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<br />Strategic Action A: Expand the Scope of the Environmental Policy Board <br /> <br />For the first strategic action, we turned to the City of Eden Prairie for a case study on how natural resource <br />communications can be approached through different models of city boards and commissions. Eden Prairie has <br />a Conservation Commission that looks at natural resources at a high-level of policy, while the Parks, Recreation, <br />and Natural Resources Commission look at the lower-level, more related to technical review, of natural <br />resources. This lower-level policy Commission is responsible for reviewing development plans and city <br />ordinances that address topics within their scope. We recommend that Ramsey further examine the roles and <br />mmissions to see if there are issue areas or approaches that may resonate <br />with Ramsey residents. This includes the possible creation of a liaison between the Parks Board and the <br />Environmental Policy Board to relay information between groups on major initiatives and projects. Further, we <br />recommend that Ramsey consider working with local high school students by appointing them to an advisory <br />role to the existing EPB. In addition to this younger perspective, the EPB could also bring in speakers from <br />outside of the community to speak on topics in which existing board members may have interest. <br /> <br />Strategic Action B: Increase Learning and Engagement With the Environment Through <br />Key Terms, Signage, and Innovative Communication <br /> <br />Education in effective interaction between the community and developers, with regard to natural resources in <br />Ramsey, is important in preserving the character of the community. An interactive and effective form of <br />education can help create a common understanding of the impact that both developers and the community can <br />have on the natural resources around them. We recommend that strategic educational engagement take a few <br />different forms, in order for it to be easily received by all groups. <br /> <br />1.Key Terms Page <br />First, we want to direct residents and developers to a newly created key terms page on the city website for <br />definitions and examples of important natural resources in the city. Ramsey has a unique set of natural <br />resources and due to the vast nature of the phrase, it is crucial that this be broken down in an understandable <br />way. <br />2. Creative Signage <br />Another educational tool to implement is creative signage placed near recreational locations around the <br />community in order to reach wide audiences. This tool will help bring learning to places in which the community <br />already frequents. <br /> <br />3. Interactive Programming <br />We also propose more interactive city programming, such as a traveling chalkboard and visual documentation <br />projects, to facilitate engagement with the public at on-going/existing public events in Ramsey. These projects <br />can both give and gather information from the residents surrounding natural resources. <br /> <br /> <br />2 <br /> <br />