EBM communication guide forthcoming from SeaWeb

SeaWeb is in the final stages of producing a guide to EBM communication. From what I understand, the guide presents messaging and communication recommendations from SeaWeb based on their national survey. I believe it will be released in the next couple months. SeaWeb has also been involved in developing an EBM board game with some folks in Maryland. I will post updates about the guide and game when they are released.

SeaWeb’s national survey on EBM communication

Yesterday I was at a small meeting in New Hampshire for a work group focused on developing communications infrastructure for ecosystem-based management (EBM) in the Gulf of Maine (click here for info about the work group). At the meeting, Kathleen Reaugh of SeaWeb presented preliminary findings from a national survey conducted over the last year-and-a-half. Results of the survey will probably be released by the end of March. Kathleen is SeaWeb’s Ecosystem-Based Management Communications Project Manager.

The purpose of the survey was to learn how to talk about EBM effectively with the public, “translate” science, and avoid communications pitfalls. They conducted a nationwide randomized poll and held focus groups in California, Florida, South Carolina, and Maine.

As next steps, SeaWeb plans to create research briefs, tools, training, and a website with resources that NGOs can use to communicate effectively about EBM. They also plan to organize a 2nd Annual EBM Communications Meeting in Washington, DC, probably in October 2008. For more information, check www.seaweb.org or contact Kathleen Reaugh at kreaugh@seaweb.org.