About the Project

As social science studies emerged that could inform new and existing community engagement, outreach, and education programs around water quality in the Great Bay watershed, practitioners asked for help finding, interpreting, and applying findings from this research. To help address this management need, a project team worked to gather, categorize, and summarize available relevant human dimensions research through interactive peer learning sessions that brought together researchers and practitioners to discuss and co-develop insights on the practical implications of social science research in the watershed, build capacity to interpret research findings, and explore opportunities to fill gaps.

About this Resource

This resource includes the overviews of key takeaways from each learning circle discussion.

• Takeaways 1: Conceptual Frameworks for Motivating Behavior Change
• Takeaways 2: Documenting Public Opinions to Guide Programs & Influence Policy
• Takeaways 3: Understanding and Building Loyalty Among Visitors and Volunteers
• Takeaways 4: Social Science For Communications and Messaging
• Takeaways 5: Drivers of Local Policy Change and the Role of Technical Assistance