National Park Service Grant for Effective Communication of Resource Conditions

OVERVIEW:

Cooperative Agreement Number P14AC00728 was entered into by and between the Department of the Interior, National Park Service, (NPS), and Colorado State University for the purpose of providing research, technical assistance, and/or education.

As part of a larger effort to communicate credible and useful science-based information regarding resource conditions and resource management issues in national park units and surrounding landscapes, the NPS Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Directorate (NRSS) manages a number of public communication venues: e.g., ���NRR report series, Resource Briefs, and Park Science. In this project, the NRSS and Colorado State University (CSU) will collaborate to maintain and strengthen the quality and effectiveness of NRSS resource condition reporting through these venues. Project work includes: a) document layout review, reformatting, and technical editing support to publish reports that conform to NRSS publication standards and good technical journalism practices; and b) applied research to evaluate and recommend communication techniques, templates, and examples that enhance message delivery (re: resource conditions in parks and surrounding landscapes) to a variety of public audiences.

STATEMENT OF JOINT OBJECTIVES/PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN:

The NRSS provides a wide array of science and resource management support to parks and NPS partners and cooperators throughout the country. Relevance and usefulness of this support depends, in part, on the ability to effectively communicate science-based information to a variety of audiences. Because these audiences can have varied information needs and interests, it is important for NRSS to develop and practice flexibility regarding the format, level of detail, and/or method of delivery of science-based information to interested audiences.
All of the work conducted in this project directly supports delivery of credible science-based information that is relevant and useful to the public and park managers. The project will accomplish this through a variety of NRSS publication support tasks as well as through applied research designed to enhance effectiveness of message delivery.

In this project, NRSS and CSU will collaborate to undertake document layout review and reformatting support, as well as technical editing support, as needed to finalize and publish 40 or more NRSS reports during the period of this Agreement. For most of these reports, CSU students will also participate in developing abstracts that serve the purpose of communicating key report findings and messages in ways that are meaningful and useful to non-technical audiences.

To strengthen future NRSS resource reporting, the Recipient and NRSS will collaborate to investigate effectiveness of message delivery for park resource condition information commonly found in NRSS reports (e.g., specific types of tables, figures, and public briefing materials). This will involve identifying outcomes of interest among the population studied (e.g., likelihood of behavior adoption, thinking more deeply about the issue, or discussing it with others) and understanding how different communication styles (e.g., statistical vs. anecdotal; text-based vs. visual) influences those outcomes. This study component will include surveys or other forms of engagement with park managers and interpreters (and possibly the public) to gauge effectiveness of message delivery. It will also develop practical recommendations and examples for how NRSS could improve message delivery in future NRSS resource documents.

RECIPIENT INVOLVEMENT

– provide Research Associates and students under the Principal Investigator;
– assist the NPS in finalizing NRSS publications that conform to NRSS publication standards and good technical journalism practices;
– work with NRSS report authors, as appropriate, to accomplish review, reformatting, and/or technical editing needed to finalize NRSS publications;
– prepare final research reports, recommendations, plans, and other products for the NPS;
– work collaboratively with NPS staff, affiliates, academia, and the public (as appropriate) to produce information and communication-related products targeted to a variety of audiences;
– contribute to enhanced and effective public messaging of park resource condition information to public audiences;
– ensure products will comply with Section 508 (36 CFR Part 1194 Subpart C Section 31 and Subpart D Section 41) to the extent possible; and
– provide monthly invoices paid upon receipt.

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE INVOLVEMENT:

– collaborate with CSU Research Associates, faculty, and students;
– provide support for this project;
– assign the NPS ATR;
– train and mentor CSU Research Associates and students, under the supervision of the Principle Investigator;
– provide templates for use in report publication;
– provide guidance on priorities and deadlines for tasks conducted under this project;
– participate in design and execution of applied research tasks conducted under this project;
– review all products and processes to ensure they attain their purposes and follow quality control procedures.

SINGLE-SOURCE JUSTIFICATION

NPS did not solicit full and open competition for this award based the following criteria:
This is a task agreement under an existing cooperative agreement (P14AC00728).