Outreach and Education Committee

Wednesday, 9:00am, May 25, 2005

Commission Hearing Room
4200 Smith School Road
Austin, TX 78744
Item
No.
Subject Public Hearing
Agenda Item No.
  Approval of Previous Meeting minutes.  
1. Chairman's Charges (Oral Presentation) Committee Only
2. Texas Parks and Wildlife Expo
Staff: Ernie Gammage
Committee Only
3. TPWD Advertising and Sponsorship Program
Staff: Lydia Saldaña
Committee Only
4. Outreach and Education Advisory Committee - Accomplishments/Report
Committee Only
5. Other Business

Committee Agenda Item No. 2
Presenter: Ernie Gammage

Outreach and Education Committee
Texas Parks and Wildlife Expo
May 2005

I. Executive Summary: A presentation will be made on planning for the 2005 Texas Parks and Wildlife Expo and Expo Banquet. Sarita Hixon, President of the San Jacinto Museum Association, on behalf of the Banquet beneficiary, will describe planning to ensure the success of the Banquet.


Committee Agenda Item No. 3
Presenter: Lydia Saldaña

Outreach and Education Committee
TPWD Advertising and Sponsorship Program
May 2005

I. Executive Summary: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department staff work closely with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation to develop sponsorship agreements with various commercial entities. Anheuser-Busch (A-B) is a long-time sponsor and supporter of various TPWD programs. A-B has also been an advertiser in TPWD publications. All ads comply with the guidelines that were adopted by the Commission in 2002.

II. Discussion: In May 2001, the Texas Legislature passed the TPWD Sunset Bill. One of the provisions in that bill requires the Commission to adopt guidelines related to youth appropriate advertising. The bill specifically prohibits tobacco ads in any department or department-sponsored publication. In April 2002, the Commission adopted guidelines for youth appropriate advertising. Advertising that is appropriate for youth viewing, as defined in Parks and Wildlife Code 11.0172(c) is advertising that does not include the depiction of any alcohol or tobacco products.


Committee Agenda Item No. 4
Presenter: Lydia Saldaña

Outreach and Education Committee
Outreach and Education Advisory Committee
Accomplishments / Report
May 2005

I. Executive Summary: With a representative from the Outreach and Education Advisory Committee, staff will present the accomplishments of the committee and an update on the work being accomplished by GSD&M, an ad agency in Austin.

II. Discussion: The Outreach and Education Advisory Committee, formed in 2002, accomplished its charges beginning with advice and approval of the Outreach, Education and Interpretation Strategic Plan (See Exhibit A.) implemented by the department in FY04. That same year, the committee began work on messages to attract new audiences to the TPWD mission. GSD&M, an ad agency in Austin, and who is represented on the advisory committee, agreed to provide pro-bono work in developing and testing messages that would resonate with unengaged audiences.

The committee, the ad agency and TPWD staff worked together to flesh out the messages after testing them with unengaged families in Dallas and Houston. Next steps include: 1) final approval of the messages, 2) use of messages in existing TPWD (and its partners) sites and programs, and 3) development of an overall campaign to take the messages, in a big way, to all Texans. The latter will take the commitment of all partners involved to fund or otherwise support the effort.

Along with messages to attract unengaged audiences, the committee’s final task was to create conservation messages for audiences already involved in the TPWD mission. The committee brought forth a "Conservation Tool Box,” originally used to successfully engage audiences in conservation at the Forth Worth Zoo. This and other review material and draft messages have been given to TPWD and GSD&M to develop a set of consistent conservation messages that will be brought to all Texans who hunt, fish, visit state parks and historic sites or are otherwise engaged in outdoor recreation.

Attachments - 1

  1. Exhibit A - Outreach, Education and Interpretation Strategic Plan – Executive Summary

Commission Agenda Item No. 4
Exhibit A

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
Take Care of Texas!
Outreach – Education – Interpretation
Strategic Plan
(FY 2005 – 2009)

Executive Summary

Conservation and stewardship are not spectator sports. It takes the commitment and involvement of all who care about Texas to pass on values that sustain and conserve this state’s great natural, cultural and outdoor recreation resources. This does not occur in a vacuum. There must be meaningful first experiences, a chance to explore and grow, caring mentors, and opportunities to practice and demonstrate new knowledge and skills. There must ultimately be the opportunity to, in some way, Take Care of Texas.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's (TPWD or department) outreach, education and interpretation (OEI) programs provide hunting, fishing and/or outdoor recreation opportunities for Texans to experience, learn and take an active role in conserving Texas’ natural and cultural resources — as reflected in the department's mission:

"To manage and conserve the natural and cultural resources of Texas and to provide hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation opportunities for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations."

In 2003, a team of department staff, with significant input from the Outreach and Education Advisory Committee, examined the current structure and programming of the agency’s OEI efforts, and, as a result, developed this strategic plan. Two key strategic plans, the Land and Water Resources Conservation and Recreation Plan and Preserving Texas’ Hunting Heritage – Future of Hunting Plan served as guides in the development of OEI messages, goals and objectives – effectively melding conservation strategies with OEI efforts.

This plan identifies six critical goals:

  1. Promote public awareness and responsible participation in outdoor recreation, especially hunting, fishing and nature tourism, and to foster an appreciation of natural, cultural and historical resources.
  2. Provide conservation education and interpretive opportunities that are consistent with the Department’s mission, and that enhance the state’s economic vitality, sustain its natural resources, connect Texans to the outdoors and increase individual and community well-being.
  3. Increase public awareness and understanding of the benefits of conservation, especially the importance of active management of Texas’ private and public lands, water, wildlife and historical resources.
  4. Target new and diverse audiences to involve more people in TPWD’s mission, especially those from urban areas.
  5. Encourage cost-effective partnerships with other state agencies, universities, local, state and national conservation organizations, private landowners and citizens to coordinate and leverage outreach, education and interpretation efforts.
  6. Regularly evaluate outreach, education and interpretation programs.

TPWD needs a dynamic, robust OEI effort to deliver key messages; however, the department does not have the fiscal resources and staff to achieve this effort alone. Implementation of this plan depends on building key alliances with the broadest array of interests and partners.

Working collectively to achieve these goals, more people will be able to enjoy, understand and conserve this state’s natural and cultural resources.