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Marketing a State-Wide Invasive Species Webinar Program

Event Promotional Package

Morgan Pinkerton
Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Agent
UF/IFAS Extension
Sanford

Team Members: Pinkerton, M*1, McCormick, K*2, Hodges, A3, Rector, R4, Kelly, L5, Linville, A6, Field, K7
  1. Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Agent, UF/IFAS Extension Seminole County, Sanford, Florida, 32773
  2. Residential Horticulture Agent and Master Gardener Volunteer Coordinator, UF/IFAS Extension Seminole County, Sanford, Florida, 32773
  3. Doctor of Plant Medicine (DPM) Director, University of Florida/IFAS, Gainesville , Florida, 32773
  4. Graphics Manager, Seminole County Government, Sanford, Florida, 32773
  5. Graphics Coordinator, Seminole County Government, Sanford, Florida, 32773
  6. Public Communications Specialist, Seminole County Government, Sanford, Florida, 32773
  7. Management Support Specialist, Seminole County Government, Sanford, Florida, 32773

Abstract

Invasive species pose significant threats including economic losses in agriculture, human and animal health hazards, disruption of native ecosystems and more. A recent study suggests that the U.S. loses around $1.2 trillion annually due to invasive species. Florida is high risk for the introduction of invasive species and thus, education is critical to protecting agriculture, horticulture, and natural resources. UF/IFAS Extension Seminole County and Florida First Detector launched a statewide webinar series on invasive species. Guided by bi-weekly cooperator meetings with regulatory agencies, the team created interdisciplinary agendas for diverse audiences of farmers, landscapers, homeowners, and more. Webinars, held monthly on the first Friday, covered various invasive species topics and many focused on pest groups of concern to Florida's agriculture and natural resources. Recap blogs and video recordings were shared after each session. To promote the 2023-2024 webinars, the team developed promotional materials such as a flyer, promotional blog (https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/seminoleco/2023/07/17/first-fridays-with-ffd-24/), monthly social media graphics, and end-of-class advertisements that were disseminated through email listservs, social media, and in-person deliveries, reaching a collective audience of over 100,000 individuals. The first year of webinars was highly successful, with 828 participants, more than 300 continuing education units (CEUs) issued to licensed professionals, and over 3,500 views on recap blogs and recordings. Post-webinar surveys demonstrated that 94.7% (n=675) of respondents increased their knowledge on invasive species and 99.9% intended to adopt at least one practice learned. Six-month follow up surveys, evaluating behavior implementation over time, showed that 97.5% (n=166) of respondents had adopted at least one practice (i.e. submitted samples of suspicious pests, employed integrated pest management, etc.) since attending a webinar. The series has contributed to the acquisition of over $201,000 in grant funds to support invasive species education from 2022-2025. Ongoing promotional efforts have sustained enrollment in the 2023-2024 webinar program, establishing an effective state-wide extension educational initiative. The promotional packet developed for this project serves as a replicable model for cross-platform marketing, offering a practical checklist for other agents. Furthermore, certain promotional materials serve dual purposes in both advertising and educating, thereby expanding the overall educational impact of the webinars alone.

Program Promotional Piece