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Author: Bontempo, Darcy
Email: darcy.bontempo@tpwd.state.tx.us
Phone: 512-389-4574
Organization: Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept.
Address:
4200 Smith School Rd.,
Austin,
TX,
78744
Abstract Title: TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE PLANS TO IMPLEMENT A PUBLIC AWARENESS ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN WITH A PRIMARY FOCUS ON GIANT SALVINIA (SALVINIA MOLESTA. Darcy Bontempo, Glenda Beasley and Carly Drees, Texas Parks and Wildlife, Austin, TX.
Abstract Text: Aquatic invasive species currently pose serious threats to the Texas’ wildlife, environment, outdoor recreation and the state’s economy. Giant salvinia (GS) is one of the aquatic invasive species that poses the greatest immediate threat to Texas water bodies. While GS can be controlled to an extent with herbicides and biological control agents, this is very expensive and the number of personnel that would be required to treat all infested areas is greater than the resources of TPWD and its partners. It is therefore critical that Texas Parks and Wildlife (TPWD) do more than simply treat the spread of invasives. TPWD received funding from the Texas Legislature in FY 2010 to help stop the spread of Giant Salvinia, and this is being used, along with boater access dollars, to fund a quarter of a million dollar effort to develop and implement a public awareness campaign. TPWD’s marketing staff has hired the advertising agency Sherry Matthews Advocacy Marketing to develop this campaign, which will launch in April 2010. The focus will be four lakes in east Texas: Caddo Lake, Lake Conroe, Sam Rayburn and Toledo Bend. The campaign aims to motivate the general public, especially anglers and boaters, by effectively communicating how giant salvinia will impact their enjoyment of the outdoors and what they can do to help stop its spread. Television, print, custom buoys, gas station pump toppers, billboards, events, media launches at each of the targeted lakes, promotional items, a new website design, online advertising and social media strategies will all be used in this comprehensive campaign. In addition, TPWD is in the process of developing partnerships with fishing clubs, communities and corporate sponsors to help spread the message. The results of the campaign will be measured by a pre- and post- awareness survey of east Texas boaters and anglers.
Conference
Year: TIPPC_2009
Presentation Type: Oral Presentation
Presenter Type (Student or Regular):
Session: 6. Education and Public Awareness
Submission Date: 2009-10-12
