News & Notes January 2007

One of the most creative uses of mini-grant funds, so far this year, has been the "Northern Lancaster County Watershed Education Project" - otherwise known as the Watershed Parade Float. Matt Kofroth, Watershed Specialist for Lancaster County Conservation District headed this project, and left no stone unturned.

At first glance we were a bit skeptical about the project proposal. A parade float? Parades are just . . . fun! How would a parade float educate the public about nonpoint source (NPS) pollution? What type of tool would Matt use to evaluate the project's success? With further follow-up, Matt was able to provide strong justification for funding the floating exhibit.

The goal of the float was to educate community residents on watershed stewardship, promote watershed protection, and further enhance local grassroots watershed efforts in the county. A tall order for a float. But then, this is no ordinary float!

The centerpiece of the float was a mock, yet sparkling stream with lights, set against a Lancaster County farm backdrop, with native riparian buffer plants alongside, and the banner, "We All Live Downstream" above it. Residential impacts to watersheds were listed on a sign over the stream, and participating watershed associations and sponsors were listed along the sides. There was even streambank fencing on the front!

The Lancaster County Conservation District received a nonpoint source pollution prevention mini-grant to develop this educational float.

Even with all these features, this float did not stand alone. Volunteers from the conservation district, watershed associations, and local schools distributed informational bookmarks to parade watchers. The messages on the bookmark included a description of what a watershed is, and what residents can do to protect their watershed. Local watershed organizations were listed, encouraging people to get involved in their communities. The website address for the conservation district's watershed website was also shown. Together, the float and the bookmark made a unique educational package.

Now, how do you evaluate the effectiveness of a parade float?

The use of the information on the bookmarks, namely the watershed associations and the county watershed website, will help tell the tale of the project's effectiveness. If parade viewers access the watershed website, using the information from the bookmark, they can participate in an online survey which will ask viewers to respond to four questions about what they have learned from the float and bookmark. Also, if those who received the bookmarks are interested in joining their local watershed associations, they will have the names of those associations in front of them - on the bookmark. Associations will track the contacts and new membership to determine if the float project was instrumental.

Another evaluation tool used in this project was short interviews during the parade while the bookmarks were handed out. Because of lulls and stops along the parade route, volunteers distributing the bookmarks had the opportunity to interview parade participants about watershed conservation, stewardship, and promote local organizations.

The Lancaster County Watershed Education Float participated in three parades this fall: the Lititz 250th Anniversary Parade (September 9), the Ephrata Fair Parade (September 27), and the Manheim Fair Parade (October 11). Following these parades, the float was partially dismantled and refitted with a "virtual stream." It is on display at the Lancaster County Conservation District office and will be used for educational programs. Other pieces of the float will be "recycled" by local watershed associations. For more information about this project, contact Matt Kofroth at the Lancaster County Conservation District. To view the online survey for the project, go to www.lancasterwatersheds.org.

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