.g., dominion over the
environment and its creatures, reverence for the
environment, or stewardship and protection of
God's creation)?
How do the different religious and spiritual •/•/•/•/
organizations perceive the future of the world
(e.g., how far off is the end of our time and the
world)? How do those perceptions relate to the
protection of the natural environment for future
generations?
IN THE
A=Census Data Research F= Background Research
3=Content Analysis G=Maps and Geographic Research
C= Environmental Values Typology H = Meetings
D=Focus Groups l=0bservation
E= Interviewing J = Regional Economic Data Research
F G H
s
•/
v v
j
s
f
S
S
j
•/
f
S
S
*/
I
S
s
V
*/
s
m
*/
K=Social Mapping
L=Surveys and Polls
M= Visual Methods
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kits
any useful methods exist to identify, collect,
interpret information about people's behaviors
values This step
describes 13 such methods S4-1). Use them to collect
qualitative and quantitative The information. Is
to help you use the methods yourself or to you to work with
a professional,
The described in this step range to collect
of actual community involvement (unobtrusive),
as collecting from a local library, to
directly community (interactive), such as focus
groups interviews. Some observation, for
be ways, on the specific
purpose and the situation in which they are conducted. A brief
of will give you
information on each method. Refer to specific instructions for
The Guide suggests using at to
compare contrast results. Refer to B for more
details on triangulation.
The for the
following:
0 of
0 How to collect the
0 Resources needed.
0 Sources of extra help.
0 cons of using the method.
0 Bibliographic resources.
0 Matrices listing for community
characteristic.
The instructions show you how to apply method discussed in
this chapter. C has a summary of method applicabil-
ity, gives the advantages disadvantages of each method.
Step I: Pre-project
Planning
f
Step 2: Define Goals 2nd
Community
f.
Step 3: Identify Community
Choroderistics
Slep 5: Anolyze Results
J
Step 6: ond
Best
S4-1—
Intereiewlng
Meetings
Observation
D
n
n
n
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kit
•
to B for an. introduction to the
foundation for using assessment methods. It describes qualitative
sampling,
validity,
Use W-5 3 to organize your methods
selection.
is the collection of Information from
existing written electronic sources. If information you
is in a book, a current or past issue of a magazine,
newspaper, or journal, or in any kind of manuscript or
electronic database, research might be an
appropriate assessment tool for your needs. This might
historical of local
issues, or previous on the topic. Use
background to education
materials, collect Information, on. environmental Issues,
ideas, more about a community.
B outlines the community's
demographic economic to provide a solid
foundation for your Census data cover 200
specific topics, including employment, education, population
size, ethnic group makeup, and whether the community is
rural, urban, or suburban — every aspect is important to
defining a "community."
El helps you analyze the text of written or
spoken messages to determine the perceptions of
individuals groups within a community. You'll
insight into cultural that dominate a community's
perceptions of the or
protection. symbols a community to
about different will become apparent,
as will the social context of various how
members of the community communicate.
0 can be used as a
or analysis tool to help you the
types of environmental values within a
community. Use this set of nine basic environmental values to
categorize different environmental values held by individuals
or groups. The Typology can also help you understand how
these values might motivate community behavior.
• ,. Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kits
0 explore community members' feelings,
beliefs, and about the environment A moderator
facilitates this process in which
by the Focus
groups identify how participants feel and a
particular issue(s) and can provide a of
their views, experiences, beliefs, knowledge, and
about the topic(s) you are investigating, The results can help
other assessment or strategic planning efforts, validate
other findings, and aid in collaborative environmental
problem-solving.
is the process of asking individuals (or small
groups) questions and recording their responses. Use
interviewing to gather descriptive about community life
the lives of community members. Interviews can focus on
members' beliefs, feelings,
issues and with others. Look for or
in the to
analysis. Interviews can reveal opinions
the or of
the physical
of the show the different
within (e.g.,
commercial locations, roads, natural features). Maps
geographic research also show how the community fits
within the larger context of its surroundings (e.g., its
relationship to other communities or its location within a
watershed) how it has changed over time (e.g., road
construction, development).
assemble groups of people representing a variety
of interests to discuss community issues. They can be or
small, might be in ways
on location,
purpose. are a relatively cost-effective to
local concerns, values, viewpoints,
priorities, interests. Use to solicit input from
various groups of people on community values, attitudes, and
beliefs; identify describe the community; define overall
environmental protection goal(s); bring people together to
establish a vision action plan for the community;
identify coordinate with collaborators. This
for reaching
agreement.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kit
•
collects by purposefully and selectively
watching tracking the behavior of community or
Use observation to
of a Its not
reveal. Observation can the
of other the
of such as
surveys and focus groups,
you
information, regarding jobs, employers, revenue, per capita
income, total personal income, other thai help
construct an overview of the economic conditions and trends
of a community. It organizes specific information about
industries by sector (e.g.. manufacturing, services, raining)
includes the number of employees for that industry
wages. Use to how
what support the community's
base.
E3 are tools that collect, organize,
social a community. They illustrate different types
of relationships and in a community identify
to to conserve and protect the
These be
problems, causes and effects, perceptions and realities, or
relationships between organizations, institutions,
individuals. You might invite community to
social maps, or use such to design an assessment project
or analyze the data collected by other methods.
Depending on the goal of your assessment your
information needs, you can choose from four different social
maps:
« focus on Identifying a community's
capacities and assets. These help community
members recognize tap the value of certain of
their community (e.g., individuals, organizations,
institutions) of which they were not previously aware.
» graphically the community
on people's personal perceptions experiences.
« identify the and of an
belief, concept, or within a community.
• patterns of
communication, relationships, information flow within
a community.
• ,. Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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collect information directly from people,
usually through a written questionnaire or an in-person or
telephone Interview guided by a written questionnaire. Use
surveys to quantify various of the community, as
Its values and or its
of specific issues. An of
surveys Is that they can the characteristics (e.g., race,
occupation, age, income, education, community residence) of
survey respondents with questionnaire responses about
particular behaviors and beliefs thai relate lo the local
environment community-based efforts. And they collect
representative data,
capture social, cultural, economic, and
ecological features produce valuable information from
community who view those images. Captured
through photographs, video, or Illustrations, the
of a or other land area,
historical They
of streets, houses, stores, open spaces,
civic features, the people that places. Use
visual methods to community members describe
analyze their relationships with others and with their
surroundings, to stir up their thoughts feelings about a
particular place. This information help protect existing
or provide a vision for the
of the community.
for
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kit
$4-2— Exist
«
«
«
»
»
» CD-ROM
*
«
«
*
$4-3— to
» Public (including
»
*
• of
« Tourism
*
•
»
*
ackground research is the gathering of information from
I published printed and electronic sources. If Information
you is. or might be, in a book, a current or past issue
of a journal, or or
electronic database, background might be an appropriate
assessment tool for your S4-3).
Background be a for preparing
environmental education materials, collecting information on
a
specific community.
provide a variety of services.
lie newspapers, and
vertical or "clipping" files of newspaper
articles organized by subject. They might also have a local
history room. they can assist in finding obtaining
documents from other sources.
« typically
have a of publications, as well as
collections of older publications not found in public
libraries of space constraints.
s, usually in capitals, can
provide information a specific In cases.
they have specifically with
resource issues.
0 to
history, arts, and traditions. Materials books,
journals, scrapbooks, photographs, maps, and vertical files.
0 of provide
housing, transportation, demographics, recreation, tourism,
other subjects.
on population,
housing, transportation, the history, traditions
that a locality unique.
lie
In social services such as housing, transportation,
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kits
community services, medical services, public assistance.
more.
The which includes the World Wide Web, is an
international information superhighway that provides access
to many communication information services
Libraries for the Future (LFF), a nonprofit organization, lias
published The Environmentalist's Guide to the Public Library
(1997) to help full of environmental
information electronic resources, such as the
Internet, available at public libraries. To the Guide
LFF al
Libraries for the Future
121 27th 1102
New York, NY
(212)352-2330
Fax:(212)
E-mail: lff@lff.org
Web site: http://www.lff org
2.
0 Typically, you type In key
words or subjects and the system will list relevant
publications. Try different related key words subject
for the topic you are assessing,
0 a
Many public libraries college/university
libraries have dial-in systems that allow outside
to browse their holdings, as well as those at affiliated libraries.
An example of such a service is the "Sailor" computerized
of library in Maryland, a project of the
Maryland public library community. The for
Sailor Is "http://sallor.lib.md.us," its Telnet is
"sailor.lib.md.us."
$4-4— the
You the
a
is to the via an
to a
You a the
a
computer.
on the can
be at a libra ly or
bookstore.
, have CD-ROM-dedicated
on-slte. Often the are of
different areas.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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•
|jj
Balachandran, M., and S. Balachandran, cds. 1990. State and Local
Statistical Sources: 1990-1991. Gale Research, Inc., Detroit, MI.
This publication. Is a very useful source of guidance when
identifying resources to look for once you arrive at a library or other
information collection site. It is a subject guide to statistical data on
states, cities, and localities covering agriculture, business, education,
energy, environment, finance, labor, law enforcement,
manufacturing, public welfare, real estate, taxation, transportation,
many other topics.
U.S. Department of Commerce. Recurring publication. County and City
Data Book, Economics and Statistics Administration, Washington,
DC. This publication contains similar information to the Statistical
Abstract of the United States, but at the county and city level (only
cities with populations greater than 25,000 arc included).
. Recurring publication. State and Metropolitan Area Data
Book, U.S. Census Bureau. Economics and Statistics
Administration, Washington, DC. This publication contains similar
information to the County and City Data Book but Is organized
differently.
. Published annually. Statistical Abstract of the United States:
The National Data. Book. U.S. Census Bureau. Economics and
Statistics Administration, Washington, DC. This publication contains
information at the national, regional, levels on population,
births, life expectancy, health nutrition, education, law
enforcement, geography and environment, parks, recreation
travel, elections, state local government finances
employment, social insurance services, labor force,
employment and earnings, income, prices, and much more.
Whitcley. S., ed. 1994. The American Library Association Guide to
Information Access: A Complete Research Handbook and Directory.
House, New York, NY. The Guide selects more 3,000
of the best standard electronic sources in the 36 most researched
subject categories. It tells where to find them and explains the latest
research methods. This is an excellent resource for almost any type
of research and is particularly useful for those who might be new to
library/data research see "Part 1, Advice to Researchers."
In addition, each state publishes various materials about Itself and its
localities. For example, these three sources are produced by Maryland:
Maryland Department of Economic and Employment Development.
Recurring publication. Maryland Statistical Abstract, Office of
Research, Maryland Department of Economic Employment
Development, Annapolis. MD. This publication contains Information
on population and vital statistics, education and health, climate and
natural resources, labor force and employment, and much more.
Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Published
annually. Maryland Vital Statistics. Division of Health Statistics,
• ,. Community Culture and the Environment A Guide to a of Place
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Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Annapolis,
MD. This report contains data on. births, deaths, total population
population by age group, life expectancy, diseases, marriages,
much more.
Maryland State Government. Recurring publication. Maryland Manual:
A Guide to Maryland State Government, Maryland State Archives,
Annapolis, MD. This publication describes all parts of the
government in detail, including details about current
agency/department heads.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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•
4-5— Cm
Dita Til
OS
of or
in an
as
(farms),
such as
of em pi oy men!
to work,
as
attained.
S4-6— vs.
Internet vs. Cl
to
the
questions.
at
CD-1OM:
D
D
detail,
n Is to the
cnsus data as
employment, education, economic conditions
throughout the United States. The data are
available by specific geographic location (e.g., state, county, Zip
or by a of the (e.g., Asian American,
African American, Hispanic) S4-5). The U.S. Census
collects and publishes census every 10 years (e.g.,
1990, 2000). Also, see on.
regarding U.S. Census Bureau maps.
(Refer to
0 Go to the Census Bureau's home page at
http://www.census.gov.
0 Accessing data via the Internet allows you to link to other
sites that might contain relevant information. By selecting
Access Tools from the Census Bureau's home page, you can
access Census data you can also select
Network, which links to the ol
Economic Affairs web site. From you can view
socioeconomic data by county.
A call to your library or to the Census at (301)
457-4100 will identify the nearest library that is a depository of
government A of the Census
Bureau/Department of Commerce products services can be
in Catalog of Products Services available at your
library or via the Internet.
The Census Bureau Customer Service Line (301) 457-4100 can
give you Census data over the or you in
the
The Census Bureau uses the CD-ROM as its primary way to
information, for the 2000 Census. You can get
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kits
•
CD-ROM. at library. Unlike the Internet, you will
be able to view only table at a lime with the CD-ROM.
fj to
Depending on the formal, census data titles also
the universe which the are drawn. The
universe the total set of or
described in the particular table. In cases, the universe
only be a of the total universe of Persons. In the
example subject tables that follow, the universe tells you that the
on race, sex, specifically to the portion of the
total counted Persons that are Males of Hispanic Origin, in
case, to the portion of the total counted Persons that are
Females of Hispanic Origin, in the other.
Race (1) by Sex (1) by Age (31) # cells - 31
Universe: Males of Hispanic Origin
Race (1) by Sex (1) by Age (31) # cells - 31
Universe: Females of Hispanic Origin
The universe also indicates the type of data (e.g., Persons or
Households) being measured. In the previous examples, Persons
are being counted. Misinterpreting universe is a common mistake
Census make.
2. of
The total of data cells indicates the in which
are In The following subject for
provide the race of all living In a
particular area.
Al) (5) # of cells ----- 5
Universe: Persons
Bl) Race (25) # of data cells - 25
Universe: Persons
Although the subject (race). In the
(Persons), the Bl as by Its
of cells, provides In the
Census gives its the option of on five
of race, or
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kit
•
0 In the example, Al provides five data cells, on the
race by the Census:
AT) Race (5)
Universe: Persons
White = 3,693
Black = 0
American Indian, Eskimo, or Aleut = 0
Asian or Pacific Islander = 1 05
Other = 12
0 Whereas, Bl provides 25 cells:
Bl j Race (25)
Universe: Persons
White = 3,693
= 0
American Indian, Eskimo, or Aleut = 0
Asian or Pacific Islander
Asian: Chinese = 0
Filipino = 6
Japanese = 1 1
Korean = 6
Laotian = 82
Pacific Islander:
Polynesian = 0
Hawaiian = 0
and so on. . ,
|Jj of
IT!
Census data can be extremely useful for quantitatively
characterizing a community's demographic economic
makeup.
The data are strictly but
aspects of communities that would be time-consuming
expensive to quantify using other methods.
Much of the be at low cost and In
various for specific Information, needs.
» The biggest disadvantage to the Census is its
inaccuracy. the Census is only once per
(e.g.. 1990 and then not until 2000). it
not In the of
In years the previous Census.
• Another disadvantage is that the Census collects data only
from documented legal citizens of the United States at the
time the Census was conducted, Depending on the
• ,. Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kits
community you are assessing, this could omit a
subpopulalion.
Lavin, M.R. 1996. Understanding the Census: A. Guide for Marketers,
Planners, Grant Writers and Other Data Users. Epoch Books. Inc.,
New York, NY.
U.S. Environmental Protection. Agency. 1999. Sociodernographic Data
Used for Identifying Potentially Highly Exposed Suhpopulations.
EPA-600-R-99-060. Office of Research and Development,
Washington, DC. Center for Environmental Research Information
(CERI), (800) 490-91.98. Assists scientists and concerned
communities in identifying subsets of the general population who
might experience more frequent contact with, and greater exposure
to, environmental contaminants. The document provides specific
demographic data to help users determine the of people in
these potentially highly exposed subsets of the general population.
in
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kit
•
Be
To of
of
(e.g., Is
a that
as the
environment?}.
To the of an
Individual, or
(e.g., What the five
that the In
the of a particular
group!),
To in
(e.g.. Have the
or 11 if a
To or
who be
to
or to your
Is to the text of written or
spoken S4-7). It can
bd Reveal social cultural symbols a community to
0 Provide insight into the social context of different activities.
0 Reveal patterns of communication.
Content analysis can be on of interviews or
or visual recordings as focus videos,
newspaper articles, announcements, memoirs, or
texts, as to
the or During of a
you for or opinions, words, or
to
a variety of Issues,
(e.g., ecosystem, watershed).
You use or In conjunction with
assessment methods, such as focus groups interviews, to
complement their findings or to help develop topics specific
questions. Content analysis can also identify groups,
organizations, and individuals who might be interested in your
project or be good of Information the
community. (See A, 1 for an example.)
Refer to your assessment goals. Clear goals will help you
identify the issue(s) you wish to analyze. You want to
analyze the level of environmental concern in the community.
Or, you might want to find out how people refer to the
so you can an
campaign. For example, do they use such words as "nature" or
"the woods" or the of a (e.g., "Buzzards
Roost")?
2. to
Analyzing multiple versions (e.g., 10 to 20 days of a daily
newspaper), or (e.g., three different
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kits
reports) is for comparison verification,
for tracking trends. Select the material that most closely relates
to the issue(s) of interest. For if you want to
local analyzing a local would
be the best choice.
Codes are specific words or phrases that represent community
perceptions, beliefs the you are
assessing. They are on your own understanding of the
issue. To effectively conduct content analysis, you
different codes to analyze the manifest latent content of the
text and
0 to the visible
as the frequency of words or phrases (e.g., "sustainable,"
"wildlife habitat") in a text. Coding texts for their manifest
content is relatively easy: you read the text count the
number of times each or phrase appears. It also is
reliable, but not necessarily valid (e.g., the
of the of a not necessarily It's
of local Importance).
refers to the underlying or context
of the (e.g., pro-environmental, environmentally
aware). Although this analysis be valid, It Is not
as as the analysis of manifest content. If different
are Involved In the analysis, they not on
the latent meaning of a particular piece of text.
To by key
to the issue(s) in you are For you
want to the degree of environmental in a
community. You believe that the of
Thus, the of specific Is
you will to
on criterion, your be
words like "nonpoint source pollution," "runoff," so on.
Your be "high" or "low" environmental
on the underlying 'meaning, or point, of
the text. Your criteria for latent codes will on your own,
or the recorders', subjective opinion the of the text
indicates high or low environmental awareness. The codes you
$4-8— to
— or
community
the
— the ¥isibie,
as the
or
in a text.
— the
or of
text.
— the of
to be
article,
S4-9— VS.
» or
in a
»
can be
»
of or
might not be an
* be to
» of a
text.
»
not be with
by
the
differs nfiyj,
» of
the underlying is an
of the
of to the
» be to
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kit
•
be from so as to
related but separate ideas.
First, group codes according to whether they are manifest or
latent. Then, to use easily, In a by
terms, organizations/groups, places, meanings, beliefs, or ideas.
manifest codes might include "runoff or "pollution"
(terms), "Environmental Protection Agency" or "The Nature
Conservancy" (organizations), "Piney Branch Creek" or
"Targhee Forest" (places). A could be
"pro/anti-environmental" (meaning). A matrix like S4-1
in the W-6 —
at the end of this section).
S4»l—Code
Document #
Title
Terms:
» runoff
» pollution
Organizations:
« Environmental Protection Agency
Meanings:
» pro-environmenta:
« anti-environ mental
» The Nature Conservancy
Places:
» Piney Branch Creek
» Farahee Forest
are of text analyzed, including
0 Sentences
0 Paragraphs
0
0 Interview
0 Entire text (article, speech, interview, etc.)
• I** ,. Community Culture and the Environment A Guide to Understanding a of Place
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Your selection, of recording will depend on your goals
the number and types of documents/materials you will be
analyzing. For if you want to find out how
local to the environment, you could
select articles or as your recording unii(s). If you
to the of community to
a particular question during an interview, you could select
as your
Your selection of recording units also on your time and
the amount of material you wish to analyze. For example, if you
are analyzing articles, coding
of an article will be extremely time-consuming. A more
appropriate recording would he the article itself. It is
important to the recording units before conducting the
analysis so that the word or is not
(e.g., counting a word In a sentence, as well as
in the paragraph in which it appears, will result in double
counting).
Multiple analyzing the document/material will
reduce the chance of bias or error in the data collected. When
Individuals are recording codes, it is they
understand how to conduct the analysis. To ensure this, you
wish to clearly explain the recording
(especially when using latent codes) and conduct or more
preliminary analyses solely to define codes and recording units.
Tally will help you keep track of how often your
appear in the you analyze. Use a cover for each.
text (e.g., a newspaper); on the cover sheet, list the source and
of the the of the
are provided in the W-6 S4-10
for a cover sheet.
You must also record the total number of recording units that
you analyze on your cover sheet. This is
for the of an
with a pro-environment meaning to be analyzed in the
of how many total editorials you read. The
of 5 pro-environment editorials out of a counting of
15 in one local the
highly values the of its environment.
Title
Type
etc.)
Location
Counting
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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•
—
from
»
»
* Title
«
•
* on
» Citation
KIT
•
«
•
»
»
*
« for
Com m on
However, five out of a of 40 a lower degree
of pro-environment sentiment in the community.
the text(s) code recording unit. For manifest
codes, the of times In the
recording unit. Then enter the number in your recording sheet for
thai particular recording unit. For latent codes, code the
of recording unit record the
number of units with meaning (e.g., anti-environmental) on
the You should also note any terms,
organizations, places, or meanings that related to the issues
you are analyzing. You will be able to the
or later
content analysis. S4-11 for a format which you can
to people, organizations, and
events.
How you analyze the results of content analysis will depend on
your goal for using tills
0 Analyze the frequency of the to
understand/identify the to talk
the environment.
0 Use to the underlying of the
the of environmental
So\ end computer greatly Improve the
reliability of content analyses are available. Although they
are be quickly It
be worth the effort to use them in analyzing or multiple
texts.
|j| of
!'acuity or at local college/university social
science (sociology, anthropology, political science,
psychology) be able to give you technical assistance,
particularly with code design analysis. If you have the
financial resources, private sector polling analysis firms also
provide such services.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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('an survey, interview, and
,md results.
Content analyses can be conducted at low cost and without
highly staff.
It is unobtrusive, seldom directly affecting the community
being studied.
Content is to the of
communications.
For information to be useful, care must be to
useful mutually exclusive codes, and to
all individuals the the way.
If the text to be analyzed is quite (for example, more
50 pages), the analysis might be very
time-consuming.
Babbie, E. 1995. Unobtrusive Research. Pages 305-336 in The Practice
of Social Research, 7* ed. Wadsworth Publishing Company,
Belmont, C-A.
Krippendorff, K. 1980. Content Analysis: An Introduction to its
Methodology. Sage Publications, Beverly Hills, CA.
Weber, R., and P. Sage. 1990. Basic Content Analysis. 2™ ed. Sage
Publications. Ncwbiirv Park. CA,
ff to the
of
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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•
(The foilowing so^ipie is tor articles ond headlines. Adopt this worksheet to til your recording urnts.)
=NC¥
Etc.
• I*- ,. Community Culture and the Environment A Guide to Understanding a of Place
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4: The Tool Kits
livironmental Values Typology is a tool to help you
distinguish types of environmental values
ipresent within a community. Environmental values are
those values that how people groups
specifically to the natural environment, Knowing the different
types of environmental values present in any community will help
you to the
S4-12). People often express their values in their
everyday decisions actions.
Environmental Values Typology S4-2, which defines nine
basic values, Is of how basic values
to the environment be categorized. The
typology can give you insight into how values are likely to
motivate certain community behaviors. Understanding
environmental values can help form partnerships between
in of
protection.
Environmental Values Typology defines a utilitarian
value as the practical exploitation of
for physical security, For example,
might the flow of the river to grow crops that they
eat sell to a living. The fanners might also revere
they know their way of life on Its
health. These feelings suggest the
a moralistic environmental value, defined as spiritual
reverence, an concern for
On the other hand, a local environmental group might be
the water level by irrigation
will negatively affect the habitat of migrating birds. According to
S4-2, for the birds'
they a value as
well. In this case, using the Environmental Values Typology
an the environmental group
share a common value that can be to bring these two groups
together to the constructively.
To
To the for
to
To how
the erwironmerit in
To
the
environment.
To in
to be with
methods.
To your
To
methods.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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—
1 he fable has four columns:
(I) VALUE, which lists the term used to identify a particular value,
(2) DEFINITION, which explains the meaning of the term,
• 3) FUNCTION, which describes the possible attitudes, behaviors, or actions that might result
from having this value.
(4) FREQUENCY/RANKING, which can be used for recording data based on content analysis,
small group exercises, or other collected data,
If necessary, you can change the table to better suit your needs. For instance, if your data provide more detail on the
definition or function of a particular value, add that information to the table. If you've identified values that do not
appear on this table, add them.
Utilitarian
Naturalistic
Eco logistic-
Scientific
Practical and material
exploitation of nature
Direct experience and
exploration of nature
Systematic study of structure,
function, and relationship in
nature
Curiosity, discovery, recreation
Knowledge, understanding,
observational skills
Physical
nature
and beauty of inspiration, harmony, security
one
Humanistic
raiistic
Use of nature for language
one thought
Strong emotional attachment
and "love" for aspects of
nature
Spiritual reverence and ethical
concern for nature
Mastery, physical control,
dominance of nature
Fear, aversion, alienation from
nature
Communication, mental
development
Bonding, sharing,
cooperation, companionship
Order, meaning, kinship, and
oit'uism
Mechanical skills, physical
prowess, ability to subdue
Security, protection, safety,
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fji to
You can colled information about environmental
In ways. Use the Values Typology
14-2 to assist you.
Incorporate the Environmental Values Typology into other
assessment to on from
community members. Use the Environmental Values Typology to
help design, the for a survey, interview, or focus group.
For you the definitions of the nine values
in a survey, Or, you might use the definitions to form questions
to ask an Interview. to the
of question design, statements. scales in A
2. by
Use the Environmental Values Typology S4-2 to analyze
the data collected as to
understand how community express their relationship
to the on the data collected,
whether the attitudes, values, opinions
by community fit into the table or identify other values.
(Refer to the of codes in the
Engage community in their own environmental
values. Use the Environmental Values Typology S4-2 in a
small group setting as an exercise in selecting or ranking
environmental values. photocopies of the
Environmental Values Typology Table to participants. Ask
to indicate or rank their own environmental values. After this
exercise, in a the
environmental values about which they feel strongly. Refer to the
for on to
organize conduct a small group meeting.
The Typology Table can be to values
or to include or clarify environmental values to suit your
community.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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•
The Typology Table not a value
you have identified as present in your community.
You across a for a similar value
listed.
Kelleri, S.R. 1996. He Ka'/i/e of Life: Biological Diversity and Human
Society. Island Press, Washington, DC.
Kcmpton, W., J.S. Bostcr, and J.A. Hartley. 1995. Environmental
Values in American Culture. Massachusetts Institute of Technology,
MA.
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ocus groups are a structured by a
moderator, which individuals discuss issues
by the focus group sponsor. Focus groups rely on
inter action the participants to stimulate discussion, to
to gain a
understanding of personal views, experiences, beliefs, knowledge,
altitudes about various topics. The results can
or planning efforts, validate- findings,
aid in collaborative environmental problem-solving.
The following steps will help you through the focus group
process. You might want to seriously consider securing technical
individuals who have in
design or facilitation.
Topics can be or specific to a particular or
combination of issues. to your goals.
to to You can
use a variety of techniques for selecting a good of
your to the description of sampling
techniques in B. Some possible criteria to consider
include community members who
« within the community.
« Are newcomers to focus groups not "professional"
respondents (e.g., politicians) who might lead or
the discussion.
« Do not know the specific subject of the discussion in
advance (knowing the subject beforehand allows them to
form of time).
« Do not in the group
might inhibit individuals from talking freely).
« Are (people of similar
are likely to
more freely than with widely varying
« Are (when affiliations
as race and gender are similar,
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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•
freely than when differences exist, particularly
when cultural differences correspond with -power in the
| e.g., minority groups, women]).
to You might to convene several focus groups
to ensure a of views. The size of each
be large enough to
lively discussion, but to a allows all
members to participate: Ideally, 8 to 12
« A professional moderator, often connected
with a firm, be able to assist you in
recruiting the cost will be
$500 and S700. These firms select focus group
a on. specific
developed by the assessor.
« Focus group participants
are for by
being S35 and $50 or provided
or lunch, gifts, or travel The cost of focus
moderators and participant
can between 53,500 55,000 (if using a focus
Finn),
What Is It you to find
out about the community, or a particular subpopulation?
Brainstorm the questions/categories of questions for
which you want lo find answers. Questions should be fairly
simple, open-ended, consistent with the purpose of the
focus group. If conducting multiple focus groups, il is
Important to use the for The list
of questions ultimately the
Begin with to the
comfortable with the process. Follow with
questions. potentially controversial
so as not to jeopardize- the process.
Use
with a simple "yes" or "no" — try to phrase them to
encourage detail elaboration. Probing questions, such as
"Is there anything . . . ?" or "Can you give me an
example of what you by ... ?" often reveal richer
surprising insights. to
B for on An
you the
questions.
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Focus groups
generally last one to a maximum of two hours, on
the of the of
involvement. for an
a half, but on the discussion. two hours.
The last half-hour allows for to
thoughts, for the to
questions,
a moderator
facilitates the focus group discussion by keeping the
discussion on track, participants the protocol questions,
probing their responses with more specific questions to elicit
greater detail, ensuring that participants follow the rules
for interacting during the discussion. A moderator must be
to follow new lines of discussion that are relevant to
the topic by the group's but
the questions were formulated.
A qualified moderator should be able to neutral,
develop with the participants, and
facilitation skills. have
are in or
conflict Professional to be paid
$1,000 to $3,000 per This fee the
actual moderation as well as a written summary analysis
of the discussion a written report the
results conclusions. Since the effectiveness of a focus
group depends heavily on the abilities of the moderator, you
should seriously consider hiring one.
The level of moderator involvement is a key element. An
active aggressive moderator can help that all
important topics are discussed adequately but might inadvert-
ently on A
allow the to over topics,
which provide information, but the group
to neglect are less popular. Trained
are able to be
passive to suit the of the focus group sponsor.
of a A
focus group be held at a conveniently
located facility, such as a local school or recreation center.
The meeting room should have tables chairs that can be
so that all participants have eye contact with each
other. Similarly, the should be convenient for the
participants you plan to invite.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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Another location for Is a
facility. Especially designed for focus groups, these facilities
two-way allow the sponsor to
the focus room. If you can't use a
facility, a professional moderator or research firm can set up
viewing facilities
normally cost between $400 and $500 per focus group.
to groups
are generally audio- videotaped. Both record the
discussion as it occurs and preserve its subtleties for later
content analysis. Recording a focus group also frees the
from notes, thus allowing or her to
carefully to, ask of,
If you conduct your focus group at a research/focus
facility, a will he
available for $200. Otherwise, you can the
equipment from an audiovisual store.
to
sponsor(s) of a focus group Is usually anonymous.
It is believed that people will respond in a less biased fashion
if they do not know who is interested in their responses. In
many cases, the sponsor(s) is in another simultaneously
watching the process through a two-way mirror or a TV
monitor. Sometimes the moderator will reveal the sponsor at the
of the group, but the is
The to the sponsor(s) on the
your goals. In
as towns close-knit preserving the
sponsor's the of community
members.
s. Carefully notification
attendance. Depending on your available time and resources,
adapt the following steps to suit your needs:
« a introductory to
participants.
• Telephone several weeks prior to the meeting to discuss the
ask to to the
group. During the provide all
as Incentives, of
the focus group.
• Follow the confirmation call with a confirmation
letter the of the
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gives the date, lime, location, directions to the
facility,
« Telephone the day of the focus group io remind the
participants.
Some participants who have confirmed their attendance might
fail to show up for the group. Therefore, it is to
a you If you want a
of 8, invite 12. If you want a group of 12. invite 15. If they all
up, you can. to the of
their arrival. The people turned away should still receive their
, The or his or her assistant
greets the participants as they arrive and invites to have
something to eat or drink while they wait for the rest of the
participants (preferably not in the room where the focus group
will take place). When all participants are present, they take a
In the focus group room the moderator the
discussion. Arrange- in a circle or a so that
can see the moderator.
0 moderator begins the focus
with introductions, an overview of participants' roles,
an of the process and suggested rules.
« Time limits on speaking.
« Respect for the moderator's role in facilitating the
discussion.
« of the opinions of others.
« Other rules the participants mutually upon.
Following the introduction, the to the
participants in a discussion of the questions by the
sponsor.
The moderator allows time at the end of the session for
the group for participating. The
moderator or his or her assistant gives participants their
compensation as they leave.
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El
« or to as
be at interactions.
» Audio- and videotapes, recording machines, and technical
assistance.
« Cash or other form of reimbursement for participants.
» Food and for participants when they arrive at the
facility.
0
« A person designated to serve as a recorder.
« A host/hostess to welcome as they
arrive.
Extra help In conducting groups be
available from the communications and marketing departments
of nearby colleges universities. To find focus group facilities
professional the country, visit the web
site at hllp://www.focusgroups.com.
Group interaction can useful information that
not from methods.
Focus groups can give community a of
inclusion in the community process by providing
with a forum to opinion.
Shy persons not always opinions.
Participants are by to
with they would normally oppose, which
the your Inaccurate.
Focus groups can be expensive: between 53,000
each.
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13
Butler, L.M., C. DcPliclps, and R.E. Howcll. 1995. Focus Groups: A
Tool for Understanding Community Perceptions and Experiences.
Community Ventures circular. Western Regional Extension
Publication, Washington State University, Pullman, WA.
Greenbaum, T.L. 1988. The Practical Handbook and Guide to Focus
Group Research. D.C. Heath Co., Lexington. MA.
Kruegcr, R.A. 1994. Focus Groups: A Practical Guide for Applied
Research. Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, CA.
Morgan, D.L. 1988. Focus Groups as Qualitative Research. Sage
Publications, Newbury Park, CA.
National Association of Conservation Districts. 1994. Information
Gathering Techniques. League City, TX.
Stewart. D.W. 1990. Focus Groups: Theory and Practice. Sage
Publications, Newbury Park, CA.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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•
do with
why
community as a why,
community,
or their why.
—Who
Whom?
interviews ecu be conducted by
community members or experienced
interviewers. Having community
members interview each other
allows them to get to know one
another belter, possibly creates new
relationships, and might even
contribute to a sense of cohesion
within the community. On the other
hand, experienced interviewers
might produce more reliable date,
A I infe-viewers i-volved in the
assessment project, experienced or
" )t, should go through o short
training session based on this
n elhoti description. Training will
h jlp ensure that o sin-war approach
aid similar techniques are used in
a 1 the interviews.
interviewing Is the of Individuals or
groups of community questions recording their
responses. Use this to descriptive data
community life the lives of community members
S4-13). Focus on. community thoughts, feelings,
with others.
Analyze interview results by looking for patterns or themes in the
responses and to
You can chooac from three types of interviews, on
your purpose, resources, time. Each type of Interview can be
in or over the in or
individually, by community members or experienced
S4-14). The are
interviews, semistructured interviews, structured interviews.
0 do not follow a predetermined
of topics but rather the flow of the discussion with the
interviewee. Sometimes it be helpful to have a list of
topics ready to keep the discussion flowing if necessary. Use
unstructured interviews when you are gathering new
as how people
interviews an interviewer to collect
in-depth information, that be used to tailor other
interviews or with
0
use a set of
questions that, the interview, lead to
questions. Use
interviews to in-depth you've already
gleaned from general observation or other data.
a set of questions to
a of respondents. of similarity
difference in responses the for analysis. Similar to
face-to-face and telephone surveys, structured interviews are
useful when you know to ask fairly specific questions.
of the type of interview you to conduct, the
following will help you use this
effectively and achieve accurate results.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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Pre-inter¥iew:
« Thoroughly the of the
community, the groups, the individuals you will be
interviewing so thai you can ask pertinent questions
rapport quickly with you're interviewing.
Knowing names and places can help the interview
focused refresh an interviewee's memory,
« Use sampling to determine who how many
people to interview on your goals and resources.
(Refer to the discussion of sampling in
8.)
• Select the Interview type
unstructured, semistructured, structured, or a combination
on your needs. Also decide who will conduct the
interviews and whether they will be over the phone or in
person. Decide if the interviewers will be compensated or
if their work will be in-kind.
« Interview questions can be
open-ended or specific and multiple-choice, depending on
the type of interview you are conducting. Be sure to allow
yourself sufficient time to develop the best questions for
your purpose. to the of question in
Pretest interview questions on
of the community to be sure that the
subject matter are appropriate. Pretests will also
the wording is not
Determine how you will record the interview.
Use
to track of interviews. Use
when
interview by
••••&
i. Arrange a place that is convenient for
the interviewee; you can do this by telephone, Be sure to
explain the purpose of the interview how or why the
interviewee was selected. Although you can conduct the
interview that's agreeable,
including the interviewee's home, it's a
with The the
interviewee, the It will be to maintain.
rapport.
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Loo
• I*- ,. Community Culture and the Environment A Guide to Understanding a of Place
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—
IS
IS
S
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j. Interviews should start on time. You and
your interviewee should establish the time together:
generally 30 1.5 hours.
t. It Is to with
interviewees to them comfortable with your presence
your questions, This greatly the likelihood
that they will answer your questions honestly
positively, rather than feel threatened by them. Establish
rapport by
> Approaching interviewees properly.
> Informing them of the purpose of the Interview the
process to be followed.
> Advising interviewees of their roles and rights In the
Interview process, such as confidentiality (see of
4, 1).
> Giving a written or verbal of your project to
interviewees so they fully understand you are
doing how the will be
> Using when
appropriate.
> Respecting the time for the interview.
If the Interview includes open-ended questions
Is not highly structured, the Interviewer might ask
interviewees with
Probing ask
interviewees for follow up on.
of Information.
of probing include: "Would you
further?" "Could you give me an example?" Use
probing questions sparingly carefully, not as
interrogation techniques. When properly, probing
might actually build rapport by allowing the interviewee to
In more detail about personal knowledge or
concerns.
, Always that as the interviewer, you
record only what the interviewees say. Despite your own
knowledge Interest, you must neutral, or you
could the results of your Interviews. Later, as you
the Interview results, you your own
opinions.
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Each interview deserves a graceful closing,
Walch for clues during the interview thai the interviewee's
attention or Is waning. You'll see in a yawn,
of the or you
the questions. To the interview, ask concluding
like, "Is you would like to
add?"or "Would you like to this discussion at
another time?"
Record the Interview In writing or by tape
(always ask to record, especially to tape an.
interview). You to use a or a
device to free you intensive notetaking,
thereby allowing you to concentrate on what the
interviewee is saying. If you use a tape recorder, position it
unobtrusively. For example, a voice-activated tape recorder
placed on a between the interviewer the
interviewee is less obtrusive than a microphone held
to the interviewee's face.
if. After the interview, record your of
the interview:
> How did the interviewee act?
> What the physical of the interview?
> Were Interruptions?
or transcribe your as as
while the is still In your memory.
Reviewing Interview
or probing for interviews. Also, offer
your interviewee the opportunity to the transcript to
corrections or clarifications. This the
interviewee a partner in the interview, checks the validity
of the you have collected, and further
interest on the part of the interviewee about the outcome
of the overall project.
Experienced interviewers (either voluntary or paid).
Prepared statement of introduction.
Time for
Office or interview (e.g..
telephones, recording devices, pens, paper, maps).
Community Culture the Environment: A Guide to Understanding a Sense of Place • I** ,.
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0 Method for storing analyzing (e.g., a computer).
El List of interviewees.
Local university/college of sociology, anthropology,
psychology, political science, journalism, will
often have faculty or students experienced in conducting
types of Interviews. They can provide technical
assistance regarding sampling techniques, question design,
analysis.
|jj of
171
« are useful for asking some initial
to know the Interviewee, and for
structured interviews. Such interviews are
relatively inexpensive as long as are available
the survey does not calling. They
are also less time in-person interviews
can reach a large number of people relatively easily.
« are
of survey they allow the Interviewer to
ask or a survey In a variety of ways
(e.g., on the by appointment, In people's homes) and
to use visual materials to help respondents answer
questions. In-person interviews allow the interviewer to
also note the emotional reactions and non-verbal cues,
such as body language, sarcasm, stance. gestures in
to questions. In-person interviews are
more In between the
interviewer Interviewee; this is especially important
the interview Is a In-person
interviews also give the interviewee a of
involvement in the assessment. the interviewer can
more easily probe for additional information.
are not as appropriate for
in-depth interviewing. The lack of face-to
contact It difficult for the interviewer to establish
appropriate with the interviewee. Question
be kept relatively since the interviewee cannot
see non-verbal conversational cues. It also might be
difficult for someone to stay on the phone for very long.
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Telephone interviews can only those of a
community who have telephones.
« might be more time-consuming
expensive compared to other types of methods (e.g.,
self-completion surveys). The presence of the interviewer
foster responses in cases where they have not
achieved rapport with the interviewee or where other
subjective the responses. Interviewers
be to follow the set of Interview
so that behaviors
do not the of the
Interviews collect a amount of data to
analyze, but they usually involve only a small percentage
of the community, making community-wide
generalizations unreliable.
43
Backstrom, C.H., and G. Hursh-Cesar. 1981. Survey Research. 2nd ed.
John Wiley & New York. NY
Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches. 2n ed. AltaMira Press.
Walnut ("reck, CA.
Frcy, J.H. 1983. Survey Research by Telephone. Sage Publications,
Beverly Hills, CA.
Hawtin, M., G. Hughes. J. Percy-Smith. 1994. Communitv
Profiling: Auditing Social Needs, Open University Press,
PA.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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•
— of
of a community be
on a of the
Include;
* of
the as or
• or
as
the of
municipalities.
» as
« as
or
of
It not be to
of communities on
of a
community
by:
»
*
«
• of Commerce
«
»
»
* Similar
by an or
by
as McNally or
Visit a
to find out
ap^ and geographic research can be used to define the
physical of the community, the
many different social physical elements contained
within (e.g., live,
are located, roads, and natural features). Maps and geographic
research show how the community fits within the larger context of
Its (e.g., the geographic to
communities or its watershed) how it has changed over time
(e.g., road construction, commercial development)
(Figure S4-16).
Geographic data, such as photographs or high-resolution satellite
Images, can be to reveal how have
organized themselves economically, socially, or geographically.
(1) the ability of
the community's to accommodate future
growth (2) how in use affect the
of the surrounding ecosystem. A good visual tool for
discussion on local identity with community members, maps and
geographic put the
obtained through other methods into a geographic context.
Many government private conduct
geographic research develop use as part of their
daily work. Unless your has
information you can by using
existing sources discussed in this section S4-17, S4-18,
and see the
also.
List the features of the community that you want to illustrate on
a or These
(e.g., mountains, rivers and
watersheds, agricultural land).
(e.g., city county
lines, soil conservation districts).
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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(e.g.. transportation
networks, sewersheds).
0 you want to protect (e.g.,
historic sites, drinking water sources, special wildlife habitats,
forest buffers).
0 that protect public health or
environmental quality (e.g., solid waste facilities sewage
treatment plants).
0 that might have actual or potential public
health ecological impacts (e.g., Superfund sites, flood
zones).
0 (e.g., military bases, Indian reservations).
2. the of the
To be useful, must show locations accurately
on a of or Simply Is
the relationship between the on the the distance
on the ground. is as a of 1 Inch on the to
actual inches on the ground (e.g., a scale of 1:600 is 1 inch on the
for every 600 or 50 on the ground). A very
as 1:600, the of sewers,
power lines, water lines, streets, buildings drawn to scale. A
smaller-scale map by symbols.
3.
0 of
s. Geographic other
information is traditionally published in printed (hard
copy) format by county,
government City or county planning survey
will the
for your particular community.
Technology it possible to retrieve, store,
display
(GIS). GIS answer the following five
questions the community you are
> What Is at [location]?
> Where is it?
> What lias |datej?
— Map and
ic
Although EPA does not produce mo
as part of its mission, the Agency do
main!Bin a web site that allows for
fleogroptucaliy based seorches, or
queries. EPA-regulated
For regulated foci lilies:
//WWW,
This web
page ailov/s users to search
EPA-regulated facilities by
itieniiticaiion number, name, ZIP
code, county, or depending
on the database being searched.
Each database provides an
e.xplariolio™ of fhe datcsbose pnor
to the query.
http://www.epa.gov/su it
For env! ro n me ntci I Info rrn ation:
ro/
This "Windows to My
Environment" web page allows
users to o bio in air ond water
quality Information for specific s
searchable by ZIP code er cily c.
sicte. An interactive map for eac
site shows wciterbodies, monitoi
sites, and population density
information.
The University of iexas at Austin
developed a Library Map Collection on
the Internet. It includes information an
references lo map-related web sites.
You'll fir"d sources of geographic
information on city maps,
maps, cartographic maps, and others.
Visit the collection at
http://www.i3
index, htm!.
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1C
—SIS
http://wwmw.esri.eom
Arclnfo.
Window to My
of California,
GIS.
> What spalia! patterns exist?
> What if [sped fie event]?
A GIS map a with a of
The shows the geographic of
an an. Is a set of thematically
as soil composition, locations, roads, or land
use. A GIS can the with
overlays, or together, to produce a custom
of the you want. Technically
coordinators GIS by using scanners, digitizers,
entry of coordinates from information.
of
•
FEMA produces portraying flood zones,
that experience 100- and 50-year floods. These
can usually be found in slate or university libraries
designated as for
In city/county or surveyors' offices.
«
use standardized zoning lo show
restricted land uses for particular of the community
such as " high-density, one-family, detached dwellings"
or "major business, office complexes." Zoning
overlay the zoning codes onto actual street of the
to public the to
designate with locally officials.
>
to the by the (e.g., the
of residential, industrial,
uses). Most "master plans" that
will help you land-use restrictions and plans.
are at
the county or city government library, or at county/city
or surveying offices.
In 1867 the Sanbom
Map Company began developing fire insurance to
help fire insurance the of hazard
associated with a particular properly, These regularly
the commercial, residential,
industrial sections of some 12,000 cities towns in the
United including specific the size,
shape, and construction of residential dwellings,
commercial buildings, and factories. They also list street
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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names, properly boundaries, building use. Check your
local historical society, county/city planning or surveyor's
office, or courthouse for insurance of your
community.
In the 1970s,
The Conservancy the
Program to provide scientific on the
of biological diversity.
Today the Natural Heritage Program is to wise
land-use decisions thai minimize the degradation of
biological resources. Within the United Stales, the Heritage
Network has grown lo cover all 50 slates, the District of
Columbia. the Navajo Nation. Mosl programs are now
work in collaboration with the
Conservancy. They are primarily
universities, and the
Conservancy Itself. In a the
has specific data within
national or national forests. For more information,
contact ihe Conservancy's national hotline al (703)
841-6360 or visit http://nature.org.
The Census are
organized by census tracts and block numbers. Census
show the location and the boundaries of these tracts
blocks. Census also include political boundaries
geographic information. Local
might be available al public libraries. at a local
or county library, on the
of the political jurisdiction.
ihe orihe
Bureau's page at
http://www.census.gov/geo/www/tiger/index.html for
information.
develops county-level soil survey scientifically
Inventory soil to the for,
with, use. Soil survey be
through, your county's Soil Water Conservation
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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•
District or viewed at a local public library or county/city
planning/surveyor's office.
For more information about the geographic provided
by NRCS, visit http://wwvv.nrcs.usda.gov link to its
National Cartography Geospatial Center at
http://www.ftw.nrcs.usda.gov/ncg/ncg.html or contact
> Lab
P.O. Box
Washington, DC 20013
> Affairs: 720-3210
> Inventory: (202) 720-5420
The USGS
Mapping provides a variety of cartographic,
geographic, science, remotely data,
products, services in support of federal, state, and
public interests. These products services include
in formation about the earth's natural and cultural features,
special in several scales, other
digital that can be as part of a more sophisticated
analysis
Printed USGS are organized into nationally
quadrangles. Viewing a quadrangle is like
the land the air. These show the
location, of houses, churches, airports, roads, railroads,
bridges, of the land by contours,
longitude. Topographic also use
photography to
natural land cover land-use patterns, USGS can
provide older, out of date for tracking changes
trends in use of a particular community. USGS
are usually available at public libraries.
USGS a network of 75 Earth Science Information
Centers (ESIC) around the country. An ESIC (pronounced
seasick) is often located within a or
agency other USGS. Regardless of its location,
of an ESIC Is to provide state
the Its
surface. An ESIC sells USGS provides
of a
geologic hydrologic to the
information offices of the appropriate USGS division. For a
• ,. Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kits
•
list of stale ESICs, call ASK-USGS or visit
http://www.usgs.g0Y/esic/esic-indexJitTnl on the Internet.
For more information on the USGS National Mapping
Program, contact USGS at
> USGS National Center
12201 Sunrise Valley Drive
Reston, VA2192
Internet: http://www.usgs.gov
for
GIS software is a specialized tool. Several GIS
software are commercially available on the market.
among the popular (and user-friendly) Map Info and the
more advanced Arc View Arclnfo by Environmental
Systems Institute and CarisGIS by Universal
Systems.
Environmental Systems Research Institute. Inc. 1993. Understanding
GIS The ARC/INFO Method. John Wiley & Sons, New York, NY.
The Nature Conservancy. 1996b. Web site: Natural Heritage Program.
http://natiirc.org.
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. 1997. Mapping
Your Community: Using Geographic Information to Strengthen
Community Initiatives. Washington, DC.
U.S. Department of Interior. U.S. Geological Survey. 1991. National
Mapping Program: Earth Science Information Center. Reston, VA.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kit
•
— Uses
partners.
Plan your (e,g,,
workplan).
community
to
to
of on of concern,
for the
will
Bring to conduct
(e.g., to
an map).
ivtlngs or be In
community cultural both to collect
in formation a community to involve
coininuiiily members in all of the -process (e.g., defining
goals, planning). be In
ways depending on location, time frame, and,
important, purpose. Meetings are a cost-effective way of getting
on.
lists the ways be used
in community cultural assessments. This worksheet discusses
types of for conducting
0 of
« Small group
« Workshops or
• Community (public) meetings and information sessions
> Town meetings and public hearings
> Road shows and houses
> Kickoffs and summits
> Visioning
0 for at
«
> Free-wheeling
> Round Robin
« Charrette
«
• Nominal Group Technique
Small group provide the best setting for
decision-making and consensus-building because they
people to focus on a main topic S4-21).
They are also useful for setting for upcoming
planning future events.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kits
far
suit a
or the
steps:
» to be or the to be
made.
» the decision-making (e.g.,
» (e.g., Whaf
the you
to in
» to the
The be
of the so the of Is
by fhe
process.
n For is
(i.e., fhe for my
I
n a of to
six
n Once to
it is to the
be like "high,
low," or a is
to so fhe 100.
Brainstorm all
or
to you your
options.
1 to
A
Cost 30%
Applicability 40%
Other Resources 1 0%
(labor)
Time 20%
1
C
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kit
•
0 To optimize the opportunity for thoughtful dialogue, this type
of meeting should be limited to 20 participants, preferably 7
to 15.
or
Workshops forums are good techniques for soliciting
on a narrow selection of issues. Workshops forums
generally on a of or
topics. Use workshops and forums to bring together technical
selected or the public.
Community a wide of people in
discussion about a particular or topic are typically
workshops, Public
meetings take a variety of forms: town meetings, public hearings,
shows, houses, kickoffs and summits, and visioning.
0 are typically
in a highly
specific of time to voice opinions.
Participants normally prepare and submit written testimony or
comments for the official record. Testimony is usually
preserved for the public record; such transcripts might be
useful sources of data for your assessment.
0 also input from a wide
variety of community members, but in less formal ways than
town meetings or public hearings. Road shows
houses use exhibits and other types of visual or verbal
(e.g.. slide shows. to
usually visit community
neighborhoods; to a
location. Open-house out
or
environmental facing the community
in informal discussions. These types of meetings are
good for informally collecting responses to or proposals
that can be visually presented.
0 are community-wide meetings that
initiate projects or indicate the transition from one phase of a
project to another. They can also public of
an by attracting coverage. For
exposure, link community-wide events with
local events, as Day, Urban Day, or an
fair. These are to bring into a
• --. Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kits
community to present vision on addressing
environmental issues.
; is a series of open, collaborative, community-wide
bringing citizens community together to
form a vision of what they would like their community
to look in. 20 to 50 years. This "vision" then the
guiding for short- and plans.
Publicize public meetings through newspaper advertisements,
radio announcements, flyers, leaflets, and word of mouth within
existing community business entities. Make your
accessible by scheduling them at well-known locations and at a
convenient for most people, such as a weekday evening or a
weekend morning. Offering child care and transportation also
promotes participation.
Regardless of the type of meeting selected, its effectiveness will
on an organized approach that a well-planned
agenda S4-22) clearly defines roles and
for all S4-23). Careful
planning prevents participants from feeling rushed or thinking
are insignificant. Participants
know why they should what is of them.
Time the mailing of any pre-meeting materials to allow them
for review. on the
the purpose of the meeting, you might want to consider using a
leader and a facilitator, plus one or recorders.
Any will benefit from full community participation.
Generally, you can identify who to by who
has an interest in or might be affected by the meeting topic or
These are
"stakeholders." By including all stakeholders, you have a
of the of in the
community thus conducting a complete
assessment.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kit
do you to
in the
is to accomplish,
an the
information;
n of
n (i.e., list of to
n
n
n
on
the
and so on. If
is a
community be (8-9-/ certain
of the community,
or a of the community),
n or the
so the about it and
to for it.
to
the to inform the
of
Is for
e-mails,
can be
for of
for to smaller
the to
in of the meeting,
on
the
the at the
of the
agenda.
I on
to the
n for for
from all
n for of
with
of
development;
n for the
n
n
No be or
Chang, 1991; 1991; 1976.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kits
— and
01
«
for the
of the
* on
»
responsibilities,
» or to
is in a manner,
« as a
« key
»
» of of do
"homework" to
* Confirm an if
• on in a
fashion.
* an mind,
try to
»
*
*
Involvement,
«
« for If of follow-through,
» to In
Cho rig, 1994,
* get
Inform
»
«
• in
meeting.
• the of
» the group,
*
» of
as
« "attack"
people,
«
disagreements.
i of
flip
the
or
paraphrasing.
to
from the
if
of Information.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kit
•
—
Are...
or a
or in the of
Its To
if ii to the
of (e.g./ to
a so all
or
by the
as as key to
the
If is to
all so no
or
13 Identify the key issues
surrounding the meeting identify who might be interested
in, or affected by, the S4-24),
El Information
on issues goals provides the basis for identifying the types
of stakeholders that should be represented in the meeting,
such as fishing or chemical industry representatives, property
owners, or groups.
available information on stakeholder
groups and identify invite specific people. Personal
or
will identify specific with
each category.
ts. Consider
who they are as individuals, their position in
organization, of
possible contribution, so forth.
0 A is an
discussion. a of people designed to produce as
as possible (free of judgment). Two
techniques for brainslorming are
j: in a free-form way
a list as they are offered.
« Go around the room in an orderly fashion.
giving everyone an opportunity to present (people
on turn, if so desired).
the room are or is up. a
flipchart list of all the as they are offered.
ground rules for brainstorming sessions include the
following:
« Avoid judging or criticizing ideas.
» Keep discussion of ideas to a minimum.
« Try to as as practical in the
time.
• Try to build on the of others.
• Use a recorder to list ideas.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kits
A charretie is a of small working
meetings usually over 3 io 5 days within a larger
on intensive, around-the-clock of
with. of view, a Is
to solve problems, resolve conflicts, produce a
set of recommendations in a period of time, A
also new of communication, produce new
insights into solving problems. build relationships
between participants.
This Is for bringing a
diverse group of people to consensus. In a Delphi sequence,
the Interaction between of the group is handled
anonymously through a series of written questionnaires
relating to the particular issue. Through the process.
participants are informed only of the group's collective
the for of view,
but not Individual or responses.
publicly to it. Each Is
on the previous set of Is
ultimately reached. The technique be at a meeting or
workshop, through the mail, or over the Internet to bring a
group to consensus on priorities, goals, or of action.
A typical Delphi four of
questionnaires:
I: Participants complete questionnaire on various
aspects of the Issue. The facilitator develops the
questionnaire the responses.
t: The facilitator presents the summary to the
group, participants complete a second questionnaire
developed by the facilitator. The second questionnaire is
on the summary of the previous responses.
I: The facilitator
the summary to develop a third round of
questionnaires. Participants complete the questionnaire.
I: The facilitator summarizes responses for the
This the are or
by participants.
This process is
for thoughts, and
a specific issue(s) that be contentious or difficult to talk
about. It is essentially a brainstorming exercise in which
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kit
•
people write their independently on pieces of paper and
a facilitator compiles categorizes the ideas. This approach
prevents outspoken from the
group's decisions. follow or
should write down all
set.
To collect the technique,
the following 6-step approach (or version of it)
with of 5 to 10 participants:
I. or on a or
to be by the group. The or
problem should be clearly followed by an
explanation, if necessary.
for 5 to 10 by having
participant, independently, write down
thoughts on pieces of paper or cards.
to facilitator, who
thoughts on a of or flipchart.
4. listed on the flipchart by allowing the
to discuss categories, if necessary.
5. list by asking member to select two
to seven on a piece of paper or
card. The facilitator the or to preserve
anonymity, tallies the votes, and lists on the
flipchart in front of the group,
on the priorities. This allows
to the priorities, clarifications,
voice agreement or disagreement. Finally, the group
should vote on the priorities independently
anonymously.
of
the democratic process
of community decision-making by creating a more
intimate environment public meetings. They are
useful for working on concerns in depth;
more voices can be with competition for
time.
to participate, get involved and informed, and to
a of community. Because are
• ,. Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kits
public meetings, they often can be conducted at
fairly low cost,
or allow greater of
insight learning about specific topics of concern to the
public (e.g., forestry, agriculture, water quality issues).
the in They
bring together larger numbers of people than group
meetings, workshops, or forums. If planned and executed
effectively (e.g.. scheduled at times locations
convenient to of people well publicized)
these larger community meetings provide a way to obtain
information from a variety of people in a "one-shot"
provide
for personal contact with the public.
They allow for flexibility,
exchange education about respective interests.
sometimes limit participants'
opportunity to understand a wide of other views
they only a of people. This
concern be by a
group at the meeting,
on the size of the community the
complexity of the issue, it might be necessary to have more
than one small group meeting. Since these types of
meetings benefit greatly from experienced facilitation, you
should consider the cost of multiple meetings if you plan to
use a professional facilitator.
or are limited in scope
might community who have not
involved in the project all along. Participants might not
feel like they can voice their concerns if the does
not cover an issue of interest to them.
are time-consuming to organize and conduct.
They might not provide comprehensive community input
since participants might not have an opportunity to
voice their concerns or opinions. Attendance at community
be too low to justify the effort, the
quality of In addition,
especially houses,
the to to a of questions,
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kit
some not necessarily on the Lack of preparedness
on many might the to draw
conclusions or develop unrealistic expectations.
Many organizations provide meeting facilitation support. In
addition, a number of nationally recognised organizations offer
facilitation experience, including:
El
300
Denver, CO 80202-1728
571-4343
Fax:
915 15th NW, 601
DC
783-2961
Fax:(202)347-2161
). Box
Keystone, CO
Fax:(303)262-0152
0
100 Arapahoe Avenue. Suite 12
CO
442-7367
0
2828 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
402
Washington, DC
Phone:(202)965-6211
600 Memorial Drive
Cambridge, MA 02139
Phone:(617)761-3400
• ,. Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kits
•
a visioning to
set goals for long-term
3715 Northside Parkway
200 300
GA
364-2525
506
TN 37402
Phone:(615)267-8687
City of Tenipe
Office of the City
P.O. Box 31 East Fifth
Tenipe, AZ
Chang, R., and K. Kclioe. 1994. Meetings That Work! Richard ("hang
Associates, Inc., Irvine, CA.
Chang, R., K. Kelly. 1995. Step-bv-Step Problem Solving, Richard
Chang Associates, Inc., Irvine, CA.
Chechile and Carlisle. 1991. Environmental Decision-Making: A
MJI It/disciplinary f'respective. Van Hostand Reinhokl, New York,
NY.
Doyle, M, and D. Straus. 1976. How to Make Meetings Work!
Berkeley Books, New York, NY.
Fisher, R., W. Ury, and B. Patton, cds. 1991. Getting to Yes:
'Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In. 2nc ed. Penguin Books,
New York, NY.
Shipley Associates. 1995. Environmental Public Involvement
Strategies. Franklin Quest Co., Bountiful, UT.
U.S. Department of Agriculture. 1993. Strengthening Public
Involvement: A National Model for Building Long-Term
Relationships with the Public. Washington, DC.
Western ("enter for Environmental Decision-Making. 1996. Public
Involvement in Comparative Risk Projects: Principles and Best
Practices: A Sourcebook for Project Managers. Meridian West
Institute, Boulder, CO.
i"
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
-------
4: The Tool Kit
•
In. addition, the following publications might be helpful in considering
community visioning:
Ames, S., cd. 1993. A Guide to Community Visioning: Hands On
Information for Local Communities. Oregon Visions Project. Oregon
Chapter, American Planning Association, Portland, OR.
Nelessen, A. 1994. Visions for an American Dream. American
Planning Association. Chicago, IL.
Walzcr, N., S.C. Deller, H. Possum, ct al. 1995. Community
Visioning/Sirategic Planning Programs: State of the Art. North
Central Regional Center for Rural Development, Ames, IA.
• ,. Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kits
bservation Is the selective
' and tracking of human behavior or other phenomena
i S4-25). Observation can help you
behavioi patterns of a community that might not be revealed
through Observation also confirm
sampling
techniques questionnaire design.
Observational can be collected during all of a study,
but primarily during actual visits to the community. The assessor
"everyday" occurrences as
interactions between people (e.g., language body language,
the use or lack of humor, the structure of an event). Observation
Is especially valuable for studying
organizations in action, for how people live
In various situations. It reveal what
members are actually doing, such as how they respect treat
their environment.
fji to
I. of
to S4-26.)
0 General community (e.g., landscape, layout, location
of parks).
0 Community behavior In a specific (e.g., Saturday
of the park, weekly community in
the events, activities).
0
(schedule times).
Determine where (plan for observation at various locations,
events, or at the location).
Rpre Does
within
patterns/practices,
of
of the
of
ind
» of
* of
» of
« quality,
of
« of
parks.
Determine your role on the particular situation you are
observing. Observations can be conducted in four different ways.
Different roles:
• Communify (fi.cf,, PTA,
Civic
• (e.g.,
groups,
Club).
*
»
«
•
«
•
*
» Com m unify
»
community
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kit
•
In role the assessor is a
participant in what he/she is observing. Other 'participants see
the as a as an observer. For
a a
actually in the but not tell
are also The of
Is that It allows the to
participants without influencing their behaviors. A
of this role is that the of the can
affect the social situation in which the observation is taking
place. For example, a complete participant at a community
will affect the social situation in way by what
say, or do not say. social to
avoid this role of its ethical Implications.
as In this role the assessor
fully with the study, but it
he/she Is also collecting observational In this
role, the to be a part of the group
observed, such as an Is also a of a local
observing of Its
meetings. The advantage here is ethical compliance. A
potential disadvantage is that the assessor's might
people to behave unusually, thereby affecting the
that the assessor collects.
as In this role the assessor clearly
identifies him or herself as an observer while interacting with
the people being observed. In this role the assessor does not
claim to be an participant. For example, an observer
participate in a river day, but primary
is to observe. Again, a is the impact of
the assessor on the situation.
In the observes a
social or event but does not Those
observed not be the is collecting
behavior. For an directly
observes the number, group, and race of people who use a
newly created bike path. The advantage of this role is that the
observer will not affect those being studied. A potential
disadvantage is that the observer will not fully
why people behave as they do in a given situation.
Use the following tools and techniques to collect information
through observation:
• I** ,. Community Culture and the Environment A Guide to Understanding a of Place
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4: The Tool Kits
Hand-written
notes, video, camera, recorder, thermometer, noise meter,
stopwatch, map, are tools for
information S4-27).
Simply walking around the community
insight the character and people of a
place. The of the community, types of residences,
themselves, or discussions with residents, can
significantly to a
y. Driving slowly a Is
to a
community. In an assessor a
simply drives the community, by area,
recording observations by or dictating to a
recorder,
S.
Adapt to suit your needs, using one of these
techniques:
0 By video
0 Dictation to recorder
0
Community Using Video
Going out Into a community with ci
video comer'o can encourage
people to express their views and
opinions about their community.
You can also capture events
graphical:? as they happen. Photos
ct children piaying outside, peopie
shopping at mails, and people
crossing bus1/ roads or sitting cr:
porch swings can all influence the
corn m u n ity a ssessm en!,
With iiilie knowledge and skill you
co" edit fhe tapes to produce a
strong graphic record of ihose
views end events. However,
producing a good-qualify video can
be time-consuming and expensive.
Video co^ieras can also ^jake
people nervous and suspicious
about your intentions for
videotaping them. Pi ease refer to
the
S4-3—
Date:
Time: from:
Place:
Role of observer:
to:
(e.g., wh_gt, where)
(e.g., _whg, _when, where, wh_gt, _why]
(e.g., wh_gt, who, when)
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kit
•
Technical assistance is available at college or university
of sociology, anthropology, history. You
even be able to recruit a college or university methods class to
conduct the observation as a project,
|jj of
171
Observation is a useful method for obtaining information
behavior In a community.
It is relatively inexpensive and can be done any time thai
the behaviors in which you are interested are occurring.
Participatory observation
assessors
Observation is not reliable as a source of informa-
tion on a community. It is best used to complement other
It is time-consuming usually requires that observers
have some level of experience so that they know which
community features behaviors to observe.
Not all activities and behaviors are In public
or frequently enough to be observed consistently.
Babbie, E. 1995. The Practice of Social Research. 7* ed. Wadsworth
Publishing Company, Bclmont, CA.
Bernard, H.R. 1995. Research Methodolgy in Anthropology:
Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches. 2™ cd. AltaMira Press,
Walnut Creek, CA.
Burton, T.L., G.E. Cherry. 1970. Social Research Techniques for
Planners, George Allen. Unwin Ltd., London.
Hawtin, M., G. Hughes. J. Percy-Smith. 1994. Community Profil-
ing: Auditing Social Needs, Open University Press, Philadelphia, PA.
National Association of Conservation Districts. 1994. Information
Gathering Techniques, League City, TX.
• ,. Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kits
egional Economic Data Research provides useful
information regarding jobs, employers, revenue, per
»,capita income, total personal income, other that
help you the economic
within a community. Information about industries within a county,
the number of employees for that industry, their total wages
are of describe
conditions, Regional economic data might indicate how what
are used to support the community's economic
can suggest why certain environmental values or
perceptions exist in the community.
U to
The Census publishes County Business Patterns, And,
the of Economic Affairs (BEA) provides data from Its
Regional Economics Program called the Regional Economic
Information System (REIS).
County Business Patterns provides the following Information, for
each county In the country:
0 The types of industries within the county (e.g., manufacturing,
services, raining).
0 The of people employed In Industry categoiy.
This information is available at depository libraries
on the Internet at http://www.census.gov. Or call the Census
at (301) 457-4100 or 1305 for assistance.
BEA's regional economic provides economic estimates,
analyses, by region,
county. REIS can give you several different reports:
0 by of
by total personal income of
county/state residents, per capita personal Income.
by Industry (such as manufacturing, sendees,
mining).
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kit
•
El including total personal
income, per capita income, place of work assessment, total
employment (full and part-time), average per
job,
0 by of including
government payments to individuals, medical payments,
income maintenance benefit payments (SST, food stamps,
etc.), benefit payments, veterans'
payments.
0
Also in the are one-page called
that summarize economic conditions for an area.
give you a simple, but comprehensive overview
of the economic trends and conditions of a county how its
nationally.
The REIS is available via the or on a CD-ROM. can
be purchased from BEA's Regional Economic Program by
or at a with
materials or government documents. One of the most
links Is
This site is maintained by the Oregon State
University Information Services as part of the Government
Information. Project.
fj of
0
« Collecting regional economic data is one of the least
expensive ways to obtain detailed information about a
community's economic makeup.
« It Information not be provided
information from the U.S. Census
Bureau.
« It can. be easily by visiting the library.
0
• Data at the regional level the economic
variations that might be apparent in town or community
data.
• ,. Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kits
•
fji
U.S. Department of Commerce. Recurring pulication. County Business
Patterns. U.S. Census Bureau. Economics Statistics
Administration, Washington, DC. For a complete listing of the U.S.
Census Bureau Department of Commerce products and services,
review their Catalog of Products and Services available at the library
or via the Internet.
For Information regarding BEA's additional products and reports, call
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kit
•
—Why i
To
of the
'e.g.,
or
To
of information in a
community or
To
of
the
To
or
Map).
To of
the
of community
To (all
maps).
To {all
maps).
oclal are fools that collect, organize-,
, social about a community. They illustrate different
types of relationships and connections in general, as well as
those related to the environment S4-28). Social
organizations, institutions, and individuals; or
perceptions in general. The creation of social maps can involve
or the be as tools to
design the assessment or analyze the data collected from other
The four types of maps are cognitive, concept,
social network.
identify a community's capacities to
create changes for itself. Community assets that are visually
on an
« The individual of community members (e.g..
specialized skills, political influence, management or
fundraising experience, teaching ability).
• The collective assets of associations or groups of citizens
working together (e.g.. volunteer base, meeting space,
technical knowledge, office equipment phones, faxes,
computers).
« The capacity of institutions (e.g., financial
technical assistance, mediation).
0 are drawings of their
of their community its surroundings.
Cognitive or "mental" are similar to the "pictures"
community recall from their memories to solve
spatial problems, such as navigating their surroundings and
giving directions to others. Without these stored mental maps.
everyday behavior, as traveling from to work,
would be Impossible. Cognitive are subjective; they
on, vary by, the perceptions, behaviors, and
of A cognitive
the what contributes to
someone's of place, including places of significance,
such as cultural or historic landmarks important symbols.
0 identify the
effects, ideas, beliefs, concepts, or problems, such as
particular land-use decisions (cause) nonpoint source
pollution (effect) within a community. Concept also
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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•
reveal the significant beliefs of a community
or a community group regarding a particular problem(s) or
issue(s). The analyzes this
information the links the various
(e.g., tradition, personal experiences, access to
the belief or
Concept you and community visually
reduce a complicated issue into
understandable parts, thereby clarifying the to take
toward its resolution.
0 can be used to describe patterns of
communication or relationships within a community. They
help identify which individuals have the strongest
influence in the community how new or information
through the community. Creating a social network
Is particularly effective with networks of people (less
50), as very communities, of a
community, or areas. Analyzing tailor
successful outreach by illustrating the
way travels the
|[j| to
Fi'i ihe purpose of your community the following
descriptions will give you the necessary to
type of social map. Your selection(s) will on the
Interests of your
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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•
—
» (e.g.,
sampling).
«
« (e.|}.f
so ,
•
»
*
*
»
« Office
«
•
• Funding
In-kind
» Sponsorships,
* Clout
»
et a has to
beneficial changes, illustrate the value of certain
lk<>f the community, identify local of which
community unaware. For fool, are
grouped into individuals,
groups/organizations, Institutions.
Each category has specific Examples include
El Individuals (a geologist, a political leader).
0 (a civic organization, an
group).
0 Institutions (a government agency, a school, a bank).
And each entity has specific that it can contribute to the
community's capacity to improve itself and its environment
S4-29). For example, an individual might have political
influence, a civic group might be able to its community
activity center for local meetings, local government might
finance a community project or award a grant.
'ill
0 Involving community in the
exercise gives an opportunity to the in the
how are
If you are conducting with a large group,
you to the
will collaboratively create one map. Each group can
its map with the for overall discussion
possibly to final for the community.
r. Assessors can to the
self-reliance capacity in a community by analyzing the
already collected. Or they can use it as a community activity
to community in analyzing their own use of
local assets.
of
The subject of your might be a particular organization
or a Issue. For a
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kits
•
environmental group could itself at the of an
map to identify how the other entities in the community relate to.
he to support, its efforts. The of an
be an or strategy for resolving an
environmental problem. Constructing an around an
issue can Identify the within, a community have
a slake in the problem and might be willing to contribute their
to a effort.
a
the categories in S4-29. You to a
asset for each category combine them into
a of the for your
or
With the help of those participating in the mapping process, list
the of the category you have selected. For example, if
you "individuals" as your category, specific
might be the mayor, the civic association president, senior citizen
volunteers, a local organization president.
S. of
For specific you list the that
entity might be able to provide your subject. For
if your map's category is individuals, an official
might be able to give you publicity help you educate the
community. If the category is groups/organizations. busi-
nesses rent-free office or
services S4-29).
You should now have multiple lists in front of you. The lists
the you In the
community the assets of each. To construct the asset map,
the subject of your in the of a of paper or
a blackboard. Write or for the specific entities around
the Draw the with entity.
Use solid to signify
to identify potential partnerships. Write the of each entity
along the from entity to the subject
vice versa. The result is a visual representation of the assets of
how they to S4-31
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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Figure
1993)
Ot<
• I*- ,. Communig? Culture and the Environment: A Guide to o of Place
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0 A preliminary list of the community categories, entities,
subjects, to be mapped;
0 Surveys and interviews of community
their involvement relationship with other community
members, associations, institutions;
A group of community in the
process.
Asset is particularly for of
people, visual easy-to-understand graphics
communication the expression of community
values.
It can help your assessment process by identifying
community your community-based
protection effort.
It also can be done with a limited budget.
« If the amount of to be is too large to
be by hand, you will to use
or hire a facilitator in conducting the
exercise.
u
Ackcrmann, F., C. Eden, and S. (Topper. 1993-1996. Decision
Explorer: Getting Started with Mapping, University of Strathclydc,
Scotland, http://www.banxia.com/depaper.html.
Kretzmann, J.P., J.L. McKnight. 1993. Building Communities from
the Inside Out: A Path Toward Finding and Mobilizing a
Community s Assets. Center for Urban Affairs Policy Research,
Northwestern University, Evans ton, IL.
Witkin, B.R., and J.W. Altschuld. 1995. Planning and Conducting
Needs Assessments: A Practical Guide. Sage Publications, Thousand
Oaks, CA.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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•
ognltlve are of people's
perceptions of their community and its surroundings,
' Cognitive are subjective; they on, vary
by, die perceptions, behaviors, of Individual
community members. Cognitive or "mental" are similar to
the "pictures" community recall from to
solve spatial problems, such as navigating through their
surroundings giving directions to others, Without stored
maps, everyday behavior, such as traveling from to
work, would be impossible. A cognitive map does not to be
an of the as a map. It
represent only the portion of a community with which individual
community are most familiar or which they
primary to of place. to
S4-32 at the end of this section.)
In a cognitive exercise,
reproduce cognitive of their community (town, city) with
pencil and paper. A cognitive allows an to see a
community the eyes of community
insight into how community members relate to, use, and value
environment. A cognitive
the assessor understand the features of a community that
contribute to participants' of place, the
community's boundaries and places of significance, such as
cultural or historic landmarks. Although cognitive maps involve
predominantly visual of the
cognitive representations also include the sensory symbolic
aspects of a place.
Cognitive are typically by community members.
You might choose to have individual draw a
Or, you divide the
groups in which individual will draw a
discuss it in the small group. Or, small group can
coliaborativeiy map. If you choose to have a
group create one map, be aware that you will lose the
personalization of Individual provide valuable
• ,. Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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•
information the similarities within the
group.
Instructions for this exercise:
"For this I will ask of you to a
of your community. The map will be a picture of how
you see your community day. These maps should be
to the 'pictures' you recall your memory to
your to give directions and
descriptions to others." To prevent confusion
participants, use specific wording the
subject of the map (e.g., community, neighborhood,
town, city).
"You will have 10 to draw a of your
community (neighborhood, city, or town whichever is
appropriate to the assessment] In which you are
now living. Do not worry artistic quality or
accuracy. Following the exercise, we will your
maps."
Participants might request more instructions. However,
one of the goals of the exercise is to the different
ways participants perceive their surroundings and attach
to the features of their community. Providing instructions that are
too specific or actual examples might inadvertently influence
their sketches.
3.
Hand out pieces of blank paper. Limit the drawings to 10
or less. Give 1-minute in the last 3
S.
If ask for at five
maps to be volunteered for discussion. Collect the volunteered
to a wall or a flipchart so they can be
by all the participants, thus compared. The informal
of the exercise should participants comfortable with
however, you to the
that content, not artistic quality, is the element to be discussed.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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•
The of you will on your
the enthusiasm of the participants. If participants drew in
the map(s). Follow this
with a observations. Use the
following questions to guide discussion,
6, of
Discussion of cognitive maps in large or small groups can focus
on the following
« What this tell you about this person's
community?
« What to be the "center" of the community? What
are Its boundaries?
• What this map suggest about this person's "sense of
place" or "sense of community"?
« What this suggest about this person's perception
of the environmental character of the community?
El for all
« What do you see among the
(e.g., labels, symbols, words, pictures, themes)?
• Which give you the strongest "sense of community"
or "sense of place"? Why?
« How do differ from conventional road maps of
your community?
During the discussion, focus particularly on the different areas,
pathways, in
"their community," As you discuss multiple maps you might
or Asking the group to
commonalities differences can you gain a real
understanding of the community's values, history, meeting
places,
Record the information shared in this discussion for later
analysis. Audio- or videotape the or
notes. Remember to ask permission of the participants before
recording the discussion.
• ,. Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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Map discussion might provide information that the assessor
would overlook or For the
assessor might that the reason behind the common
inclusion of a field In a cognitive Is that It Is a
space in the community. Discussions with the community
might reveal that the field is the site of the
fair, a event in life.
Similarly, in an community, a forested might appear
on most cognitive The
community members appreciate the natural in an otherwise
However, tell the
the Is with activity
therefore avoided. In these cases, discussion of the cognitive
the mipht never have
This allows the to see the community
through the eyes of community provides
insight into the different perceptions of "community."
It can be conducted relatively quickly, the can be
analyzed on the spot.
An inexpensive group exercise, it has a
participation component.
Participants themselves get the first chance to analyse the
data, which might provide insights that only a
community would have.
« too on or
accuracy, ability to complete the
in the short period.
« The size, of the limit what be
included in the map, such as symbolic, emotional,
spiritual aspects.
u
P., and R. Afe/w, 2nd ed. Allen & Unwin,
Boston, MA.
Holahan, C.J. 1982. Environmental Psychology. Random House, New
York, NY
Community Culture the Environment: A Guide to Understanding a Sense of Place • I** ,.
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•
I: S4-3I and S4-32 are two examples of cognitive, maps of Washington. DC., erected during c
cogiiitive mapping exercise. Since participants lived in different communities in the DC metropolitan area, iney were
asked, for purposes of comparison, to draw a map of Washington, DC. Comparing these two maps shows that the
National Mali is a common landmark. Other common lectures incJodeShe PoSerncc River and Rock Creek Park, One
pcsrlicipcsiit provided more precise deiciiis of the DuPont Circle neighborhood. Later discussion revealed that she had
once lived in that neighborhood. Both maps show the major transportation corridors running through and around the
city. Both rriaps also provide more detail of the Northwest quadrant end the Mail arecs of the city,, whereas the
Southwest, Southeast, and Northeast quadrants of the City and ine Anacosiia River receive lithe tieiaii or are no! depictec
— lap
• I*- -,, Community Culture and the Environment A Guide to Understanding a of Place
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— Map
I a?
Community the Environment: A Guide to o of Place • i^ ,.
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•
oncept the
ind effects of environmental problems, such as land-use
1 decisions (cause) and nonpoint pollution (effect)
•,' itliiii i Community. Concept reveal the
jii-i Ivhelh of a single community or a comm unity group
regarding a particular problem(s) or issue(s). The
process structures analyzes this information illustrates the
links between the various factors (e.g., tradition, personal
experiences, to information) that perceptions
problems. Concept can you and community members
visually a
understandable parts. They can be very useful for developing
strategies to solve problems.
Involving community in the
exercise gives them an opportunity to think through
perceptions of cause effect of a particular problem or
issue. If you are with a group,
you to the
will coliaborativeiy map. Each group can
its with the for
possibly to final for the community.
r. Assessors can concept to collect
or to
collected
2, to Be
or refer to your to list the or
"concepts" to be mapped. Possible "concepts" could include
nonpoint pollution, sprawl,
destruction, land-use choices, or decline- of a particular species.
3. o to
Participants might vote to select a concept, they might prioritize
select a concept according to its importance, or they might
choose a concept in hopes that a concept will
clarify it.
• ,. Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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List the suspected of the concept either by
or List the
effects. For example, the concept of the decline of the wood rat
population Is attributed to of the following causes:
cats and dogs, nemalodes from raccoons, and the public's lack of
education about the wood rat. The effects of the decline include
loss of biodiversity of declining ecosystems.
After the lists, you might want to write
effect on a or circle of colored paper
be to a of paper or a to
form a map. This allows you to move the components of the
easily, the visual
Once the causes and effects are to the larger surface, draw
lines to connect to the concept to each other if they are
S4-33). The or short-term,
effects should be linked directly to the central
concept. The larger, or long-term, be
linked to the immediate causes and effects and placed farther
the You
circles and to between the of
causation S4-33).
Use the to the completely to
ways to the causes.
A list of concepts. through content analysis.
surveys and polls, individual interviews, focus groups, or
meetings and workshops.
A writing for (e.g., a chalkboard, large
flipchart, paper) or a computer.
Concept-mapping computer software that
two-dimensional concept maps.
Colored paper tape.
Community Culture the Environment: A Guide to Understanding a Sense of Place • I** ,.
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•
— Mop
on
OF
RAT
• I** ,. Communig? Culture and the Environment: A Guide to Understanding a of Place
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•
0
« Concept is particularly for of
people, visual easy-to-understand graphics
the of community
values concerns.
« It be a powerful tool to the relationship
between effects on the
environment.
• It is also advantageous it can be done with a
« Concept be on the
sophistication of the project.
« If the of Information to be Is too to
do by hand, it be to use software and
a facilitator trained In conducting exercises.
u
Ackeniiann, F., C. Eden, S. Cropper. 1993-1996. Decision Explorer:
Getting Started with Mapping. University of Strathclyde, Scotland.
http://www.banxia.com/dcpapcr.html.
Kretzmann, J.P., and J.L. McKnight. 1993. Building Communities from
the Inside Out: A Path Toward Finding and Mobilizing a
Community s Assets. Center for Urban Affairs Policy Research,
Northwestern University, Evanston, IL.
Witkin, B.R., and J.W. Altschuld. 1.995. Planning and Conducting
Needs Assessments: A Practical Guide. Sage Publications, Thousand
Oaks, CA.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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—Why Use
To to
In a community.
To Information
a community
(formally,.
To
who on to
disseminaforij.
To of
on a
In a community.
odal network describe of
, relationships, or information flow within a community.
They can. identify which Individuals, groups, or
institutions have the in the
how new through the community. Creating a social
network is particularly effective with small networks of
people or groups (fewer than 50), such as very small
communities, subsets of a community, or rural areas. Analysis of
this map you plan successful outreach
programs by illustrating the informal individual or group
as information within a
community S4-34).
There are two ways to a One
Is a specific social survey or In
with other collecting efforts. The second is more informal,
on information collected over time, such as
conversations with community members and group leaders.
El Involving community in the
an opportunity for to the flow of
in community. They the
between or on
knowing. It is best to ask individuals to draw their
own social network personal network will
be different from any other. However, you might choose to
conduct this exercise with a group, wherein you can
divide participants into groups that will collaboratively
map, Each group can then its map with
the for overall possibly to
final for the community.
0 Assessors can use social network to illustrate
flow of In a as already-
collected data or as specifically for this map,
The following instructions are a structured way of collecting
information specifically for creating a social network map.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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2.
For example, "Who do local cattle ranchers talk to about
conservation?" or "Who do go to for
advice about rangeland conservation?"
For example, cattle ranchers who own private land in the
watershed. List the or (if the Is fairly
the number of people who fit into this category. This Is your
target network.
Consider a specific questionnaire or using other
0 a pertinent to your social network
analysis. "Who do you talk to
conservation practices?" or "Who have you
to within the past (or who do you normally to, or
who do you talk to on. a [weekly, monthly,
etc.])?" See S4-35 for an of a specific social
network questionnaire.
The be easy to use. For to
the In 2, use a list of the people In the
target in 3 (If a
to which will yes or no. Or,
for to In S4-35).
The of this is that you get
people's which Is you want. However,
Is information, to be
to your preferences to
If not
you.
S.
of a to collect
about the social networks within a community. Include pertinent
in methods, as surveys,
interviews, and focus groups you are using. Casual conversations
Combining
these efforts will the time
of creating distributing two separate assessment
instruments.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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•
Sample questionnaire designed to deiermine the members of a network a respondent to
OF
information About Respondent (examples):
Age: of community
Occupation:
Gender:
Theresa Trainor
Mark Plotkin
Derrick McGinty
Cory Gaunt
George Salas
Diane Adams
Mary O'Kicki
Keilie DuBay
Moira Schoen
• ,. Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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•
Interview or distribute the questionnaire to community
or within the network.
the data you collect In a social or in a
social network matrix.
0 A social network visually
demonstrates patterns of communication between individuals
and groups S4-37). And il can quickly
depict the different roles community members play in the
flow of information.
The is as follows:
• Write all the people's on pieces of paper you can
on a flipchart, or on a tape).
« Place draw lines between individuals who
indicated that they with each other.
« Place- arrows at the of these to the
direction that information flows. Place arrows on both
of the line if the information flows both ways.
You can a for question, or for
by using a of line for
(e.g., solid or dotted, S4-36).
One variation on this approach is to put the person with the
most connections in the center draw arrows to indicate
who communicates with this person. You might wish to
group individual community by their affiliation or
relationship to other or their membership/relationship to
an organization, e.g., a civic group, then draw arrows
between these clusters S4-37).
For question, the
data into a matrix of the members of the network
S4-38). This approach can be only if you conducted a
specific social network questionnaire.
« List all the people In the in the first column
across the top row In the order. Use or
corresponding to save space.
« on the first row, look at the survey of
particular individual. Place a "1" the
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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•
—
-------
4: The Tool Kits
— Map
Thi
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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corresponding the individual referred to as
sources of information. Place a "0" in the columns that
correspond with all the individuals not to as
sources of information. this for
Place "X"s down, the at
of row the
person (it Is people do not ask for
advice). up the columns to compute the total
frequency with which each individual is mentioned as a
source of information S4-38).
0 are those of the target network
the highest number of times for questions like, "Who
do you go to for advice . . ." Their are highly
valued by in the community. Opinion
will not be the for every
subject. For example, a farmer be an opinion
practices, while a river
might be an opinion leader about the health of the local
fishery, Identifying opinion involving in an
outreach, public awareness, or education strategy can
influence the opinions, attitudes, and beliefs of other members
of the community.
(also known as the "most
central persons") are people the most for questions
like. "Who have you to about.. ." Opinion
will not be the
person. are not to
for advice, and vice versa. are the
"connected" In the This be
to their multiple group/organizational associations, the of
they have lived in the community, or their personality.
Identifying information disseminators involving them in
an outreach, awareness, or education strategy can you
"spread the word" through the community's informal social
networks. Identifying informa- tion is also
when they be the source of incorrect
your efforts.
0 are the "bridges" two groups.
are are
or but are by a wide variety of
people. For a of the of an
environmental group be a farmer in the
community. If this individual is as a source of
• ,. Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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Me1
do for
TT IP
1. Iheresa Trainor X
2. MarkPlotkin X
3, Derrick McGinty
4. Gary Gaunt
5. George Solas
6. Diane Adams
7. Mary O'Kicki
8.
9. Moria Schoen
1 0. Wilson Horn
! !
1 2.
DM €6
X
X
0
6S DA
X
X
10 ID
X
x
EXPLANATION: "X"'s indicate intersection of the same name, which is excluded from ai
receives either a *"l'v [:f Ihe person is o source of inforrriotionj or '"0'' (if they ore no1 rner
IS WH
X
X
X
X
oiysis. Each remaining sauar-
"ioried as o source of
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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•
information by of both groups, he or she could serve
as a between groups. Gatekeepers can be key
individuals to In public or
programs they can to
group and help disprove group
stereotypes.
are who are the of
who to be less or Involved in the
social of the community. You won't to use
in Information, but they be an
important for education. Identifying the isolates of a
community might reveal that a particular group or
subgroup of the community is not included in the information
flow and might not have a voice in decisions by the
community. Isolates might also be important sources of
they a objective view of
relationships within the community.
Individuals identified in role for one topic might play a
different role for another topic.
0
" Social or
a questionnaire.
• A writing for mapping (e.g.. a chalkboard, large
fiipchart, paper) or a computer.
« If a network is to be analyzed,
specialized will be necessary. The two
common computer programs that be for social
network analysis are UCINet (for quantitative analysis of
the matrices) and. for creating visual plots, Krackplot.
Both programs can be by a novice, or you can hire
experienced users. Both programs are distributed by
Analytic Technologies, 104 Natlck, MA
647-1903; Fax: 647-3154,
of
0 Anthropology, sociology, communications,
at be
to provide assistance.
• ,. Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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•
Social is one of the ways
to how Information flows through a community
Its subgroups.
a be very
In an effective public outreach or education
program.
« If the social network you wish to analyze is larger than
about 30 people, you will probably to use a skilled
consultant or obtain a computer program to you
complete the analysis, "Resources Needed."
The International Network for Social Network Analysis (INSNA)
maintains a very helpful web site at
http://www.heinz.ciiiu.edu/project/INSNA.
Knoke, D., and J.H. Kuklinski. 1982. Network Analysis. Sage
Publications, Beverly Hills, CA.
Scott, J. 1991. Social Network Analysis: A. Handbook, Sage
Publications, Thousand Oaks, CA.
Valente, T.W. 1994. Network Models of the Diffusion of
Innovations. Hampton Press, Crcskill, NJ.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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•
— Cm
and Polls Til! lout
•
*
( or be
circumstances,
t
of
respondents.
» of
a
»
survey (or poll) collects information directly
people, usually through a written questionnaire or an
m-person or telephone survey by a written
questionnaire. Survey results can community
perspectives, as the of people who like
surroundings or who care specific
issues S4-3.9). One advantage of surveys is that they can
link the (e.g., race, income,
education, community residence) of the sampled population with
particular actions and that relate to the
local community-based
protection efforts. They also collect representative of the
given population.
There are two general types of surveys, self-completed and
types
but has been shown to be or
accurate the other. Your decision about the type of survey
you conduct will on the purpose of your survey, available
time financial resources, convenience, and the types of
you are The following will you
understand the involved with both types.
0 are written questionnaires with
closed or open-ended questions or statements scales. They
are either or hand delivered to the homes of the
population Instructions and paid postage
to In the mail. They can be
up at convenient locations, as the post
office, or a drop-off box at a park. Another variation of a
self-completed survey is one in a group setting,
such as a community meeting. In this setting, the survey is
distributed to, completed by. a particular group at a
particular time. The methods you use to distribute and retrieve
the questionnaire on the population you want to
(e.g., a representative of the entire community
or only those who visit a riverside or
meetings). (Refer to 1 at the end of this section.)
involve one-on-one communication
between the conducting the survey the person(s)
being surveyed. This can be to face or over the
In the the
word for word to the surveyed precisely
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kits
records the responses. Like the self-completed survey,
face-to-face and telephone surveys ask each participant
exactly the in the order, on. a
to 2 at the end of this
section.)
U to
the of this on Its
at every (e.g., the placement of
questions, techniques, analysis of results), technical
assistance from a professional social scientist, market researcher,
or professional pollster is strongly recommended. Please review
B for for
The "Extra Help" "Bibliographic Resources"
sections are also to review deciding to do
this on your own.
I. for a
0 on for Think your
purpose for conducting the What do you want to
out the community, or a
within it? the you to ask.
on of (self-completed,
a or
Refer to B for more information.
an a
or an that
explains the reason for the survey, how respondents were
selected, the importance of completing returning the
survey, the mechanics of returning the survey, the
of respondent anonymity/confidentiality.
Test the design of the the
wording of questions for instructions, clarity,
with a or a
member.
4-41— ti
on Type
The
The of information
to — or
or
or
fo
—
of
community
—
or volunteers.
In your
of —
analysis,
Is to the sponsor. However, you
choose not to identify the sponsor to protect
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
-------
4: The Tool Kit
•
bias. Be sure to consider the ethical implications of your
decision. See in 4, 1.
0 (mail, drop-off/pick-up, group,
face-to-faee, or telephone).
El is
to 50 percent response
is the minimum for the results to be representative of the
sample.
0
0 Staff or to help conduct the survey. You
want to a professional firm.
0 Updated lists from which to the
population. Lists can be firms,
as Donnelley Marketing, the firm publishes
telephone books across the country, These lists define
residents by census block cost approximately
$60 for 1,000 names. Lists of residents of a particular locale
are also available from telemarketing centers, which use
computer software to lists on the
size.
The cost of conducting a survey can vary widely, depending on
factors as the amount of pre-survey planning
preparation required, the type of survey, the sample size of the
population being surveyed, the type of data analysis to be
conducted.
Local university/college of sociology, anthropology,
political science, psychology, and often, have faculty
or students who have experience in conducting surveys and
polls. They surveyed the you are
assessing can share valuable knowledge data. Other
possible sources of technical county
departments/commissions, county cooperative extension offices,
regional councils of government, state of
private survey consultants.
• ,. Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kits
are usually to
administer. They are particularly for a
broad-brush of Issues a relatively
group of people. The anonymity of a self-completed
survey assessor bias and encourages honest
responses.
are than.
surveys because of the
the assessor the respondent. Their structure can
vary, as well as the way in which they are administered (e.g..
in people's homes or at a place, in groups, or on an
individual basis). Administered surveys generally yield a
higher they an
connection. Administered surveys allow the to
clarify to use probing to
collect
can reach a
number of people reduce surveyor while still
a of the connection of face-to-face
surveys. (Refer to the for
additional details.)
to result in low response
rates most people never get around to completing
or returning the survey to its sender. At least a 50 percent
response rate is required for results to be representative of
the sample. Otherwise, you'll to follow-up
with a copy of the survey) to
respondents to complete and return the survey.
Self-completed surveys also a
They can be problematic to analyze compare if
open-ended questions are asked.
are
self-completed surveys they
require surveyors and with every
person surveyed. For this reason, face-to-face
administered surveys cannot as large a sample as
self-completed surveys. Administered surveys are
sometimes considered intrusive, and the presence of the
surveyor can the data being collected.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kit
•
• that every
person in the sampled population has a telephone. A
a local book might overlook
without with.
Telephone surveys be relatively short, or
will up If the survey Is
too much or conflicting with activities.
Generally, a telephone survey should not last more than 20
minutes, although some last as long as an hour.
Backstrom, C.H., and (3. Hursh-Ccsar. 1981. Survey Research, 2nd ccl.
John Wiley & Sons, New York, NY.
Bcrdi, D.R.. and J.F. Anderson. 1974. Questionnaire Design and Use.
Scarecrow. Metuchen, NJ.
Bernard, BLR. 1995. Research Methodology in Anthropology:
Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches. 2m ed. AltaMira Press,
Walnut Creek, CA.
Bradburn, N.M., and S. Sudman. 1988. Polls and Surveys:
Understanding What They Tell Us. Josscy-Bass Publishers. San
Francisco. CA.
Fink, A., 1.985. How to Conduct Surveys: A Step-By-Step Guide.
Publications, Beverly Hills, CA.
Hawtin, M., G. Hughes, J. Percy-Smith. 1994. Community
Profiling: Auditing Social Need, Open University Press,
Philadelphia, PA.
Lavrakas, P.J. 1987. Telephone Survey Methods, Sage Publications,
Newbury Park, CA.
Salant, P., and D.A. Dillman. 1994. How to Conduct Your Own Survey.
John Wiley & Sons, New York, NY.
• ,. Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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1:
of Survey
Students from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Department of Agricultural Economics conducted this
Nebraska Water Survey with residents living in the Platte River Basin, The survey includes 34 questions on
impacts of water use on community life. Categories included: water use, quality of life, priorities and future
uses, the economy, social and environmental implications and behavior, business, and demographics.
Please indicate if you strongly
disagree, disagree, neither
disagree/nor agree, agree, or
strongly agree with the following
statements:
a. My quality of life would remain the
same even if costs increased for
household water.
b. My quality of life would suffer if 1
could not engage in recreational
activities such as swimming (other than
pool), hunting, fishing, and boating.
c. if agricultural producers reduced
their water use, my quality of life would
improve.
d. Even if upstream agricultural
producers increased their water usage,
it would not affect my quality of life.
& Fl
a. If ihe amount of waier allocated for
the City of Lincoln grew, agricultural
producers would not be affected.
b. Those who had access to water
before me should have first rights to
water.
c. Everyone should be considered
equally for water rights.
d. During shortages everyone should
be required to cut back equally so that
everyone has access to water.
e. Agriculturalists should be given
priority to water rights even if it means
reducing households' and commercial
business' access to water.
t. Households should be given priority
to water rights even if it means
reducing agriculturists' and
commercial business' access to water.
g. 1 believe that current water resources
could support future population
growth.
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
w w
2 3
2 3
2 3
2 3
2 3
2 3
2 3
2 3
2 3
2 3
2 3
5P 3
4 5
4 5
4 5
4 5
4 5
4 5
4 5
4 5
4 5
4 5
4 5
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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2—
District: SouthjCj^
_ Time
interviewer's
How long have you lived in this area of
Nebraska?
less than 5 years
between 5-15 years
between 16-25 years
more than 26 years, or
have you lived here all your life?
2. W:'th the exception of crime, which one of the
following issues do you think is the biggest
problem facing your community?
education
traffic and congestion
water quality and availability
jobs and the economy
(7
faxes and government regulation
loss of natural areas and open space
affordable housing
3. OPEN-ENDED —Please tell me the first thing
ihai comes to your mind when you think of the
Piolte River.
4. 'What do you think is the primary reason people
use the land around the Platte River?
1) for business and industrial purposes
2) tor farming purposes
3) for recreational activities like hunting,
'sning, or canoeing
4) TO enjoy nature by bird-watching or
>bserving other wildlife
5} other
6) unsure/refused
in your opinion, which of the following do you
think is the use of the Platte River?
(1 irrigation of farm land
habitat for birds and wildlife
mining for gravel
recreational activities like hunting, fishing
ard canoeing
residential housing
other
unsure/refused
6, This area of Nebraska has grown rapidly during
the past few years. Do you feel
(1) this growth has been good because it helps
the economy and creates job opportunities?
(2) this growth has gotten out of hand and is
now affecting the quality of life in the area?
(3) unsure
7, Which of the following statements best
represents your view of the Endangered Species
Act?
(1) We should abolish or weaken the
Endangered Species Act because it imposes
too many regulations on how people can use
their own land,
(2) The Endangered Species Act should not be
abolished or weakened because it protects the
habitats of birds and wildlife including
endangered plants and animals.
(3) unsure
Some people say the Platte River contributes to the
quality of life in this part of Nebraska. I am going
to read you some of the things they say. Please tell
me how important this reason is to you in
protecting and preserving the Platte River.
8. The Platte is a national treasure. Every year it
attracts 500,000 sandhill cranes which is the
largest concentration of cranes in the world,
(1 j very important
(2) somewhat important
(3) not very important reason to protect and
preserve the Platte River
(4) unsure
9. The Platte River provides habitat for endangered
and threatened species of birds like the bald
eagle and the whooping crane. There are six
endangered and threatened species of birds that
use the river for nesting and migration.
(1) very important
(2) somewhat important
(3) not very important reason to protect and
preserve the Platte River
(4) unsure
(continued!
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4: The Tool Kits
2—
10, Every year in March tourists come to this area to
the crane migration. Tourists spend almost
twenty million dollars which helps small
businesses and the local economy,
(1) very important
(2) somewhat important
(3) not very important reason to protect and
preserve the Platte River
(4) unsure
11 .The Platte has historical significance since the
Great Platte River Road, which is a combination
of the Oregon, Mormon, and California Trails,
carried 360,000 settlers west in the 1800s.
(1 j very important
(2) somewhat important
(3) not very important reason to protect and
preserve the Platte River
(4) unsure
Over the last century the natural landscapes where
you live have changed. I am going to read you a
few of these changes and tell you about some
efforts being made to protect the remaining natural
areas. Please tell me if you think these efforts will
improve the quality of life for people in this
community.
12. Agriculture, housing, and development have
eliminated almost all of the native prairie that
once covered this area. Efforts are being made
to protect and restore some of the last prairies.
(1) improve the quality of life for people in this
community
(2) hurt the quality of life for people in this
community
(3) not really affect the quality of life for
people
(4) unsure
13. The water flow in the Platte River has been
altered primarily because of irrigation and
hydropower generation. Efforts are being made
to guarantee certain flows in the river at critical
times for birds, fish and other wildlife.
(1) improve the quality of life for people in this
community
(2) hurt the quality of life for people in this
community
(3) not really affect the quality of life for
people
(4) unsure
14. Wet meadows bordering the Platte River have
been reduced by 75 percent. Efforts are being
made to protect and enhance the remaining wet
meadows as feeding areas for cranes and other
migratory birds.
(1) improve the quality of life for people in this
community
(2) hurt the quality of life for people in this
community
(3) not really affect the quality of life for
people
(4) unsure
1 5. Do you think water quality or water quantity is a
serious problem in this community?
(1) quality
(2) quantity
(3) both
(4) unsure
16. Water flows in the Platte River have been
significantly altered over the last century. Do you
think this is
(1) a very serious problem
(2) a somewhat serious problem
(3) not a very serious problem
(4) unsure
ASK Question 1 7 only of people who say (1) very
serious problem or (2) somewhat serious problem
to Question 16; otherwise skip to Question 18.
1 7. One of the reasons for the alteration of water
flows in the river is because farmers have
diverted the water for irrigation purposes. Do
you think
(1) there should be less water removed for
irrigation even if it means fewer acres would
be farmed
(2) irrigation is so important for agriculture that
farmers must be allowed to continue using
water from the Platte River
(3) unsure
18. How would you feel using tax dollars to build
hiking and bicycling trails along the Platte River?
(1 j strongly favor
(2) somewhat favor
(3) somewhat
(4) strongly oppose
(5) unsure
(continued)
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kit
2—
Please iei! me how you feel about the following
statements.
1 9. if we do noi protect the open space and natural
areas along the Platte River now they might be
iost forever to development.
(li strongly agree
(2) somewhat agree
(3) somewhat disagree
(£•) strongly disagree
(':>} unsure
20. Birds like the whooping crane and sandhill
crane rely on wet meadows and sandbars for
iheir survival. We must do everything we can to
protect the habitat of these birds along the
Platte River,
2 1. Open space and clean water are essential if we
are to maintain the rural character, sense of
community, and overall quality of life in this
area.
11) strongly agree
(2) somewhat agree
(31 somewhat disagree
(4) strongly disagree
(5) unsure
22. It is possible to have farming, manage growth,
and protect the environment.
11) strongly agree
(2) somewhat agree
(3) somewhat disagree
(4) strongly disagree
(5) unsure
23. The area along the Platte River is a peaceful
place with clean air, beautiful scenery, and
abundant wildlife. It is the habitat for many
endangered plants and animals. It needs to be
preserved and protected from development for
our children and grandchildren.
(1) strongly agree
(2) somewhat agree
(31 somewhat disagree
(4.) strongly disagree
24,Environmental groups are more concerned with
protecting birds and animals than they are
about the rights of farmers to use their land to
earn a living.
(1 j strongly agree
(2) somewhat agree
(3) somewhat disagree
(4) strongly disagree
(5) unsure
25. In the past, trees have been removed in certain
locations along the Platte River and on sandbars
to provide suitable habitat for sandhill cranes.
Would you
(1) support or
(2) oppose the continued removal of certain
trees if it would help protect the habitat of
these birds?
(3) unsure
1 am going to read you the names of some groups.
Please tell me your response to them.
26. The Nature Conservancy
(1) very positive
(2) somewhat positive
(3) somewhat negative
(4) very negative
(5) don't recognize
27. Farm Bureau
(1) very positive
(2) somewhat positive
(3) somewhat negative
(4) very negative
(5) don't recognize
28. Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
(1) very positive
(2) somewhat positive
(3) somewhat negative
(4) very negative
(5) don't recognize
29. Platte River Whooping Crane Trust
(1) very positive
(2) somewhat positive
(3) somewhat negative
(4) very negative
(5) don't recognize
(continued)
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kits
2—
30, Nebraska Public Power District
(1) very positive
(2) somewhat positive
(3) somewhat negative
(4) very negative
(5) don't recognize
31. National Audubon Society
(1) very positive
(2) somewhat positive
(3) somewhat negative
(4) very negative
(5) don't recognize
32, Central Platte Natural Resource District
(1) very positive
(2) somewhat positive
(3) somewhat negative
(4) very negative
(5) don't recognize
I need to know a couple of things, just for statistical
purposes.
33. Into which of the following categories do
you fall?
(1) 18-34
(2)
(3)
(4) 65 or older
(5) refused
34. Which category describes your highest level of
formal education —
(1) did not graduate from high school
(2) high school graduate
(3) some college or vocational training
(4) college graduate
(5) completed a graduate degree or a
professional degree, such as a lawyer or
doctor
35. Does your family currently farm or ranch to
earn all or part of your income?
(1) yes
(2) no
(3) refused
All i
a Evening.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kit
•
i:>ual of a social, cultural,
ecological. economic features. Photographs, videos.
or the of a
or other land be to quickly analyze spatial
historical of
streets, houses, stores, spaces, civic features, and the people
who inhabit these places might stir up an individual's thoughts
a place. This be
used to assist in protecting existing community features, to
Identify popular or vulnerable of the
community, or to provide a vision for the of the
community. You can produce the yourself or use visual
Images already by community
Community photo or video projects can also be excellent ways of
getting to like,
in environment, as a
community asset,
|j| to
A visual method uses an to obtain information about a
the Itself or an
individual's interpretation of or reaction to the image. Visual
0 Visual Preference Survey
0 Community Photographic Mapping
0 Photo-interviewing
These visual familiar to you because,
in fact, they are of
surveying, mapping, Interviewing,
rely on visual a
particular community or region a wide of
conditions, in the community.
Images be photographs, video clips, or even illustrations
of community features. As few as 40 can be for
the survey. The following steps outline how to conduct a
visual preference survey:
• ,. Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kits
•
1. Ask survey participants to view each for a few
seconds (by slide projector, overhead, or actual picture.
on your resources). After briefly viewing the
Image, ask participant to rate the on a
(e.g.. -10 to +10, with 0 being neutral), depending on how
well he or she likes or dislikes the image. Be to tell
are no right or wrong answers.
2, Record the scores for each image.
3. Add the scores for calculate the group's
average score. The average score for might be
considered the group's collective opinion. Images with the
highest negative positive averages have group
consensus.
4. Show to participants, disclosing the
average score. Ask why they the
way they did. By for on each.
image, you can what community qualities are
important to each individual.
photographs to
many of a community physical
characteristics. well-being, vitality
do not on geophysical maps. Photographic
of a he over
can answer S4-41
details). These be publicly for
feedback discussion about preferences, which help
establish a vision for the community. Two common methods
of photographically mapping a community are (1) compiling a
pictorial (2) creating a photographic overlay for
geophysical maps.
consist of a variety of photographs (e.g.,
angle shots, medium-range shots, and detailed shots)
from a particular area. You can photograph an alone
or ask other people to participate in this activity. Mount
photographs on a wall or poster in appropriate
geographical to one another. Depending on the
of photographs, a pictorial
up to 20 feet in In addition to your
observations, you can use from S4-41 to
the shooting of community photographs
facilitate a group discussion of the resulting pictorial map.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kit
Try to in of a
location,
the of
of Is it hilly
or winding, or a
short, tali, In or
run
the of the
community! Is It
the to
to
a of
do
the of
for
whenf
Identification.
Who Who
Is the
Young? Old?
do get What
the
points,
are the
of buildings, What
Is the of age, of
for
as to the
of
the of
the of a
the
of
What be
of
What Is changing and is not! What Is
ii
In
or
lie actually transfer photographs of
a community to geophysical maps, showing a more
layer of information about the community, The
primary difference between this method pictorial
is the use of a geophysical to provide context. In this
method, culture, ecology,
economy to a community as It is on a geophysical
map. or develop an of your
community. Photograph the to the
aspects you want to (e.g., housing conditions or
mix of building types). Use pins or clear to
arrange the photographs along the boundaries defined on
the map. The resulting photographic overlay provides a
reference for comparison actual conditions
by the the geophysical
by the map.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kits
•
visual with
interviewing to reveal an individual's thoughts emotions
a particular event, place, or relationship. In
photo-interviewing, the you as
points in the interview. Your questions on
or a of photos, depending on the type of
information you to from the interviewee. Photos
also be creatively in focus groups, surveys, and other
methods. See appropriate instructions for detail.
Visual of the community. might include
photographs, video clips, drawings, slides, so forth.
Depending on resources, you choose to
shoot or draw the yourself, enlist the help of local
artists, or ask to
they have collected over time.
Slide projector,
1C
Photographs of the community.
Pictorial material for (e.g.
board, long rolls of paper, tape).
Photographic overlays — maps of the
photographed area, push pins.
Visual of the community. If you want to collect
information on a particular topic or feature, the
should focus on that topic or feature.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kit
•
|jj of
IT!
« Photographic provide tangible for a
to on are to provide
on than a description.
« People to
a than. or
the
« Gives people the opportunity to see places people in
their communities for the first or from a new
perspective.
« Provides a reference point for discussion — people can
say, "See, look at this."
« Provides a visual of not be
readily otherwise.
0
• Time to compile enough photos that thoroughly describe a
community.
« In a group setting, people might be reluctant to offend
others or speak negatively of an area.
fjl
I he s \iitcr for Livable Communities. The Communitv Image Survev.
hup: /www.lgc.org/techservc/cis/index.html or 1414 K Street, Suite
250, Sacramento, C-A fax
Collier, J., M. Collier. 1986. Visual Anthropology: Photography as
a Research Method. University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque,
NM.
Kaplan, R., S. Kaplan. 1989. The Experience of Nature: A Psycho-
logical Perspective. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, MA.
Nclessen, A. 1994. Visions for an American Dream, American
Planning Association, Chicago, IL.
Project for Public Spaces, Inc. http://www.pps.org or 153 Waverly
Place, 4th Floor, New York, NY phone: (212) fax:
(212) 620-3821; e-mail: pps@pps.org. This organization has an
extensive slide library consisting of more than 500,000 slides of
public spaces from cities in the United States, the world.
These slides are available as a resource for a fee. Project for Public
Spaces (PPS) organizes its slide library into the following categories:
amenities, public art, markets, open spaces, gardens, transportation.
buildings, geographic locations, management, parks, people,
retail.
• ,. Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kit
i
his step provides an overview of how to transform raw or
partially analyzed into meaningful information
ail accurate of a
presents hypothetical scenarios thai you might be facing at
this stage of your project.
As you take the next steps, consider data storage, organization,
analysis, and presentation simultaneously so that you choose
1. the you collected in a way (e.g., paper, a
that it readily
2. Goals, Community Characteristics, and Questions
to you originally to know.
3. the data by method.
4.
the data by type (quantitative, qualitative,
graphic). Use the will
your This don't
require of data
for which you a
consultant.
5. your In a way
During of Step 5, to
for 6:
3
to
is a to
results are consistent, lessening the chance of bias. Triangulation
is accomplished by comparing the results from at least three
methods. Analysis of the of only one
might not fully answer specific questions, or might be
In the process, you also
quantitative qualitative to tell a more complete story
a particular topic. For a poll shows that 69
favor a park; a vote observed a
Step 1: Conduct Pie-project
Planning
$
Step 2: and
t
Step 3: Community
Characteristics
$
Step 4: Identify Assessment
Methods
$
5:
Step 6: Select and Implement
Best Strategies
S5-1
Dill
* You conducted o senes of interviews
and surveys to answer specific
questions about She cornrnunity.
You now have stacks of interview
notes and completed surveys
organized in no poriicuior order.
* You downiooded a iei'ae amount of
demographic dcta on c particular
county from She Census Bureau's
V/orld Wide Web site onto a
computer diskette. You have done
nothing further \v:!h the data and
are unsure about how to proceed.
• You conducted public meetings to
solicit ccrnniunity input on She
future ot a naHcnai forest ati;citing
the community. You summarized
your noies from in ess meetings into
a written report, you fee! you
are ncrw ready So recommend a
management plan for the forest
area to the local U.S. Forest Service
field office.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kit
•
PTA showed a majority of parents favored a
recreational park; select interviews with county decision-makers,
local the of the local
for a park. Comparison of
these confirms without a doubt the presence of support for a
park. on be
found in B.
What should you do if, in the course of your data, no
clear answers to your questions emerge? Before you panic,
that the you don't are as
important as the ones you do find. References at the of this
you with uncertainty in
your analysis; however, you might only to look a bit harder
at your data.
In will not
answers without effort on your part. If you carefully organize and
your However,
you might find ambiguous, seemingly conflicting answers, or no
at all. For conflicting
opinions on the issue(s). To resolve this problem, try to
the characteristics of the people surveyed to see if they
are or socioeconomic backgrounds.
Or analyze the answers to other questions to see if they suggest
the In you
usually use other you have the individual.
group, or topic to help clarify the picture.
however, you won't have on the
individual, group, or topic; in other words, a gap exists. In
you the following
0 Determine if your analysis has answered your questions.
0 Determine if you have missed any key groups or sources of
data.
0 Examine your sampling techniques B contains
information about size composition) to make sure
you properly your groups.
• ,. Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kit
0 If gaps are in critical (e.g., who the community
decision-makers are), or if results highlight new important
questions, revisit the
0 If gaps are not critical, if you can leave them unfilled.
on
Always remember that your assessment team is just that — a
team. Moreover, It's a with a variety of backgrounds and
training. One or more members of the might not
be with the of the or
ignored. To within the
team, -possible about key findings, the entire
should on the following before the
analysis is completed:
0 Did we miss anything important?
0 Is we to know?
0 Do we all on the our
0 Other questions (think of any other potential sources of
members, try to
before of the to a close).
Use tools In 4, to you if
u
You your in a way will facilitate data
analysis answer your specific questions, The data you've
Individuals, probably
exist as piles of documents, lists of numbers, recorded
notes,
newspaper clippings, marked-up maps, or computer data. In
storing data, think in of both their long-term
use.
You'll probably use paper to organize and store much of your
data, such as interview responses notes from
workshops. Be sure to the of
the data (e.g.. the time of an interview, the of an
interviewer, the author of a article). all
documents so they can be quickly easily found.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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•
When dealing with anything more than a small amount of data.
you really It In a This
later analyzing, data much faster than handling sheets of paper.
Even, a small survey with only 10 questions to a
of 200 Individuals can easily result in 2,000 answers that must be
organized and analyzed. To avoid duplicating the effort of
writing on a try
(when possible) to enter directly Into a computer as they are
collected. An would be an interviewer typing into a
computer while conducting a telephone interview.
Computer you
programs Microsoft Excel, Lotus 1-2-3,
Quatt.ro Pro, like Microsoft Access, dBASE,
SPSS can information perform fairly
statistical analyses.
fjl
As you organize and analyze your data, your goals
your Use
to your analysis. Did you get answers lo your questions?
Also allow your findings to direct you to ask new questions. Pay
attention to data do not necessarily your goals.
These can help you understand how community perception
an from your own.
Conduct quality assurance quality control (QA/QC) checks.
After all of your the accuracy of your
entry. One way to do this is to have somebody than the
person who entered the data review It. Or use "redundant
entry," whereby you your (thereby
creating copies of the on different pieces of paper or
the results. You
also look for inconsistencies visually or have a computer
find them for you. QA/QC Is critical to the accuracy of the
conclusions you your analyses.
! XiLi I'cm each be For
example, survey are focus
You to a for
method you this can answer specific
the of a Categorizing
• ,. Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kit
by allow you to check the validity of the by
comparing the results of one method those of other methods,
known as to B for
Depending on. the of the raw you have collected, the
be (quantitative), words (qualitative), or
pictures (graphic). Certain methods collect certain types of data
(e.g., focus groups qualitative
collects quantitative data). To be of use in answering your
the community, types of raw to
be properly organized analyzed,
is the of raw for
patterns, why they (i.e.,
relationships). to the raw
Although you should be able to use most of the techniques
described here, you might eventually help with analysis.
Some particularly on data are listed at the
of this chapter. professional expertise if you are not
confident in your ability to accurately analyze your data.
are data in the form of numbers. They
units such as money, time, number of people. For
example, a survey on environmental values might the
following quantitative
« Number of people surveyed: 400
« Number of respondents responding "Yes" to the
"Do you favor the cessation of logging in
as for species?": 275
• Number of males responding "Yes" to that question: 123
• Number of females responding "Yes" to that question: 152
In general, be into
are to analyze when organized
into columns and rows on paper or computer. The following
are recommended for organizing quantitative into
tables.
to Tables are
of rows columns to store in an organized
manner, Design your tables to be compatible with the
analytical methods you plan to use. The first two rows of a
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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•
table of survey data could look like
columns labeled C1 ihrnu.qh f"v
I, with the
Ci:
ID#
0001
0002
Tab!
C2:
Gender
F
M
eSS^I Si
C3:
Age
31
56
Doto
C4: of
16
12
CS:
Income
$
$ 51,000
be in
II is important to document the way you organize
from a particular assessment method in a table. In the example
table, labels describe different columns. For instance, Column
Cl lists the Identification. to
survey (keeping the Identity of
confidential). Column label €2 lists the gender of the
C3 lists the of the so on.
Labeling your in this way facilitates analysis.
It Is common.
for to be when, data are collected. In
you visually the data for values
or responses. For Instance, if a self-completed survey question
asked, "On average, how many hours per week do you
typically at the office?" and a respondent answered.
"400," you should flag the answer as Inappropriate, review the
original source, correct it or the particular
blank. This step is
to faulty analyses and results.
When using computer software to perform statistical analyses,
you a to or
answers leaving or
you to be the
are you to or
incomplete when performing quantitative analysis,
The themselves should be so high or low that you
will not confuse as an actual answer to the question. For
example, if a few respondents did not answer a question
their you might the arbitrary "00" into the
"00" as a variable.
to create use will your
the will not correctly in the
it
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kit
s. There are two primary ways you
accomplish this:
« If there is a relatively small amount of data or you
more comfortable working on paper, you can the
on paper.
« If there is a to large of data, you
the into a will
much Useful computer are
"Storing Information: Computerized Documents Files."
Statistics — both descriptive inferential — are commonly
in analysis.
0 draw a picture of the study sample or
population, using as counts.
These types of statistics can show the
between variables, as
recreational activity, environmental values. For
of survey of
these three variables can tell you the percentage of surveyed
women who both fish about the environment.
Depending on the question you are trying to answer, you
might want to this with the percentage of
surveyed who fish care the environment. This
comparison allows you to look for similarities and
to the gender of the Or, you
compare the of women who fish
the with the percentage of women who do not
fish but do care the environment. This comparison
could shed light on the relation fishing
environmental values among women. Descriptive statistics are
generally easy to use and can help answer many common
questions about raw data.
. are primarily to further analyze
the results from descriptive statistics, such as how accurate
the average you calculated actually is. how it differs from
another sample, whether are correlations between the
two samples, so forth. It Is less for
statistics to be in an assessment, but they are
on the of the
for on using descriptive and
statistics.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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•
S5-2— of Used for
we
To answer simple questions about your
t'jvv data by calculating a summary
measure of one group of data, looking
at one element, or variable, at a time.
Examples include "how many people
sa:d.../' "what's the average number
of..."
To compare the elements or variables
related to two or more groups of
people, or the same group before and
after an event. Example: to determine
whether the percentage of people
supporting a particular idea differs
between several groups; or, to
determine whether sentiments differ
before and after a public presentation
on the issue.
Use when your data cannot meet the
assumptions of parametric statistical
tesfs, such as when the size of your
sample is small.
Mean (average)
Median (midpoint)
Percentage (proportion)
Minimum
Maximum
« T-test (to compare two averages or
percentages between two groups)
» Paired T-test (to compare two
averages or percentages of the
same group before and after an
event)
« Analysis of Variance (to compare
averages between two or more
groups)
» Chi-Square (to compare
percentages between two or more
groups)
Wilcoxon rank sum (the
nonparametric equivalent to a T-test)
Computer software you
perform specific operations, However, none of these
software will analyze the for you. The
which which to use and how to
understand the results will still on your own analytical
capabilities. If you to perform statistical operations on. your
data, such as cross-tabulations and tests of statistical
significance, use SAS, Systat, STATA, dBASE, or
Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software. Cross-tabulations
allow you to control for one variable, such as gender, while
comparing two variables. Tests of
the extent to which the relationship between two
variables is real or Other software-
such as ETHNOGRAPH — can help you organize, code.
analyze qualitative The Information at the
of this provide on the
described in S5-2.
as quantitative are so Is
analysis. Quantitative analysis techniques can analyze qualitative
as well, provided the data are coded appropriately. If you
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kit
wanted to quantitatively analyze interview about river
use. you would assign numerical or letter codes to each answer:
1 = fishing
03 = boating
04= of mind
These are for the words can be
a This process
for quantitative analysis; even though the original are
qualitative, the coding process has it into numbers and
the product will be numerical (e.g., 75 percent of those
Interviewed said they use the river It gives "peace
of mind").
Quantitative analysis can be applied only lo derived from
at a time. For Instance, if you a
self-completed survey of a random representative of 200
you also personally Interviewed 15 selected
by a snowball sampling technique, you cannot quantitatively
analyze the raw data from both In case,
you would have to the surveys the interviews
separately then compare the results and the
or differences, trends. Even If you
identical questions in the survey the interviews, the different
(random vs. snowball) different
methods (self-completed vs. face-to-face) would affect the data
you collected. Were you to combine raw data before
analyzing them, your would be your
conclusions would be inaccurate.
are in the form of words (e.g.. terras, notes.
stories, quotations). Qualitative data are usually not as easy to
analyze as quantitative data but are often crucial
to certain of a that quantitative
cannot. You can organize qualitative data through the
following steps:
of or
of interviews, focus groups, meetings, of
raw data were not originally in writing. To
a written transcript, listen to the audio/video recordings
write down (preferably on a computer word processor)
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kit
•
exactly what you hear on the tapes. Transcribing audio/video
tapes will it easier for you to compare such data with
from written sources, or other tapes, as you look for
patterns.
», or labels, that represent that are of
to you, that "popping up," or are answers to
In an interview or a survey. Codes
serve as to help you conveniently
The be in the of your written
transcript, or you can a "code book" lists
code and what it represents. 4, 4
for details.
Codes can be by hand, or
transcripts for you. If you choose to use a computer, the
required programs can be somewhat expensive, but necessary
when you have amounts of data. One publisher of such
software programs is Publications. Further information
is available at http://www.sage.pub,coin.
Just as qualitative are in the form of words, so is their
analysis. Although not as straightforward as quantitative
analysis, qualitative analysis very results. It
combine different sources of qualitative data, such as interview
responses, observations, conclusions cognitive In
the analysis, you can review the combined raw qualitative data.
looking for patterns, or relationships. an
mind about what the raw data might reveal.
"61
of the of qualitative Is that It allows you to
the contextual of in the analysis.
For example, you ask community members, "How do you use
the nearby river?" Their might "fishing,"
"swimming," "boating," "for of mind." These answers
are qualitative data they are in words.
you choose to qualitatively analyze these data, you might choose
"recreation" "spirituality" as codes to categorize the different
responses. In this case, ""fishing," "swimming," "boating"
could be coded as "recreation" "peace of mind" as
"spirituality." However, if you In an interview that of
the respondents is a long-time waterman who considers
"boating" to be a connection with God's creation, you
might to code that as "spirituality"
• ,. Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kit
"recreation." In the of data give the data
a different meaning,
the
following:
enables you to organize analyze key
patterns, For example, conducting content
on a reveal
community several types of complaints a
These can be as
"complaints" then further by
the as "noise," "inconvenient
location," "bad smell," "other," Other sources of raw data,
as meeting notes interview responses, can be
to see if the data collected by methods also fit
into, and support the use of, these codes. See the 4,
4 for step-by-step guidance on using
this to both collect qualitative
0 can be done by summarizing all on a
particular topic, such as a community characteristic or
perceptions of the value of a riverside project. These
be to get the "full picture" on any given
topic. you the relative value of
an by
Graphic can. pictures, Graphic
are collected by such methods as background research,
geographic
Organize analyze graphic data in ways that to
you. For if you use a to the of
in a community, you have collected quantitative data, If
you note from a concept by community members
they perceive the of
contamination to be "rusted pipes," you have collected
qualitative data.
Present your so that they are
for decision-making. Here are suggestions for presenting your
effectively.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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•
Annual
S0 ^^^^^^^^^_^^^^^^^^^_
1W1 1992
Almost every 'presentation of analyzed results involves
text. And are a variety of formats which to
choose. If your purpose is informal, use brief fact sheets, short
or letters. If the are being
reviewed by a wider audience, it might be appropriate to write a
summary report on your findings. Summary documents usually
of the of visual as
tables, graphs, charts. Written reports other documents
comprehensive Information allows the to
delve Into the assessment detail, thus possibly arriving at
Visual in ways that are quickly
understood. Common formats Include tables, charts, graphs,
maps, drawings, and photographs all to the
"One Is worth a thousand words" (see the
examples that follow). Visual summaries needn't be expensive or
tech, but if well, they will likely be understood, thus
producing feedback on your assessment efforts and project goals.
Annual Visitors
50,
Der year
|
10000 ! 20000 30000
45,000
At this stage of the project, you consider how to the
of your analysis to your team. Community
cultural assessment Is grounded in the philosophy that
are in the project. Therefore, they
have a right to know the findings, especially since they have
contributed own. to your questions. At the
time, once the results of a community assessment are released.
you will lose control of how and by whom they are used. For
it is to be to the
in 4, 1. You must especially protect the Identities
privacy of who participated in your project. In
addition, when the results, you should be
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kit
to community concerns,
about proprietary information. Further discussion on
with the public be in 3,
to the Review before
releasing results to a larger audience.
fjj
0
In addition, the following web to
descriptions of numerous statistical programs:
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/
Rainer Wuerlaender/statsoft.htm.
E. 1995. The Practice of Social Research, 7th ed.
Wadsworth Publishing Company, Belmont, CA.
Coffee, A., and P. Atkinson. 1996. Making Sense of Qualitative
Data, Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, CA.
Fitz-Gibbon, C., and L. Morris. 1987. How to Analyze Data. Sage
Publications, Newbury Park, CA.
Glascr, B., A. Strauss. 1967. Discovery of Grounded Theory:
Strategies for Qualitative Research. AVC, Chicago, IL.
Lofland, J., and L.H. Lofland. 1984. Analyzing Social Settings: A
Guide to Qualitative Observation and Analysis. 2m ed.
Wadsworth Publishing, Bclmont, CA.
Patton, M. 1987. How to Use Qualitative Methods in Evaluation.
Sage Publications, Newbury Park, CA.
Strauss, A., J. Corbin. 1990. Basics of Qualitative Research:
Grounded Theory Procedures and Techniques. Sage
Publications. Newbury Park. CA.
i"
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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4: The Tool Kit
•
• ,. Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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IT IS
•
day, community involvement goes beyond having good
public It In
their daily activities working with to
sound practices that are consistent with local environmental
values. It the community's vision for Itself
working with that vision. This appendix describes how the
community-based described in the
Guide been to ecological,
sociocullural concerns in 15 communities. These
how community Issues, language,
influential subgroups, historical trends, and other social factors
within a community are key to establishing successful
protection goals, plans, and
implementation strategies.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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A:
•__Adams_CountYLOhio_
/it" <
I LI '//•»'/ '' t\ L 'li'l' ill il\\\. \\lll(_"'l '/'•/''tj '> 'L|' * '^i (>'!("<• ' lLi^f'i'(>l'i.' v '/• i C't
interviews, and content analysis was conducted to better understand the
environmental values of the community surrounding The Nature Conservancy Edge of
Appalachia Preserve, The results led to a visioning process that addressed land-use
planning to meet both conservation and economic needs in the county:
The Nature Conservancy (TNC) Edge of
Appalachia Preserve Is an
of nearly 13,000 the
of the Appalachian in
Adams County, Ohio. The Preserve
15 of
concern. The Preserve also
of alkaline cliff
community types. Although not
highly the two
types contain known. of
the Allegheny woodrat
the green The site
100 of state or
federally
The at the Preserve are
heavy or clearcut timbering, Increasing
subdivision of farms for recreation,
by poor
practices. Hunting
have problematic for the
Preserve. dumping, always a
solution for poor families, an
increasingly critical Ohio EPA
the Adams County landfill in the
mid-1980s. dumping a
it Is too
expensive to haul 50 to the
closest landfill or pay to do It for
them.
As to develop the area
the Preserve for new jobs and
cottages, the
local officials will inevitably affect the
environment. The of land-use
in this community the area's
particularly
TNC Its partner, the
Cincinnati Center (CMC), must
an active role in decision-making to
value, the environment, is not sacrificed for
the economy.
The Preserve by with
economic
This proximity the
staff to the communities' active
support to local goals.
Partnerships with local,
will also be to
larger landscape. As the Preserve's
prepared to implement
conservation initiatives and sought to develop
viable, long-term solutions to many of the
area's problems, it recognized that it must
establish a more community-oriented
conservation plan. Such a plan required a better
understanding of the community's attitudes
values, particularly its economic development
conservation goals. A community
assessment would help the Preserve's
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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A:
tough decisions by identify-
ing local environmental issues; economic
concerns; key persons and institutions, and the
of public confidence in them; community
priorities; toward land-use planning;
public of TNC CMC.
In linir ll«6 U.S. of Policy
emeied into a cooperative with TNC
to build both organizations' capability to
in community-based conservation
environmental protection. EPA TNC agreed
to a community cultural in
the community to the Preserve.
Participants formed an
composed of TNC staff from the Preserve, the
Ohio Chapter, the office; CMC
staff at the Preserve; and staff from EPA's
Region. 5 Office of Policy. Later in the
project a of a private
opinion. firm a university professor
of rural sociology joined the group to provide
in the social sciences.
During the team's Preserve staff
a of the Preserve and
of the community to the
conservation
community they wanted to test in
groups, surveys, and one-on-one Interviews. The
and the staff
as the for of the
The to conduct two
focus groups to the for
developing would
be used in the survey. The purpose of the focus
was to in resident's
range of on quality of life,
conservation issues, how react to
specific of information,
how people judgments on
information.
The wanted one focus group to include
representatives of Adams County's larger farms
the second group to include non-farmers.
In addition to personal or family land
ownership, participants in both groups were to
have lived in the county for at least 15 years.
The participants were to include people from
all parts of the county. on criteria,
a Cincinnati-based firm recruited 15
participants 'TNC staff assisted in
identifying long-established fanning families.
The assessment worked with the public-
opinion research firm to develop a focus group
discussion guide. The focus groups the
following characteristics:
0 One focus group from
land-owning families (100— acres),
most of whom were fanners.
0 The group non-farming
residents whose families owned fewer than
100 of land.
0 Most participants middle-aged with
diverse incomes and levels of education.
0 90
minutes.
0 The groups videotaped, the
transcribed onto
0 Participants were paid S75, an
fee by the strict
criteria.
After reviewing the focus group discussions,
the assessment developed a survey
questionnaire with 24 questions. The objectives
of the survey were to quantify opinions
in the focus groups and to obtain a baseline of
county residents' attitudes on the community,
environment, economy, and local land-use and
conservation issues. Using a random-digit
sample of phone numbers in Adams County,
professional telephone interviewers surveyed
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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•__Adams_CountYLOhio_
400 county residents. Each interview required
approximately 15 minutes.
As a third of the an
Ohio University of rural sociology
24
Interviews of county with diverse
occupations, ages, of In the
county, levels of The interviews
the conclusions of the focus groups
poll and provided a for
the
methods.
The Interview
on in the focus groups poll,
with TNC staff,
with an County
After the test they In
the of the questions.
an Interviewers
the interviews on
on the conversations. After
the interviews, the
the by topic and
the with the survey
In to the focus groups, survey, and
interviews, two local
of analysis (refer to
on 205).
Analysts the Public
Library to confirm to papers' back.
Issues. They the for
any environmental, conservation,
resource, or quality-of-life content
the to the
frequency of a list of terms,
organizations, Individuals, and
to life the
environment. The six
hours.
Generally, the the
of Adams County:
0 Had a appreciation for the town
in a natural setting.
0 Were very offended by illegal dumping.
0 Felt that the economy was not doing well,
thai something must be done to attract
development, that creating jobs in the
community was the most important issue.
0 Wanted to see some development, but not at
the cost of the environment. envisioned
only fairly traditional solutions (e.g.,
manufacturing, but prefer small business to
large).
0 Supported strongly the notion of a
community-generated land-use plan.
0 Lacked confidence in local government
did not believe local authorities can or will
solve county problems.
0 Valued places in nature such as Ohio Brush
Creek. Buzzardsroost Rock, Cedar Falls,
Lynx Prairie.
0 Did not know who owns the Edge of
Appalaehia Preserve, were unclear about its
function, in some did not
like the use of the "Appalaehia"
it "hillbillies."
0 Felt that the Preserve fills a role in
protecting nature and wildlife and educating
but it Is not an
benefit.
0 Had generally favorable impressions of
TNC and CMC,
I N( . ('MC, other local organizations are
using the information the
to develop a strategy to community
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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A:
Analysts reviewed two local newspapers in Adams
County, Ohio — The Signal and The People's
Defender — for a three-month period (approximately
August 1 to October, 1996).
tach reader took one newspaper set and scanned
each page for articles that might have any
environmental, conservation, natural resource, or
quality of life content. The readers conducted content
In The Manchester Signal, the most frequently
mentioned groups, as found in a weekly column
outlining their meetings, were:
• Adams County Commissioners
* Adams County Extension
Other groups mentioned included:
• Adams County Historical Society (1 0 times)
* Adams County 4-H Society (4 times), Adams
County Buckeyes 4-H (additional 2 times)
« The United Nations, Davis Memorial State
Nature Preserve, Granges (Pomona and
Jerusalem), and Ohio EPA (each 3 times)
Several other groups and places were mentioned
2 times (partial):
* Ohio Department of Natural Resources
• Ohio Department of Natural Areas/Preserves
(beaver program)
* Adams County Engineers* Garage (trash
hauling)
* Adams Brown Recycling
» Adams County Soil and Water Conservation
• Shawnee Nature Program
* Audubon Society
The following groups, although scanned
for, did not appear in headlines or articles for this
period of The Signal:
« The Nature Conservancy
* Cedar Falls
» Lynx Prairie
• Buzzards Roost Rock
* Edge of Appalachia
* Ohio Brush Creek
• Natural Resources Conservation Service
* Farm Bureau
analysis of the stories to determine the frequency of
articles mentioning key groups, places, and terms the
assessment team had identified, as well as other
relevant information. Each reader used content
analysis worksheets to record the information
collected. The findings from the content analysis are
presented below.
A review of the raw data sheets indicates other
groups and places were mentioned in Tfie Signal
during this time frame.
The readers began the content analysis with 20
preselected terms for which to scan. They added six
other terms or phrases related to the environment
that they also found. The terms included:
« Environment, environmental, or
environmental protection (5 times)
* Litter (4 times)
« The Peebles sewer line proposal and its
environmental impact statement (8 times)
« Riverboat gambling (5 times, primarily letters
to the editor); was included as an example of
a citizen-mobilized action campaign, which
might be a model for similar campaigns in
Adams County
• Illegal dump sites and illegal dumping
(4 times). Specific dump sites mentioned were
Abner Hollow, Blacks River, and Waggoner
« Nuclear waste and disposal (3 times) in a
series of letters to the editor
« Water pollution, in the context of drinking
water (2 times)
Other terms that were found only once included:
» Conservation
• Extinct species
« Recycling
» Clean air
« Water pollution (general, not drinking water)
* Mussels
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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A:
The following terms were looked for, but not found in
this content analysis:
* Agriculture
• Best management practices (BMPs)
» Ecology/ecological
» Ecosystem
• Mushrooms
® Tourism
» Trash, trash disposal/household waste
" Weekend residents
• Waste management
• Watersheds
/ / o
The following is a sample of key community events
listed in The Signal:
" Manchester Annual Kinfolks Landing Days
Annual Gospel Sing (Sponsor: A.C.
Christian School),
» Ripley's 15th Annual Quilt Show (Sponsor:
Ripley Heritage, Inc.).
* 6th Annual Gathering of Appalachian Artists.
in
i Ct
» Don Young, Director, Adams County Economic
Development.
» Bonnie Shively, Columnist, The Signal, "Love
i\c? i !cw luno-
* Paul Worley, Boy Scouts Eagle Badge Project.
» Stephen Kelley, President, Adams County
Historical Society.
« F. R. Duplantier.
» Barbara Lund, Audubon Society, Appalachian
Front.
* Robert Sokolowski, Director, Local Development
Districts.
* Nancy Henry, Highlands Nature Sanctuary.
• Robin Stephenson, Agricultural Extension News.
» Mary Moyer, President, M. A.
» Rev. Ben Little, County Coordinator, River
Gambling.
Reading through three months of The Signal resulted
in the following insights from the analysis:
* apparently plays a strong role in
shaping the daily lives of residents, particularly
sis
the Christian tradition. The front page of The
Signal has a standard column, "Prayer Changes
Things." There is also a column by Bonnie
Shively, "Love Reflections," which on two
occasions linked spiritual beliefs with the natural
environment. Page 3 of The Signal lists all
churches in the area and church events.
• Local appear to be a prime gathering
and networking event for the community. At least
four festivals were written up in the time frame,
many of which were annual events stretching
back decades, linked to historical and harvest
events.
• are a prominent issue, with lots of
coverage, especially due to the Manchester tax
debate at the time.
« and federal action about tobacco were
mentioned only once (8/29/96 Signal), "FDA
action [on tobacco] could bankrupt farmers."
• proposed for
Shawnee State Community College might be an
interesting opportunity. It might have an
information center, museum, meeting rooms,
etc.
• seem to be a very big part of the
community, with school news taking up a lot of
page space, news reported by school and class,
and regular columns on education by
Superintendent of Schools.
• Scouts 4-H received much coverage.
Projects relating to environment, plants, and
animals were given coverage.
• Traffic in Adams County seemed to
make every other Signal front page.
This content analysis was conducted with a minimal
amount of resources with readily available materials.
The information gained can be used, along with
results from other methods, to construct a social
network map, understand and use terms with which
the community is familiar, identify and interact with
key groups and individuals engaged in conservation
and environmental issues, target public gatherings for
potential information campaigns, develop potential
outreach strategies that engage local media, and
begin to determine which aspects of the community
are most important to Adams County. Using the
results of this method, TNC has initiated discussions
with the editorial staff of local newspapers
regarding newspaper coverage of the Edge of
Appalachia Preserve.
Source: People's Defender, 1996.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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conservation issues. The finding thai residents
are receptive to local land-use planning, one of
the surprising discoveries, might be key to
stimulating local planning. The assessment also
suggested ways to what residents
perceived to be the most significant local
problem: the for economic development
and jobs.
The has the results of
the assessment with opinion-
makers, including the Adams County
Commissioners, elected
representatives, the county's solid waste
authorities (who are involved in illegal disposal
issues), other conservation partners, and the
local newspaper editor. This outreach has
already to affect local opinion
the editor has published articles favorable to
TNC and the concept of land-use planning.
TNC staff also plan to share the information
with of community civic organizations.
In early December 1997 TNC conducted a
county visioning exercise to explore land-use
economic development issues further. The
day-long meeting attracted 50 participants,
at the conclusion 30 people said that they were
interested in being involved in the follow-up
steps. the opinion research provided
insights into community attitudes concerns,
it the for this visioning
process gave people confidence that it
succeed.
can provide
information:
0 Peter Whan, Program Manager
The Nature Conservancy
Rd.
West Union, OH
(937)544-2188
Fax:(937)544-2188
E-mail: pwlian@brlglif.net
The People's Defender. 1996. at 229
North Cross Street, P.O. Box 308, West Union,
OH. phone: (937) 544-2391. Internet:
www.peoplesdefender.com.
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•
I l^c'fh'i'i'lL si'McJ, />'<.//•> ^'i'///'>, i'/l I!' />i_'M»' !''/(.') R'vi \ ilt'.'v lt\~ '<> .'•>•> i. >•> I'L
environmental attitudes and knowledge about wildlife habitat and water quality and
quantity issues of people living in Nebraska s Central Plalte region, on the
results, The Nature Conservancy of Nebraska is increasing its education and public
outreach efforts about threats to the Platte Rivet:
The Platte River region, of Nebraska
supports the Great Plains flyway of central
North America. The expansion, of Irrigated,
chemical-based
growth large-scale
conversion, of prairie to uses. The
of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers has
degraded the Platte River's water quality,
the food supply of birds,
lowered the quality of drinking water supplies.
Irrigation on.
water have also the quantity of
delivered to the Platte area of Nebraska,
bird habitat.
The Nature Conservancy (TNC) preserves
side-by-slde with
particularly
farming. This proximity requires that
TNC's staff seek the communities' active
support to achieve local conservation goals. As
agriculture development
to habitat, the
dwellers, farmers, and local officials will
Inevitably the environment. Partnerships
with local, state, and will also
be to the protection of this
TNC's conservation goals for the
mid-Platte, the for Conservancy staff to be
Involved in. the community, EPA's
to solutions to the Platte's
complex water quality allocation.
the mid-Platte a location for
conducting community cultural
techniques.
A community cultural would help
TNC staff better understand the community
develop conservation plans consistent with the
community's needs. Specifically, a community
would help by identifying local
environmental issues; economic concerns; key
persons institutions, and the of
public confidence in them; community
priorities; attitudes toward the Platte River
the habitat it provides for wildlife, water
quality quantity issues; public
perceptions of local organizations.
The assessment team, composed of TNC and
EPA staff, a private consultant, a university
professor (both of whom provided technical
assistance in the social sciences) decided to
conduct two focus groups, a public opinion
survey, and 31 one-on-one interviews in the
Platte River region. The of these
methods was on TNC staffs' impressions
of the community, their identification of
other community issues about which they
wanted to collect information. The issues and
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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•
concerns the Conservancy staff raised served as
the starling point for much of the public
opinion research. The planned to compare
the information by the three research
methods to develop a more view of
the community, a process known as
triangulation.
To the assessment, the developed a
survey questionnaire with 35 questions. The
objective of the survey was to obtain a baseline
of county residents' attitudes on the commu-
nity, environment, economy, water quality
quantity issues. other conservation issues.
The assessment used the survey to iden-
tify issues that they wanted to explore in
greater depth during the focus group sessions.
Using a random-digit of phone
numbers in the mid-Platte area, the private
consultant surveyed 500 residents. The
consultant stratified the survey sample
geographically to obtain 100 interviews in
of 5 distinct communities within the region.
The objective was to a representative
evaluation of the attitudes held by rural
residents toward conservation issues.
Professional telephone interviewers conducted
the survey. Each interview approximately
17 minutes.
The worked with the private
consultant to develop a focus group discussion
on the results of the survey. The
conducted two focus groups. The
purpose of the focus groups was the in-depth
examination of residents' of attitudes on
quality of life, economic conservation
issues, how people react to evaluate
specific pieces of information, how people
reach judgments on that information.
A marketing research firm recruited the
participants the criteria the assessment
team developed. on criteria, all
focus group participants were over the of
21 lived in the for at least 15
years. The first group consisted of nine
from two cities. Grand Island and
Kearney. The group was diverse, including
middle-aged older people, both genders,
both long-time relatively recent
residents. The second group consisted of
farmers from small towns. The eight
two women in the second group were recruited
through the use of the following question: "Do
you or does someone in your immediate family
currently own operate a or ranch?"
Each focus group lasted approximately 90
minutes. The groups were videotaped, the
conversation was transcribed onto paper.
Participants were paid a $50 fee to compensate
for their time.
Following the poll focus groups, a
professor of rural sociology from the
University of Nebraska-Lincoln conducted 22
face-to-face, semistructured interviews with
influential community
representatives of interest groups (agricultural
producers, public power utilities,
environmental groups). The professor also
conducted nine additional interviews to identify
any differences in community perceptions that
might exist. The professor structured the
to that at one interview occurred
within primary municipality in the study
area. In contrast to the of the focus
groups poll, which a of
community conservation issues, the
interview questions focused much more on the
interviewees' opinions relationships with the
Platte regional water issues. Each interview
lasted about an hour.
Research participants in the mid-Platte River
a appreciation, of the
region's natural beauty. They the
land, recognized historical
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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•
with the river, valued the birds, especially
the cranes, which use the riparian habitat as a
migratory stopover. Respondents were
generally satisfied with wanted to
the quality of the environment. They wanted to
protect open space, habitat, wildlife, air
water quality. Residents appreciated the
quality of life in their rural community, but
they were concerned about taxes, government
regulation. the for economic growth
to offer opportunities for their children.
Respondents, especially the representatives
of interest groups involved in the one-on-one
interviews, were aware of potential conflicts
between water use environmental
protection. But they did not acknowledge them
as threats to their environmental values or view
them as being especially serious. Relatively
few residents viewed the community's water
problems as very significant. Even most of
those who considered water issues to be serious
did not support water use reductions by the
major user, agriculture. Similarly, they did not
to recognize the importance of the
reduction in bird habitat.
The Platte River residents who took part in the
research wanted both economic growth
environmental protection. If water conflicts
were to lead to a crisis in their competing
values, respondents hoped for a compromise
that would enable cities their economies to
grow, allow irrigated agriculture to continue,
protect the cranes. preserve the river's
aesthetic environmental qualities. At the
moment, however, many to think that
the competing interests are in balance, or at
least not far off-balance. No of crisis
existed, but there was a sense of unease as
those with economic in the status quo.
particularly farmers, saw government
environmentalists threatening to bring changes.
Strong existed on the to build
community consensus all the interest
groups for a long-term plan for the river.
although they could not envision how this
consensus would come about. No trusted
sources of information or community leaders or
institutions that could serve as a catalyst for
forging this consensus to exist.
following the assessment. TNC and EPA
a meeting for the to
the of the project to develop
community participation.
The
(but overlapping)
specific objectives:
0 hold the
public,
regarding grasslands;
conservation through trusted
sources; elementary other
schoolchildren; create a range of educational
forums, some led by farmers, by TNC
and EPA.
(stewardship)
hold
a TNC working session on increasing water
flows; a brochure to describe
conservation benefits to the public;
videos, T-shirts. other marketing
It to the
community; for
at
informal social events; the regional
EPA office involved in the project; build the
self-esteem of fanners, perhaps with field
trips to farms.
establish relations with
media; issue releases; write conserva-
tion columns in local papers; consult with
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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•
public relations experts within TNC; do
radio and newspaper interviews; place a
TNC placard at Cornhusker produce
the
Platte.
the budget to staff by one full-time
employee; the volunteer pool in. the
Kearney/Grand a social
science volunteer; the TNC board
about Platte budget needs;
establish a mid-Plalte Working Group (and
later, an Advisory Group); build capacity to
obtain more native seeds.
key
individuals for one-on-one relationships;
finish the stakeholder analysis; develop a
systematic approach to landholder outreach;
Involve on advisory
convene group, including
critics, to to
involve agency
In outreach, science,
agriculture.
irrigation management research in
cooperation with farmers; conduct
of success.
work with com growers on
(an activity
of funding).
t: work with
on.
will benefit River ecosystems.
can provide
more information:
0 Lathrop
The Conservancy
1228 L Street, P.O. Box 438
Aurora, NE 68818
(402)694-4191
Fax:(402)694-2231
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iictun'tl ifncnifvs ofhusjiie^s representatives tint! residents \\~ere used TO help
I he City ofNogales develop educational materials, products, and programs to
encourage residents and businesses lo use pollution prevention techniques.
Nogales, Arizona, is located within the upper
Santa Cruz River on the U.S.-Mexican
border. As the largest city in Crux
County an important port of entry between
the United States Mexico. Nogales faces
"big city" environmental problems. A major
environmental problem in Nogales is
groundwater contamination. Colt form bacteria
volatile organic compounds have
found in groundwater in various parts
ofNogales, indicating that the contamination
originates on both of the border,
of the diffuse nature of the contamination.
groundwater quality in Nogales on
community efforts to prevent the of
toxic chemicals. Although Nogales
has a history of environmental problems, the
public is largely uninformed about issues.
To address Nogales' environmental problems.
the city established the Environmental Justice
Through Pollution Prevention (EJ/P2) Program.
The primary of the EJ/P2 Program is to
encourage both residents to use
pollution prevention techniques. Elements of
the program include
0 Technical to local on
pollution, prevention.
0 Incentives to businesses for practicing
pollution prevention.
0 Public education activities to empower local
residents to implement pollution prevention
in their homes. to advocate the adoption
of pollution prevention by Nogales'
businesses.
As part of the EJ/P2 program, the city of
Nogales began, a program, Community
Leadership Environmental Awareness in
(CLEANN), to
the following goals:
0 Create an. receptive to
information.
0 Promote involvement in
problems.
0 Educate residents of neighborhoods about
pollution prevention, advocates.
0 Gain an understanding of what sustainable
in Nogales.
To be successful, more information was
to refine the EJ/P2 Program.
At die of the EJ/P2 city
to identify of
pollution in Nogales and the
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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willingness to practice pollution prevention. To
collect this information, researchers from the
University of Arizona's of Applied
Research Anthropology conducted
semistruclured interviews of business
representatives residents in Nogales,
Researchers developed two types of interviews
for local for
households. For both types of interviews,
researchers to effective
communication with the bilingual community
of Nogales to the trust of participants.
To ensure effective communication, the
researchers
0 all written
by proficient of
Spanish.
0 Conducted interviews using a bilingual
which
they preferred.
0 Coded all interviews by the
responsible for the interview.
0 Worked through contacts
confidentiality.
A four-part interview was developed to collect
information from businesses in Nogales about
the following:
0 Characteristics of the
primary activities and size.
0 Perceptions of pollution.
0 Suggested steps the city should take in a
pollution program.
0 Personal demographic information.
With the City of Nogales,
lists, the local telephone- directory,
researchers four
targeted automotive, dry cleaners,
finishers and processors, and pesticide
applicators. Interviews lasted approximately
hour were conducted over several
two of two
each. One per
on the
interview form. The took
on the interview, the physical
appearance of the shop,
notes of potential interest to a pollution
prevention program (e.g., waste
assessment).
Using the interview protocol as a
foundation, the
Interviews to the
the to collect
Nogales'
The four-part
the following:
0 information about the
neighborhood and the participant, including
of residence, family ties,
perceived role in the community, definition
or of their
neighborhood, frequency and
of their trips Nogales.
0 of the facing
neighborhood Nogaies,
pollution.
0 the future,
perceived in the
the area's population.
0 Personal Information,
education,
involvement.
to interview individuals
from a variety of subsections in the Monte
Carlo neighborhood of Nogales, a
representative microcosm of the city. They
selected households on previous contacts
in the community door-to-door visits. The
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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researchers conducted the interviews in the
manner as the business interviews,
although were occasionally one or more
participants in the household interviews.
U of
Business inter, tews resulted in the following:
0 Factors as age, gender, ethnicity,
educational level, size of do
not play a role in participants'
perception of pollution. Researchers
concluded thai these factors cannot be used
to identify businesses willing to participate
in a pollution prevention program.
0 identified factors that might
influence potential participation in pollution
prevention programs. They include
« an individual's past
« work
• technical assistance
0 Options for recycling of
business-related to be
available locally.
0 More on pollution
options should be available in
Nogales.
0 Problems to be at the
level before local pollution
prevention efforts can a difference.
Household interviews resulted in the following:
0 Less than 10 percent of interviewees
included pollution the three biggest
problems they face. Most participants cited
crime, youth gangs, automobile traffic
as concerns.
0 Residents have a disparate view of their
neighborhood. Researchers concluded that
neighborhood identity not in
Carlo.
Residents want assistance in establishing
programs opportunities for youth,
improving community infrastructure,
security in the neighborhood to
community spirit.
The results of the interviews
contributed to the development of community-
appropriate pollution prevention guides for
targeted business sectors. Using interview data.
researchers selected four formats to convey
pollution prevention information to Nogales
businesses.
0
0 A pollution prevention hotline
0 Sector-specific
0 Public sendee on local
stations
The City of Nogales the household
interview to support the business interview
to assist in developing the objectives
ofCLEANN.
This project cost §25,(
was In an EPA for
through pollution
prevention. Through a with the City
of Nogales the University of Arizona's
of Applied in Anthropology,
university on this
project as type of labor the
project costs.
5 provide
Information:
0 Diane Austin
of Applied Research in
Anthropology
University of Arizona
1600 East University Boulevard
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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Tucson, AZ 85721
(CLEANN
Mexicayotl Academy
590 Morley Ave.
AZ
Bureau of Applied Research in Anthropology. 1997.
Community and Pollution Prevention in Nogales,
Arizona: Household and Business Perspectives.
University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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^
iinckground researc'iL ohscn'iirion, and both forma! find informal ifncrvfevs nr'/r
used to identify stakeholders and their concerns about a growing chip mill
controversy in this North Carolina community. Results will by used in the Department
ul'£i;ni<-«imei>t .'•?
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researcher discovered thai the chip mill in
Union Mills affected an unanlicipatedly broad
of groups. Furthermore, groups
held differing perceptions of key terms and
ideas, such as sustainability forest health.
both between groups among their own
members. These differences often
misunderstandings tensions
between groups. The findings also concluded
that inaccurate information and predictions
about forest health other have led
local communities to respond with increased
environmental protests, alternative land-use
choices. other forms of action, while
forcing scientists the timber industry to
reevaluate their approaches to sustainability
local communities.
As for delineating issues in the chip mill
controversy, data indicate five broad
0 Air quality problems
with chip mill operations.
0 Quality of life, safety,
capacity concerns to track
train traffic.
0 Conflicts over property
rights, land societal
responsibility.
0 associated with clear-cutting
hardwood forests.
Water quality improvement wildlife
protection issues.
The anthropologist was able to identify
stakeholders their concerns and organize
facilitate several consensus-building public
meetings that explored potential impacts of the
proposed chip mill. The anthropologist
that progress on the chip mill issue as a whole
upon reaching over core
issues such as the vulnerability of the forest
the for broad stakeholder participation
in crafting solutions. Results ultimately will be
incorporated into the upcoming two-year DENR
chip mill impact study, funded in part by EPA's
Region 4 jointly by Duke
University's Nicholas School of the
Environment North Carolina
University's Forestry School.
can provide
more information:
0 Cheryl McClary
Applied Anthropologist
P.O. Box 3046
NC
(704)286-1511
Fax:(704)286-8184
E-mail: cmcclary@rfci.net
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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The Sierra Nenuiii licosysfein Project used i'ensiis data, ?uaps and geographic
research, and workshops to identify population segments in the Sierra Nevada- region
and to assess community capacity in 180 study communities. Regional leaders are
using the results to incorporate the needs of communities with a low level of
well-being into local management plans.
Requested by Congress in. 1992, the
Nevada Ecosystem Project (SNEP) an
of the Sierra Nevada
ecoregion, including social, economic, and
ecological components. The overall goal of
SNEP to provide an accurate
would facilitate
To the of community
well-being throughout the Nevada
region, SNEP to analyze
community
capacity.
Assessment of well-being in the Sierra Nevada
forest-dependent communities required the use
of several assessment methods, including
Census data research, community capacity
workshops, and mapping. Determination of a
"community" within the Sierra Nevada region
entailed the use of both Census data research
local knowledge. Researchers also
Census data to calculate the socioeconomic
of communities within the region. To
identify community capacity, researchers called
local expert knowledge. Finally,
researchers wanted to explore the relationships
socioeconomic factors, community
capacity, the surrounding ecosystem
through a spatial analysis.
To the assessment. SNEP researchers
to geographically within
This required the use of
the 1990 Census of Population Housing.
Researchers reviewed the different
levels of data, including county, places
(incorporated areas Census-designated
places), blocks the U.S.
Census for a level that would
provide
variations of social conditions within counties.
Researchers one of the units
by the Census Bureau, the block group, to
to In the
region. Through Census
SNEP discovered that
block groups are defined by geophysical
features. This a problem
communities do not always define themselves
to the of
As a result, Census
block fall into one community,
To resolve this Issue, a
to groups. This
process Involved local
the of community.
From 720 block local
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experts developed 180 clusters, or communities.
for use in the assessment. The clusters were
formed from block in which the majority
of the population a single
community a minimum total population
of 500. In without clearly identifiable
communities, the clusters on
geographic features.
To characterize the socioeconomic of
block group clusters ("study
communities") and compare socioeconomic
trends across the Sierra Nevada, researchers
developed a socioeconomic Census
data. The scale incorporated the following
socioeconomic measures: housing tenure (level
of owner-occupied housing versus
renter-occupied housing); poverty; education;
employment; children in homes with public
assistance income. Using the socioeconomic
scale, researchers could study
community a score of 1 to 7, 1 the lowest
7 the highest.
Community capacity, as it is in the SNEP
social assessment, is a community's ability to
respond to stresses. advantage
of opportunities, meet the needs of
residents using physical, human, social
capital. To community capacity in the
180 study communities, researchers organized a
of workshops. These workshops
between 3 18 participants,
on the number of study
communities to be assessed. Researchers
participants they considered to be
knowledgeable about the physical, human.
social capital of the study communities
on the nature of their profession, local
involvement, or history of residence (e.g.,
community planners, health human service
providers, long-term residents).
Through the workshops, participants completed
a community capacity evaluation for a particular
study community. Participants were a
study community with which they most
knowledgeable, they completed a commu-
nity capacity worksheet that included a narrative
assessment a rating. After completing the
rankings, the as a whole discussed the
findings for study community deter-
a final ranking.
In addition to characterizing by socioeconomics
community capacity, researchers
to geographically characterize study
community. Geographic characterization
involved mapping the community itself the
following geographical features: population
centers, infrastructure, services, transportation
corridors. by public lands.
Results of the Sierra Nevada Ecosystem Project
social results include the
following:
0 Six distinct regions exist on
transportation corridors, commute patterns,
economies, and community identification.
0 Socioeconomic conditions and community
capacity vary the six social
assessment regions, as well as across the
Sierra within of the regions.
0 Study communities with lower
socioeconomic status and low community
capacity have the lowest level of well-being,
vice versa. Those with low community
capacity socioeconomic
not the level of well-being
as with capacity;
however, the of well-being in
study communities is less affected because
residents can purchase services to their
needs.
The overall results of the were
intended to aid in developing policy options for
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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resource in the Sierra Nevada
region. An example of this comes from the
Tahoe Basin, where researchers identified one
of lower well-being among communities
of high well-being. These findings have
prompted in the to develop plans
that will respond to lower well-being issues
identified through the assessment process.
The community assessments (180 communities
in 20 counties) cost approximately $125,000.
County planners provided technical assistance
during the iterative process of defining study
communities Census block
groups developing the associated maps.
can provide
more information:
0 Jonathan. Kusel, Forest Community
Research
Uni versity of Cali fornia
P.O. Box 11
Taylorsville, CA
(530)284-1022
E-mail: kiisel@psln.coni
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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public and private stakeholders in the- watershed to develop a vision and actions for
2,200 Alaska's
River
glaciers, forests,
Glaciers on the
the of the
River today It a source of
biological diversity. The
system 37 of fish, 5
species of salmon 31 species of mammals.
of the species, as brown bears,
beluga whales, wolves, river otters,
are rarely elsewhere in the United States.
Humans have also settled on the Kenai.
Unfortunately, the effects of overcrowding,
Increased recreational use, erosion,
pollution, development of wetlands,
floodplalns, riparian habitat are causing
problems. These stresses are accumulating with
Increasing threaten the long-terra
health of the Kenai River Its resources.
Faced with this situation, private public-
stakeholders of the Kenai River watershed
reached consensus that actions were
required to prevent Irreversible to the
watershed. The stakeholders realized that
comprehensive community Involvement was
the only way to the long-term effort
necessary to achieve maintain positive
change. To this end, The Nature Conservancy
(TNC) of Alaska spent nine months working
with a Steering Committee composed of
community residents that represented the
various interests on the Kenai River to plan
the Kenai River Community Forum.
The purpose of the Kenai River Community
Forum was to bring outside
community together to
information knowledge about the Kenai
River, to encourage community
involvement in maintaining the river's health
productivity.
The Steering Committee's responsibilities
Included selecting inviting Forum speakers
with expertise on river issues community
organizing, promoting the Forum to the
community, designing provocative
questions that would the Forum's
participants in meaningful discussion
encourage thoughtful action.
More than 145 people participated In the
weekend-long Forum, which was part
entertainment, part Information-sharing,
part discussion. People an opportunity to
their connection with the river,
become better informed, and in
thoughtful the future of the
Kenai River. Entertainment Included the
Kenaitze Indian Tribe group, a play by
the K-Beach Elementary School
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Adopl-a-Slream -program, food
by local restaurants.
Invited included Dan'l Markham of
the Willapa Alliance, who explained the
principles and concepts behind
community-based conservation; Luther Propst
of the Sonoran Institute, who provided
of how other communities come
together to solve their conservation challenges;
Chris Frissell, a watershed scientist expert
on the relationship between land use
salmon population declines in the Pacific
Northwest, The Forum also included
informational workshops on the following
topics:
0 How function
0 Low-Impact
0 Economic values of the River
0 Habitat restoration
0 Conflict resolution
Following the workshops, Forum
divided Into seven discussion, groups to
led to a discussion of how,
as a community, they could work together to
maintain, the of the River. The
was the Illuminating of the
weekend. It on primary
questions:
0 What do you value most about the Kenai
River?
0 What is your vision for the Kenai River
watershed in the next 20 years?
0 What are
move us as a community toward that vision?
fjj of
Forum In thoughtful, civil
dialogue
primarily on of agreement consensus.
The result was the following broad action
steps:
0 Encourage comprehensive, watershed-wide
land-use planning.
0 Create a citizens'
organization to be a voice for the Kenai
River.
0 river-friendly
economic development.
0 Improve
0 Work with to consistency in
management.
0 Protect riverfront through purchase of
conservation easements.
0 Improve of angling.
0 Develop funding mechanisms to support
conservation activities in the watershed.
Since the Forum, working have
progress on a of these steps. The
working have
0 Organized and nonprofit for
a broad-based citizens'
the Watershed Forum.
0 additional workshops that to
develop the the Forum.
0 Conducted Adopt-a-Strearn training for
development criteria for
decisionmakers.
0 Secured the of the
Heritage Trust to offer land-trust tools
to River watershed The
Trust, In Homer, recently a
River office In Soldot.ua.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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The Nature Conservancy of Alaska has
the information learned at the Forum io assist
the community in conservation activities.
The total cost of the Kenai River Community
Forum lo the Conservancy was approximately
$8.000. which included staff time, material
costs, copy costs, consultant fees. Members
of the Steering Committee provided additional
technical assistance to ensure thai the Forum
met the spoke to the interests of the
community, EPA funded the Forum, local
businesses provided in-kind donations in the
form of food, advertising, gifts for door
prizes.
can provide
more information:
0 H.
Kenai River Field Representative
Kenai River Project Office
P.O. Box 1868
AK
Fax: 262-6377
E-mail:
0 Luther Propst. Director
The Institute
7650 E. 203
Tucson, AZ 85710
Fax:
E-mail: soninst@azstarnet.com
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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> i
foundation for a series of public forums (a meetings assessment method), held in local,
places of worship, to address competing environmental and business interests in the
prevention of coastal wetland loss. The resulting Louisiana Coastal Wetlands Interfaith
Stewardship Plan has strong grassroots support and has spurred statewide measures and
attracted federal funding for we f land preservation and restoration.
Each year, about 35 square miles of coastal
Louisiana wetlands wash into the sea. The
rapid erosion is threatening natural ecosystems
of communities located on the
where the Mississippi River meets the
Gulf of Mexico.
In organizing conducting the forums.
of the Inter faith Stewardship Plan
took the following steps:
The Louisiana Coastal Wetlands Tnterfaith
Stewardship Plan, formed in 1986, helped
congregations across Louisiana understand the
magnitude of the problem look for possible
solutions. Churches synagogues throughout
coastal Louisiana sponsored 20 forums between
and 1988, than
people interested in learning why how to
protect restore wetlands.
The forums were held to local citizens
in efforts to protect Louisiana's coastal
wetlands. There was a need for construc-
tive dialogue on the issues, after many years of
bitter between environmentalists
business interests. The forums were sponsored
by held in churches synagogues be-
it was perceived that they would provide
a more neutral atmosphere that would foster
cooperation.
a
to organize and run the forums.
Members of the leadership group also set
the format for the forums. They
local to supplement the
with of particular
importance.
Churches and synagogues
because
« They are considered by many to be
neutral venues.
« They
them that served as natural pools for
participants.
« of churches and synagogues
perceived to be receptive to
dialogue of the
connection between environmental issues
the moral teachings of religious
institutions.
0
to By involving
existing church, business, environmental,
community leaders, the forums attracted
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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crowds, including the constituents of
these leaders.
in
coastal wetland loss were valuable
participants, the
informative productive.
lie
of
It
to sufficiently crowds to
the
agencies that should be paid to this
initiative. Ensuring the participation oflocal
congregations turnout.
8. Forums generally
consisted of two sessions. First, technical
experts from federal agencies, as
well as other organizations, would give
educational presentations. The presentations
would be followed by a question, answer,
Involving all
participants. Forum usually
the to an
an hour a half to prevent
There were no recorders at the
forums, although representatives from
government usually took notes to
to their respective agencies.
At first the of churches and
synagogues In a resource conflict
some: "Among my was a
at the of Natural
in Rouge," recalls Rob
Gorman, a for Catholic Social
Sendees for the region. "On. one side of the
room executives from the Louisiana
Chemical Association, Mid-Continent Oil and
Gas, and the Louisiana Landowners
Association. On the other activists
from the Environmental Fund,
Louisiana Wildlife Federation, Sierra Club.
I was introduced as [being] from Catholic
Social Services virtually all turned
someone the question: 'What is the
church doing here?'
"I to
be of our of
our social justice
to the jobs of family
all the of the
wetlands. Let's call it a obligation.
Environmental poverty go
In hand."
The forums focused on generating solutions,
rather assigning blame. Citizens
throughout Louisiana a about
the problem of coastal wetland loss. Leaders
from churches synagogues, and
participating state agencies,
that Louisianans are strongly in favor of
protecting Louisiana's coastal wetlands.
A list of solutions to coastal wetland loss
proposed by a citizens' group, the Coalition to
Restore Coastal Louisiana, with great
support from the forums. The Louisiana
Coastal Wetlands Inter faith Stewardship Plan
was a charter of the Coalition. The
recommendations included the following:
0 Creation of an Office of Coastal Affairs in
the Governor's office (adopted).
0 Establishment of a revolving trust fund
to adequate funding for coastal
wetland restoration (adopted).
0 Creation of an Office of Coastal Restoration
in a agency with no ties to the issuance
of permits for oil and mineral exploration
(adopted in part — the office was created,
but located in the Department of Natural
Resources).
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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fji of
The participation of churches synagogues
build stronger support for
protection, which a of
measures. In 1989 voters In the
approved by a three-to-one the
Louisiana Wetlands Conservation
Restoration Fund. The following year Congress
approved the Coastal Wetlands Planning,
Protection, Act, which
$1.5 billion to help Louisiana's
wetlands.
The cost of organizing the
forums was minimal. Costs
coffee and doughnuts for
participants; copying flyers announcing the
forums, including staff for copying
posting; placing in bulletins.
Participation by government in
within the participating
but costs primarily consisted of staff
for These costs
by the agencies not
on to organizers.
Participating churches synagogues, assisted
by Catholic Social Services, ran all forums
without any assistance from outside technical
personnel. However, technical experts from
government did in
making topical presentations at the forums.
can provide
more information:
0 Robert Gorman
Catholic Social Services
P.O. Box 3894
Ho lima, LA 70361
Fax: (504) 876-7751
The President's Council on. Sustainable
Development. 1996. Sustainable America: A New
Consensus for Prosperity, Opportunity and a
Healthy Environment for the Future. Washington,
DC. Supplemented with an Interview with Robert
Gorman, Catholic Social Services, Houma. LA.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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i'i\t > »> >. ///'.,s''v/'/'i >/'';» r ,. , s / s > » 111 »t .'><,.. \ /'. c (i i. ' '/»i i'n> '' i
issessment and helped to prioritize a list of 20 environmental problems to be addressed
hy the state of Vermont, The results also revealed the need for better outreach and
III 'nil'!' fill I \i '/It >'//''//) "> I'IKli \'!illi'l'>' '"lit 'I ' ( fli >>"l>'l'( ll 'lit ' I \ \ ,
The Strategy for Vermont's Third Century was
a two-year comparative risk project initiated to
answer the question, "What environmental
put Vermont Vermonters at
greatest risk?" The goals of the strategy
included developing a
of the risks posed by Vermont's
environmental problems; sharing information
on Vermont's environmental problems with
Vermonters; and using information to
reduce risks.
To achieve the goals of the the Public
Advisoiy (PAC) coordinating
effort conducted a comparative risk
The PAC, a of multi-
the risk
on ecosystems,
Vermonters' quality of life. The
Involved the following actions:
0 Identifying Vermonters' perception relating
to risks.
0 the by
problem.
0 Ranking the problems in order of the
of their risks.
To achieve the first step in the assessment
process, the PAC to select an
appropriate method for gathering information
on public opinions and perceptions, Vermont
has traditionally used town meetings as a way
for Vermonters to their feelings
concerns on important issues. Therefore, the
PAC conducted 22 town 'meetings, or public
forums, throughout the to ask Vermonters
what their principal concerns were about
environmental problems.
The PAC facilitated each town
meeting a little differently, depending on the
their knowledge of the issues. In
general, the town meeting would with a
discussion of well-known environmental
problems within Vermont. Following this
discussion, the facilitator would ask
participants to list additional environmental
problems of concern to them. In to
these discussions, participants responded to a
brief survey to help set environmental
priorities. Questions on the survey included the
following:
0 When I think about environmental issues.
my principal concern is (check one):
« Outdoor
• Fairness
« Ecosystem
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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• The future
« How If will me
« Jobs
« Natural beauty
«
0 When government priorities for
reducing risks, It
pollution-related in this order
(rank 1 to 5 with 1 the
to address):
« Problems that be fatal to people
they are old.
« Problems that might be fatal to 'people
when they are young,
« long-term
physical pain or disabilities.
« Problems that
In children.
« Problems that might many people
to get sick for a while.
The last element of the survey was a chart
developed for the participants to express their
top five environmental priorities, A-l
provides an abbreviated example of the chart
distributed to Vermonters. Participants voted
for five "boxes" by putting numerals 1 through
5 next to their top concerns.
To chart, of the PAC
quality of life surveys
In Vermont.
surveys gave the PAC a of
which were likely to
be of Once
the chart, members of the PAC
information.
In to survey participants, of
the PAC Vermont's environmental
problems. Using a of the public's
on as quality of life
survey to
values, the PAC produced an
This to
ecosystems, Vermonters' quality of
life.
Survey results revealed that ecosystem health is
of primary concern to Vermonters. Through the
risk ranking, survey participants indicated the
following five environmental problems are the
"11
STATE
Air pollution
'S
of its on...
Loss of wildness
Solid waste
Global warming
Ozone depletion
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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most important in Vermont: drinking water
contamination, pollution of lakes streams.
air pollution, hazardous waste, solid waste.
Through the process, the PAC
discovered the public's
perception, of risks the
of the PAC a group with
to technical Information, For example, the PAC
gave the to indoor air pollution
radon. The public
the In
of risk.
13 of
The PAC the results of the town meetings,
eventually the overall comparative risk
process, to help prioritize environmental
decision-making in Vermont. In some cases,
public opinion drives the development of
environmental policy. The PAC determined that
both the government the public to
develop a better understanding of risk to ensure
environmental programs the most serious
problems. The comparative risk process
resulted in a list of 20 environmental problems
to be investigated by the PAC.
Vermont's comparative risk project cost
$300,000 over a two-year
period. EPA project.
The of Vermont with in-kind
assistance, which the labor of
office space.
can provide
more information:
0 Doug Kievit-Kylar
Office of the Secretary
Vermont Agency of Natural Resources
Center Building
103
VT 05 67
(802)241-3628
Vermont Agency of Natural Resources. 1991.
Environment 1991: Risks to Vermont and
Vermonters. A report by the Public Advisory
Committee, The Strategy for Vermont's Third
Ccnturv. Watcrburv, VT.
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• "95
/'it ( >//''/'r/s fi '/'i/i;/y<,///'; A>»/>,',' •«» i, * v,/ /',t /"''>/'> ,i'>(it>i >l />« »i >. >'/ "i» <>'
environmental risks. Results provided decision-makers with an understanding of how a
broad array of residents perceived and prioritized the city \s environmental problems.
The resulting recommendations were incorporated into the city's environmental
^t'incnf plan.
Columbus Priorities '95 a two-year
comparative risk project by the
Columbus Department. The Department
recognized the to develop a well-defined
policy for the city of Columbus.
With the help of 200 community
volunteers community organiza-
tions, the Columbus devised
a process to Identify, analyze, and rank the
city's risks.
Comparative risk projects involve the collection
of both scientific and public values
Project staff to from the
public their of risk
environment. The first was to a
list of city
from the public. This list would reveal what
Columbus felt their
health, environment, quality of life, and
be a city
policy.
To obtain public input, the Ohio State
University extension an
survey. The survey citizens to
provide Information on their perception of
Columbus' environmental problems. The first
section of the survey citizens to circle a
number 1 to 5 (1 = 5 =
strongly how they
agreed with the following
0 Overall, Columbus has good environmental
quality.
0 The environmental threats in Columbus
primarily come from:
«
« households/individuals
« municipal
• transportation
0 The best way to behaviors
(individuals industry) is:
« to pass laws
• through education
« by
« with incentives
0 Overall, Columbus has
problems.
0 There is little I can do to the
environment.
The next section of the survey citizens to
rank 10 overarching issues (e.g., agricultural
practices, population growth, consumer
practices) according to their significance in
threatening the environment. In the third
section, citizens rated environmental risks of
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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• Columbus '95
concern lo Columbus, The fourth
section of the survey solicited citizens'
opinions on the three greatest environmental
threats facing Columbus the three
environmental concerns the city should address
first. This section also inquired about an
individual's source of environmental
information. The final section requested
citizens' demographic information.
Using water bills, project staff
an list
900 surveys through the mail. Project
20 of the
surveys Project staff
surveys through
workshops, and provided of
the survey to city for distribution.
After the project's 30 were
a mail-In survey was
developed the public to list the
serious. Using a of the 30
survey to the
to the
In Columbus. Citizens
the opportunity to the
following seven on a of 1 to 5
(1 = strongly 5 = strongly
regarding the Issues they
underlined:
0 This issue affects me in my everyday life.
0 This issue affects my community in my
everyday life.
0 Radio, television,
have me
issue.
0 I the of this on my
life.
0 There are I can to
the on
0 Government should be involved in
addressing this issue.
There are some simple, straightforward
answers to this problem.
The surveys revealed that participants were
most concerned about issues regarding water
quality; issues were more heavily
weighted during a participatory ranking
process. Using the results, the Steering
Committee developed 192 recommendations
for the city of Columbus. After an internal
review, the city of Columbus to
implement numerous recommendations from
the final Priorities '95 report. Priorities
Partners, a volunteer "watchdog" group,
monitors the city's progress in its
commitment promotes the implementation
of other Priorities '95 recommendations.
Survey development, printing, tabulation
cost approximately 52,500. Survey questions
were developed using student labor from the
Community Development program at the Ohio
University Extension, The overall
comparative risk project was in part by
a $50,000 EPA In to funding,
Priorities '95 staff also received technical
assistance from EPA staff. Employees of
agencies also volunteered time to assist with
Priorities '95.
can provide
information:
0 Rick
Health Program Coordinator
Assessment Health Information Division
Columbus Health Department
181
Columbus, OH 43215
0 Joe E. Ph.D.
Leader, Environmental Sciences
Community Development
Ohio University
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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^^
Serfi'iil ,:/3'3Y'3'37fje/;f methods maps and geographic data, observation, informal
interviewing, and social network mapping were used to better understand this
Colorado mining community and to help the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
cooperatively design a remediation plan consistent with community values, issues,
and concerns.
EPA the former site of the Smuggler
Mine in Aspen, Colorado, as a
in EPA that the land
surrounding the site was by lead
the mine. The mining is in a
community is physically from
the community of Aspen by the Roaring
Fork River. Outside to the community is
to only two a
bike/foot path.
ecosystem" approach that recognized that the
social aspects of the community deserved equal
consideration with the physical ecosystem.
EPA
in the community
for contributing a of the $ 16 million
The to the
removal of two feet of dirt
to be
contaminated. The dirt was to be with
fill, but the would potentially
homes. These evoked fear
eventually the of the
community.
In response, the Smuggler Mine community
organized in opposition to the EPA cleanup
strategy. The community recruited influential
people from the greater community of Aspen
the nation to support their efforts. Their
opposition forced EPA to shift to a "bio-social
realized the to fit its regulatory
efforts into the community's culture. EPA
subcontracted with James Kent Associates
(JKA), a consulting firm that an
issue-based approach specializes in
understanding the informal social networks of a
community. JKA a combination of
methods, including maps
geographic data, observation, informal
interviewing, social network mapping, to
collect information about the culture of the
Smuggler Mine community.
Using a common street map, JKA assessors
identified gathering places where community
residents information with one another.
The assessors then visited the different
gathering places for three to five hours
day for three months. During the visits,
the assessors observed participated in the
normal routines of the community involved
themselves in situations in which community
conversed naturally their
community. Specific situations included
local sports games, school events,
dining at restaurants, going to gas stations,
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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laundromats, lavems to "hang out," While
in situations, the assessors had informal
discussions with community residents to
their interests concerns.
The information collected through
different methods identified community
characteristics such as settlement patterns, work
routines, recreational activities, and support
services. The information also allowed the
assessors to construct a social network of
how information influence through
the Smuggler Mine community how
community create, discuss,
manage issues.
4J| of
EPA the assessment information collected
by JKA to community
beliefs, traditions, culture. This information
was used to develop a long-terra strategy to
improve communication participation with
This approach
the decision-making
allowed community to participate over
the next years in the site
in a way they and EPA could accept. In
case, EPA did not the
relationship of the community members' sense
of place to local identity,
of the as a
protective boundary from outside influence.
Once EPA realized the physical social
to
of community, it
to the boundary work within the
cultural context of the community to resolve the
community's
can provide
information:
0 A. Kent. J.D.
Associates
River View Plaza
100 Elk Run Drive, 224
Basalt, CO 81621
Fax:
E-mail: kentj@csn.net
Kent, J.A., C, Hunka, and K. Preister. 1997.
Culture, Strategies and Community
Empowerment at the EPA Smuggler Superfund
Site, Aspen, Colorado: A Case for Understanding
the Impact of Oral Communication Networks and
Pathways on Informal Decision Making Systems.
James Kent Associates, Aspen, CO.
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•
surveys ft? collect cultural and socloeconomic data to support their Rivers Conservation
Plan and to determine people s knowledge and attitudes about issues affecting the
i' liif \'in si. l\( \>iii\ iitii t he, 'i n\cii I" i't ih \i ;i; ()\\ \ \ tiiiii ii!i"H
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*
community related personnel
costs.
The goal of the assessment project was to
collect cultural socioeconomic data to
support the Rivers Conservation Plan to
people's knowledge attitudes
regarding issues affecting the watershed.
Using the Guide, OWA selected surveys as
their assessment method. OWA formed a
consisting of its board members, a service
provider from the Alliance for the Chesapeake
Bay, the coauthor of the Guide from EPA,
In addition, they sought the collaboration of
local universities for both technical advice on
survey to similar studies.
They ultimately partnered with a University of
Delaware political science professor whose
research focused on property owners, including
Amish fanners, along waterways in the area.
Under their agreement, the professor would help
OWA construct their questions in for
including of her questions, OWA
the professor would all data.
A brainstorming session with the team resulted
in decisions about of surveys survey
questions. A total of four surveys would be
conducted: a watershed-wide random telephone
survey (refer to
on 236), a written
survey for OWA membership, a written survey
for municipal officials, a raffle survey at a
local fair. The telephone survey would serve as
the basic set of questions for all the surveys.
Subsequent meetings a list of 70
questions as a starting point. General
community characteristics to be explored
included:
0 How people In the "view their
landscape" In of desirable
undesirable features.
0 Residents' with nature.
0 Their knowledge about the present
future condition of their landscape.
These broken down Into:
0 Knowledge of terms
issues.
0 Cultural perception and affiliations.
0 Landowner resident demographics.
0 Landowner activities.
OWA explored how to administer the
survey. The University of Delaware offered to
do it for $8,000. Upon further searching, The
Center for Opinion Research at Millersville
University to help design the survey,
create the survey frame, conduct a 12-minute
survey, and turn the data over in any format
desired for 54,000. The survey was
specially constructed since the watershed
not follow standard political, postal, or
telephone exchange boundaries. This, in
essence, defined the community. The
spent weeks revising the questions while The
Center did time-testing until a final survey of
32 questions was to a random
sample of 423 people. The survey form
at the of this case study.
The survey was developed
of seven. six from the
telephone survey and one an
question point-specific in
the watershed. OWA the
survey at the Solanco Fair. To
participation, in the survey, OWA
conducted a raffle for a pair of binoculars.
Anyone over the of 18 who filled out the
questionnaire would be to win. the
prize. One forty-five surveys were
completed.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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» Octoraro Watershed Association
Int
(Bl
1
2.
3
4.
3 .
6.
7
8.
o
'0
2
[IF NO
What do }ou like most about where you live?
Please tell me whether you the following
possible problems are very serious, serious,
not very serious, or not at all serious
problems for your area.
a. environmental pollution
b. rapid residential development
c. lack of recreational opportunities
d. unemployment
e. poor roads
f. crime
g. lack of open space
Now thinking about the environment, what do
you think is the most serious problem facing
your area today?
How long have you lived at your current
a ress .
Is your property used as a residence only,
meaning that it is not used as a farm or
home business?
If not, for what else is it used?
Do you rent or own your residence?
On approximately how many acres is your
residence located?
Does your household water come from a
private well, a municipal/public service, or are
you not certain?
a. well
b. municipal
c. uncertain
Are you concerned about the current quality
of your drinking water?
[IF YES] Why are you concerned about the
current quality of your drinking water?
I'm going to read you several statements
about how you like your property to look and
I'd like you to tell me if you strongly agree,
agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree,
or strongly disagree with the statement.
a. I think it is important to have a neat and
well-kept property.
b. I like to have as much lawn as possible.
c. I really don't like to mow grass, but I don't
know what else to do with my lawn.
13. How many creeks are on your property?
14. Which describes your of land
immediately surrounding the (largest) creek?
a. leave wild
b. mow once or twice a year
c. mow more than twice a year
d. use as part of animal pasture
e. grow crops
f. mixed pasture/cultivation
1 5. Would you say the water quality in the flowing
streams in your general area is:
a. very
b. good
c. fair
d. bad
e. very
f. don't know
16. Do you strongly agree, agree, disagree or
strongly disagree with the following
statement? "When working on my land, I do
things a certain way, because 1 know what I
do affects those who live downstream from
me."
1 7. How great a role do each of the following
play in polluting rivers and streams? Use a
scale of 1 to 1 0 where 1 means it plays no
role at all and 10 means it plays a major
role.
a. Discharge from industrial facilities
b. Discharge from sewage and treatment
plants
c. Fertilizer from lawns
d. Pesticides and herbicides from farms
e. Animal manure
f. Soil erosion
18. Since January of this year, did you engage in
outdoor activities such as walking, hunting,
fishing or gardening . . .
a. on your own property
b. at a local river or reservoir
c. at a county park
d. at a state park
e. at some other place we haven't mentioned
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* Ocfororo Watershed Association
:9. Now I'm going to ask you several questions
about "Open Space," First, what does the
phrase "Open Space" mean to you?
20. Would you like to more or less of each of
the following landscapes in your area?
a. undeveloped wooded areas, streams and
meadows
b. natural areas with developed trails and
public access
c, developed park land and recreational
facilities
d. farmland
e, large residential lots
21. Now we'd like to ask you some questions
about the role of farming in your community,
I will read a series of statements to you, and
I'd like you to tell me whether you strongly
agree, agree, or strongly
with the statement.
a. Farmers should receive government
support to help maintain their way of life,
b. Farms are an irreplaceable characteristic
of our area,
c. On the whole, farmers care about the
environment.
d. If agriculture/farming is a major source of
water pollution, it should be dealt with just
like pollution from any other industry or
business.
22, Please whether you strongly agree,
agree, disagree or strongly disagree with the
statement:
a. The oceans are gradually dying from oil
pollution and dumping of waste,
b. The problems of the environment not
as as most people think,
c. We are quickly using up the world's
natural resources.
d. People worry too much about human
progress harming the environment.
e. The world would be a more peaceful
place if its wealth were divided more
equally among nations.
f. We need to dramatically reduce
inequalities between the rich and the
poor, whites and people of color, and
men and women.
g. The free market is almost always the best
way to supply people with the things they
need.
h. Society would be better off if there was
much less government regulation of
business,
i. People who are successful in business
have a right to enjoy their wealth as they
see fit.
j. If people volunteer to conserve their land,
government should assist them with both
money and resources.
k. Current laws and regulations designed to
protect public health and the environment
are too strict.
23. How far do you typically travel (one-way) to
shop for:
a. Food
b. Clothing
c. To get to work
24. What was your age on your last birthday?
25. What is the last grade level of schooling that
you have completed?
a. non-high school graduate
b. high school diploma
c. some college
d, two-year or tech degree
e. four-year college degree
f. graduate or postgraduate degree
26. In which township or municipality do you
live?
27. Are you currently working full-time, part-time,
going to school, keeping house or something
else?
28, What is the name of your job?
29. Is your total family income above or below
per year?
30, [IF Is it
$SO-$7S, or over $75,000 per year?
31, [IF Is it under $15,000 or $15430
year?
32. Are you male or female?
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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A:
•
The of the two surveys are
electronically a Lotus
for a
statistical (S YSTAT). Analysis of the
the
peacefulness, and local of the
they are willing to sacrifice for the
common good; and that community perceptions
of are positive. The data
show that of the
have the major of
nonpoint pollution in the watershed.
0 Soil erosion is a significant of stream
pollution, but survey results indicate that
perceive pesticides/herbicides
as the of
pollution, soil as less of
a
0 Although see
as a problem, they are
of the link between overdevelopment
quality problems.
0 Nearly half of the landowners
land the wild, as
opposed to cultivating buffers.
OWA will use the In a
variety of ways. They will be incorporated into
the RCP as appropriate, they are
to the of the OWA
education plan. As a result,
OWA will put in place- the
following:
0 Change the
environmental quality to the impact
of preservation of the
landscape.
0 Improve education efforts the
of soil erosion on water quality
the water
quality, erosion
0 Educate stream front properly owners
regarding the of riparian buffer
zones, with a
projects.
0 Improve education
the of farming on the
environment.
0 Be stronger advocates for fami preservation.
0 Develop educational projects.
The University of Delaware will use the survey
in its ongoing study of people's
toward surrounding landscape, and how
their opinion of public
policy. The be in an
article by the University OWA
project leaders.
¥A will continue the work by
administering the survey to the municipal
officials. OWA has received a William Penn
Foundation grant that will support informal
community-based focus groups stakeholder
identification/mapping analysis to support
membership development community-
wide planning.
can provide
more information:
0 Anders Alfelt, Executive Director
Ocloraro Watershed Association
389 Pine Grove
Nottingham, PA 19362
(717)529-2132
Fax:(717)
E-mail:
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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A:
• Assessing Awareness of Lead in
Providence,
The Hi-ai'T of Elnwood (Rhode inland) Lead Project used a sun'ev to as,\e?,s an
economically disadvantaged community's awareness of lead poisoning hazards. The
results helped the project to successfully target households for lead abatement and
education, develop locally appropriate educational materials, and recognize the need to
The of Elmwood Lead Project is a
three-year federally program to
as a national for locally driven
efforts to the Incidence of lead
poisoning young children. Lead
is one of the
to the of six.
Lead, most commonly found in. household dust
soil, can a child's nervous
result In problems with learning,
behavior, coordination. Scientists have also
found that non-white younger six
who live In economically
are at risk of lead poisoning.
This project on a nine-square-block
of Providence's Elmwood neighborhood,
poisoning a
comprehensive program of lead
public education. Community actively
in both the development
of the project's activities.
The Heart of Elmwood Lead Project a
survey lo colled information about the
demographic characteristics of an economically
disadvantaged community lo assess the
community's of the hazards oflead
poisoning.
The Heart of Elmwood Lead Project's initial
activity was to establish a baseline assessment
of the neighborhood. According to project staff,
the assessment to include information
such as ethnicity, gender, age, and level of
awareness about lead. Using this information,
project staff could tailor a to the
needs and characteristics of Elmwood residents.
At the time, Elmwood residents had never
surveyed about their awareness and project
staff did not trust Census to provide an
accurate demographic characterization.
Therefore, project staff wanted to collect the
baseline assessment information directly from
Elmwood residents.
Staff from the Heart of Elmwood Lead Project
worked with a local university to develop an
initial survey. Once an initial set of questions
were drafted, project staff asked for residents'
input. Working in Elmwood. a predominantly
Latino community, required project staff to
consider the cultural appropriateness of their
activities. Residents identified culturally
insensitive questions and worked with project
staff to develop a final survey, which was then
translated into Spanish.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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A:
• in
The Heart of Elmwood Lead Project hosted a
community meeting to inform residents about
the survey. Attendees volunteers
for the project were trained to conduct the
baseline survey. The survey,
administered to approximately 350 homes,
collected the following types of in formation:
0 Country of origin.
0 Whether a renovation had occurred in
the the past year.
0 If the owner-occupied.
0 How long an individual/family intended to
stay within the Elmwood neighborhood.
0 If a child six or resided in the
home.
0 Whether they knew poisoning
where they got their information.
From the aui\c>, project
Elmwood did not to stay in the
six of
Project
knew very little the
What did
word-of-mouth,
In the
of the of
For the
were
in
are a
poisoning.
The survey the concerns of
'The of Elmwood
recognized
be to to
in
In the survey results
the focus of the of Elmwood Project
for the
Instead of devoting a majority of time
energy to issues, the project staff
confronted the problem of crime in Elmwood.
The project wrote about neighborhood in
its quarterly newsletters, a
community surveillance project a
community advisory committee, worked
diligently with the mayor's office police to
this concern. It took the project
approximately months to transition from
the issue of crime to lead as its primary focus.
the surveys helped the of
Elmwood Lead Project Elmwood
community-based organizations target
households for lead public
efforts to lead In
addition to targeting, the survey
of materials,
including format content,
the hiring of culturally staff.
The Heart of Elmwood Lead Project receives
S3.2 million in monies.
The is a the
of Housing Urban
Development the Centers for Disease
Control Prevention. The will
several activities to this
project for 36 months. The
survey by the of Elmwood
Lead Project cost approximately $5,000. A
local university provided technical in
developing the survey.
can provide
more information:
0 Joan Carbone
of Elmwood Lead Project Director
Elmwood Housing Services
Elmwood, RI
(401)461-4 111
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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A:
The 'iiiiigic-r isltiiiit (Virginin) Wuh'i'nicn (*r>iiiitiiiiiii\' A',v.m//?\7jip 2020 Iniiitiiive use/I
surveys and public meetings to understand and incorporate the community ',v spiritual
value system into a vision document for sustaining the community
Tangier Island, Virginia, is located in the
southern portion of the Chesapeake Bay between
the shores of Maryland Virginia, Tangier is
known for its crab. Ninety-five
percent of the people on Tangier on the
for their living. However, the
of the Bay's blue fishery threatens the way
of life the of Tangier watermen and
their families.
Rather than sitting for the last
oyster to be harvested, the people of
Tangier the 2020 Initiative
to plan for a fishery, Island,
culture. The of the to
bring the community to develop a
vision for the of Tangier
Island's way of life.
The Initiative is in that it is on
the Tangier community's value system, which
is distinctly Christian. The Stewardship
Initiative created three subcommittees to
address the key in the life of the
community:
0 Caring for creation,
0 Sustainable development and preserving the
watermen's culture.
0 Fishery stewardship.
In support of these values, 58 of 125 watermen
took a Waterman's Stewardship Covenant, a
covenant all watermen regardless of
their profession of religious faith. Watermen
who joined this covenant to
0 Be good stewards of God's by
setting a high standard of obedience to civil
laws (fishery, boat pollution laws),
0 Commit to brotherly accountability.
For the Christian the
to set a
of to God's laws and,
to civil to a
life that yield to the of the Holy Spirit.
To create the vision for the of Tangier
Island, the core group of community
the Community Stewardship 2020
Initiative they had to Include all of
Tangier's community In the process
not everyone was to participate in
the meetings. The split
on the of
the Initiative, and developed surveys to
to members of the community.
Organizers the surveys through the
island's school and in local stores. The surveys
to schoolchildren,
to take for the to
complete and return.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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A:
The of the survey to a
vision outlined specific goals,
objectives, and for
to accomplish. The vision
provides the
Initiative with clear direction for the future.
The specific goals and select of
objectives and are listed by
subcommittee:
for
0 Maintain enhance the beauty of Tangier
Island's neighborhoods and natural
environment.
« Objective "I: Designate year-round
cleanup efforts by neighborhood area.
« Strategy 1: Develop
groups with who will organize
neighborhood cleanups.
0 Encourage private consumption
minimizes and
overall, use of
products, and use of energy.
0 the island its waters free from
toxic substances.
0
for
Objective 2: Develop place for artisans to
work sell their products on Tangier.
0 Diversify employment opportunities
for Individuals.
0 Capture more income from tourism.
0 Encourage affordable housing for young
old.
0 Promote local artisans.
0 Encourage the Tangier watermen
community to organize actively
in political, social, economic, and
environmental affecting Tangier
heritage.
0 Maintain healthy shellfish fin fish
protect habitat.
« Objective 3: Encourage watermen of
Tangier and in all watermen communities
to join the Waterman's Stewardship
Covenant.
0 Promote flexible licensing to
watermen's livelihood and way of life.
0 Work for affordable health insurance for
watermen families.
0 Diversify
opportunities from the fisheries.
« Objective 4: Conduct a study on the
feasibility of shellfish in
Tangier Island.
of the results of the survey ran contrary
to the organizers' initial assumptions about the
community. One of the surprising things the
Fishery Stewardship Subcommittee
through the survey was that the watermen
would accept the assistance of their wives in
working with government, environmentalists,
scientists to maintain the watermen way of
life. As a result, members of the subcommittee
watermen wives the advocacy
F.A.I.I.T.H. (Families Actively Involved
in Improving Tangier's Heritage) to represent
the interests of the watermen as a strategy to
accomplish one of that subcommittee's goals.
The Initiative has also reconciled the conflict
between the watermen environmentalists
led to a new working partnership between
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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A:
the two interests to restore oysters in Tangier
Sound,
The Initiative is now being by a
nonprofit organization called the Tangier
Watermen's for the Chesapeake
(TaSC) and the An of
Environmental Atlantic Coasts.
can provide
more information:
0 Susan Drake, Director
Tangier Watermen's Stewardship for the
Chesapeake (TaSC)
An Sable Institute of Environmental
Studies Atlantic Coasts
1701 Carver Square
Salisbury, MD 21801
(410)219-3137
Fax:(410)2
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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A:
jnthe__^
A wnvv cf>n/v expciieiiccf
farmers is key to successful diffusion of a new practice or product As a result, the
U.S. Department of Agriculture used participatory observation, photography, and
tape-recorded interviews to document producers engaged in sustainable agriculture.
Farming in the 2/A Century combines actual voices with photographs, creating an
effective tool for disseminating information to peers and to the larger agricultural
comwwiitv.
practices that on the
of fertilizers have
found to the earth's
the long-term
use of land the long-term living of local
Furthermore, of
the for
the consumption, of in the
and system, 1988 the U.S.
of Agriculture (USDA) has
received a congressional to
provide
Information that producers to
on.
production practices.
Farmers who have alternative
systems, known, as or
agriculture, have a wealth of
knowledge. This has difficult
to
within the USDA Service,
the outreach educational
in USDA.
local Is what in
the transition to a system. In a
survey In Midwest It was
Is a key to diffusion of a
or product. Furthermore,
Is a tool to help
Extension
agriculture networks.
Visual methods provide a qualitative compo-
nent to understanding the human condition
within a community. This project documented
the daily living of producers, ranchers,
their families with -participatory observation
techniques, using photographs
tape-recorded interviews. Producers family
members were photographed over a period of
two to five days cooperated in interviews
that were tape-recorded. Frequently photo-
served as a catalyst for additional
discussion. When producers were visited for a
second time, the photographs from the first
visit served as a springboard for additional nar-
rative in a follow-up interview.
Community Culture and the Environment A Guide to a of Place
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A:
Two are through the
stories:
0 Producers were found to be very supportive
of farmer-driven research all knowledge
would the producer to In a
system.
0 Producers lo define success from a
quality of life perspective a strict
position.
Producers who have participated in
fanner-driven research also expressed more
of the well-being of the people
environment of the local community. As a
communication strategy, it has observed
that hearing the authentic voices of the people
living a social experience, with their
photographs, is an effective tool for
information to the
larger community.
The of this project were to
quality of life for USDA's
Agriculture
Education (SARE) To convey this
information to the public, a visual text of
photographs was combined with a narrative
up exclusively from the voices of the
producers to create a multiple slide-tape
presentation. The presentation Fanning in
the 21st Century — was transferred to video
for broad distribution.
Total funding for this project was 529,000 for
years included travel production
costs. Funding was provided from the US DA
Western Sustainable Agriculture Research
Education Program from 1994 to 1997.
Assistance in selecting contacting
participants was provided by the USDA
Western Sustainable Agriculture Research
Education Program communications office
primary investigators of Sustainable
Agriculture Research Education-funded
research projects.
can provide
information:
0 Cynthia Vagnetti
1801 Clydesdale Place, #321
Washington, DC
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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A:
'id \'iiiii > " "j'ti/'i n\' 'i \i\t>d '•<< " /«'.'i t iti> \t\\tii
TWO public workshops to give residents an opportunity to be involved in growth and
, Levelopment planning in Worcester County. Results were incorporated into the Program- 's
s - /<•/> li
The Maryland coastal bays are experiencing
population growth
development that threaten important
environmental, recreational, economic
resources. Recognizing the potential for
additional on this fragile ecosystem
the importance of a healthy ecosystem, federal.
state, local government have
joined with the people who depend on these
resources for their livelihood and quality of life
to form The Maryland Coastal Bays Program
(MCBP), a National Estuaries Program -project,
The goal of MCBP is to develop a plan of
action that will protect restore the health of
the coastal bays by addressing the following
priority issues: of living resources,
deteriorating water quality, loss and
modification of habitat, increasing chemical
contamination, impacts of water-based
activities, pathogen contamination.
MCBP visual to
alternative growth for Worcester
County, Maryland, which (1) the
trade-offs in various for
in the County; (2) the
costs with
(3) the protection
of resources to the
viability of the region for the future. The
ultimate goal is to obtain community
on a scenario that will incorporate
conservation growth
objectives and measures. Recommendations
will be developed and forwarded to the county
officials on the community consensus.
The Program two workshops at
which a private consultant a Visual
Survey to elicit
regarding growth In
Worcester County. Through the Visual
Preference Survey, participants viewed of
various
the county in various
(open space, water's edge, rural,
streets, parking, mobility, etc.).
(on a 10 to
10) to the the to
which they felt a an
part of the county's
the complete, the
consultant reviewed slides, out
the design that
or poor planning. Through a show of hands, he
to ratings.
typically scenes
"good planning" positively than
those that "poor planning" (e.g.,
with tree-lined
higher roadways).
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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A:
The Visual Preference Survey a way for
to concretely
Involved in
processes. Elected officials
of the
the
community's on a variety of topics.
how
characteristics.
the
opportunity to to have
in a
project.
13 of
Workshop results were a report
with the results is available to the public.
Feedback from the workshops was incorporated
into the action plans being developed by the
MCBP, Workshop results were to develop
several alternative scenarios for the county's
future (scenarios that incorporate both
ecological buiIt-environment values).
These alternative scenarios were presented for
public feedback at community meetings.
Anton Nelessen, principal of A. Nelessen
Consultants conducted the workshops. Each
workshop cost $ 10.000 in consultant fees,
Technical assistance was also provided by the
Maryland Mass Transit Administration. MCBP
staff committee members were
instrumental in workshop planning the
selection process for slide production,
can provide
more information:
0 David Program Director
Maryland Coastal Bays Program
9609 Stephen Decatur Highway
Berlin, MD 21811
(410)213-2297
Fax:(410)213-2574
E-mail: director@mdcoastalbays.org
0 Anton Nelessen
A. Nelessen Associates
134 Nassau St.
NJ
Fax: 105
E-mail: vps@anavlslon.com
the
can
be on their page:
0 http://www.dnr.state.md.us/coastalbays/
the
rvcy can be found at:
http://www.anavision.com/
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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A:
• ... Community Culture and the Environment A Guide to Understanding a Sense of Place
-------
his appendix describes qualitative and quantitative data
triangulation. It validity,
the 0011101111111}- In woids, not
numbers. They tell you
of a community, the community's history, and the
the values, perceptions that
community Qualitative data
individuals' thoughts and on a particular topic,
who, why, how. Although
difficult to precisely recognize,
explain, collected and analyzed, qualitative data be key
to effectively a community In
the community in not
words. They give you numerical values, such as averages.
ranges, percentages, and correlations and
units, such as money, time. number of people. They answer
how much and how many. And you can use
to quick easy comparisons they are in
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
-------
B-l— vs.
Dita
» a communify in
»
feelings,
» why?
» an of a
community in
» a community in
» of time,
people,
»
many!
» an of a
in
of Quantitative data help you
understand the breadth of the community.
as surveys interviews, collect
qualitative B-l), on the
questions you ask how you analyze the data. For example,
interviewing local you
ask how much time it to commute from
to You also
ask how they commute by car, car pool, bus. bike,
subway, or other way — why they commute the way they do
(qualitative data).
Quantitative and qualitative data are often together to
results. For if you
interview individual community to "how the
community Its leisure time," one could respond, "I
most of my weekends fishing on the lake with my wife
our kids," This datum is qualitative because the community
has his activity In words and,
of the way the question was (open-ended), he also showed
the his activity his wife and
children indicated when where his leisure activity
occurs. This piece of data fished,
fished, with whom they fished. It the
the person was married and children, that weekend
fishing was a form of leisure. The
fishing was a way for his family to spend time together in nature
a be
Complementary quantitative data might include looking at local
businesses. If sales at the local bait tackle stores increase on
the weekends, support the qualitative data,
indicating that fishing is a popular community activity on
the You could also collect by visiting
the local lake counting the number of people you observe
fishing. Another complementary ask
"How hours do you fishing a week?" If you plan to
compare the number of hours that community
as to bike or is a
way to use quantitative data. However, this information not
tell you where, when, or with whom fishing occurs, or that, as in
the example, Fishing doubles as a family social activity. Together.
qualitative and quantitative data tell you a about a
community.
Culture the A to a of Place
-------
You can. also transform qualitative data into quantitative data by
how you organize and analyze the data. The response "I spend
of my weekends on the lake with my our
kids" Is an of qualitative However, If 14
(a total of 15) out of the 50 you interview respond similarly, you
the qualitative data quantitative data (i.e., 30
percent of those men interviewed said they spend their weekends
on the lake with wives children). In this
you have quantified the number of men to a of the
breadth of fishing activity in the community. Be careful that you
do not your for the community
your sample is representative of the community (see the
following of
Triangulation Is an the
of three or methods to test or support the accuracy of the
Information collected. Triangulating
ensures that you are getting a balanced, comprehensive
assessment reduces the chance of bias. The data collected by
of the should be reasonably with the
others. If they are not, you might to collect to
understand the the following
of
In many of the the
For the from
produce data that you wish to test confirm by including a
in For If five
people in a focus group tell you something, you might want to
by surveying a larger sample.
In another case, you might look at a geographic or Census tract
to the location of a You
a survey discover that in fact a In
the middle of the neighborhood (which was not shown on the
map) actually two neighborhoods. It's a to
conduct your analysis soon after completing method.
in 4, 4.
The following You'll
find more information in the sources listed in the
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
-------
^
B-2
The process of ssisding
people from whom to coiiec!
information.
ilationr I he entire ff'Oup of
people about which or from which
you a;'8 interested in collecting
information.
A sample of a
population that represents the
dive's^iy within tin; foraer population.
Probability sampling: A type of
sample based on probability theory
and random selection That allows
results to be generalized to the study
population provided that ever/
person in the study popuiafion bos
an equal chance of being selected
into She samp:8, This S'/pe of samp:8
is best suited for fencing
re presen fat:ve so m o I es.
The best available
and ~»osi' comprehensive list of o:l
the people in the population. Often
used to detine the study population.
The portion of the
population included in the sampling
frame and for which re-suits from a
probability sample can be
generalized,
selection: : he process by
which a sample is formed by
selecting people from a sampling
frame in an unbiased manner.
A type of
sample no! based on probability
theory !ha! does not allow results to
be generalized for more than the
people actually included in the
sample.
bibliography. If you know you
should seek technical assistance in designing using them
at colleges, universities, and
firms. The of this Is
to familiarize you with the terminology and theory behind these
provide a of technical Information for
reference.
fjl
When collecting information from community members, you will
have to from whom in the community to collect the
information. Whom will you interview? To whom will you
a survey? Whom will you Invite to a group? Is
the process you will use to select people to participate in an
assessment method. Taking only a sample, or a portion, of the
entire population you are Is convenient,
expensive, less time-consuming, more accurate than trying to
every person.
In sampling terminology B-2). the is the
group of people whom, or whom, you are
interested in collecting information. The population can be all
the people in a watershed, a community, a neighborhood, or a
particular (e.g., age, ethnic, racial, occupational,
religious, recreational, environmental) that you want to involve
In the particular method. However, It's usually difficult to get a
complete list of every person in any given population. You'll
probably have to for a list, or a combination of lists, that
the to including the population of Interest,
such as a telephone directory, a list of registered voters, or an
organization's list. Telephone directories, for
example, do not list every person in a neighborhood because the
with who do
not own telephones or do not have telephone numbers registered
in their names.
The portion of the population Is In the best
available list is the The list of
(e.g., telephone directory, list) Is the
Such lists frames) be
available from county, state, or
as research firms B-3).
There are two kinds of techniques to select people from
the to your probability
nonprobability. The type of sample the specific sampling
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
-------
you use be by your for
using a particular assessment method.
of
on probability theory, techniques
employ allowing to be
generalized for the people listed in the sampling frame (the study
population). No matter how uniform or a group of people
might they always by age, sex, race,
standing, occupation, spatial location, duration of residence,
their moral, political, religious beliefs, values.
Probability sampling techniques are best suited for forming
the size of the group you are
still its diversity. A
will be representative of the entire study population if every
in the lias an of
selected into the sample. Remember, in probability sampling you
the of an to only
people listed in the sampling (the study population)
because only those people an chance of being selected
for the provides guidance on the size of a
statistically valid (95 percent accurate) representative sample
on size.
selecting people from the sampling
in an as a
on the conscious or unconscious bias of the assessor in selecting
the sample, and it allows the assessor to use probability theory to
"statistical of error" in the of the
results. Although fairly comprehensive population lists might be
available from governing or an organization's
membership rolls, a major disadvantage of probability
is the difficulty of finding a Common
probability follow.
le randomly selects individuals
listed in the sampling frame. To take a random sample, first
assign a to listed in the
frame. Then, use a or a calculator with a
to randomly the
frame. Random be in the
of social
« To a table, first whether
to move up, down, left, or right on the of numbers.
Then close your with a on. the
B-:
Lists of people can be purchased from
marketing firms, such as Donnelley
Marketing, the firm ihal publishes
telephone books across the country.
These lists define residents by Census
block and cost approximately $60 for
1,000 names. Lists of residents of a
particular locale are also avaiiabis
from telemorke'Hrifi center's.
Telemarketing centers use computer
software to generate lisSs based on the
desired sample size.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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^
B-l— Size a
10
40
TOO
400
600
1,000
100,000
SEE (n)
10
36
80
196
234
278
370
383
Par estimating proportions, the following table shows the sample size necessary to accurately
estimate to within 5 percent of the true population proportion with 95 percent confidence. This
table only refers to the sample size needed to accurately characterize binomial proportional
data (e.g., the proportion of respondents answering "yes/no" or "true/false"). Different
equations would be needed to characterize multinomial or continuous data, such as estimative
the average score of a continuously scaled response to a question (e.g., the mean score
•"ecoondents give a question from 0 to 100, or a multiple choice question with more than two
isible responses). The standard formula used to calculate the number of random samples
oded to estimate the true population proportion is: ]
lliul'b >oiu ^tailing point. Piucccd lioiii tliul point 111 llic
direction, you previously (up/down columns,
left/right rows) and the on the
lo those on your list. Include the person that
number in your sampling frame in your sample.
If you a calculator with a
the key the calculator will a at
the assigned that in your
sample.
If you or the calculator randomly a twice,
or the you pick not correspond with a
on your frame, simply you have
your B-l).
on the size of your sampling frame, you might to use
only a couple of digits of the numbers listed in a random
number table. For example, if you have a sampling
of 100 people and the table lists only
5-diglt you can choose to take only the last or the
first of the (e.g., taking the last
digits, 19473 would with 473 on your
sampling frame). If your calculator only at
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
-------
random, you can simply multiply number by a factor
of 10 (e.g., 0.8 x 10 = 8, 8.5 x 10 = 85, 80.2 x 10 =
uses a sampling interval to
select the from a sampling frame. To perform a
systematic sample, determine your
a place in the sampling frame. For
your of a community lists
4,000 people. Rather than the to number
Individual on the list, as you would for a
how large you want your sample, say 351
people Divide by 351 and you get 11
(roughly) this is your sampling interval. Start at a random
spot on the sampling frame by randomly selecting a page of
the list a place on the page. Proceeding from that place,
select the 11lh person, then the 22nd person, so on, until
you a of 351 people. If you run out of room on
your before you reach your
simply your counting (without
on to the beginning of the list, still selecting, in this
case, the lllh individual In the interval.
ig ensures that a subpopulation(s) of
specific is in a sample.
not
individuals from this subpopulation(s). To create a stratified
sample, the subpopulation(s) of interest from the
general sample population. This will give you at least two
sampling frames one listing individuals of the
subpopulation the other listing individuals of the
population. Then, use a or
to a of people from
according to population's percentage of
the population. Suppose, for you are
selecting a of 400 people from a sample population of
40,000 and you are particularly interested in farmers, a
subpopulation that comprises 25 percent of the sample
population. the farmers from the non-farmers and
use simple or systematic random to select 100 farmers
from the group and 300 from the
non-farmer group. This gives you a of 400
the are In the
sample.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
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Nonprobability sampling techniques are not on probability
theory, the be beyond
the people actually included in the sample, Nonprobability
be when you're a small
population you know you want to collect data from
particular subpopulalions. One advantage of nonprobabilily
Is that you do not a list of all
the of a population from which to draw a
sample. Common, nonprobability
techniques follow,
0 is when you know,
or think you know, who will be to answer your questions
the best. In this case, you make a judgment as to someone's
knowledge ability to meet your needs. Your judgment is
the criterion for Including in your
El is a technique in which you ask key
members of the community who they think should be
In the sample. Those In
recommend others. Ultimately you a snowball
you identify referrals, so to speak.
you you to be an
of the population you to study.
0 is similar to stratified random
you choose the or
snowball by selection. Use
sampling when you're interested in a particular subpopulation
(e.g., farmers). By estimating what percentage the particular
subpopulation is of the total population (e.g., 25 percent of the
community are farmers) you can arrive at a quota on the
desired size (e.g.. 400) of your sample. Then you go into the
to fill the (e.g., select 100
300 non-farmers) by using the or
snowball This ensures that the
subpopulation of interest is proportionally in your
nonprobability
In determining the size of your sample, consider your financial
resources and the time you have to do the sampling. Also think
about the diversity of the population you are choosing from
how many population subgroups you want to deal with
simultaneously. If you have assistance conducting the
methods you might wish to expand the number. If you are
unfamiliar with sampling social science methods, you might
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
-------
wish to reduce the size of the or assistance from an
experienced social researcher. Ultimately, your decision will
on the purpose of the sample, your familiarity with
sampling techniques, the methods you use. your available
resources.
Validity refers to the accuracy trustworthiness of the findings
of a regardless of the type of data,
method, or sampling technique used. Validity tests check that the
the you use, the data you
collect, accurately the community characteristic,
concept, subject, or topic in which you are interested.
Consequently, they be throughout the collecting
process to the accuracy of your findings. There are five
types of validity face, criterion-related, construct,
content, statistical validity.
' the value, or face value, of a
sampling technique or method as it relates to the particular
topic you are assessing. For example, an interview designed to
collect on will collect valid
if it community if they or
with the "the deserves protecting"
if it to their favorite television program.
is on
criteria, you to the
validity of the data they are collected. Actual, observed
to validate- or invalidate responses.
To use the preceding example, an survey that
that a community is "pro-environmental" might be validated
by observations that show a large percentage of the
community participating in a riverside cleanup. On the other
hand, low fishing license might fishing is
not a popular activity in a community. However,
show that community do
fish; they simply do not a This finding
reduces the validity of using only to
conclusions the popularity of fishing in a
community.
Is on the you
to between variables. This test of validity Is when
criterion-related validity is unavailable a particular
concept or characteristic is difficult to observe. Take, for
example, an interview designed to collect data about
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
-------
^
environmental attitudes in a community. In the interview you
ask participants to identify themselves as either
"pro-environmental" or ""anti-environmental." You also ask
to or with the "I have/will
my behavior to protect the environment."
You who as
"pro-environmental" to also with the "I
have/will change my persona! behavior to protect the
environment." You also expect that those who consider
themselves "anti-environmental" will disagree with the
statement. If these expected relationships are indeed true then
it is evidence of the construct validity of your interview
the data you collect "pro-environmental
attitudes."
0 refers to the to which an
covers the in
a particular characteristic, topic, or on which you are
For an interview
"pro-environmental"
about pollution, habits, population
growth, or simply attitudes about recycling? If the purpose of
your interview is to collect about pro-environmental
attitudes, but your interview only questions about
recycling, a test for content validity will show you that these
will not pro-environmental but
only toward recycling.
El relates specifically to probability
samples that use random selection. One of the advantages of
is that it allows you to validate your
with theory. It how a
be In relation to the total population for the
to be valid for the population. Sampling error is
the of error in the design. It is described in
terras of confidence intervals and confidence levels. An
explanation of how to compute statistical error is beyond the
scope of the Guide. in the preceding discussion
of sampling to determine the proper of a probability
with 95 percent accuracy.
Many assessment methods will use a questionnaire, such as a
survey or an (a list of to
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
-------
an. interview), A properly protocol Is an.
extremely important tool for effectively conducting a community
In participating in the
will actually see the as a survey.
In other cases, the assessor will use the questionnaire to a
focus group or a Interview. Since
interview protocols are only as good as the questions they
short will basic for
creating ordering questions. Professional assistance in
questions for your assessment is a good idea, as well
as all questionnaires/protocols to If
can understand the questions.
You can use basically three different types of questions in your
or interview protocol: close-ended questions,
open-ended questions, scales.
are pie-selected multiple-choice answers from
which the respondent chooses. Close-ended questions test
get specific information, but they must
have mutually exclusive exhaustive answer options.
that the respondent will not
compelled to select option (unless the
instructions say otherwise). For example, you ask how
many camping trips a person a year you give
the following of answers to choose from: (a) 0-2, (b)
2-4, (c) 5-7, (d) 8 over. In this case, your are
not exclusive for the who two
camping trips a year. In case, that
compelled to (choosing option
'a' 'b') or answering the
the options are confusing. A mutually exclusive scale
would look like: (a) 0-2, (b) 3-5, (c) 6-8, (d) 9 and over.
the answer
every possible be
questionnaires an option of "other" as a net to
catch every possible response. In the example above, "(d)
9 and over" was used to catch all those who more than
nine camping trips a year.
If your are mutually exclusive nor
exhaustive, you will run of clarity,
the of your survey or Interview.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
-------
^
For example, a close-ended question might ask:
« Please circle your answer to the following question(s).
Do you fish in the fiver? Yes No
In this simple case, the assessor presents the respondent with
only two options for answering the question. However,
can be more than two options for a different question:
• Please circle your answer lo the following question(s).
How many times a week do you fish in the river?
None 1-2 times 3-4 times more than 4 limes
The a close-ended question.
offers a multiple of options. When ranges,
you the options and the
are mutually exclusive and exhaustive. Notice
how the collects quantitative
are in which the
not provide This is
when, you want to get an of the diverse opinions,
histories, stories of the
without limiting to a of pre-selected answers.
Open-ended questions should be included early in the order of
questions to prevent close-ended questions or statements from
influencing responses. This also draws respondents into, and
excitement about, the project by asking to
their own responses. Open-ended questions like
be to qualitative
« How do you feel when you visit the nearby river?
« During how many days a do
you fish at the local lake?
As you design your survey questionnaire or interview
protocol, bear in mind that answers to open-ended questions
will vary answers to close-ended questions. This is
precisely the benefit of using open-ended questions. Your use
of open-ended questions depends on the method
you use. If you are conducting a personal interview or a
focus group, open-ended questions are excellent for
people and encouraging them to their opinions and
beliefs through detailed responses and personal stories. On
the other hand, with methods such as a self-completed
survey, open-ended questions might to be
judiciously since they generally respondents longer to
answer might prevent respondents from fully responding
to the entire questionnaire.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
-------
are that respondents
assess on a scale, such as the to
degrees of attitudes, feelings, and values. A normally
contains 3 to 10 at A Likert
efficiently, allows to the
quickly, easily
B-2— of
!
Strongly Agree (SA), Agree(A), Disagree (D), Strongly Disagree (SD), or
are Undecided (U). Check the appropriate box beside each question.
B. Cattle ranchers care about
the environment.
C. Caftie ranchers are rich.
D. Everybody should eat beef.
13
Designing a questionnaire or an interview protocol requires time,
thought, drafts, tests. A
long questionnaire distributed to a also requires
to all the responses. Nonetheless, If you
choose to use a questionnaire or Interview protocol in your
project, here are additional suggestions to help
more to avoid).
s: Specify how many answers respondents
can select how they should (e.g., circle,
If people do not or are by
how to to a they will skip the
or It Improperly. This the of
your To avoid this pitfall, your
are clear. It Is to test ran your
with somebody, perhaps a close friend or spouse, or an
community with whom you are familiar, to that
your Instructions are clear.
fi As with Instructions, be your questions are
clear. If people misunderstand a question, they will either
the question or answer it improperly.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
-------
Keep the questions short concise. This
avoids confusion thai the respondents will not
overlook key of the in to answer.
Keeping the you are
only at a time. If your Is
the brief.
the
ofthe to people
the very beginning. questions, as age,
race, religion, sex, should be at the end.
In close-ended
using scales, It Is best to ask to circle
or to check the appropriate box or circle. A be
brackets "f ]" or a circle with open parenthesis "()".
Avoid leaving blanks with or underscores
respondents often check marks which it
difficult to determine their selection.
ask for a
answer to a combination of questions. For example, "Should
the mayor increase local taxes build more parks?" In this
question, respondents might that should be
but they not to As a
rule, whenever and In a question you to
the is not double-barreled. A
would "Should the mayor local
to parks?" Avoid In
open- close-ended questions.
In to
to quickly overlook words,
especially when the instrument is self-completed. Examples
of negative words include no, not, prohibit, disallow, If
you must include negative words in your questions or
statements, be sure to highlight the presence of the negative
word by placing it in type, UPPERCASE
It, or ALL three.
El when phrasing or
writing questions. Judgmental might have a negative
or derogatory will Influence how
the
an emotional position the
to In a manner. For
"Should Irresponsible be forced to local
communities who are unfairly affected by the industries' air
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
-------
emissions?" Avoid judgmental in both open-
close-ended questions.
that with "Don't you
with , , ." or "The rest of your community thinks .... Do you
agree?" Another type ofloaded question assumptions
bias their responses. For
"How do you use the river?"
the river, when, they actually not. A
would be of multiple The first part
would ask, "Do you use the river?" If the answers
affirmatively to the first part, the respondent is then instructed
verbally, or in writing, to answer the question "How do you
use the river?" In self-completed assessment instruments these
instructions are provided in writing. For example. "If you
responded YES in question #1, answer question #2, If
you NO In #1, #2
proceed to #3." These types of questions are
contingency questions. Their is the
response to the question(s).
There ,;rc .nliir.il limitations on the types of data the
techniques that be used to collect data. Please see
4, 1, for a discussion.
],,bhu\i 11M»C. ','•, '",„.*,. ; of Social Research, 7* ed. Wadsworth
Publishing Company, Belmont, CA.
Bernard, H.R. 1995. Research Methodology in Anthropology:
Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches. 2™ cd. AltaMira Press,
Walnut ("reck, CA.
Krejcic, R.V., and D.W. Morgan. 1970. Determining sample size for
research activities. Educational and Psychological Measurement
30:607-61.0.
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
-------
^^
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to a of Place
-------
he following matrix organizes the assessment methods
alphabetically for easy reference, It provides a brief
description an of the applicability of
each method to a community assessment The matrix also
the of using method.
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^ Community Culture and the Environment: A to a of Place
-------
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United Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington DC 20460
EPA
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