I
(S
Community Culture
and the Environment

A Guide to Understanding
a Sense of Place

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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

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Community Culture and the Environment: A       to              a       of Place

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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

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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

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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

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                                                                                     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

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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

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                                                                     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

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CHAPTER I:
                           of
   *         the
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     usually using
     or
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   * Involving                 In
              a vision,


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            the

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                      to the
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                      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

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                                                                               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

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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

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                                                                             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

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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

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                                                                                   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

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CHAPTER I:
                   Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to              a      of Place

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D,
   Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to              a      of Place

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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

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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

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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

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                     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

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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

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                                                            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

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      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

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                                                                                        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

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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

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                                                                               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

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                                                                                          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

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     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
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                                                                                           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

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   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

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                                                                                        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

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                                                                                        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

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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

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                                                                                     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

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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

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                                                                                             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** ,.

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   4: The Tool Kit
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      • I*- ,.  Community Culture and the Environment A Guide to Understanding a       of Place

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                                                                                        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

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     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

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                                                                                                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** ,.

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    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

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                                                                                              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

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         4: The Tool Kit
•	
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                     Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to                a       of Place

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                                                                                        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       */                    
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                                                                                      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


























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B
v-


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
                   Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to              a      of Place

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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


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•
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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

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        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

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                                                                                       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 	














•/

















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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;

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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

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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

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         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 •/
•/•/•/
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j
•/
•/

i
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•/
•/
•/
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•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






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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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                                                                                  4: The Tool Kits
                   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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        4: The Tool Kit
•	                                 	


                                         |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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                                                                                           4: The Tool Kits
  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: The Tool Kit
•	
           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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                                                                                    4: The Tool Kits
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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       4: The Tool Kit
•	
                —
            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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                                                                                       4: The Tool Kits
       ('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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        4: The Tool Kit
•	                                  	
        (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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       4: The Tool Kit
                                           —

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,
                 Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to             a       of Place

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                                                                                   4: The Tool Kits
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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        4: The Tool Kit
•	                                	
                                               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.
              • ,.  Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to            a      of Place

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                                                                                     4: The Tool Kits
              	•	
      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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       4: The Tool Kit
•	                              	
                                                  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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                                                                                   4: The Tool Kits
           	•	
                                             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.
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       4: The Tool Kit
•	                              	
                                          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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                                                                                      4: The Tool Kits
              	•	
          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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       4: The Tool Kit
•	                              	
                                       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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                                                                                         4: The Tool Kits
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.
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        4: The Tool Kit
•	
                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.
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                                                                                4: The Tool Kits
         	•	
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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                                                                                       4: The Tool Kits
                                     —
 IS

IS
 S

          Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to               a       of Place

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4: The Tool Kit
                                           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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                                                                                  4: The Tool Kits
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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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       4: The Tool Kit
•	                              	


                                       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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                                                                                     4: The Tool Kits
             	•	
      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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       4: The Tool Kit
•	

                 —          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).
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                                                                                            4: The Tool Kits
                                            (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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   4: The Tool Kit
                                                                                   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
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                                                                               4: The Tool Kits
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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       4: The Tool Kit
•	                              	
                                            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

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        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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                                                                                     4: The Tool Kits
                	•	
   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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       4: The Tool Kit
•	
              —
   »             (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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4:  The Tool Kit
                                     Figure
                                                       1993)
                                             Ot<
  • I*- ,.   Communig? Culture and the Environment: A Guide to              o       of Place

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                                                                                       4: The Tool Kits
                 	•	
 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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       4: The Tool Kit
•	                              	
                                              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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                                                                                    4: The Tool Kits
                	•	
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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       4: The Tool Kit
•	                              	
                                      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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                                                                                    4: The Tool Kits
                	•	
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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         4: The Tool Kit
•	
                       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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                                                                         4: The Tool Kits
                          —        Map
                                                                                I    a?
Community           the Environment: A Guide to              o      of Place    • i^ ,.

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       4: The Tool Kit
•	                               	
                                               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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                                                                                    4: The Tool Kits
                	•	
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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        4: The Tool Kit
•	
                                                          —        Mop
              on
                                                                      OF
                                                            RAT



           • I** ,.  Communig? Culture and the Environment: A Guide to Understanding a      of Place

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                                                                                         4: The Tool Kits
                 	•	
 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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   4: The Tool Kit
          —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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                                                                                    4: The Tool Kits
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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        4: The Tool Kit
•	
          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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                                                                                    4: The Tool Kits
                	•	
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 Kit
•	
                                                                —



                         
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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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4: The Tool Kit
                                     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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                                                                            4:  The Tool Kits
                             	      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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       4: The Tool Kit
•	                              	
                                         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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                                                                                   4:  The Tool Kits
             	•	
   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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       4: The Tool Kit
•	
             —    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

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       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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                                                                            4: The Tool Kits
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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  4: The Tool Kit
                                       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!
            Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to              a      of Place

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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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       4: The Tool Kit
•	
                                      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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       4: The Tool Kit
•	
                                          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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        4: The Tool Kit
•	
                                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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       4: The Tool Kit
•	
 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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        A:
•__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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                                                                      A:
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.
                    Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to            a     of Place

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        A:
•
    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
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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
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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
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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
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                                                                       A:
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
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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
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                                                                    A:
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.
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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
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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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                                                                      A:
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
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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
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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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        A:
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.
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                                                                      A:
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
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                                                                      A:
                                                             	
         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).
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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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                                                                      A:
    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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        A:
    • 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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                                                                     A:
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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        A:
•                 "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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                                                                     A:
                                                                       • 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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        A:
                 ^^
   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,
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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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                                                                      A:
                                                                 *
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.
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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




            Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to             a      of Place

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                                                                          A:
                                                                    * 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

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        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

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         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

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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
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      ^
     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
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          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.
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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
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   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.
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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

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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
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^
                                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
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      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.
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^
                               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

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                             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.
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                                        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

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    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.
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^^
       Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to               a       of Place

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        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.
                     Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to Understanding a      of Place

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