At the Bitter Root Water Forum, we have a few new projects that are very publicly visible, one at a City Park and one at a Fishing Access Site.
I'd love to see examples of educational project signs that you have developed along with information like;
- did you hire a graphic designer?
- any lessons learned going through the process of developing a sign?
- does it have a community engagement element (i.e. QR code, Hashtag, or Selfie Spot, etc.), and have people utilized it?
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This is a sign we made as a part of a large revegetation effort on the Bull River. It is posted at multiple public access sites, and in the Green Mountain Conservation District office. We did hire a graphic designer and I highly recommend that you work with someone. Working with a professional has helped us ensure the quality/size/ pixelation of the file when it goes to print. We were able to work with someone relatively local that offered us a nonprofit rate to boot. The only recommendation that I have in working with a professional like that is that you pull together the content ahead of time and have that polished. All the logos, and the text, and the right photos. That way you won't have to rack up expensive edits in the review process.
I can't say exactly how much engagement these signs have resulted in by themselves alone, but definitely in last few years since most landowners I interact with have heard of our work along the Bull River before I first meet them. Especially at one location, a publich access boat take-out on the river, the sign provides good context to river users on why all that fencing is out on the river.
Thanks, Brita! This is really helpful!
And if you're looking for an excellent graphic designer, Lee Huber with
Cinch Design is your person. He's helped us with our last two State of the Watersheds reports as well as the Watershed Stories, including those huge Watershed Stories banners. He was based in Helena, but I believe he moved to Bozeman within the past year.