![[logo] US EPA](http://www.epa.gov/epafiles/images/logo_epaseal.gif){kind=logo}
Communicate Results of Work to Citizens and Policy Holders
- Classify coral reefs
- Develop testable hypotheses
- Define data collection protocols
- Biological sampling
- Screen attributes to define metrics
- Determine appropriate sampling effort
- Define data protocols
- Validate decision processes
- Define biocriteria
- Implement monitoring programs
- Diagnose causes of degradation
- Evaluate management effectiveness
- Communicate results
At the outset of any management program or study, the first question should be, "Who is our audience?" The answer may be a federal regulatory agency such as EPA, elected officials, local businesses such as dive shops and hotels, or the scientific community. Resource management professionals would be better funded if they took the time to answer this question.
Depending on the audience, the best product to communicate results may be a detailed table of sites and values (e.g., a 305b report), a web site with graphics and text, an email newsletter, public service announcements, or a scientific report.
Connect results to management policies
Management policies are often expressed in vague terms, such as, "Protect and preserve coral reefs and other natural resources." When the policy is vague, the role and success of resource managers cannot be determined. A more specific policy might be, "Increase coral cover and fish abundance throughout the region." Measures of coral cover and fish abundance would then be the common assessment method to evaluate management programs and communicate whether they are working.
Present data as graphics that are understandable to a non-scientific audience
Conceptual models facilitate communication between citizens, policy makes, and scientists. They may be flow diagrams or graphic depictions, two examples are provided below. Although one-page diagrams are necessarily simplified, their purpose is to engage a diverse audience and inspire them to ask more questions. See the example below.
