WIDER GOALS

keep in mind these wider goals

Wider goals potential

When you think of ecosystem restoration, the first thing that may come to mind is on-the-ground, hands-on restoration work. But, in fact, there are many ways that you can remain involved and keep the momentum for ecosystem restoration going in your community after you’ve put away your buckets and shovels.

  • Cultural shift
  • Policy influence
  • Knowledge building
  • Community action
  • Individual action

Not every movement, campaign, or action will include these steps, that's okay, a boots-on-the-ground movement can be just as impactful. These are just some possible ways that you and your community can cement your movement for the long haul and inspire others to follow your lead!

In the gradient above, you can see the progression of outcomes that your action could achieve. Beginning with individual and community action is important. It allows you to get the ecosystem back on the right track as soon as possible and it also helps you gauge and increase support for the cause within your area. Once the ecosystem is out of harms-way, that is when larger steps can be taken. It is these final steps that can best ensure the long-term health and safety of the ecosystem.

Achieving these wider goals will require the knowledge, skills, and community gained in the previous aspects. It takes an organized, dedicated, and passionate individual or group to accomplish these bigger tasks. This section will instruct you on how to leverage your experience and people to solidify your work.

Beginning with individual and community action is important

It allows you to get the ecosystem back on the right track as soon as possible and it also helps you gauge and increase support for the cause within your area.

Knowledge building

1. Gathering
information

A good starting point is knowing what your community already knows so that you can build off it. Some community members may have a lot of experience in ecosystem restoration while others may be unfamiliar with the concept or why this is relevant to them. Be prepared to share a wide array of facts to engage different levels of education on the subject

2. Know
your community

How well do you know your community? If you can get a grasp on how the community understands the problem that you are trying to solve, you'll be able to come up with the right solutions to spread awareness and educate and activate neighbors, peers, and others in your community! The exercise below can be used to help you assess your path of action through the lens of what you can do and why you should do it.

Click to know WHY
WHAT
Is your community more urban or rural, are you surrounded by nature or mostly small parks?
WHY
This can tell you how familiar your community may be with an unhealthy-looking ecosystem.
WHAT
How familiar is your community with methods to solve the environment challenge in your area?
WHY
This can tell you how in-depth to go with your knowledge sharing.
WHAT
How many people in your community see the degraded ecosystem often?
WHY
This will tell you if pictures or maps will be helpful or repetitive.
WHAT
Do most people in your community speak the same language?
WHY
This can tell you if flyers, posters, or meetings need to be provided in different languages.
WHAT
How easily can you print out materials for posters or flyers?
WHY
This can tell you if physical materials are even feasible or efficient.
WHAT
Is there a place in your community where you can meet with community members?
WHY
This can tell you if an in-person workshop would be feasible or efficient.
WHAT
How many people in your community can read, would written materials be effective?
WHY
This can tell you if you need to rely on more visual or verbal information.

3. Deciding on
your message

A good starting point is knowing what your community already knows so that you can build off it. Some community members may have a lot of experience in ecosystem restoration while others may be unfamiliar with the concept or why this is relevant to them. Be prepared to share a wide array of facts to engage different levels of education on the subject. See this action mapping exercise to guide you shaping your action and how you will communicate about it.

My grassroot action is:

Purpose for my action is:

My goal is:

The role that would suit me the best is:

What are the short and long-term benefits?

Who could help me to achieve my goal?

Who could also benefit from my action?

Download a PDF of this graphic and fill it out yourself. Use this mapping exercise to see what assets you have available and to whom you can reach out for support.

DOWNLOAD ASSET DOWNLOAD ASSET

4. Spreading the word

In some communities flyers may work best, in others, one-on-one conversations may be the most effective way to engage and share your concerns. Even something as big as a community-wide workshop might be helpful to call your fellow neighbors to take part in your ecosystem restoration solution. The exercise on the next page is a collection of questions to get you thinking about the needs of your community and how you can help.

Policy influencing

One of the most impactful and longer-lasting ways to cement your campaign, movement, or action is through policy. But, navigating the legislative world can be extremely complicated. Often, ecosystem degradation is due to unregulated polluting, extraction, or mistreatment, or because of policies that favor short-term gains over environmental wellbeing. Policy is an impactful way to change the direction of stakeholder action with a mix of mandates, incentives, and enforcement.

Click the circles
Needs of the ecosystem
Needs of the policymakers
Needs of the community

This is where your research comes in. The policy must be science-based and must meet a dire need of the ecosystem. There's no point in using the time and energy of yourself, your organization, and the lawmaker on legislation that will not have an actual impact on the problem.

Many times, an ecosystem is being degraded by a practice that is convenient or necessary for the community. If you are proposing the end of a certain behavior or are promoting a positive one, what are you replacing it with and how are you helping the community adjust? If you are asking farmers to stop using pesticides, what other methods of pest control can they use, can you help allocate funding to resources and education?

All legislators have goals when they come into office. Many times, those goals may be environmentally-minded, but oftentimes they are also focused on addressing social issues such as poverty, lowering crime, lessening debt, or educating the population.

Cultural shifting

A long-term cultural shift is the final seal of success for any movement. When the community shifts from a mentality of depletion and extraction to one of educated stewardship, that is when you know you have truly changed the future of the ecosystem.

This step will likely require two goals. Education and regulation, over time, can lead to a change in the perception and desires of a community. A community that used to think nothing of logging a forest or littering on a beach can completely transform if given time, resources, and empowerment. For smaller campaigns or actions, a cultural shift does not always have to be community-wide. Changing the minds of a block, cul-de-sac, or even one household can light a spark for larger change down the line.

The culture wheel as pictured in below, can be a great tool no matter what phase your movement is in. It can help you assess how this action may affect your community, how receptive your community may be to change, and which areas of your community's culture would be most helpful to harness.

Involving younger and traditionally marginalized voices in this process is crucial. Gaining the support of younger people can cement your movement for generations. As mentioned above, those communities that are typically not consulted can often host a wealth of knowledge and might already have a culture of stewardship and environmental respect.

Question yourself

These questions will play a big role in determining how to shape your action and whom to engage with as you take steps towards organizing and reaching your wider restoration goals.

Who is the most affected by the issue?
How are those that rely on the ecosystem affected and how can you make them care?
What are the current beliefs (general opinion) on the issue and what is being done to target them?
Do those that are most affected interact with community bodies or decision-makers?
How inclusive is the community in terms of gender and minority representation? How can this be improved?
What more is needed and how can your action bridge the gap to make their voices heard?
Continue
Self assessment