Call Before You Call Before You Cut Cut

Cotton RandallCotton RandallOhio Division of ForestryOhio Division of Forestry

Dave ApsleyDave ApsleyOhio State University ExtensionOhio State University Extension

Mary TyrellMary TyrellYale School of Forestry & Env. Yale School of Forestry & Env.

StudiesStudies

Brett ButlerBrett ButlerUSFS Forest inventory and AnalysisUSFS Forest inventory and Analysis

Andy WareAndy WareFormerly w/ Ohio Division of Formerly w/ Ohio Division of

ForestryForestry

BackgroundBackground

Almost 75 % of Ohio’s 8 million acres of forestland is in family forests

Less than 5 % of these woodland owners indicate that timber management is a priority

25% of them have harvested timber in the last five years

BackgroundBackground

In essence, there are no forest management or timber harvesting regulations in Ohio

– Only water quality regulations with minimal enforcement

Woodland owners often make quick decisions about harvesting timber due to short-term financial need

Poorly planned harvests (which are detrimental to forest and water resources, and the financial interests of woodland owners) are the norm

(this is a key threat identified in statewide assessment)

ObjectivesObjectives

Provide consumer protection for Ohio’s woodland owners

Encourage sustainable timber harvesting to ensure future ability of forests to meet landowner objectives

Support the use of professional foresters to assist woodland owners with timber harvesting decisions

Promote the use of trained Master Loggers

Facilitate the development of forest management plans, which guide future decisions

Humble BeginningsHumble Beginnings Call Before You Cut began as a tri-

fold brochure designed by Rural Action Sustainable Forestry and partners

Provided contact information to woodland owners in an 8 county area in Southeastern Ohio

Successful effort, copied in a number of states, but:– Confusing; too many agencies,

numbers, contacts etc.– Difficult to keep current

Program ExpansionProgram Expansion An effort to update the old brochure was in

process

ODNR – Division of Forestry offered their support in an effort to expand to a state-wide campaign

A committee of representatives from the Division, OSU-Extension and Rural Action-Sustainable Forestry was formed

Other partners were recruited

Current Ohio PartnersCurrent Ohio Partners Ohio Department of Natural Resources – Division of

Forestry Ohio State University – Extension Rural Action – Sustainable Forestry ODNR – Division of Soil and Water Ohio Federation of Soil and Water Conservation Districts Ohio Society of American Foresters Ohio Better Business Bureau The Nature Conservancy Ohio Tree Farm Natural Resources Conservation Service

Ohio’s Ohio’s Call Before You CutCall Before You Cut Toll-free number 1-877-424-8288

Web-page http://callb4ucut.comhttp://callb4ucut.com

Information Packets

– Welcome Letter– Extension Fact Sheets– ODNR Pamphlets– Promotional Brochures

from Partners

Marketing Campaign Radio Ads Billboards Brochures Earned media Posters

Top Ten List of reasons to Call Before You Cut

Business cards

http://http://osafdirectory.comosafdirectory.com

Averages over 1,100 visits per

month

Expanding Expanding Call Before You CutCall Before You CutAcross State LinesAcross State Lines

Expanded into a Multi-state effort Illinois Indiana Iowa Missouri West Virginia

Awarded grant from USFS Northeastern Area State & Private Forestry in 2008 for nearly $250,000 to support this multi-state effort

Shared resources including common landing page, marketing materials, ideas etc.

Sustaining Family Forest initiative (SFFI) provided support to bring a social marketing approach to the campaign

A collaboration among government, industry, conservation, certifications, landowner, and academics organizations

Their goal is to conduct social marketing research: That will serve as a wide-ranging resource To aid in the development of outreach and services

http://www.sustainingfamilyforests.org/

http://www.engaginglandowners.org/

The Call Before You Cut Campaign

by:

Center for Nonprofit StrategiesFebruary 2009

Feb 25, 2009 15

Methodology

Met with landowner groups in OH, IA, & IL 5 with WTLs, 4 with WROs, 2 mixed Discussed:

Messages and appeals Would you call the number? What would you expect? What should be in the information packet? How can we get the word out?

Feb 25, 2009 16

What was learned

Better terminology e.g., woods or woodlands, not forests

Attitudes about logging for different landowner types

When would landowners seek advice? Timber harvest or forest health problems

Who do they trust or think of for help? Most only think of state service foresters or

extension foresters

http://callb4ucut.comhttp://callb4ucut.com

Ohio Web StatisticsOhio Web StatisticsMonth Visits Pages/

VisitAvg. Time on Site

% New Visits

Bounce Rate

FEB 137 4.34 2:57 86.86 38.69

MAR 174 4.83 3:43 86.78 32.18

APR 157 5.18 4:07 87.26 23.57

MAY 193 4.56 3:22 83.94 30.05

TOTALS 788 4.84 3:41 86.17 30.46

Visits from OhioVisits from Ohio1/20/2010-6/13/20101/20/2010-6/13/2010

Challenges / Lessons Challenges / Lessons LearnedLearned

Challenges: Staff turnover/reassignment (e.g., project leader) Maintaining coordinated effort – keeping process

moving Held periodic conference calls/webinars

Lessons learned: Replicability – significant benefits in this project Effective communications may need to be

dynamic & multi-faceted Others - from partners in audience??

Questions?Questions?

http://callb4ucut.comhttp://callb4ucut.com

1-877-424-8288 (Ohio)

1-800-865-2477 (Iowa)

1-888-939-9493 (Indiana)

1-877-564-7483 (Missouri)

1-888-498-2292 (West Virginia)

Woodland retreat

Supplemental

income

Working the land

Uninvolved

Engaged in land management

Unengaged in land management

Favorable attitudes toward

stewardship

ModelOwners

Prime Prospects

Unfavorableattitudes toward

stewardship

PotentialDefectors

Write-offs?