Needs Assessment of Community Education in Riverside Park, Detroit:Promoting Environmental Awareness and Community HealthClient Prospectus Team Members:National Wildlife Federation Jason Duvall (duvallj)Contact: Carey Rogers Martha Gruelle (mgruelle)Manager, Education Programs Missy Hopkins (mlhop)Great Lakes and Southeastern Regions Kim Wolske (kswols)Relevant disciplines: Ecological RestorationLandscape Architecture/Urban PlanningEnvironmental EducationEnvironmental Psychology Community Organizing Problem StatementRiverside Park is a 22 acre city park just southwest of the Ambassador Bridge in Detroit. Running alongside the Detroit River, the park offers one of the best views of the Detroit skyline as well as some of the only public fishing access in the area. The park is an ecological treasure in that it serves as a migratory fowl flyway and is home to several species of native wildlife. Through a partnership between the City of Detroit, the Great Lakes Fishery Trust (GLFT), and the National Wildlife Federation (NWF), the park has undergone the first phase in a series of renovations. Recent improvements include a new seawall to provide greater fishing access, the creation of a walkway and seating area along the river’s edge, the installation of bilingual Spanish/English interpretive signs, andthe construction of a demonstration wildlife habitat. The park, however, remains underutilized. Purpose of StudyTo promote usage and ownership among local residents – many of whom live below the poverty line – the NWF is seeking assistance to conduct an assessment of community needs and potential education programs within the park. NWF has begun the assessment by conducting a preliminary survey of people who use the park for recreation and seeks our assistance to conduct further surveys and informal focus groups with local stakeholders. Local partners include Latino Family Services, Bagley Housing Association, Southwest Detroit Environmental Vision Project, art classes from the Academy of the Americas, and local high school Earth Tomorrow clubs. Project GoalsThe goal of this Master’s project is to support the goals of the NWF, which has identified an immediate need to better connect local residents to Riverside Park. The NWF intends to: (1) Educate local residents about the ecological value and recreational opportunities available at the park (e.g. fishing, picnicking, bird watching, etc.)(2) Promote environmental stewardship within the park and beyond by connecting environmental health to community health(3) Enhance community well-being by providing educational programs and opportunities for participation(4) Explore and strengthen partnerships between local schools and communitygroups and NWFTo support these goals, we will perform an assessment of stakeholder needs. Based on this assessment, we will make a series of recommendations for design modifications to the park, community education programming, and possible ecological restoration projects. (4)Possible research questions for this project include:1) How can a sense of ownership be encouraged and sustained among local residentsof Riverside Park?a. What are residents’ perceptions of their community, the park, and their environment?b. How do residents envision the park playing a role in neighborhood improvement?c. How do residents and other stakeholders want to use the area?d. What are residents’ perceived barriers in using the park and what activities/features might address these barriers?e. What educational programming would be effective in promoting citizen involvement in the park?f. How can we encourage people to volunteer in various projects within the park (e.g. maintenance, habitat restoration, etc)?2) How do we help residents make a connection between the health of the environment and the health and well-being of the community? a. What are the biophysical characteristics of the area?b. What human health issues exist and how do residents perceive these problems? c. How do residents perceive these problems?Possible products of research:1) Recommendations for community education programs based on analysis of surveys, focus groups, interviews and observations of stakeholders2) Policy recommendations to ensure continued maintenance and use of the park3) Ecosystem restoration and management plan4) Landscape architecture plans (based on stakeholder feedback) to transform what is now a predominately paved park into something more aesthetically pleasing5) Develop a protocol for similar community needs assessments in the futureWho might be interested in the outcomes of this research?- The residents of SW Detroit- NWF & local partner organizations (listed in purpose of study)- Great Lakes Fishery Trust- City of Detroit – for use in other urban parks- Other metropolitan areas with similar parks- USGS – they have considered Riverside Park as a possible site for habitat protection and restorationResearch Proceduresa. Research Method: 1) Review of NWF/Great Lakes Fishery Trust/relevant documents regarding history of the area, native plants and animals, past usage of the park2) Case studies of similar urban park redevelopment projects3) Focus groups of local residents and community groups4) Surveys of local residents5) Observation of park users and local residentsb. Location: Southwest Detroitc. Participants: Residents, Local Groups (Latino Family Services, Bagley Housing Association, Southwest Detroit Environmental Vision Project, art classes from the Academy of the Americas, and local high school Earth Tomorrow clubs) and Other Stakeholders in the Aread. Instrumentation and Data Collection Procedures: To be determined based on literature and case study review; will likely involve using existing, previously tested survey scales.e. Treatment of Data: TBDBudgetTBDTimeline for ProjectMay 2004 Begin literature review and initial planning with clientJune, July 2004 Develop evaluation plan (including survey and focus group design)August, September 2004Conduct focus groups; administer surveysOctober, November 2004Analyze findings of focus groups and surveysDecember 2004; January, February 2005Write up recommendations and get input from clientMarch, 2005 Present findings to client and other interested stakeholdersApril, 2005 Hand in the BLACK BOOK!Literature ReviewHerzog, T., Black, A., Fountaine, K., & Knotts, D. (1997). Reflection and Attentional Recovery as Distinctive Benefits of Restorative Environments.
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