Education and outreach are cornerstones of successful restoration work. Whether preparing plans, developing projects, or enhancing public knowledge, WRP and restoration partners go to great lengths to inform, educate, and listen carefully to questions and concerns. Below is a summary of education efforts that are focused within two primary areas: activity-based and general public.

Activity-Based

The success of restoration plans and projects depends to a large extent on the amount of community support they receive. To inform the public and encourage participation, WRP pursues education and outreach goals wherever it supports active restoration projects and planning:

• Networking - WRP staff and restoration partners always make concerted efforts to involve local officials, conservation groups, and community residents wherever projects and plans are proposed. Participation by these key players is invaluable.
• Public Meetings - While under development, all projects and plans include one or more public meetings where community members and others can obtain information, provide input, and share their thoughts and concerns.
• Media Outreach - To raise awareness and foster public support, MWRP encourages media coverage of restoration planning, project events (such as groundbreakings), site clean ups, and other related activities.
• Signage - Many WRP-supported restoration sites have signs that identify project participants and supporters and provide interpretative information about the site (click the image for larger view).
• Events - For some restoration projects, MWRP helps to plan community-sponsored events and groundbreakings. These events often include key government leaders and media coverage that highlight the project's benefits and importance to the community.

General Public

Information is provided to the general public about wetlands, wetlands restoration, and related topics through the following means:

• WRP Web Site - One of the primary goals of this web site is to help people gain a better understanding of wetland values, historic wetland impacts, and sources of degradation. It also helps people explore the "where's, how's, and why's" of restoration activities.
• Massachusetts Wetlands Restoration Updates - WRP produces a quarterly update on wetlands restoration activities in the Commonwealth. Updates are posted on our web site (see right bar menu) and email notifications of new postings are sent to over 500 subscribers. Notifications are also posted in CZ-Mail, CZM's monthly electronic newsletter. Click here to subscribe to the wetlands restoration update email notification list.
• Volunteer Salt Marsh Monitoring Program - WRP, CZM, and the Mass Bays Program have established a volunteer salt marsh monitoring program to involve the public directly in restoration projects and to increase monitoring resources. The program includes specialized training in monitoring techniques based on standard protocols developed by CZM. Monitoring volunteers are responsible for collecting, recording, and reporting data from restoration sites to which they have been assigned. The program has been very successful at increasing the generation of reliable monitoring data while providing valuable, hands-on educational experiences for volunteers. See the Association to Preserve Cape Cod's web site for a description of one monitoring partnership developed through this program.