Education & Outreach Actions
Education & Outreach Actions Education is an important part of the JFY Municipal Certification Program. Through education and outreach activities, you can showcase how your municipality is landscaping for a healthy watershed and encourage members of the community to adopt similar practices on their own properties. To be eligible for certification, complete at least two […]
Education & Outreach Actions
Education is an important part of the JFY Municipal Certification Program. Through education and outreach activities, you can showcase how your municipality is landscaping for a healthy watershed and encourage members of the community to adopt similar practices on their own properties.
To be eligible for certification, complete at least two Education and Outreach Actions. Choose from the options below, or consult with your JFY Certification Program (contact Bailey Sanders, bsanders@ocean.edu, 732-255-0472) to discuss other potential Education and Outreach projects for your municipality.
Education Action A. Set up a display and/or provide materials about Jersey-Friendly Yards in the municipal building or at public events.
Education Action B. Include an insert about Jersey-Friendly Yards in a municipal mass mailing to property owners.
Education Action C. Deliver one or more education programs or workshops (in person and/or virtual) about Jersey-Friendly Yards landscaping practices to residents and other property owners.
Each program or workshop delivered counts as a separate Education and Outreach Action. The following are some examples of the types of education programs you can offer.
- Educate property owners about the benefits of healthy soil and how they can test, assess, and improve the soil on their own properties. Contact the Ocean County Soil Conservation District Education Outreach Specialist, Ms. Becky Laboy, about programs and other resources available to assist with completion of this action.
- Provide a tour of restored wildlife habitat on municipal property, such as a pollinator garden.
- Educate property owners about composting. The Ocean County Department of Solid Waste Management offers programs and workshops about composting. Email Sandra Blain-Snow (SBlain-Snow@co.ocean.nj.us) for more information. Another way to get credit for this Action is by completing the Sustainable Jersey Action, Backyard Composting Program.
- Complete the Sustainable Jersey Action, Grass – Cut It and Leave It Program, to educate property owners about the benefits of using a mulching mower and leaving grass clippings on the lawn.
Education Action D. Engage residents, students, business owners, and others as volunteers in a habitat restoration project in your municipality.
Volunteers can assist with planting, weeding, mulching, removing invasive species, and many other tasks.
Education Action E. Conduct a community-wide clean-up of trash and litter.
Engage residents in a litter clean-up through the Clean Communities program. Participate in the Barnegat Bay Blitz, an annual watershed-wide clean-up event organized by the Barnegat Bay Partnership. Contact Karen Walzer, BBP Public Outreach Coordinator (kwalzer@ocean.edu), for details about the next Blitz.
What to submit for Education and Outreach Actions:
Copies of any educational materials distributed; photos of any displays; copies of any mass mailing inserts. Document any programs or events by providing the following information:
- Title, description, and date of the program or event,
- Target audience (e.g., residents, businesses, schools) and attendance number,
- Jersey-Friendly Yards landscaping practices addressed in the program, and
- Program delivery method (e.g., virtual or in-person). Provide a link to any online materials or virtual program recordings, include a copy of any program promotional materials (e.g., flyers, brochures, news releases), and provide photos of any in-person programs or events.