Wildlife Forever

WILDLIFE FOREVER PRESERVE AND PROTECT AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS BY INSTALLING WATERCRAFT CLEANING SYSTEMS ON PUBLIC ACCESSES TO EMPOWER THE PUBLIC TO STOP THE SPREAD OF AIS THROUGH THE ENHANCED AIS PREVENTION INFRASTRUCTURE INITIATIVE

DEVELOPMENT OF INVASIVE SPECIES OUTREACH

BLM- WO, FISHERIES AND AQUATIC RESOURCES SUPPORT

HQ FISHERIES AND AQUATIC RESOURCES SUPPORT

THIS PROJECT SUPPORTS THE GREAT LAKES RESTORATION INITIATIVE (GLRI) AND THE GREAT LAKES WATER QUALITY AGREEMENT, PURSUANT TO PUBLIC LAW 112-74. WILDL

MORE THAN 3.2 BILLION LIVE ANIMALS WERE LEGALLY IMPORTED INTO THE U.S. DURING 2000-2014, AND UNTOLD NUMBERS OF LIVE PLANTS WERE ALSO IMPORTED. NONNATIVE PLANTS AND ANIMALS ARE ALSO DOMESTICALLY RAISED AND SOLD LIVE WITHIN THE U.S. THESE ORGANISMS WERE SOLD FOR USE IN VARIOUS TRADES INCLUDING AQUARIA, WATER GARDENS, CLASSROOM AND SCIENTIFIC SUPPLY, AQUACULTURE, AND LIVE-FOOD MARKETS.MANY SPECIES IN TRADE POSE RISKS OF IMPACTS TO THE ENVIRONMENT, RECREATION, INFRASTRUCTURE, ECONOMY, AND SOCIAL CONSTRUCTS AND FUNCTIONS WITHIN THE UNITED STATES. HOWEVER, NO RATING SYSTEM HAS BEEN PREVIOUSLY AVAILABLE TO ADVISE BUYERS AND SELLERS IN U.S. SUPPLY CHAINS OF THE RISKS AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, SAFE ALTERNATIVES THAT POSE LOW RISK OF DAMAGING IMPACTS TO AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS.ECOSTARTM IS THE FIRST OF ITS KIND RATING SYSTEM TO ADVISE INDUSTRY AND PUBLIC CONSUMERS ABOUT ECOLOGICALLY SAFE OPTIONS TO IMPORT, PRODUCE, SELL, AND BUY. TO DATE,18 LABELS FOR NONNATIVE SPECIES HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED AND HAVE BEEN VETTED BY EXPERTS IN ORGANISMS-IN-TRADE OIT SUPPLY CHAINS. ECOSTARTM LABELS ARE THE ONLY AVAILABLE RATING SYSTEM TO GUIDE SUPPLY CHAINS ABOUT WHICH SPECIES ARE SUSTAINABLE I.E., LOW RISK , AND WHICH ARE NOT I.E., HIGH RISK IN THE U.S.THE GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT FROM AQUATIC INVASIVE SPECIES INTRODUCTIONS, BY MAKING SCIENCE-BASED, PLAIN-LANGUAGE LABELING ECOSTARTM LABELS INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO OIT SUPPLY CHAINS AND PUBLIC CONSUMERS. INFORMED DECISIONS, WITHIN SUPPLY CHAINS AND BY CONSUMERS, USING THESE LABELS WILL SUPPORT INFORMED SUSTAINABLE TRADE OPERATIONS IN NONNATIVE SPECIES. THROUGH FURTHER PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION, WILDLIFE FOREVER WILL DEVELOP TRADE ASSOCIATIONS PARTNERSHIPS, CONDUCT PUBLIC OUTREACH, AND DEVELOP 50 NEW ECOSTARTM LABELS. FOLLOWING DEVELOPMENT, WE WILL FACILITATE A STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION AND PUBLIC OUTREACH PROGRAM TO EDUCATE OIT RETAILERS AND PUBLIC CONSUMERS. IMPLEMENTATION OF A NATIONAL, LANDSCAPE SCALE ECOSTARTM PROGRAM, WILL BUILD ON CURRENT ACTIVITIES IN THE GL BASIN BEING PILOTED IN MINNESOTA AND WISCONSIN AND BUILD UPON PRODUCTS, PARTNERSHIPS AND RESOURCES DEDICATED TO OIT.

THIS PROGRAM WILL USE AN UNPRECEDENTED DISTRIBUTION PARTNERSHIP WITH ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, AND PBS WITH THREE HALF HOUR TELEVISION SHOWS DESIGNED TO MEASURABLY INFLUENCE THE BOATING SAFETY BEHAVIORS AND NEED FOR BOATING SAFETY CERTIFICATION TO APPROXIMATELY SIX MILLION PEOPLE PER SHOW

GLRI 669: PROMOTE GREAT LAKES ECOSYSTEM HEALTHER THROUGH EDUCATION ABOUT INVASIVE SPECIES - GLRI #669

PROJECT ABSTRACTPROJECT TITLE: TARGETED CLEAN DRAIN DRY OUTREACH DRIVING BEHAVIOR CHANGE AND COMPLIANCE WITH WESTERN INTERVENTIONSAPPLICANT ORGANIZATION: WILDLIFE FOREVERFUNDING OPPORTUNITY NUMBER: L25AS00306AQUATIC INVASIVE SPECIES (AIS) CONTINUE TO THREATEN WATER QUALITY, RECREATIONAL ACCESS, AND ECOLOGICAL INTEGRITY ACROSS THE WESTERN UNITED STATES, PARTICULARLY ON AND NEAR BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT (BLM) LANDS. DESPITE WIDESPREAD ADOPTION OF WATERCRAFT INSPECTION AND DECONTAMINATION (WID) PROGRAMS, CONSISTENT PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING AND COMPLIANCE REMAIN LIMITED, ESPECIALLY AMONG INTERSTATE RECREATIONAL BOATERS.WILDLIFE FOREVER PROPOSES A TARGETED, MEDIA-DRIVEN AIS PREVENTION CAMPAIGN ROOTED IN ITS NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED CLEAN DRAIN DRY INITIATIVE. THIS PROJECT WILL DEPLOY CONSISTENT, SCIENCE-BASED MESSAGING ACROSS BILLBOARDS, PRINTED OUTREACH MATERIALS, AND DIGITAL PLATFORMS TO EDUCATE BOATERS AND ANGLERS ABOUT THEIR ROLE IN AIS PREVENTION. SPECIAL EMPHASIS WILL BE PLACED ON PROMOTING THE EXPECT TO INSPECT CAMPAIGN, WHICH PROVIDES UP-TO-DATE WID REGULATIONS AND INSPECTION STATION LOCATIONS NATIONWIDE.CAMPAIGN COMPONENTS WILL INCLUDE:STRATEGIC BILLBOARD PLACEMENT NEAR HIGH-USE WATER ACCESSES AND MAJOR BOATER TRAVEL CORRIDORSDISTRIBUTION OF CLEAN DRAIN DRY AND EXPECT TO INSPECT PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS AT INSPECTION CHECKPOINTS AND IN HUNTING FISHING REGULATION BOOKSPROFESSIONALLY MANAGED PAID DIGITAL AND SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGNSANNUAL UPDATES AND MAINTENANCE OF THE EXPECT TO INSPECT WEB PLATFORMTHE PROJECT DIRECTLY SUPPORTS BLM AND DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR PRIORITIES BY INCREASING PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, ENCOURAGING RESPONSIBLE RECREATION, AND REDUCING INVASIVE SPECIES SPREAD ON FEDERALLY MANAGED LANDS. DELIVERABLES WILL STRENGTHEN INTERAGENCY PREVENTION MESSAGING AND IMPROVE COMPLIANCE WITH AIS REGULATIONS ACROSS THE WESTERN U.S.

THE GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO REDUCE THE SPREAD AND TRANSFER OF ZEBRA AND QUAGGA MUSSELS AND OTHER AQUATIC INVASIVE SPECIES (AIS) BY RECREATIONAL BOATERS THROUGH EXPANSION AND REDESIGN OF THE EXISTING PROTECT THE WEST CAMPAIGN, ENCOMPASSING THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES. AIS POSE A PARTICULAR RISK TO THE ENVIRONMENT, LOCAL COMMUNITIES, AND MUNICIPALITIES BY REDUCING PROPERTY VALUES AND INCREASING MITIGATION COSTS DUE TO DAMAGED INFRASTRUCTURE. BOATERS AND ANGLERS CAN INADVERTENTLY TRANSPORT AIS AND ARE THE PRIMARY TARGET OF EDUCATION AND PREVENTION EFFORTS. BY DESIGNING A NATIONWIDE INFORMATION AND OUTREACH PROGRAM, WATERCRAFT USERS WILL HAVE A RESOURCE TO FIND DECONTAMINATION SITES AND APPLICABLE STATE OR FEDERAL REGULATIONS FOR AIS PREVENTION. WILDLIFE FOREVER, ALONG WITH FISHING AND BOATING INDUSTRY PARTNERS, STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCY LEADERS, THE AQUATIC NUISANCE SPECIES TASK FORCE (ANSTF) AND ITS WESTERN REGIONAL PANEL (WRP), PROPOSE FOUR MAIN ACTIONS:1. DEVELOP AND MARKET A CENTRALIZED CAMPAIGN WEBSITE AND WEB-BASED MAPPING TOOL TARGETING RECREATIONAL BOATERS AND ANGLERS THAT WILL QUICKLY AND EASILY PROVIDE INFORMATION ON STATE LAWS, LOCATIONS AND SERVICES FOR WATERCRAFT INSPECTIONS STATIONS AND DECONTAMINATION (WID) SERVICES.2. CREATE AND DISTRIBUTE OUTREACH MATERIALS (BROCHURES, FLYERS, SOCIAL AND DIGITAL MEDIA RESOURCES) FOR PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS TO RAISE AWARENESS OF THE NEW CAMPAIGN, WEBSITE, MAPPING TOOL, AND AVAILABLE OUTREACH TOOLS.3. DEPLOY TARGETED MEDIA AND MARKETING CAMPAIGN TO RAISE AWARENESS OF THE NEW CENTRALIZED RESOURCE AND CAMPAIGN ASSETS.4. EVALUATE THE CAMPAIGN THROUGH PAID MEDIA IMPRESSION AND CLICK DATA, VISITOR TRAFFIC TO THE WEBSITE PAGES, WID STOPS, AND SURVEYS FACILITATED THROUGH INDUSTRY PARTNERS.

IMPLEMENTING CONSISTENT REGIONAL PREVENTION MESSAGES TO REINFORCE AND PROMOTE DESIRED PUBLIC BEHAVIORS

AFOGNAK STREAM CROSSING ASSESSMENT AND DESIGN PROJECT

H2148100004, P10AC00298, MOD TO ADD FY13 FUNDS IN AMOUNT OF 30K

COOP AGREEMENT W/ WILDLIFE FOREVER THROUGH THE AQUATIC INVASIVES PROGRAM

INVASIVE SPECIES OUTREACH TO LODGES, RESORTS, AND GUIDES OF THE KODIAK ARCHIPELAGO

INV-BEST PRACTICES ON WATERCRAFT

EDUCATING THE PUBLIC ABOUT INVASIVE AQUATIC SPECIES AND THE DANGERS THEY REPRESENT TO NATIVE FISH

DEVELOP A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT

AIS MESSAGING DURING CABIN CAST TV PROGRAM

FUNDS UNDER THIS AWARD ARE TO BE USED FOR AIS MESSAGING ON THE CABIN CAST TV PROGRAM.

AIS MESSAGING DURING CABIN CAST TV PROGRAM

SUPPORT FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION GOALS THROUGH 'THE STATE-FISH ART' PROGRAM AND CONTEST

TO ADVANCE THE CONSERVATION AND RECOVERY OF TWO GLOBALLY IMPERILED AQUATIC SPECIES