Boone County CES

Title:

Environmental awareness and improvements

MAP:

Agriculture, Horticulture and Environmental Awareness

Agents Involved:

David Koester, Gina Ligon

MAJOR PROGRAM 1:

Backyard Streams

MAJOR PROGRAM 2:

4-H Health Core Curriculum

MAJOR PROGRAM 3:

Home & Consumer Horticulture

MAJOR PROGRAM 4:

Urban Environments (water issues)

Situation:

Census shows that Boone County is now considered over 50% urban. With this number growing yearly more and more of our community members have less contact with the natural environment. More of our landscape is being converted into manicured lawn. Homeowners have shown interest in keeping/creating habitat for wildlife in both lawn and large acreage areas.

Long-Term Outcomes:

Habitat improvement practices will increase the biodiversity of native flora and fauna within communities, promoting further positive environmental change.

Intermediate Outcomes:

Participants will implement habitat improvements on their properties.

Initial Outcomes:

Participants will learn habitat management and improvement methods for landscaping in their lawns.

Participants will learn ways to improve and conserve natural growing areas such as woodlots and former farmlands.

Evaluation:

Initial Outcome: Participants will learn ways to improve and conserve natural growing areas such as woodlots and former farmlands.

Indicator: improved knowledge of woodlot management for various uses

Method: survey

Timeline: fall

Intermediate Outcome: Participants will implement habitat improvements on their properties.

Indicator: number of improvements made

Method: post-survey

Timeline: as program opportunities occur

Long-term Outcome: Habitat improvement practices will increase the biodiversity of native flora and fauna within communities, promoting further positive environmental change.

Indicator: landowners improving habitats

Method: landowner initiated assessment by wildlife and forestry specialists

Timeline: yearly

Learning Opportunities:

Audience: Homeowners

Project or Activity: Planting for Pollinators 

Content or Curriculum: Pollinators in the garden

Inputs: Agents, horticulture techs 

Date: July, August, September 2019

Audience: Homeowners, Community Members

Project or Activity: Hike the Trails

Content or Curriculum: Self-guided tour on the nature trails with native plant identification.

Inputs: Hort Tech, volunteers

Date: May, June 2020 July, August, September, October 2019

Audience: Homeowners

Project or Activity: Composting 

Content or Curriculum: Composting program to educate homeowners how to use yard waste and food scrapes to create soil for their garden.

Inputs: Agents, Hort Tech

Date: Feb 2020

Success Stories