No matter the nature of the initiative, all projects run by agencies and other organizations have one thing in common: They need to build consensus and support among the public and other stakeholders. This calls for an efficient and effective Public Outreach and Engagement Plan. Without a comprehensive public outreach effort, projects run the risk of igniting controversy with no means of mitigating it.
An interesting case that underscores how public outreach can help shape and advance a project is the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) “Plan for Mute Swans.” Mute swans can cause a host of problems, including aggressive behavior, potential hazards to aviation, and widespread environmental damage to aquatic vegetation, native wildlife species, and water quality. The “Plan for Mute Swans” supports actions by the DEC to manage the mute swan population.
The DEC released a draft Management Plan for Mute Swans in New York State engaging in a public outreach effort that invited written public comments. The result: Thousands of emails, letters, and petition signatures from individuals and organizations. According to the DEC website, in general, animal welfare organizations strongly objected to the plan, while a number of environmental groups supported it. The DEC reviewed all of the comments to identify specific and substantive concerns, questions, ideas, information, and points of view that would help us improve the plan. As a result of the review, the DEC released a revised draft that it says “reflected a balanced but more acceptable approach to the management of mute swans in New York.” It listed several substantive changes to the plan that were made based on feedback from the public and other interested parties. Significantly, these changes include a “revised goal focused on minimizing swan impacts, rather than eliminating all swans.” Public comments contributed to the final plan.
Contact us today at 201.612.1230 to learn how our proven outreach strategies can help maximize public engagement and help achieve consensus for your next project.
