The Guide is currently under review through a project with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs. This project being funded through the Knowledge Translation & Transfer (KTT) program is entitled – The Ontario Rural Landowners Stewardship Guide: Extending Its Application across Rural Ontario – Review, Refinement, and Promotion.
The Project timeline is from January 2011 to April 2013. There is several objectives for the project:
1) Review the progress of the Ontario Rural Landowners Stewardship Guide in informing and educating rural non-farm property owners in being good environmental stewards;
2) Examine why or why not the Stewardship Councils and Conservation Authorities across Ontario have adopted the guide for specific use in their locales;
3) Through contact with Stewardship Councils, Conservation Authorities, and user groups, define what has worked and what requires additional assistance to make the guide useful to all;
4) Based on input and feedback, make revisions to the Guide, and promote its use to Stewardship Councils, Conservation Authorities, and appropriate NGOs in Ontario; and
5) To link together those who are using the Guide in a Community of Practice.
The project ties into OMAFRA’s priorities to promote strong economic, social, and environmentally healthy rural communities.
During 2011, a survey was completed of users/non-users of the Guide across Ontario. From this review a comprehensive inventory of various versions of the Guide has been completed. Because the guide was developed with a flexible design, it has been adapted to fit a variety of locales, including versions ranging from Lake Simcoe to Lake Superior, to a specialized version for horse owners. Please see link below for a summary of the survey information compiled to date.
Early in 2012, a workshop is being planned to host users of the Guide to discuss what works and what needs to be improved in the Guide.
Based on input on what needs change/improvement to the Guide, a new updated edition of the Guide will be prepared. Through information compiled to date, revisions to maintain the Guide’s relevancy to current government initiatives will be made (e.g. clean water, species at risk, green energy).
A mass-marketing effort will be completed once an updated Stewardship Guide is compiled. A web host for contact and follow-up information will be developed (most likely at this website address). The Guide will then be promoted to all known stewardship/environmental groups currently active in rural Ontario.
New mechanisms for promoting the Guide will be developed, including a “how to” user guide web video link, articles/ads in rural magazines, and live presentations at environmentally-oriented conferences.
Through the assemblage of background information and contacts, a Community of Practice will be established consisting of an embedded members-only discussion group forum within the site.