According to a Housing Needs Assessment from the City of Bowling Green, Warren County is one of the fastest-growing communities in the state. Increased development in rural areas has created a need for more urban agriculture education.  Environmental and wildlife education helps citizens understand nature, promote positive wildlife-human interaction, and engage in conservational problem-solving for the betterment of our society.

The summer intern in Warren County created, filmed, and promoted an educational video series entitled “Backyard Biology.” The five-minute segments showcased insects, birds, amphibians/reptiles, and mammals. Each video was aired on the local news network and shared on Warren County Agriculture’s social media and YouTube pages. Each installment demonstrated common animal identification and fun facts, along with a promotional giveaway for people interested in supporting the wildlife near them. 

Between the views on television and social media, the series collected over 80,000 views while reaching 13 countries. Using Social Bluebook to value each platform, the earned media value for the series totaled $17,950.  Evaluation data was collected for each video using Qualtrics surveys to gather information about what viewers learned and how they planned to apply it. Out of the 160 respondents, 100% increased knowledge from each video, and 98% said they were likely or maybe likely to build or buy wildlife-friendly structures for their homes. One giveaway winner sent pictures of her utilizing her hummingbird feeder the same day she received it.  Backyard Biology has provided an educational resource for the citizens of Warren County and beyond.