OSU Land Steward Program Professional Development Project

2021-2022 Final Report EVALUATION: Professionals

Professionals: Western Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program Outreach Survey

The WSARE survey was distributed at in-person conferences and for online conferences and meetings and after trainings to all participants and instructors.  In online conferences the response rate was low.  The need to click a link and complete a survey before popping into other zoom rooms did not inspire high survey participation rates. We think that the attendance in the presentations is an indication of interest.  A total of 191 participants in such presentations provided 30 survey responses.  This outreach resulted in 27 natural resource professional becoming lead or regional instructors for offerings of the land steward course.

Survey Results from professionals are below.

This Program

• Improved my awareness of the topics covered: 87%
• Provided new knowledge 80%
• Provided new skills: 67%
• Modified my attitude:s 60%

Respondents estimated that in the next year they would share some aspect of this project with a total of 480 clients or a mean of 16 clients each.

In the next year I am likely to use some aspect about this project

• In an education program that I plan or participate in: 77%
• As a resource I will make available to producers: 73%
• As a professional development tool for my peers: 47%
• To improve advice or council I give to producers: 67%

2021-2022 Final Report

At the beginning of this grant, we had mostly only served participants in Jackson County Oregon. In our previous in-person format we could only reach 30 per year. We have now offered the program with local leadership for eight regions of Oregon representing 23 Oregon Counties. There are twenty-seven new land steward lead instructors across the state. With the new delivery options developed with the help of this grant we have served 284 land steward course participants from Oregon, California, Washington, Idaho, Oklahoma, Kentucky, British Columbia and Ontario in Canada, and Costa Rica.

LS Online Offerings, Professionals trained, student participants.

The nine rural resource guidelines are used by participants in the online course.  The assessments in the guidelines are used to assess their resources and create management goals.  Their findings are put into their stewardship plan.

The documents are also useful as stand alone documents. Using the nine rural resource guidelines in sequence or in any combination, it is now possible to complete a do-it-yourself Land Steward Plan. The online page where we host these guidelines has had 458 page views.

In 2021 we secured $4,600 from the Oregon Forest Resource institute to help publish hard copies of the this comprehensive curriculum. This will be available in spring of 2022

The most recent 2022 Winter Spring Land Steward Online Course had 84 registrants of these 79 participated in the program. (Some never entered the course or responded to outreach from the instructor.)  The course includes three, two-hour classes with natural resource professional from their region.  These classes had regional instructors focusing on four regions of Oregon, each providing specialized natural resource zooms. Participants work though online content in nine modules on the following topics: Land management planning, Forest health, fire prevention, wildlife habitat, stream management, pasture management, soil stewardship, rural water systems and rural economics and enterprise.  After each module, participants assess their land for the topic of the week and use their results to create goals and actions for their land management plan.  The plan includes property information, a map, a land vision, resource assessment findings and an action plan.  Each week there is a zoom networking and mentor session, to help build community and answer general questions about the resource assessment findings.  To earn a certificate of completion the requirement is to complete all modules and complete a land steward management plan.

After completion of the course an anonymous survey is provided to the class to evaluate the course.

From the registration data, these are reported land types and years owning property of the registrants for the 2022 Winter Spring Course.  This gives a sense of the audience. Percentages vary with each class, but the overall trends are similar. Registrants self-reported managing 7,525 acres.

Land type reported by the 2022 registrants was

• Forest 43%
• Dryland Pasture or Range 29%
• Oak Habitats 20%
• Crops/Orchards 5%
• Irrigated pasture 3%

Number of years they have been at their land reported by the 2022 registrants was:

• 1-2 years: 63%
• 3-9 years: 19%
• 10-62 years 16%
• 100-110: 2%

Evaluation Results:  36 participants responded to our online survey. (86% of those completing the course).

• 62% (49 participants) completed all nine course modules.
• 53% (42 participants) completed a land steward property management plan.
• Survey respondents reported owning 963 acres altogether.
• By the end of the class they had planned, begun or completed management improvement practice on 70% of these acres (682 acres).

In response to the below question 36 respondents reported 117 improved practices.

 In the list below please select the categories of any major stewardship projects you have undertaken, or practices you have changed as a result of your participation in the Land Steward course. If you wish, briefly describe your projects or practices in the space provided after each category.

Please see link for legible data:

Table of categories of 117 improved practices by 36 respondents 

Narrative descriptions of their improved practices include:  

• Thinning and limbing fuel reduction
• I have always used rotational grazing, however some areas have been overgrazed. I have been able to better identify areas of invasive/pest plants and will be working to remove these and renovate pasture areas.
• Realizing that all the dead wood I planned to remove is habitat means I don't have to feel bad about leaving it there
• I have always (37 years here) managed the land to include wildlife and native vegetation. I will be propagating some of the natives and focusing more on pollinators and plants to support them.
• I have identified areas of particular concern, and am starting to address specifics before major growth- blackberry, scotch broom, various pasture weeds.

In their evaluation of the online course, they answered this questions: How effective were the following components of the Land Steward Course in Helping you develop and meet your land stewardship goals?

Percentages for Effective to Very Effective:

• The land Steward online modules: 88%
• The virtual meetings with natural resource experts: 77%
• Completing assessment worksheets for their land: 93%
• Creating a stewardship plan for your property: 97%
• Weekly networking mentor zoom sessions; 63%

We are especially pleased to see the effectiveness of the assessments and creation of a plan.

90% felt the amount of content in the online course was “about right.”

100% reported: As a result of the Land Steward training, my ability to access the information and technical assistance I need has improved.

75% were satisfied with the online format of the course.

Following are some responses to the question - What did you like most about the course?

• The instructors approach to Land Management as a holistic system. The connections to relevant people, agencies, information. Self paced format, depth of material available, organized for easy access; local contacts with experts and resources
• The range of topics covered.
• It helped me narrow down my goals for my property that are reachable and effective.
• Local expert connections, meeting others with similar interest, enthusiasm from instructor
• Getting to know our property through the lens of the topic areas and developing an organized approach to living in it with a positive impact
• The sharing of collaborative resources. Each of our stewardship sites have some shared characteristics but also quite unique ecological traits that require specialized attention and care. I valued most learning that the challenges can be daunting but appreciate getting in contact with experts who have faced similar challenges and can share directions.
• Developing a binder full of useful information on land management. My goals for our property were changing through out the course so I will not be completing it as time permitted.
• Comprehensive overview of all things I need to know on our new land.
• It gave me a sense of direction about owning land. The course incorporates how to have both habitat and usable land for yourself.
• I liked the ability to accumulate resources that were relevant to me, but being able to focus less on the areas that weren't relevant to me. The online modules really let you go as deep as you want with each topic, or skim the surface if that's all you need.
• learning about the resources available, the weekly zooms to help keep up on the assignments and learn from others - both students and mentors.
• the creation of an ongoing workable management plan