Integrating Nature into Agri-tourism

View the project final report

• 2008 annual report
• 2009 annual report

Commodities

Practices

• Education and Training: demonstration, farmer to farmer, mentoring, networking, technical assistance, workshop
• Farm Business Management: agritourism, cooperatives, feasibility study, new enterprise development
• Natural Resources/Environment: biodiversity, habitat enhancement, wildlife
• Sustainable Communities: community development, community planning, community services, employment opportunities, leadership development, new business opportunities, partnerships

The Business of Birding Institute is an educational outreach effort for farmers, private landowners, entrepreneurs, community leaders, and Cooperative Extension educators in Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Tennessee. The Institute will help participants learn about nature-based agri-tourism, and conduct outreach to their communities. As a result of this outreach effort, participants will demonstrate a better understanding of nature tourism’s potential to improve farm income and rural economies while also conserving natural resources and increasing the public’s appreciation of agriculture. With this understanding, participants will be equipped to determine the feasibility of beginning a nature-based agri-tourism business on their farm operation. Ideally, cooperation and collaboration among different sectors of a community will create an integrated product for tourists. Steering and Working Committees comprised of farmers; local community leaders; and private, state, and federal agency staff, will plan, implement, and evaluate a week-long Business of Birding Institute. Visits to Arkansas’ Grand Prairie and southeast Mississippi River Delta regions will highlight the benefits of integrating nature into agri-tourism, and examine nature tourism’s potential for impacting rural communities and their economies. After completing this course, graduates will: -have a deeper understanding of nature tourism; -be able to evaluate and make informed decisions about starting a nature-based business as an additional income source; -be familiar with business management and service industry “best practices;” -understand sound land management practices and how they benefit agricultural lands, wildlife habitat, natural resources, farm families, and rural communities; -understand how resource management and economic versatility can benefit future generations; -return home with the knowledge that building partnerships within the community develops civic pride and results in marketing strength for entrepreneurs, farmers, and landowners; and -understand how including youth in nature tourism development will bring insight, fresh perspective, and technological skills, and provide opportunities for rural youth to remain and work in their communities. The Institute will be a regional pilot that is built on a 2007 effort by Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas and Audubon Arkansas. This effort developed an educational course to broaden attendees’ potential income base by promoting watchable wildlife and bird-related tourism. It was targeted to Arkansas delta farmers, landowners, and businesses. “The Business of Birding” series of noncredit workshops included modules on business development, marketing, bird identification, habitat development, and nature interpretation. Ten classes were offered from March through August. Twenty-one students took at least one class and four students earned a certificate by taking six or more classes. Students included hunting lodge owners, retail operators, potential tour operators, federal and state natural resource agency personnel, and retired birdwatchers. This grant will allow us to pilot and evaluate the revised week-long format of the Business of Birding Institute. Depending on evaluation outcomes, future directions for the Institute could include expansion of curriculum to include nature interpretation certification for guide services, intensive habitat management studies, or wildlife and botany expertise training. The geographic scope of the Institute could expand to include additional southeastern states.

We propose four project objectives that will be explained in detail in the “Approach and Methods” section of this proposal.

1. Plan a week-long Business of Birding Institute with Steering and Working Committees comprised of local farmers, private landowners, and businesses and regional experts from the tourism industry and Cooperative Extension Service. The Institute will be held in February 2009.
2. Develop an outreach plan and central message to educate the target audience about nature tourism and to recruit participation in the Institute. At least 25 people from the four-state region will register for the Institute.
3. Implement a week-long Institute that will provide farmers, private landowners, and entrepreneurs the tools necessary for determining the relevance and feasibility of pursuing a nature-tourism business, while also providing community leaders and Extension educators with educational materials and an action plan for outreach to rural communities. All participants will receive a certificate of completion and complete an individualized action plan.
4. Conduct formative and summative evaluations to measure program impact and outreach. Evaluation results will be compiled by October 2009 with a goal of an 80 percent survey response rate.

After completing this course, participants will:

-have a deeper understanding of nature tourism;
-be able to evaluate and make informed decisions about starting a nature-based business as an additional income source;
-be familiar with business management, land management and service industry “best practices;”
-understand sound land management practices and how they benefit agricultural lands, wildlife habitat, natural resources, farm families and rural communities;
-understand how resource management and economic versatility can benefit future generations;
-return home with the knowledge that building partnerships within the community develops civic pride and results in marketing strength for entrepreneurs, farmers, and landowners; and
-understand how including youth in nature tourism development will bring insight, fresh perspective, and technological skills, and provide opportunities for youth to remain in their communities.

Institute participant goals will be accomplished by:
-teaching classes on business management, understanding legal issues, marketing, understanding nature tourists and birders, hospitality, identifying local wildlife species, improving wildlife habitat, and identifying resources for technical and financial assistance;
-visiting or describing successful nature tourism businesses to improve participant understanding within the context of the rural agricultural community;
-instruction and demonstrations of sustainable land management practices for improving wildlife habitat on the farm, including USDA natural resource conservation programs;
-discussion of community partnership development to illustrate the greater strength in collaborative marketing and business planning;
-demonstrations of youth inclusion strategies for nature tourism development to bring insight, fresh perspective and technological skills to business development from within the community;
-completion of a “next steps” strategic action plan for each participant to implement on their farm, land, or in their local community;
-evaluating the short-term and long-term effectiveness of the workshop in assisting farmers, private landowners, and entrepreneurs in their decision to pursue a nature-based enterprise; and
evaluating the impact on Extension educators, community leaders and communities.