1. Situational Analysis
The Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge want to increase awareness about the 3,621
acres of land consisting of “forests, prairies, and wetlands.” It also has more than 20
miles of hiking trails for guests to take advantage of to discover the “myriad of natural
wonders.” The FWNC&R hosts events such as the “Buffalo Boogie Fun Run” and has
different educational functions like the “Pre-School Discovery Club.” The FWNC&R
strengths are the different events and programs it offers as well as abundant amount of
diverse land. Increasing the audience’s awareness of these strengths will hopefully help
bring in a more diverse crowd and more people in general.
In order for FWNC&R to increase awareness and bring in diversity it needs to work on
its media relations. The last article or news published about FWNC&C was on April 25th
of last year by the Star Telegram according to LexisNexis. After a media audit it was
apparent that there is not much contact with the media or even in the blogging world. The
Facebook page seemed well managed but needs to be brought to people’s attention more.
There also was a Flickr account that has not been updated since 2010.
The Opportunity
There are plenty of opportunities to be taken advantage of through the media and social
media.
 The Media- The media can increase awareness by sending out press releases or
inviting the media to events.
 Social Media- Creating accounts on other social media sites as well as become
more involved with social media to attract more people, especially of the younger
age groups.
 Programs- Try to get more people involved in the events, activities, and programs
to make them want to visit more than once.
Competitor Analysis
The last part of the analysis is the possible threats to the FWNC&R strategic plan. These
threats and competitors are:
 Panther Island
 Lake Worth
 Trinity Park
 Fort Worth Botanic Gardens
 Fort Worth Water Gardens
 Fort Worth Zoo
 Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens
 Klyde Warren Park
 River Legacy Park
All these as well as any other park in the Dallas/Fort Worth area could be possible
threats. The FWNC&R offers a lot more land to explore and nature to see than any of

2. these other destinations. The FWNC&R also offers programs for kids, while some of
these other outdoor recreations do not. Although most of the other recreations are free
and the FWNC&R is not and neither are their programs. Other recreations are specialized
to the one thing that they are offering. For example, the zoo focuses on animals so they
will probably have better animals than the FWNC&R, but they do not have much of
anything else that the FWNC&R offers. These outdoor recreations are simply
specializations of all the numerous activities the FWNC&R has to offer. Those
recreations rely on just a few activities, but they cannot compare to the amount of
activities available at the FWNC&R.
Industry Analysis
There was an outdoor participation report done in 2014 by the Outdoor Foundation that
shows who all participated in outdoor activities from 2006-2013. According to the report:
 In 2013, people ages 6-24 participated in 99 outside activities, while people ages 25
and older participated in 77 throughout the year.
 While the younger audience was involved in more outside activities per year, they
only made up 34 percent of the participants, and ages 25 and up made up the other
65 percent.
 Running or jogging was most popular regardless of race and had 57 million
participants with a 20 percent participation rate in 2013.
 In 2014, 15 percent of runners ran from 5-8 in the evening according to a study done
by Run Keeper.
 16 percent of participants enjoyed biking and 12 percent of participants enjoyed
hiking.
 70 percent of participants said they liked to get outside as a way of exercising.
 The West South Central region made up 11 percent of participants or 15.6 million
people.
 The top 5 most popular outdoor activities are running, biking, bird/wildlife
watching, fishing, and hiking. (All these can be done at the FWNC&R)
 Paying for outdoor recreation activities has gone up 7 percent and is expected to go
up 12 percent.
These statistics show that the young audience is promising and can definitely have more
participants. It also shows there is not much of a diverse audience that likes to do outdoor
activities. Although running was very popular no matter what race the participants were.
Audience Analysis
Most of the information found on the audience was in the outdoor participation report
done 2014 by the by the Outdoor Foundation. If information is from another source, that
source will be listed.

3.  In 2013, 70 percent of outdoor participants were Caucasian.
 The next highest participating groups were African American with 11 percent,
Hispanics with 10 percent, and Pacific Islanders with 7 percent.
 30 percent of outdoor participants earned an annual household income of $100,000
or more.
 Participants over 13 who are students and unemployed make up 25 percent of
outdoor participants.
 While Hispanic participation is low, those that do participate spend as much time
outside as Caucasians.
 Over 24 percent of Pacific Islander and 22 percent of Hispanic participants enjoy
running as their favorite outdoor activity.
 According to the book Outdoor Program Administration, Generation X people have
a desire and appreciation for learning and participating in outdoor activities.
 According to a study done by the Physical Activity Council, 53.4 percent of
Generation X parents participate in outdoor sports, while 58.3 percent of
Generation Y parents participated in outdoor sports.
 That same study also stated that 67.1 percent of generation X parents participated in
fitness sports, while 64.4 percent of Generation Y parents participated in fitness
sports.
From this research I was able to conclude that running was the most popular outdoor
activity, especially for Pacific Islanders and Hispanics. While the participation rates in
other races besides Caucasians, research shows that we can reach those other races
through exercise or having family time. Generation X and Y participants and Caucasians
are the largest audiences that participate in outdoor activities.
Target Audience
Primary Audiences:
 Youth - Ages 6-12 - Caucasian - Fort Worth
13-17 African American Arlington
18-24 Hispanic Dallas
Asian/Pacific Islander
Other
 Runners - Ages 6-12 - Caucasian - Fort Worth
13-17 African American Arlington
18-24 Hispanic Dallas
25-44 Asian/Pacific Islander
45 plus Other
Secondary Audiences:
 Bicycle Riders - Mountain Bicycling

4. BMX
Road Bicycling
 Hikers
 Walkers - For Exercise
For Scenery
 Bird Watchers
 Wildlife Viewers
 Skateboarders
 Families
 Stay Home Parents
 People Trying to Lose Weight
 Households With Income Over $100000
These secondary audiences include age groups, demographics, and regions listed in the
primary audiences. Most of these secondary audiences are groups that participate in
outside activities according to the Outdoor Foundation. The other few are some groups
that might also have an interest in outdoor activities.
Objectives
 To inform 20 percent of runners ages 18 and up about the 3,621 acres of land the
FWNC&R has within two years.
 To increase followers on Social Media by 15 percent in two years.
 To persuade 20 percent of children ages 6-17 that the educational programs offered
at FWNC&R are fun in two years.
 To increase the number of visitors by five percent in two years.
 To increase the number of children ages 6-17 enrolling in programs and activities by
15 percent in two years.
 To build Social Media pages on Instagram and Twitter as well as improve Facebook
page in two years.
 To distribute news releases to five different news outlets, four to six weeks before
the annual Buffalo Boogie Fun Run.
 To place news stories in some of the top U.S. media markets within two days after
the Buffalo Boogie Fun Run.
Key Messages
 The FWNC&R offers a myriad of wonders in our beautiful 3,621 acres of land that
we hope everyone in the Dallas/Fort Worth area comes to see.
 The FWNC&R welcomes runners and joggers to share the 20 miles of gorgeous
hiking trails with us.
 The FWNC&R encourages kids to join our academic clubs, camps, and programs to
not only learn but to also have fun.

5.  The FWNC&R hopes all visitors share their experience with friends and family, as
well as with us.
 The FWNC&R hosts the perfect environment for families to spend time together
while enjoying nature.
 By offering affordable prices to everyone, we hope to appeal to people of all ages
and races.
Tactics
Tactic #1
Target Audience: Runners of all ages and races
Action: Once a month the FWNC&R will host a run during the evening from
4:30-7:30 or 5-8. The events could be called “Twilight Trails.” So not only
could the FWNC&R host this event, they could change the path of the run
each month hence “trails” in the title. It would give people a chance to run
after it has cooled down and also see the nature instead of running on the
side of street or at the gym. After finishing the trail each runner would be
rewarded with a voucher for a free or discounted pass to the FWNC&R. The
voucher would also have all the social media information on it as well and
say something like, “share your experience with us!” to gain followers.
How to carry out: The FWNC&R would send out news releases to WFAA, KTVT
(CBS local), KXAS-TV (NBC local), and FOX 4 a week before the event each
month. The FWNC&R would also post information and reminders about the
event on their social media sites two weeks before, a week before, the day
before, the day of, and the day after to recap the event. That way the
FWNC&R can ask participants to share their experience online or give
feedback to attract more people and see what they think.
Rationale: According to a study done by Run Keeper, in 2014 approximately
15 percent of runners ran from 5-8 in the evening. This is higher than any
other time of day, no matter what day of the week this is. It is peak running
hours for everyone regardless of age and race, which accomplishes attracting
diversity. By having the social media information on the voucher, this will
help with our objective of gaining more followers and getting the FWNC&R
name out there as well.
Tactic #2
Target Audience: Runners ages 18-24, Families
Action: Every Halloween night from 7-9 the FWNC&R can host a race/game
where “good” runners go try to get through a trail or course while having to
avoid “bad” runners. “ It could be called “Fright or Flight” and each year the
theme could change for the “good” and “bad” runners. For example, cops and
robbers, or humans and zombies would be the “good” and “bad” runners.
Participants will wear a belt with three detachable flag, if they finish trail
with all three flags they get a free admission to the FWNC&R. If they have one
or two flags they get a 50 percent off voucher and if they have none then they

6. simply get a slip that thanks them for participating. The FWNC&R will
include their social media information on each of these different vouchers or
slips to gain more followers and hopefully get feedback.
How to carry out: The FWNC&R would send out news releases to WFAA,
KTVT, KXAS-TV, and FOX 4 a month, a week, and a day before the event. As
well as the day of and after, so that a station or stations hopefully come out to
cover the event. To attract more visitors besides locals, the FWNC&R would
also try to get a feature story or feature release on the event in Texas
Monthly. Advertisements could also be placed on Texas Outsider to attract
Texans not just locals. This would be a special enough event to send news
releases to FOX, CNN, NBC, CBS, and USA TODAY. On social media the
FWNC&R would have updates about the event in the closing months, and
then starting a month before there would be a count down until Halloween.
Rationale: According to Statistic Brain, in 2014 85.3 percent of 18-24 year old
adults celebrate Halloween and 68.5 percent of the U.S. celebrates the
holiday. People ages 18-24 do not want to go trick or treating, they want to
go out and do something. Also parents of young adults would not have to
worry about them partying or getting into trouble. This would be a great
event for this age group as well as families. Most parents are with their
children trick or treating but since the event is a little later, the families can
do both or just have a family night at the “Fright or Flight.”
Tactic #3
Target Audience: Kids ages 3-12, Families
Action: Create a nature hike or walk for kids that happen every week during
summer mornings. Kids get go to see different animals, insects, and plants
each week. Parents would most likely be required to come, but that gives
them time to spend with their kids. Each walk could feature different
animals, insects, and plants so kids could learn, but also have fun being
outside and enjoying nature. After the walk, kids would get a little certificate
saying they completed the walk. While the parents could receive a summer
calendar of upcoming events and activities for them or their kids to do. The
calendar would have all the social media accounts so that they can share
their experience as well as provide feedback on their experience.
How to carry out: Put up a calendar on all social media sites and talk about the
new weekly nature walk for kids to do over the summer during the last
month kids ages 6- 12 are in school. Parents are always looking for
something to do for their kids, especially during the summer. This could
become a regular activity for mom and the kids or the whole family! The
FWNC&R would have a radio advertisement running on FM stations 92.5,
93.3, 97.1, 103.7, and AM station 620. It would run the last week of school
during school beginning and ending school times. It could also be rerun once
a week during the summer.
Rationale: According a press release from American Express, in 2013 parents
were expected to spend 856 dollars per kid on summer activities. That was a
40 percent increase from 2012, which most likely means that number is

7. higher now. Parents need to keep their kids busy over the summer and the
walks would be an educational and cheap activity for kids and parents.
Parents want to spend more time with their children in general. According to
research conducted by the Washington Post, Pew Research, and Journal of
Marriage, parents spend more time with their kids now than they did in
previous generations. This activity would attract kids and parents from all
different demographics because it is affordable and allows parents to spend
time with their kids.
Tactic #4
Target Audience: Kids ages 4-12, Families
Action: Create a summer membership for kids to get into to any summer camp
or activity for a flat fee. This goes with the last tactic discussed, but would not
only attract kids and their parents but also keep them coming back. This
membership would be set at an affordable price and have incentives. These
incentives could be to bring a friend to an activity for free for a day, or the
parents get in free for a day. You could also have an incentive where the kids
will receive a prize or gift if they use their membership card a certain amount
of times over the summer.
How to carry out: This would tie into the local radio advertisements discussed
in the previous tactic. It would simply be one advertisement that talked
about the nature walk for kids and the summer membership. It would be run
before school and after school on FM stations 92.5, 93.3, 97.1, 103.7, and AM
station 620. The FWNC&R would also have all the information about the
membership on their Facebook and Twitter pages so it easy to find and learn
about. The FWNC&R would place advertisements in all the local elementary
schools yearbooks. Kids would see these advertisements and possibly tell
their parents, or tell their friends who might not have noticed the
advertisement.
Rationale: Implementing this membership would bring in visitors, and not just
once but multiple times. It would bring in all types of different races and
attract families or stay-home parents looking for summer activities. It would
be approximately the same price as one ticket to an amusement park, but
lasts the whole summer and would get kids active and learning as well. Kids
enjoy gifts, so giving them an incentive to keep visiting for a gift might lead to
them telling their friends. With the bring a friend free pass, a kid’s friend
might tell his friends and spread information about the membership through
word of mouth.
Tactic #5
Target Audience: Everyone
Action: Build or enhance social media sites to inform and attract visitors of
every demographic. Create a Twitter and Instagram account for the FWNC&R
and improve Facebook page. On the social media pages the FWNC&R would
have a calendar of all upcoming events for the month and have updates on
activities or events coming up. It would also have information about the kid’s
summer membership as well. The Facebook and Twitter pages would have

8. places to submit posts as well as places to leave feedback about the FWNC&R.
The FWNC&R would also have a contest for pictures of the month, where
visitors can post pictures of their pictures on the social media sites. The
FWNC&R will then select 5-10 pictures and feature them on their website or
social media sites for the month. Picture winners will also get a free visit to
the FWNC&R.
How to achieve: Gaining followers is not easy but the FWNC&R already has
some followers on Facebook. Through the previous tactics mentioned, the
FWNC&R can gain followers by placing their social media sites on programs,
vouchers, and slips as well on the radio advertisements. Also, by encouraging
visitors to share their experience and submit posts, it will allow visitor’s
friends to see the FWNC&R social media page as well. These actions will help
the FWNC&R gain much more followers on all social media platforms.
Rationale: Everyone is using social media more and more each year, for
example, 71 percent of Americans 18 and up are using Facebook, according
to a study done by the Pew Research Center. Now 52 percent of Americans
use two or more social media sites according the same study done in 2014.
Effectively using social media could reach Americans of all races and ages,
although mainly teens and adults. Using social media can help an
organization gain recognition while spreading information about the
organization.
Evaluation
Using the social media sites the right way will allow the FWNC&R to listen to
feedback from visitors and respond. Visitors will be able to tweet or post on the
Facebook page how their experience was at an event or a visit. At each event or
activity, participants are going to have to register. This will give the FWNC&R access
to visitor’s emails, with these email addresses the FWNC&R will send out surveys
for people to complete with an incentive. For example, the visitors will get 50
percent off their next visit if they complete the survey. The FWNC&R will also have
surveys and a comment box located at the center. The email surveys and social
media feedback will most likely be the most effective methods of evaluation.