THE COUCHICHING CONSERVANCY
AMBASSADOR HANDBOOK Spreading awareness about land conservation in the Couchiching-Severn region
Welcome Couchiching Conservancy Ambassadors hold the important role of engaging others in the work we do, while spreading awareness about local land conservation. By becoming a Grant’s Greeter, helping to deliver Passport to Nature booklets, calling supporters, and more, YOU have the ability to inspire others to take action and help protect the wild & important places in the Couchiching-Severn region. As part of The Couchiching Conservancy’s mandate, we aim to encourage and foster an understanding and awareness of the natural environment. As an Ambassador, you have the opportunity to help us achieve this!
Samantha his Psst.. Every photo in t on handbook was captured 's one of the Conservancy lunteer, o v a y b s nature reserve r! e n t r staff member or pa
WHAT'S INSIDE RESPONSIBILITIES COMMITMENT ENGAGEMENT TIPS TELEPHONE
3
4 5 7
8
WEBSITE
9
FAQ's CONTACT GREETER CHECKLIST
20
“TO SIT IN THE SHADE ON A FINE DAY, AND LOOK UPON VERDURE IS THE MOST PERFECT REFRESHMENT.” – JANE AUSTEN
RESPONSIBILITIES Did you know? Grant's Woods Nature Reserve gets thousands of visitors a year!
GRANT'S GREETER Answer questions about The Couchiching Conservancy and promote the work we're doing Provide information about our current campaigns, volunteer opportunities, newsletter, and Passport Independently set up/put away the information table, track visitors, ensure adequate materials are available and on display (e.g. Passports, forms, etc.) OTHER Invite supporters to special Conservancy events and assist as needed (AGM, Nature Counts, etc.) Call supporters to chat about the work we've been doing, and renew their annual memberships Help at Passport to Nature events & deliver booklets Tag us online & share our social media posts R Woods N Grant's . W. d R ion s i v i D 1485 Ontario Orillia,
COMMITMENT
Without you, The Couchiching Conservancy would not be able to reach as many people and create a community of like-minded supporters who want to protect the natural habitats in our region. Due to this importance, we’re hoping you can commit to the following:
Accomplish a minimum of 3 jobs per year Complete the Ambassador Training Read our monthly e-newsletter
4
ENGAGEMENT TIPS Acknowledge visitors with a warm smile and friendly “hello” Allow them to approach you first. Introduce yourself and mention you’re a volunteer with The Couchiching Conservancy. Get the conversation started by asking questions like:
1. Why do you enjoy spending time in nature? 2. Have you visited any of our public nature reserves before? 3. Did you know Grant’s Woods is managed by a local land trust?
Have a two-way conversation. Sometimes it’s easy to get carried away, remember to talk with the person, not at them. It’s important to let them do most of the talking and for us to listen. This builds a deeper relationship with the individual.
Focus on their interests. People are more likely to care about the work we do if it relates to them. By connecting our work to their interests, they're able to see themselves in the organization. Stick to one ask. Based on their interests, suggest a small way to get involved without overwhelming them (e.g. newsletter sign-up, protect an acre). Storytelling is a powerful way to develop relationships with individuals. Tell your own stories and share an experience you’ve had volunteering or out in nature. We relate to stories, they help us visualize the importance of the issue at hand. Let them know their support is important and show them how it's making a difference in their community (e.g. annual report, maps). Don’t feel like you need to put a time limit on your conversation. If someone seems interested in the work we do, take your time and feel free to extend the conversation.
6
TELEPHONE Invite supporters to special events, and help donors renew their annual memberships
Call lists & scripts will be provided by staff Response rate is best on weekday evenings Call the individual twice before leaving a message Voicemail: o Say your name and who you're calling on behalf of clearly o Leave the call back number twice, and slowly o Repeat your name at the end of the message If a number is out of service please let us know
WEBSITE HOME PAGE
NEWSLETTER WHAT WE DO
NATURE RESERVES GET INVOLVED
EVENTS ABOUT US
NEWS + BLOG ANNUAL REPORTS STRATEGIC PLAN DONATE
PROTECT AN ACRE CORRIDORS CAMPAIGN couchichingconserv.ca
8
FAQ's Q: What does The Couchiching Conservancy do? A: The Couchiching Conservancy is a non-profit, non-government land trust that protects the natural features of the Couchiching-Severn region for future generations. The organization was founded in 1993 by passionate nature-lovers looking to make a difference in their community.
Q: What is a Land Trust? A: A land trust is an organization whose goal is to work with people to protect and manage ecologically sensitive land for future generations. Our Mission Statement: 1. To preserve, protect, restore and improve the natural environment of the Couchiching-Severn region. 2. To encourage and foster an understanding and awareness of the natural environment and its value in enhancing our quality of life. 3. To acquire, maintain and preserve lands or interests in lands of ecological, recreational, scientific, scenic, heritage or open space value. 4. To promote and undertake research and data collection on the natural environment and to distribute the findings to the public.
Q: How big of an area does The Couchiching Conservancy cover? A: The Couchiching Conservancy helps to protect and manage over 50 nature reserves - a total of over 14,000 acres. That's twice the size of Orillia!
Q: Does The Conservancy have an office? A: Yes! Our office is located at Grant’s Woods Nature Reserve. This 52-acre reserve has a 4 km network of walking trails with connecting footbridges and interpretive stations. The property is open to the public year round at no charge, has an accessible trail and seasonal composting toilets (closed during the winter). The office was renovated in 2016 and has solar panels and geothermal wells!
10
Q: How old is Grant’s Woods? A: Grant’s Woods was originally owned by the Grant family from 1909-2002. They built a quaint farmhouse, surrounded by 52 acres of old growth forest. The Grant family had a strong connection with the forest, and acted as guardians of the land. Through their ownership of the property there was little impact on the forest some trees are now over 200 years old! As time passed, the property was passed onto the Grant brothers, Bill and Jack. In 2002, after Jack passed away, Bill contacted The Couchiching Conservancy to donate the property. The old farmhouse is now The Conservancy’s main office. There are many remnants of the farm that can still be seen today, such as the Fargo truck, which is located just after the bridge on the Trillium Trail.
Q: How do you look after all of the nature reserves? A: Our Stewardship Team and incredible Community Science volunteers help monitor & maintain our nature reserves and easements. Volunteer Land Stewards are assigned a reserve and complete site reports 2-4 times a year, property maintenance volunteers help us yearround, and our monitoring teams collect data throughout the field season that provides important information on things like water quality and species presence. A Property Management Plan is created for each nature reserve, and updated regularly with new strategic actions for better protection, recovery and enhancement of the property.
Q: Does your organization follow certain standards and practices? A: Yes! The Couchiching Conservancy is guided by our strategic plan - a vision of what we want to achieve over a period of time. It includes a list of goals and objectives that we aim to achieve over 5 years. We also follow the Canadian Land Trust Standards and Practices to ensure we better our practices as a land trust and organization as a whole.
12
Q: Are your nature reserves open to the public? A: We have over a dozen nature reserves (NR) open to the public with over 23 km of footpaths. These include: Adams NR Alexander Hope Smith NR Cameron Ranch (Carden Alvar Provincial Park) Carthew Bay NR Church Woods NR Grant's Woods NR Jennett Woods NR Kris Starr Sanctuary Ron Reid NR Scout Valley Easement (City of Orillia) Sweetwater Farm NR T.C. Agnew NR Windmill Ranch - Sedge Wren Marsh Trail (CAPP)
Reserves closed to the public are isolated and/or have ecologically sensitive lands.
"WE WILL BE KNOWN FOREVER BY THE TRACKS WE LEAVE." DAKOTA PROVERB
Q: How is The Couchiching Conservancy funded? A: The Conservancy is a membership-based organization that receives contributions and donations from its regular givers, members and supporters. To support specific projects, The Conservancy will seek donations and grants from foundations as well as provincial and federal government. Our goal is to diversify our funding sources to maintain independence and long-term sustainability.
Q: Do you host public events or activities? A: Yes! We host a variety of volunteer-run events through our annual Passport to Nature program. And, thanks to generous community sponsors, all events are free to attend! Enjoy a combination of in-person events and webinars led by knowledgeable staff and volunteers, as well as self-led activities. Experiences range from birding, paddling, road trips, and more!
14
Q: How do you determine and acquire the properties that need to be protected? A:The Conservancy has priority regions and actively seeks properties within them. The individual property may be donated, acquired through purchase following a fundraising campaign, or acquired through partnerships with other organizations (such as Ontario Heritage Trust, Ontario Parks, or the Nature Conservancy of Canada). The Conservancy also holds Conservation Easements on private properties. These easements are gifted by the owners of the property with mutually agreed upon restrictions. Easements are registered on the title of the properties. Ownership remains with the landowner and the easement stays with the property once it is sold.
Q: Do you do anything else besides protect land? A: Yes! We’re also involved in sharing information on conservation and the importance of protecting wildlife in our area. We’ve partnered with other organizations and government agencies to conduct biological inventories, gather information on Species at Risk, and coordinate habitat enhancement projects.
Q: Do you have employees or is the organization run by volunteers? A: The Conservancy has a mix of paid staff and volunteers. University and college students sometimes supplement our paid staff during the field season, however, The Conservancy could not function without our volunteers. Each nature reserve in our care is monitored by a team of volunteers, overseen by staff. There are hundreds of volunteers registered with The Conservancy, including a governing board.
Q. How do I become a member? A: Memberships are a very affordable way to take a direct role in protecting the natural habitats & heritage in your community. As a member, you gain voting rights at our Annual General Meeting (AGM), and provide important funds for the work we do. Most importantly, you gain a lasting relationship with wilderness in the area and a community of passionate individuals dedicated to protecting nature. Individual Membership: $40/yr Family/Group Membership: $60/yr Memberships are active for 12 months
16
Q: What uses are generally prohibited on the nature reserves? A: Collection of materials such as picking wildflowers, removal of wood, fossils, etc. Feeding wildlife Off-leash dogs ATVs/off-road vehicles Foraging Mountain biking Paintball Shelters and stands Trapping Swimming Hunting Camping
Q: What uses are generally permitted? A: Hiking Paddling Snowshoeing
Photography Cross-country skiing Birdwatching
Case-by-case basis: Fishing Picnicing Feeding birds Research Educational field trips Group visits with a trained Conservancy leader
Q: What's the role of a volunteer? A: Volunteering is a great way to gain hands-on experience and learn about the health of your surrounding environment. Volunteers play an extremely important role connecting the public with conservation efforts, and gathering data that’s used to understand the nature reserves we protect. Our Community Science program is crucial to the work we do and is open for intake December through February.
Do you get involved with politics? A: No, The Conservancy does not get involved in lobbying or political activity. The Conservancy has sought to bring about change through “third way thinking” rather than using an adversarial or advocacy approach. From time to time, The Conservancy may provide information to a government or community organization involved in an environmental issue (e.g. Bird Friendly Orillia). As well, The Conservancy may be able to help provide a solution to an environmental issue through development of a conservation easement, such as Scout Valley in Orillia, or out-right acquisition of threatened lands like Cedarhurst Alvar.
18
Q: What is The Heartwood Fund? A: The Couchiching Conservancy’s responsibility to future generations includes ensuring the sustainability of our efforts. Our past presidents have come together to create the Heartwood Fund – a “forever” fund, a protected endowment whose income is dedicated to supporting the core of the organization. For more information on the Heartwood Fund, please visit couchichingconserv.ca/donate/heartwood-fund/
Q: Why is protecting land important? A: Protecting the natural land in our region is vitally important. Not only does it provide crucial habitat for plants and animals, it’s also a valuable part of a healthy community. We’re working to build corridors of wilderness throughout the Black River Wildlands region and the Carden Alvar. The creation of wildlife corridors has become more urgent in the face of a rapidly changing climate. These are the bridges for species to move. Corridors reduce fragmentation, which has a big impact on species survival. A UN report concluded one million species are threatened with extinction, and many Canadian provinces could become ‘climate refuges’ for animals heading north to escape rising temperatures. We’re working towards creating the starting point of the wildest spaces left in Ontario.
CONTACT Your safety is top priority. We ask that you consider the following recommendations when engaging the public:
Maintain a safe distance (6ft) Masks are welcome and optional If you're feeling ill, please stay at home Proudly wear your Ambassador badge Remember your water If at any time you feel the need to go home, please do not hesitate to do so.
QUESTIONS?
Samantha Vessios
Engagement Organizer
engage@couchconservancy.ca 705-326-1620
couchichingconserv.ca @couchconserv
20
DATE
WEATHER
Greeter Checklist BOOK 2 HR SHIFT STORAGE ROOM CODE TABLE + CHAIR AMBASSADOR BIN PASSPORTS, ANNUAL REPORTS, BROCHURES, FORMS WATER, HAT, BUG SPRAY, SUNSCREEN, SNACK RETURN COMPLETED REPORT BACK FORM PLACE EVERYTHING IN STORAGE ROOM + LOCK UP
GOALS
TO-DO
DOGS ARE ON-LEASH
TRACK VISITORS
NEWSLETTER SIGN UPS
SPREAD AWARENESS
MAKE NEW FRIENDS!
"PRESERVE AND CHERISH THE PALE BLUE DOT, THE ONLY HOME WE’VE EVER KNOWN." – CARL SAGAN