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How exotic does an exotic information and education initiative about the impact of non-indigenous species need to be?

Informally Refereed

Abstract

Providing individuals with effective information, programs, and educational materials about "exotics" or non-indigenous species is generally not a very effective way to get people to act to control, eliminate, and restore damage from exotic species to native ecosystems. Information tends to inform the motivated and educated. Educational research and marketing research agree that information is not enough to motivate most people to action. The key ingredients to engaging people to act are (1) to develop a sensitivity (deep feelings for) to the environment and to the specific problem; (2) to develop knowledge about the environment (ecosystems), the specific problem (invasive exotics), and how people have successfully controlled or eliminated them; (3) to develop a set of skills related to how to take effective action; ( 4) to develop a sense of "ownership" of the problem (a personal recognition that he/she or their property is being impacted by invasive exotics); (5) to provide an opportunity to act (available resources, time, and support are present); and (6) to nurture a locus of control that is internalized.

Parent Publication

Citation

Hammond, William F. 1998. How exotic does an exotic information and education initiative about the impact of non-indigenous species need to be? In: Britton, Kerry O., ed. Exotic pests of eastern forests conference proceedings; 1997 April 8-10; Nashville, TN. U.S. Forest Service and Tennessee Exotic Pest Plant Council: 175-180.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/research/treesearch/43251