Natural Areas Regional Volunteer Strategy
NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY
Northumberland County
1
Table of Contents Introduction..........................................................................................4 Purpose..............................................................................................4 Strategy Development................................................................... 12 Stakeholder Identification....................................................... 12 Needs Analysis............................................................................. 13 Program/Job Description Development............................ 14 2016 Timeline............................................................................... 15 Appendices......................................................................................... 17 Appendix I Stakeholders.......................................................... 17 Appendix II Trail Crew Leader Job Description...................... 18 References........................................................................................... 20
Northumberland County
3
Introduction
Purpose
The hills of the Oak Ridges Moraine, the Northumberland County and Ganaraska Forests, the remnant prairies of the Rice Lake Plains and the Lake Ontario coastal marshes are illustrations of the remarkable Natural Resources in Northumberland County.
The result of the approach in this strategy will be a collaboration between land managers and volunteers that will benefit Northumberland County’s natural areas, assets and related infrastructure. Upon implementation this plan sets out a structure which will enable groups and individuals to partner in stewardship activities. It will outline how volunteers can be recruited, managed, trained and recognized.
4
Northumberland County
Lake Ontario’s beaches, harbours and inland rivers and lakes like Rice Lake, the Trent River and the Ganaraska River represent the areas cultural heritage that have defined the spirit of our communities. The Northumberland County Natural Areas Regional Volunteer Strategy outlines an approach for the preparation of a plan that will provide our residents and partners the ability to be stewards,
contribute to the conservation of our natural assets and celebrate them as part of the County’s culture and heritage. This program will extend the reach of the agencies and organizations that are charged with managing our natural and assets and positively contribute to the quality of life of the community.
The following highlights the outcomes to be accomplished as a result of this program: Increasing public awareness of the County’s Natural Heritage, Cultural Heritage, and Recreational Opportunities Engaging volunteers in a sustainable way Establishing productive partnerships between agencies, organizations and individuals resulting in increased management capabilities Provide training and hands-on opportunities for residents to develop and enhance skills and gain experience Maintain and enhance connection and pride for Northumberland’s ecological assets Provide an avenue for residents to contribute to and celebrate Northumberland County’s beautiful natural landscape
The end result will be an organized and structured collaboration of like-minded organizations that have a resource pool of volunteers from which to draw. This would include volunteers that are engaged, trained and ready to take part in activities such as, but not limited to: Trail construction and maintenance Trail patrolling and outreach Hike and outings leaders Tree maintenance Plant and wildlife surveys Identification and removal of invasive plants Northumberland County
5
The reasons that people volunteer are as diverse as the individuals volunteering. Some are motivated to support a personal value that is important to them or a desire to give back to the community where they live. Others may be looking to develop professional skills or a hope to simply meet like-minded people. In 2010, over 13.3 million Canadians volunteered of which 6.3 million were residents of Ontario (over 47% of the total amount of volunteers for that year) (Alexander C., Gulati S., 2013. p. 2).
Providing well organized and meaningful volunteer opportunities is critical. Creating methods of acknowledging volunteer contributions will assure volunteers that their efforts are valued. “Bridging the Gap in Ontario: A profile of current Trends in Volunteering� (Volunteer Canada, 2011, p. 9) highlighted the following five gaps (right) between what volunteers are looking for and how organizations are engaging volunteers.
6
Northumberland County
Successful volunteer programs not only satisfy Land Manager needs but the needs of the volunteers as well. Applying a recognized value of $24 per hour for volunteer labor to the hours volunteered in Ontario in 2010 (10.3 million hours) reflects an estimated value of $24.7 billion dollars for the province! While this value is certainly debatable it does establish that there is a monetary benefit to
volunteerism. It creates a real sense of the monetary impact of volunteering on the economy. It also represents an organization investing in development and management of a comprehensive volunteer program will likely receive a great return on its investment.
Many volunteers are looking for group activities BUT few organizations have the capacity to offer them; Many volunteers come with professional skills BUT many professionals are looking for volunteer tasks that involve something different from their work life; Organizations are expected to clearly define the roles and boundaries of volunteers BUT many volunteers want the flexibility to initiate what they have to offer (i.e., create their own volunteer opportunity); Many organizations still want long-term commitment BUT many more volunteers are looking for shorter-term opportunities; and Many organizations focus on what they need BUT besides helping others, manyvolunteers come with their own goals to be met.
The community benefits of an active and engaged volunteer population are both social and fiscal.
The relationship between these two benefits is often discussed and difficult to objectively define. On a social level both the individuals volunteering as well as the recipients of those volunteer efforts benefit. An illustrative example of the social benefits is where a corporate group supports a land manager
in non-native vegetation control effort (weed pulling). The corporate group has a “team building experience�, the land manager increases his ability to manage and the community in general results in a healthier environment.
Northumberland County
7
In Northumberland County there are over 6,200 (15,320 acres) hectares of parks and protected areas. Land and water based outdoor recreation opportunities abound throughout the county. These yeararound opportunities are an economic engine that contribute significantly to the $111.7 million in visitor spending that occurs annually. Management of many of these resources can be enhanced with
8
Northumberland County
the integration of an organized and trained volunteer workforce. County Forest staff began gathering information and planning for the preparation of a volunteer management plan in 2015. Through discussions and brainstorming it was determined that a more holistic approach to volunteering as a collaboration between organizations engaged in
similar operations throughout Northumberland County would be most effective. Pursuing a County-wide volunteer program would work towards both the County’s Vision and Mission by bringing together people, partnerships and possibilities, being a best-practices leader and being a collaborative partner.
The following is a list of just a few of the many potenial partners and the types of like-minded activities they carry out. Northumberland County Forest has involved volunteers in a variety of different ways. Recreational clubs have participated in trail maintenance and improvement projects, litter clean-ups and forest patrols. Partnerships with the County Forest’s recreational users is a key component to carrying out the works needed to be good stewards of the Forest and provides users the opportunities to further develop their connection withand give back to the Forest. Student interns and college classes from Sir Sandford Fleming College have also performed trail work, prepared planning documents and carried out ecological restoration activities. The Construction Technology class from Cobourg Collegiate Institute (formerly Cobourg District College Institute East) have built signs and nest boxes for the County Forest. The Rice Lake Plains Joint Initiative is a partnership of local people, conservation groups and government agencies, some of which are included in this list. Many of the partners engage volunteers
to complete conservation activities and provide educational outreach. A few of these activities have included seed collection, bird and butterfly counts and guided hikes. There is an interest in increasing the amount of collaboration for volunteer program development among many of the initiative members and supporters. The Northumberland Land Trust (NLT) is an organization that is committed to the preservation of natural, historical and cultural heritage in Northumberland County. The NLT owns properties and maintains a conservation easement across Northumberland County. They are active in carrying out stewardship activities with a volunteer board and no paid staff. They engage volunteers for the removal of invasive species, vegetation planting, trail maintenance and wildlife conservation projects. Alderville First Nation’s Black Oak Savanna includes volunteers that contribute to restoration of the tall grass prairie and participate in educational programs for both youth and adults. The Annual Prairie Day event includes guided hikes and workshops.
Northumberland County
9
The Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority offers many volunteer opportunities to school groups, service clubs, businesses, individuals and students requiring volunteer hours. Stewardship volunteer opportunities range from tree planting, plantings at the Town of Cobourg Water Conservation Garden, and assistance at community events. Additionally, the Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority manages the Ganaraska Forest an 11,000acre forest that is managed for the same values as the Northumberland County Forest. The Lower Trent Conservation is a community-based environmental agency that protects, restores and manages the natural resources within the Trent River valley. Examples of volunteer stewardship activities include: habitat restoration, watershed monitoring, trail maintenance and conservation education.
10
Northumberland County
The Nature Conservancy of Canada has a volunteer program that engages Canadians of all ages in the protection of flora, fauna and natural habitats. When volunteering you learn from knowledgeable professionals while contributing to important conservation work. Nature Conservancy of Canada also works closely with corporations and businesses to support conservation goals through event sponsorship, corporate staff events and workplace giving. These are just a few of the potential groups that could be involved in a collaborative volunteer program. The intent of this strategy is to propose the undertaking of a series of meetings and round table discussions to further assess the potential to be part of a County-wide volunteer strategy.
Strategy Development Stakeholder Identification
The first step is the development of a list of stakeholders. They are defined as individuals, organizations and agencies that might have an interest in this effort. They will subsequently be contacted to confirm whether or not they will be interested and to what extent they are able to participate. This list of stakeholders is expected to be somewhat dynamic. As the strategy unfolds new stakeholders will be added. For purposes of organizing this information the stakeholders will be identified as one of three different types: Land Managers, Volunteers, and Funders. A draft table of initial stakeholders is included as Appendix I to this document. Entities that are charged with managing park and protected areas will be in the group called Land Managers. Typically this group would include agencies/ organizations like: Northumberland County Forest Service, Municipal Park and Recreation Programs, Ontario Parks, Nature Conservancy of Canada, and The Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority etc.
The second group will be the Volunteers. This stakeholder reflects the groups and individuals that will actually be volunteering. Included will be Community Organizations like: Rotary, YMCA, and Scouts Canada. Representatives of Advocacy and Special Interest groups like: The Rice Lake Plains Joint Initiative, Northumberland District ATV Riders Club, Willow Beach Field Naturalist, and Friends of Presqu’ile Park. Schools will also be included as well as local businesses and corporations that might be interested in employer-supported volunteer programs. The Funders group may include all of the first two groups as well as sources for unique independent funding. The level of financial support available will directly impact the development of this strategy. As we meet with the stakeholders from the first two groups we will be able to develop a clearer picture of the anticipated volunteer program and will be better able to specify target funding bodies and programs. Funding models could include sources such as grants, corporate sponsorships or cost recovery from involved partners. Northumberland County
11
Needs Analysis
The second step will be having discussions with stakeholders to ensure that a plan is developed that they will be engaged in, want to collaborate on and contribute to. Stakeholders that are interested will be invited to participate in a Needs Analysis for the region. Identification of the Land Managers’ needs will reflect areas where they can use volunteers to support fulfilling their organizational goals and mission. These needs are expected to be diverse based upon each agency’s specific circumstances. Volunteers could be sought for and want to participate in projects such as: Trail maintenance Trail patrolling Invasive vegetation management Habitat stewardship and restoration Tree planting and maintenance Research and data collection Outreach such as interpretive programs Administrative assistance
12
Northumberland County
The Volunteer Stakeholder Needs Analysis will provide insight in to the volunteer community. Input will be solicited to better understand this stakeholder group and what their needs are to be engaged in a sustainable way. In addition to the different types of volunteer opportunities identified, this needs analysis will be used to identify: Individuals, organizations and businesses that are interested in participation Levels of interest e.g., one time event or ongoing commitment Participation in a group project or volunteering more independently Types of training for volunteers needed From this analysis an implementation plan will be created that will include the development of processes and approaches such as organizational structure, volunteer recruiting, volunteer job descriptions, training, and funding.
Program/Job Description Development The next step after the needs analysis will be to set priorities for satisfying the needs that were established. Likely both programs and specific jobs will be identified. Identifying priorities to focus on will be a function of the support available for the effort. If lots of support is available, multiple programs and jobs can be developed simultaneously. A program that might be identified in the needs analysis as a priority for multiple groups may be a Volunteer Trail Maintenance Program. Land Managers would identify trail maintenance objectives and work closely with Volunteers to implement them. Subsequent to identifying a program, developing a description of it would occur
creating context and direction for it to be implemented. Creating a job description would likely be a next step determining the desired knowledge, skills and abilities for the position. Consideration should be given to how development of unique skills associated with the position will be accomplished. Appendix II is an example of a “Trail Crew Leader� job description that could be developed to lead trail related maintenance and construction projects.
Northumberland County
13
2016 Timeline
December November October Complete Needs Analysis Begin Program/Job Description Development Initiate Funding Research
Continue Program/Job Description Development
Continue Program/Job Description Development
Continue Program/Job Description Development
Begin Recruiting
Continue Recruiting
Continue Recruiting
Conduct Skills Training
Conduct Skills Training
Conduct Skills Training
Implement Pilot Projects
Implement Pilot Projects
Implement Pilot Projects
Identify and Secure Funding Sources
Identify and Secure Funding Sources
Identify and Secure Funding Sources
Submit Status Report To Council
Draft 2017 Objectives
Establish 2017 Objectives Submit Status Report To Council
14
Northumberland County
Northumberland County
15
Appendix I Stakeholders Volunteer Stakeholders Cobourg Cycling Club
The following tables are examples of the three different types of stakeholders that will be contacted to participate in this effort. This list is not meant to be comprehensive at this time but will continue to evolve.
Land Manager Stakeholders Alderville First Nation Black Oak Savanna
16
Municipality of Brighton Town of Cobourg Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority Lone Pine Marsh Sanctuary Lower Trent Conservation Ministry of Natural Resources Municipality of Trent Hills Nature Conservancy Canada Ontario Nawautin Sanctuary Association Northumberland County Forest Northumberland Land Trust Ontario Parks Municipality of Port Hope Township of Alnwick/Haldimand Township of Cramahe Township of Hamilton Northumberland County
Eastern Ontario Trails Alliance Friends of Presqu'ile Provincial Park Ganaraska Hiking Trail Association Great Pine Ridge Snowmobile Association Northumberland and District ATV Riders Northumberland Trail Riders Oak Ridges Trail Association Ontario Competitive Trail Riding Association Ontario Federation of ATV Clubs Ontario Trails Council Pine Ridge Hiking Club Willow Beach Field Naturalist
Funder Stakeholder Ontario Trillium
Environment Canada - Funding - Environment Canada Canadian Shield Foundation Environmental Grants & Funding for Environmental Projects | TD FEF Great Lakes Guardian Community Fund Funding and Support - Species at Risk Helen McCrea Peacock Foundation | Toronto Foundation Land Stewardship and Habitat Restoration Program | Ontario.ca The John and Pat McCutcheon Charitable Foundation Welcome to We Conserve
Appendix II Trail Crew Leader Job Descriptions Summary of Position:
This position leads groups of volunteers in performing a variety of general trail maintenance and construction projects. This involves overseeing work performed by citizen volunteers, providing education about the project and its impact on the environment, collecting necessary release of liability forms, taking attendance of participants, completing log report of project.
Job Times
Weekdays or Saturdays, projects can be from 4-8 hours in length.
Duties:
1. Pick up project information, materials, tools and supplies at the offices prior to the work day. 2. Meet volunteer group at work site, collect necessary paperwork from volunteers, take attendance of participants. 3.
Welcome and acknowledge volun teers, provide brief overview of the park system and educate volunteers about the impact their contribution will make on the environment.
4. Provide clear explanation of work to be performed, distribute tools or supplies. 5. Supervise volunteer crews as needed, provide ongoing support throughout the duration of the project.
Northumberland County
17
Appendix II Continued Requirements:
1. Ability to interact with other volunteers in a positive and friendly manner. Includes giving instructions, assignments and/or directions to volunteers. 2. Ability to direct individuals with varying levels of ability or skill. 3. Able to hike 3-5 km in hilly terrain in a variety of weather conditions. 4. Ability to lift 30 lbs. 5. All volunteers must complete a background check before working with volunteers. 6. Must be knowledgeable of trail maintenance and construction functions. 7. Ability to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation and administer emergency first aid. 8. Volunteers must abide by the rules
18
Northumberland County
and regulations of the park and established volunteer policies and procedures outlined in the Volunteer Orientation Manual.
Benefits:
1. Gain leadership and supervisory experience. 2. Acquire volunteer management skills. 3. Share your love of nature with others and make a difference. 4. Meet people with common interests. 5. Enhance your natural history knowl- edge and public speaking skills. 6. Receive professional training, support, and performance feedback. 7. Attend continuous learning opportu- nities and volunteer social functions. 8. Be recognized and appreciated for your contributions!
Training:
All training is provided by the staff and includes: Trail Maintenance and Construction Skills, Crew Leader- ship, Volunteer Orientation, training in overseeing volunteer projects, resource management, CPR and First Aid training.
References Ontario Volunteer Centre Network. Retrieved from www.ovcn.ca Volunteer Canada, in partnership with Manulife Financial, in collaboration with Harris/Decima, 27Shift Consulting and the Ontario Volunteer Centre Network (2012). Bridging the Gap in Ontario: A profile of current trends in volunteering. Retrieved from http://volunteer.ca/content/bridging-gap-ontario. Alexander C., Gulati S. (2013). An Economist’s Case For Volunteering. Retrieved from volunteer.ca/content/td-economics-economists-case-volunteering Northumberland County Tourist Destination Report October 2009 (available online)
Prepared by Chinook Associates, LLC PO Box 18571 Golden, Colorado 80402 phone: 303-718-0829 email: Kim_Frederick@chinookassociatesllc.com web: http://chinookassociatesllc.com
20
Northumberland County