Researchers from Purdue University conducted interviews and surveys in the Matson Ditch watershed to understand social factors impacting conservation efforts. They found that some producers felt there was a lack of ownership over water quality issues and burnout from past activities. Researchers recommended focusing outreach on specific practices like two-stage ditches, convening an advisory farmer group, and engaging agronomists to address concerns about practices like maintenance requirements for two-stage ditches. The researchers' process involved starting in a watershed with capacity, interviewing agencies and producers, conducting social surveys, and providing recommendations to guide farmer outreach meetings.

1. So we built it. . .
But will they come?
Understanding the
Social Dimension
Linda Prokopy, Ph.D.
Nick Babin, Ph.D.
Purdue University

2. Natural Resource Social
Science Lab at Purdue
Surveys
Interviews
Focus groups
Facilitated meetings
Focus on farmers and farm
advisors and water quality

3. Our Process in the
Watershed Approach
1) Start with a watershed with sufficient
capacity
2) Interview agency staff
3) Interview producers
4) Social indicator surveys
5) Detailed report with outreach
recommendations
6) Ongoing guidance for conducting farmer
meetings

4. Social Capacity
• Paid watershed staff
• Active conservation groups
• Inter‐agency trust and
collaboration
• Problem salience and
awareness
• “Basic” BMPs already
adopted
• Some farmers are
conservation leaders
Source: facilitated discussion with government program administrators, university
researchers, and professional resource managers

5. Interviews in Matson Ditch
In-depth, qualitative
3 agency/county staff
8 producers:
– 3 non-participants
– 2 past-participants
– 3 active-participants

6. Lack of ownership of problem
“If it is affecting the lake than it is out of sight, out of
mind.” (Non-participant)
“There is only so much we can do about it, you need to
look at city folk as well.” (Past-participant)
“If the problem is phosphorus and Lake Erie than many
producers will point out the role of golf courses, lawns.”
(Active-participant)
“We wanted clean water but farmers are always getting
blamed. There is too much focus on the agricultural
sector for this pollution.” (Past-participant)

7. Burnout from past activities
“The water is worn out from testing; you shake your head
that we are paying for this.” (Non-participant)
“It also seems like the (CEAP) researchers have no idea
how agriculture works and aren’t producing any results
that are interesting to us. For example, when they gave
us the results of the stalk nitrate testing, they gave no
yield data.” (Past-participant)

8. Recommendations
Sell as continuation of old projects not
“new” initiative
Convene advisory group of key farmers
and important actors in watershed
Engage agronomists and Pheasants
Forever
Focus on specific concerns with practices,
e.g. two-stage ditches

9. Two-stage ditches
“What do they look like in 5-10 years? Will it have to be
dug out and re-seeded every 2 years? Who pays for
that?” (Non-participant)
“I mean yeah they are a great thing but they cost a lot of
money, and where do you put the dirt?” (SWCD
Employee)
“I have to be careful I am not blocking drainage and that
some kind of in-stream or filter practice doesn’t change
the upstream drainage pattern.” (Surveyor)
Nature.org

10. Our Process
1) Start with a watershed with sufficient
capacity
2) Interview agency staff
3) Interview producers
4) Social indicator surveys
5) Detailed report with outreach
recommendations
6) Ongoing guidance for conducting farmer
meetings

11. Social Indicator Surveys
Baseline measures of
awareness, attitudes, constraints
and behaviors
Modeled upon surveys
developed for EPA Region 5
(more info at
www.iwr.msu.edu/sidma)
Survey random sample or
census of farmers
Can inform outreach
programming and serves as
evaluation tool

12. Our Process
1) Start with a watershed with sufficient
capacity
2) Interview agency staff
3) Interview producers
4) Social indicator surveys
5) Detailed report with outreach
recommendations
6) Ongoing guidance for conducting farmer
meetings

13. Contact Information:
Linda Prokopy
lprokopy@purdue.edu
http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~lprokopy/
Photo credit: nasa.gov
Questions?