Call Before You Cut

1. Call Before You Cut Cotton Randall Ohio Division of Forestry Dave Apsley Ohio State University Extension Mary Tyrell Yale School of Forestry & Env. Studies Brett Butler USFS Forest inventory and Analysis Andy Ware Formerly w/ Ohio Division of Forestry

2. Background • 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

3. Background • 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)

4. Objectives • 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

5. Humble 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

6. Program 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

7. Current 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

8. Ohio’s Call Before You Cut • Toll-free number 1-877-424-8288 • Web-page http://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 CallBefore You Cut • Business cards

9. http://osafdirectory.com Averages over 1,100 visits per month

10. Expanding Call Before You CutAcross 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

11. Sustaining Family Forests Initiative http://www.sustainingfamilyforests.org/ 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

12. Prime Prospects by Attitudinal Segmentations

13. http://www.engaginglandowners.org/

14. The Call Before You Cut Campaign by: Center for Nonprofit Strategies February 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? 15

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 16

17. http://callb4ucut.com

18. Ohio Web Statistics

19. Visits from Ohio1/20/2010-6/13/2010

22. Challenges / Lessons Learned 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??

23. Questions? http://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)

24. Attitudinal Segmentation Woodland retreat Supplemental income Working the land Uninvolved

25. Prime Prospects Segmentation Favorable attitudes towardstewardship Unfavorableattitudes toward stewardship ModelOwners Engaged in land management PotentialDefectors Prime Prospects Write-offs? Unengaged in land management