Douglas Stienbarger
Washington State University Extension, Clark County
11104 N.E. 149th St., C-100
Brush Prairie, WA 98606-9565
(360) 397-6060 ext. 7716, (360) 397-6122 fax

Land in the West has fragmented into smaller parcels under development pressure to accommodate increasing populations. New residents on these parcels possess limited knowledge about managing the land. Extension, NRCS, and Conservation District members from eight Western states developed an outreach curriculum to provide small acreage landowners information on inventorying resources, setting goals, soils, water, managing animals, pastures, and manure that enables them to manage their land in an environmentally sensitive manner. Seventeen additional resource professionals reviewed the materials before finalization.

The curriculum, available on CD, comprises five modules with 15 lessons, an instructor’s guide, lesson plans, handouts, PowerPoint presentations, pre- and post-tests, and suggestions where localized information should be substituted. (See http://www.animalrangeextension.montana.edu/LoL/home.htm) A key strength is the program’s adaptability to local audiences. After initially training 47 resource professionals, close to 1,000 CDs were distributed. Parts of the program have been used extensively by Conservation Districts, NRCS, Extension, and others throughout the West. The entire curriculum has been used in Idaho and Washington.

Anecdotal evidence in Clark County, Washington suggests that following participation in the course, landowners make significant changes to their management practices (e.g., maintaining septic tanks, protecting wellheads, diverting runoff from animal manure, etc.). A follow-up evaluation of participants (100%) from the first two full-length courses (Fall 2003 and Spring 2004) will be conducted and analyzed during Fall 2004 to determine what changes participants effected based on what they learned. This workshop will present an overview of the LOL program and program impacts based on this survey.