Virginia Coastal Program: 2002 Coastal Grant Project Description and Final Summary
Project Task:
FY2002 Task 2
Grantee:
Virginia Department of Environmental Quality - Virginia Coastal Program
Project Title:
Virginia Coastal Program Outreach
Project Description as Proposed:
Funds the Coastal Program Outreach Coordinator (OC) position and supports outreach activities. OC is responsible for coordination and implementation of a communication plan for the Virginia Coastal Program, which has a continued critical need for efficient and effective dissemination of program and coastal management information among its state and local partners, and information outreach to the general public. During the FY02 grant, the OC will produce two issues of the Virginia Coastal Program magazine (Spring/Summer '03 and Fall/Winter '03); strengthen the Program's relationship with the media; coordinate the Program's participation in a regional coastal showcase planned for CZ'03; and participate as needed in the Program's RPC's and federal evaluation. Other ongoing products/activities include: Website design, development and maintenance; production and maintenance of program display materials (including a new focal area exhibit for the Seaside Heritage Program), and participation in state and local exhibit events; development of public information materials, i.e. issue brochures, fact sheets, press releases, and articles for coastal publications; and, finally, development or participation in workshops, training, or events related to coastal zone management issues or outreach. The OC will also assist the DEQ Education Coordinator with the promotion and dissemination of coastal environmental education curriculum materials.
Federal Funding:
$74,499.00
Project Contact:
Virginia Witmer, 804.698-4320; Virginia.Witmer@deq.virginia.gov
Project Status:
Grant Closed
Final Product Received:
Project Summary Provided by Grantee:
In
addition to responding to requests for coastal resource information
from the general public upon request and outreach support as needed
to partner local and state agencies and organizations, during the
FY 2002 grant year funding for Coastal Program Outreach has supported
the following activities:
Virginia Coastal Program Magazine - Two issues of the Virginia Coastal
Management Magazine were published. (Fall 02/Winter 03, published
February 2003; Summer/Fall 03, published September 03). The magazine
is available on-line at http://www.deq.state.va.us/coastal/publicat.html.
Web sites: In addition to maintaining and periodically redesigning
the Virginia Coastal Program Web site (http://www.deq.state.va.us/coastal/),
Virginia Oyster Heritage Program Web site (http://www.deq.state.va.us/oysters/),
and Virginia Clean Marina Program Web site (http://www.deq.state.va.us/vacleanmarina/),
the Coordinator designed a new Web site for the Virginia Seaside
Heritage Program.
On-Line Coastal Grant Information: These pages on the Virginia Coastal
Program Web site (http://www.deq.state.va/coastal/catalog.html)
include summaries of coastal funded projects and activities, including
a description of printed materials available for public distribution.
A phone number and e-mail link, if available, is provided for the
project manager, who is primarily responsible for the distribution
of all documents highlighted. These pages are continuously updated
and maintained as grant information becomes available.
2003 Virginia Coastal Partners Workshop - December, Williamsburg,
Virginia: During FY02 the Outreach Coordinator: coordinated location
procurement and logistics and planning meetings; set-up system for
accounting and registration process for staff follow-through; advertised
workshop in publications and Web sites and recruited exhibits for
Coastal Showcase; designed and distributed workshop flyer in the
Summer/Fall 03 issue of Virginia Coastal Management magazine; developed
workshop Web page to be subsequently maintained by staff (still
on-line at http://www.deq.state.va.us/coastal/wkspresults.html
).
Coastal Program Exhibits: Coastal Program exhibits or materials
appeared at the following October 2002 - September 2003 events.
New display materials produced in FY 02 included an exhibit focusing
on the Program's work with SAMPs, which debuted at CZ'03. A collage
of exhibit photos is attached.
" 10th Annual Eastern Shore Birding Festival - Northampton
County - October 2002
" Watermen's Weekend, Virginia Marine Science Museum - October
2002
" Night of the Living Museum at Virginia Living Museum, Virginia
Beach - October 2002
" GreenSea Festival, Virginia Beach - October 2002
" Chesapeake Bay Program Executive Council Meeting - October
2002
" Urbanna Oyster Festival - November 2002
" Chesapeake Bay Days at the Virginia Science Museum - March
2003
" Environment Virginia 03 Conference at VMI, Lexington - April
2003
" Saving Our Coastal Heritage Conference, Baltimore - April
2003
" Earth Day Events, Virginia Beach and Warrenton - April 2003
" Eastern Shore Watershed Festival - April 2003
" 312 Evaluation - June 2003
" Coastal Zone `03, Baltimore - July 2003
" Trash Bash - Virginia Marine Science Museum - entire month
of August 2003
" Bay Seafood Festival, Belle Island, Rappahannock River -
September 2003
Other Projects/Activities of Note:
2003 Virginia Coastal Program 312 Evaluation: Assisted in agenda
development, logistical details and development of information folder
for Evaluation Team. Coordinated on-line and printed public meeting
announcements.
Other Publications: Coordinated edits to the 2002 State of the Beach
Report produced by the Surfrider Foundation - available on-line
at http://www.surfrider.org/stateofthebeach/index.htm;
Coordinated edits/printing of VIMS Think Green Shoreline Stabilization
Brochure; designed Virginia Coastal Program Ad for 2003 Saving Our
Coastal Heritage Conference brochure; designed Northampton County
Sensitive Natural Resource Area Overlay District Fact Sheet and
drafted article for Eastern Shore News "Shore Outdoors"
newspaper insert; drafted highlights of VSHP and VOHP for 2003 EPA
Coastal Conditions Report; designed and coordinated printing of
2003 Eastern Shore Birding Festival Poster; drafted Coastal Chapter
for 2003 DEQ 305B report; updated on-line and hardcopy VCP Goals
Accomplishments Report.
Other FY02 Expenditures: Expenditures included purchase of supplies
needed for the 2004 Smithsonian Folklife Festival - plotter ink
and paper to produce new exhibit panels and posters, as well as
creation of a new costumed character - "Seacil of the Seagrass",
and refurbishment of the two "Omar of the Reef" costumed
characters, which are in frequent use.
Form C end
Disclaimer: This project summary provides the federal dollars initially awarded to the grantee. Due to underexpenditure or reprogramming of grant funds, this figure may change. For more information on the allocation of coastal grant funds, please contact Laura McKay, Virginia Coastal Program Manager, at 804.698.4323 or email: Laura.McKay@deq.virginia.gov
A more detailed Scope of Work for this project is available. Please direct your request for a copy to Virginia.Witmer@deq.virginia.gov
