MSU Extension course takes an active approach to address community conservation
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EmailThis 6-week, hybrid course prepares participants to work with decision makers, influence management decisions and aid in conservation efforts.
Conservation Communication: Catalysts for Change (C4) is a course that will guide you through the process of creating and delivering a message to the people in your community who have the power to address natural resource issues. The course was developed by the University of Minnesota and shared with Extension services of eleven different states, including Michigan State University Extension, to empower people to address natural resource issues at a grassroots level in their local communities.
Through the course, participants will learn a variety of communication techniques that will help to present natural resource issues in a logical, fact-based manner. The course also provides instruction on how to find and present viable solutions to decision makers. Upon completion of the course, participants will have created a strategic plan to engage their local decision makers about an issue that matters to them.
In 2025, the course is delivered over a six-week period, beginning March 17. The first five weeks are self-paced online, with eight learning sessions that each take about a half hour to complete. After completing each session, participants will apply the information presented to their engagement plan; at the end of the course, their engagement plan is nearly complete!
The course wraps up with an in-person workshop at the end of the sixth week, where course instructors will revisit some of the concepts presented online, and provide participants with opportunities to practice delivering their engagement plan and receive feedback from peers.
The 2025 session of C4 kicks off on March 17, with a short program orientation webinar on Thursday, March 13 from 12-12:30 p.m. The course registration cost is $40, which includes access to the online modules, handouts, and lunch during the in-person workshop that will be held 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. on April 25, 2025, at the Michigan Nature Association Education Room, 2310 Science Parkway in Okemos. Attendance at the in-person workshop is mandatory to complete the course.
For questions about the course, please contact Julie Crick, Natural Resources Educator, Michigan State University Extension, at crickjul@msu.edu or 989-275-7179.
