Engagement, Outreach & Interpretation

A Resource by the Marine Protected Areas Federal Advisory Committee (These statements do not necessarily reflect the positions of NOAA or the U.S. Government)

Chumash interpreter telling the story of Syuxtun Story Circle in Santa Barbara, CA. *(NOAA ONMS)*

Stakeholder engagement refers to a variety of ways in which protected area managers reach out to those interested in or affected by protected area management to inform and involve them in management issues. Engagement can be thought of along a spectrum of involvement, from simple awareness to active participation in management activities (such as through citizen science). Examples of engagement strategies include:

Communication (e.g., media, social media, websites)
Signage
Experiential activities (e.g. guided snorkeling or dive trips; other field trips)
Advisory bodies (e.g., Sanctuary Advisory Councils)
Community volunteers (e.g. volunteer docents)
Citizen science (e.g., volunteer monitoring)
"Friends of.." Groups

Opportunities and Obligations

Building remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) with students is a great way to introduce cultural resources in MPAs, as well as marine technology career paths. *(NOAA ONMS)*

Engaging with stakeholders is a critical element of successful management of protected areas. Managers engage stakeholders for a wide variety of reasons, from raising awareness about the existence or conservation goals of an MPA to recruiting volunteers and citizen scientists. Managers of marine cultural resources have a special opportunity when engaging the public, as these resources have the potential to capture the imagination and connect people to their heritage. Key objectives for engaging stakeholders include:

Increase awareness and raise visibility of the MPA
Enhance understanding and support for the MPA's purpose and resources
Sustain formal and/or informal communication and collaboration with community members
Encourage stewardship behaviors
Enable others to help advance MPA objectives
Instill community ownership and pride in the MPA

Methods and Approaches

people at a workshop — Public meetings and advisory bodies enable constituents to play an active role in MPA management. *(NOAA ONMS)*

A handbook developed by the University of Michigan in collaboration with NOAA Marine Protected Areas Center, Engaging Communities in Marine Protected Areas (PDF) describes principles for MPA managers in engaging communities:

be proactive
be clear about purposes and terms
understand, validate and speak to the community's concerns
start early, with clear expectations
be responsive
be inclusive
build on common needs and goals
recognize that it all begins with relationships

Related Topics

Tribal consultation is a formal means of communication between federal agencies and the government of a federally-recognized tribe that reflects the United States' recognition of the sovereignty of federally-recognized tribes. This process is used to exchange information, deliberate, and address federal policies that have tribal implications. As such, this process is distinct from stakeholder engagement, and entails unique legal issues. In many coastal areas, original tribes continue to live in their traditional homelands and are state-recognized, but not federally-recognized. While the obligation to have formal consultation refers only to federally-recognized tribes, federal agencies may find it productive to enter into informal consultative relationship with non-federally recognized tribes and tribal communities who continue to carry multi-generational knowledge of their cultural landscapes. For guidance regarding indigenous peoples, which includes non-federally recognized tribes, see United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

NOAA Procedures for Government to Government Consultation with Federally Recognized Tribes

Case Studies

38th Voyage of Whaleship Charles W. Morgan

The Chincoteague Wreck Tagging Program

Engaging Communities in Marine Protected Areas: Concepts and Strategies from Current Practice