The Oregon Zoo Partnership: A Model for Empowering Urban Wildlife Conservation
Start Date
3-2-2020 9:50 AM
End Date
3-2-2020 10:00 AM
Abstract
In 2016, the Oregon Zoo opened its award-winning Education Center, focused on small actions guests can take to have a big impact on wildlife, both near and far. The exhibit space features the role small animals play in the environment, including the Western Pond Turtle headstart program, and interpretive exhibits that inspire guests to get involved in helping wildlife and their habitats. Most importantly, the Center relies on an innovative partnership model to convey educational messages to its 1.6 million visitors. More than 25 conservation organizations provide engaging programming in the space with activities for the zoo’s diverse audiences. In conjunction with zoo volunteers, last year these partners held conservation conversations with over 60,000 guests.
Of these partnerships, the most impactful is our deep and ongoing work with the US Fish and Wildlife Service. A full-time Interpretive Specialist from the Service is embedded at the zoo and has worked closely with zoo staff since the Center opened. This partnership allows both organizations to engage visitors in a larger conservation story and leverages the resources each brings to the table. The presence of the Service provides visitors with enriched engagement, adding to their zoo experience and allowing the USFWS to reach an urban audience they would not otherwise reach. Notably, the partnership has extended outside of the Center itself into other programming, such as zoo camps, volunteer training, special awareness day events, and the collaborative creation of a new Pacific lamprey display. Collectively we are helping each other accomplish our shared conservation mission.
Subjects
Animal ecology, Conservation biology, Environmental education, Environmental social sciences, Fisheries, Wildlife biology
Persistent Identifier
https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/33845
Rights
© Copyright the author(s)
IN COPYRIGHT:
http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
DISCLAIMER:
The purpose of this statement is to help the public understand how this Item may be used. When there is a (non-standard) License or contract that governs re-use of the associated Item, this statement only summarizes the effects of some of its terms. It is not a License, and should not be used to license your Work. To license your own Work, use a License offered at https://creativecommons.org/
The Oregon Zoo Partnership: A Model for Empowering Urban Wildlife Conservation
In 2016, the Oregon Zoo opened its award-winning Education Center, focused on small actions guests can take to have a big impact on wildlife, both near and far. The exhibit space features the role small animals play in the environment, including the Western Pond Turtle headstart program, and interpretive exhibits that inspire guests to get involved in helping wildlife and their habitats. Most importantly, the Center relies on an innovative partnership model to convey educational messages to its 1.6 million visitors. More than 25 conservation organizations provide engaging programming in the space with activities for the zoo’s diverse audiences. In conjunction with zoo volunteers, last year these partners held conservation conversations with over 60,000 guests.
Of these partnerships, the most impactful is our deep and ongoing work with the US Fish and Wildlife Service. A full-time Interpretive Specialist from the Service is embedded at the zoo and has worked closely with zoo staff since the Center opened. This partnership allows both organizations to engage visitors in a larger conservation story and leverages the resources each brings to the table. The presence of the Service provides visitors with enriched engagement, adding to their zoo experience and allowing the USFWS to reach an urban audience they would not otherwise reach. Notably, the partnership has extended outside of the Center itself into other programming, such as zoo camps, volunteer training, special awareness day events, and the collaborative creation of a new Pacific lamprey display. Collectively we are helping each other accomplish our shared conservation mission.