Grow it Forward: Strengthening Communities through Environmental Stewardship & Media

The Cause

Introduction

Agroforestry is the integration of trees and shrubs into crop and animal farming systems. During our work in agroforestry, we see a regular disconnect between concerned Albertans, and the organizations and information they are looking for. Whether landowners are interested in funding for environmental projects on their land or want to know more about what’s currently present on their property, finding good, accurate answers can be difficult. On the other hand, organizations providing solutions for Albertans may have the right services and funding, but not enough people know about them and their programs. In an effort to provide useful services, multiple organizations end up providing the same services, resulting in a costly duplication of resources. We want to fill the gaps between these various communities and increase awareness of services and organizations available, to create better efficiencies amongst all parties and improve accessibility for environmental preservation.

Goals

1. Increase connectivity between environmental organizations operating in Alberta.
2. Increase connectivity between landowners and AWES.
3. AWES aims to improve public awareness of the value of trees and the various organizations that promote them. AWES would like to increase the number of trees in the ground and connect people that are interested in helping!

Action Plan

Film and develop a minimum of 76 media pieces over 12 months for Instagram, TikTok and Facebook. We will produce content for the following topics, with preliminary examples:

Educational content:
1. “How to plant a tree!”
2. Recognition relevant holidays or days emphasizing a topic
3. Research shorts about progress on environmental remediation in regards to agroforestry (the basics of carbon offsets, the story of trees over time in rural Alberta, public perception of trees).

Landowner tree planting success stories
1. Project Completion: people have to see themselves in the success stories.
2. Project Monitoring: how are the trees doing “x” number of years out from planting?
3. Milestones: achievements AWES can celebrate with its community
4. Partner with local environmental influencers

Environmental impact
1. “Why Plant Trees?”
2. What one tree is worth in carbon
3. Top 3 benefits of trees
4. “Why you should want trees”

Partner showcases:
1. What partners do: where they’ve been, what they do, and what they plan to do.

Who Will it Benefit?

1. Environmental organizations, from non-profit and profit sectors: partnership will increase their reach and likely connect them with unique opportunities that they would not have otherwise had.
2. Municipal bodies: these groups are always looking to provide services to their citizens, but sometimes lack the operational expertise or manpower to do so. In our case, we provide tree planting, prescription services and workshops that municipalities, such as Parkland County, have used to provide services and knowledge to their people. Further collaboration and extended reach mean municipalities have better relationships with their citizens and the environmental work can improve their social licensing.
3. Research institutions: institutions want to publish their work and ensure that their research is relevant and timely. Partnering with us connects them to the grassroots movement, and the environmental industry, while also demonstrating the practicality of their research in the non-profit sector.
4. Landowners: good agroforestry practices preserve farmland and improves its productivity while also providing aesthetic and ecological benefits. Depending on the projects, AWES can provide landowners trees at low to no costs. Partner organizations also often work with landowners to help them preserve ecological spaces on their land or create wildlife habitats. The more organizations and landowners connected, the more benefits that can be shared amongst the landowners, the community and the partner organizations.
5. Environmentally concerned citizens: with increased connectivity comes with greater access to resources and communities. People who are concerned about the natural world, and feel stifled in their ability to act, can find paths forward with AWES and our partners.
6. People with limited exposure or neutrality towards the environmental sector: people will pay attention as we develop eye-catching, creative content. If they choose to engage and take part in these environmental communities, they can be confident they are working towards a better tomorrow for themselves and for younger generations.
7. Agroforestry & Woodlot Extension Society: AWES will be equipped to fulfill our vision and mission, increasing awareness of the economic, social and environmental values of agroforestry and woodlots in the agricultural landscape.