Flyer PR Supports Five Rivers MetroParks in Climate Initiative
Contributing Writers: Stacy Allen and Kate Kennan
For over six decades, Five Rivers MetroParks has been a cornerstone in the Miami Valley, preserving more than 16,000 acres of forests, prairies, wetlands, and other native habitats. This essential organization not only provides nearly 20 parks and attractions but also educates the community about the importance of protecting these natural spaces for future generations. As climate change becomes an increasingly urgent issue, Five Rivers MetroParks has taken a proactive approach by joining forces with regional organizations to spearhead climate change initiatives. The first step in this collaborative effort is understanding the scope of existing projects, as well as gauging the attitudes of residents toward climate change. This foundational work will enable Five Rivers MetroParks to set an informed, strategic path forward.
Enter Flyer PR, a University of Dayton student-run public relations firm. The team was assigned to work with the Five Rivers MetroParks led by senior communication major Stacy Allen. Flyer PR has launched a comprehensive campaign to assist Five Rivers MetroParks in achieving these goals. This campaign aims to assess the Dayton community’s attitudes toward climate change and how to increase climate action. Flyer PR used different research methods to evaluate these attitudes.
The first form of data collection was surveys. Flyer PR created a survey and distributed it online, via Qualtrics, and in person. The survey recorded demographics, climate change attitudes and organizational awareness. According to the survey results, the overall average of familiarity with Five Rivers MetroParks is 1.5. This average falls between “strongly agree” and “agree.” This indicates that most respondents are well-informed about the organization, understand its purpose, believe it benefits the community and support it addressing climate change.
Flyer PR also conducted focus groups and interviews to gain further insights into community perspectives. The focus group participants showcased that they understood and acknowledged the changing weather patterns but they feel many believe climate change to be a distant issue. Some expressed sadness and stress over the issue. However, many participants view the Five Rivers MetroParks as a “beacon of hope” for the Dayton area regarding climate issues. Additionally, the interviews with community partners reinforced the need for MetroParks to take a leadership role in regional sustainability efforts.
Ultimately, Flyer PR targeted these issues and gave suggestions to the Five Rivers MetroParks. The first suggestion is increasing media presences on TV, radio and posting more climate change information to social media. Instead of a general idea of climate change and how it affects the world, stories and experiences need to be discussed to show localized impact and encourage participation in change. In addition, to engage children more effectively, schools and other youth centers should integrate climate change awareness into their activities and lessons to teach in more familiar environments.
Overall, the collaboration between Flyer PR and the Five Rivers MetroParks provided data that highlighted the Dayton communities’ attitude towards climate change and efforts to resolve it. Flyer PR’s research also showcased the importance of increased media outreach and educating the youth about climate action in and around the Dayton area. This project taken on by Flyer PR has one purpose, to display the Dayton community’s awareness of climate change. This project is not just for research, it is about the impact on the community. The work done by Flyer PR is intended to guide steps for Five Rivers MetroParks to increase sustainability and climate change awareness and prevention efforts in Dayton. Through this research and understanding of the Dayton community’s perspectives, Five River MetroParks can implement strategies that resonate with the public. This research project shows a collaboration between two organizations in the Dayton area, to resolve the gap between the Dayton community’s awareness and actual action on climate change.