I had a local coordinator for Wisconsin's Water Action Volunteers' stream monitoring program ask me if I had any tips for how to get people to turn in data that they are collecting.  He knows people are monitoring, but turning in their data to him doesn't seem to be a priority for them.  We currently have an online database where most volunteers submit their data to a local coordinator who then enters it online. We're working to have volunteers be able to enter their own data, but we haven't quite gotten there yet.  I figured I'd see what suggestions you all might have to entice people to turn their data in.

Thanks!

Kris

Kris Stepenuck
WI Volunteer Stream Monitoring Coordinator and staff on Volunteer Water Monitoring National Facilitation Project
UW-Extension and WI Department of Natural Resources
210 Hiram Smith Hall
1545 Observatory Drive
Madison, WI 53706-1289
Phone: 608-265-3887
Fax: 608-262-2031
http://clean-water.uwex.edu/wav
http://www.usawaterquality.org/volunteer

From: Kay and Dave Fritz [mailto:kayndave@mhtc.net]

Sent: Wednesday, September 03, 2003 4:23 PM

To: Stepenuck, Kris F.

Subject: Re: getting people to give you their data

Kris,

We have two methods people use. Either e-mail or paper. Peggy provided paper copies and addressed envelopes at the training so it would be easy for people to mail them. I have a template some people us via e-mail, others write it as a narrative. I prefer the template because I have it laid out so it's easy to enter data into your database.

Dave

Date: Tue, 18 Jul 2006 14:55:00 -0400
From: "Andersen, Karen" <KAnderse@su.edu>
Subject: RE: [volmonitor] Getting volunteers to turn data in

Hi Kris;

My name is Karen Andersen. I am the Laboratory/Program Director for the Friends of the Shenandoah River (FOSR) located in Virginia. The FOSR is a non-profit scientific organization dedicated to the preservation and restoration of the aquatic environment of the Shenandoah River and its tributaries. The FOSR has the only citizen volunteer water quality monitoring program and water quality analysis laboratory certified by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality in the state. The water quality parameters the waters are monitored for include; Ammonia, Ortho Phosphate, Nitrite-Nitrate, dissolved oxygen, pH, temperature, turbidity and E. coli (using the coliscan easy gel method). This effort is accomplished in cooperation with seven volunteer citizen monitoring organizations throughout the watershed and is recognized as the premier citizen volunteer water quality monitoring program in Virginia. Manned by over 100 volunteer monitors, water samples are collected twice a month throughout the year at more than 130 sites covering over 730 miles of river and tributary streams. The FOSR has an established "Volunteer Water Monitoring and Water Quality Analysis Quality Assurance Project Plan". Included in this plan is a training and certification program for the volunteer water monitors.

Does your group have an established set of protocols for training, water monitoring and data recording, submission and chain of custody for the volunteers?

Is this a new position for you? Not to long ago a job announcement for a Watershed Coordinator position out there in Madison Wisconsin come across my desk. It was kind of funny because about the same time my daughter got accepted to the University of Wisconsin at Madison. I told her was going to follow her out to Madison. She did not think it was so funny.

Karen Andersen
Program/Laboratory Director
Friends of the Shenandoah River
1460 University Drive
Winchester, VA 22601
(540) 665-1286
kanderse@su.edu

Date: Tue, 18 Jul 2006 15:05:22 -0500
From: Jackson.Peter@epamail.epa.gov
Subject: Re: [volmonitor] Getting volunteers to turn data in

Hi Kris,

Boy - good question! I am trying to recall what we did at IL EcoWatch. You may already be doing some of these. Let's see...the first thing is to have a "firm" deadline that is widely- and frequently-publicized. By
"firm", I mean you talk a tough game but in reality you accept any (quality) data that come in! Then, we used to make a round of calls for people who were due to monitor but had not submitted by the deadline. Next, we used to use the "guilt" method - we would have a year-end volunteer appreciation event (we actually used to have several throughout the state but cut back to one or two statewide due to budget constraints in later years). At these events we would have food, speakers, awards etc. We also sent letters to let people know how valuable their data are. Another thing was to make data submission as easy as possible. We had online data entry available to the volunteers but still required them to send hard copy as backup (to verify the data etc). In addition, since they had to submit their macroinvertebrate
samples in the case of RiverWatch (for verification), they had to send those in or drop them off. So we had places all around the state where they could drop off their data sheets and bug samples. State parks and community colleges, for instance. Then we would pick up the samples. I forget how many drop-off sites we had, it must have been 25-30. (We would monitor how many samples each site received to determine the best places to have these pick=up stations.)

In sum, we did all of the above. We still didn't get 'em all, but we came close. Hope this helps! It is easier said than done, that's for sure!

Pete Jackson
USEPA

Date: Tue, 18 Jul 2006 15:20:46 -0500
From: "Sovell, Laurie" <Laurie.Sovell@state.mn.us>
Subject: RE: [volmonitor] Getting volunteers to turn data in

Kris,

The ideas you've received so far line up with what we do in Minnesota - have a firm deadline, state it often, send a reminder letter to those who haven't submitted data by a certain date, reward those who do submit data.

Two others come to mind:

1) Let people know that their data will not be included in a summary report (if one is generated) unless it is submitted by a certain "drop-dead" date.

2) If volunteers submit hard-copy data, provide a metered, self-addressed envelope along with program materials at the beginning of the season, so it's easy for folks to send completed forms back to you.

Laurie

Laurie Sovell
Coordinator, Citizen Stream-Monitoring Program
MN Pollution Control Agency
520 Lafayette Rd. N.
St. Paul, MN 55155
651/296-7187 (phone)
651/297-8324 (fax)
laurie.sovell@pca.state.mn.us
http://www.pca.state.mn.us/water/csmp.html

Date: Tue, 18 Jul 2006 17:05:24 -0400
From: Tracie Beasley <tracie@crwc.org>
Subject: RE: [volmonitor] Getting volunteers to turn data in

We are currently using paper forms. If you choose to do this, make sure your teams have easy access to self-addressed stamped envelopes (We put them in our stream monitoring kits). I've had 100% success over 3 seasons.

Also, make sure there is a team coordinator that is the responsible person for monitoring and make this responsibility clear. Good luck.

Tracie Beasley
Stewardship Director
Clinton River Watershed Council
101 Main St., Suite 100
Rochester, MI 48307
Phone 248-601-0606
Fax 248-601-1280
www.crwc.org

Date: Tue, 18 Jul 2006 16:12:19 -0500
From: Tim Rielly <Tim.Rielly@mdc.mo.gov>
Subject: Re: [volmonitor] Getting volunteers to turn data in

I think "entice" is the key word, I'll try to make this short. The Missouri Stream Team Program offers incentives to volunteers who turn in water quality data and let us know any other activities they have been doing such as litter pick-ups or advocacy. We have an activity report that can be sent in as a hard copy or submitted electronically to the program. If they fill out this activity report they can request "thank you items" such as Stream Team t-shirts, lapel pins, temporary tattoos, etc for their efforts. They can also enter for an activity prize drawing which may be a large item such as a canoe or a "youth group prize", which may be a pizza party. We use this activity reporting system to track activities over the year. Even though we are fortunate enough to be well funded by the sponsoring agencies and by fund raising, this system is still not perfect. We know that a large percentage of volunteers do litter pick-ups and do not ever report them. Or, they may collect water quality data and not turn it in for two or three years, if ever. I know its more work but you might try looking for local sponsors to donate prizes for prize drawings, on say a quarterly basis. Its worth a shot, offering an incentive or "carrot" does seem to help.

Good luck, we all feel your pain!

Tim Rielly
Volunteer Monitoring Coordinator
Missouri Department of Conservation
573-751-4115 ext. 3166

He also responded:

Date: Tue, 18 Jul 2006 16:25:13 -0500
From: Jackson.Peter@epamail.epa.gov
Subject: Re: [volmonitor] Getting volunteers to turn data in

I agree with Tim and others that "enticing" volunteers with tee-shirts etc is effective if you have the budget. They love the tee-shirts, plus it's built-in advertising.

Pete Jackson
USEPA Region 5

Date: Wed, 19 Jul 2006 13:58:05 -0600
From: "Horn, Barb" <Barb.Horn@state.co.us>
Subject: RE: [volmonitor] Getting volunteers to turn data in

Kris-
For us getting data turned in is part of the training and an informal agreement the volunteer signs. We reclaim equipment if a volunteer does not meet our agreed upon 12 performance criteria. Folks can enter data on line and we include it as one of the steps in sampling-prep,collection, analyses, data entry, ship samples if relevant. We stress that if this whole continuum is not followed we cannot achieve our goals of protecting our streams. But we work hard up front in the training to make sure the volunteers know why we need the data and also why they are doing the sampling and that we can only
succeed together. We have tried incentives for those that do succeed, most of them tell us it is not important or relevant because that is not why they are sampling. If it was important to them we would do more of it, but we ask each volunteer how they would like to be rewarded and why they are doing this, and we turn away volunteers that don't have a common goal with us. We have volunteers sign an annual contract, that was their idea, that gives them a chance to quit and us a way to know exactly every year who is going to be committed and active..so we can look for replacements in areas to keep the data collection going. Good luck.

>>> Chris Riggert 07/20/06 10:20 AM >>>
Hi Kris!

Hope all is going well further north...hope it isn't as hot as it is here this week (triple digits actual heat w/ index of around 120...I need to change my latitude or my altitude!)

We have had similar experiences in getting our volunteers to turn in activities in general (mainly litter pick-up events, letter writing, etc.). We estimated that last year we had approximately $2.4 million in volunteer effort...but that is based on just what is reported. Like the coordinator you mentioned, we know there is more stuff they are doing and not reporting.

However, I believe we have actually been fairly successful in having our volunteers turn in their data. I believe this is for a couple of reasons.

--> The first is that the volunteers are extremely dedicated and take ownership in their adopted site and stream. They really want to see their data posted on the Missouri Stream Team website. We also digitize their sampling location on an interactive mapping page as well. So they can find their site, click on it and see the data they collected.

--> The second is that we tell them up-front during the training sessions that their data gets used by local, county and state agencies and groups(particularly our Level 2 and 3 data).

--> Finally, we offer a "carrot." Conducting and submitting WQM data is a Stream Team activity. They can get free "stuff" for volunteering their time on behalf of our stream resources (mainly t-shirts, mugs, key chains, etc.). Additionally they can be entered into a quarterly drawing for larger prizes (such as canoes, reference books, microscopes, camping equipment, etc.). I know this may not be an option for other volunteer groups across the nation. However, we have had pretty good luck in getting companies to donate larger items or gift cards (then we purchase the items) for the drawings.

I hope this helps!
Chris

From: Kris Stepenuck [mailto:kris.stepenuck@ces.uwex.edu]
Sent: Monday, July 24, 2006 3:44 PM
To: Horn, Barb
Subject: RE: [volmonitor] Getting volunteers to turn data in

Hi Barb-

Hm, an annual contract. That's intriguing. Are your data used by the state or for management purposes? I ask because our entry level - which was our only level until recently - is eductional, so it makes it more difficult to give a reason we need the information- though now with our upper levels of data use a contract makes a lot of sense. Do you have an e-copy of the contract that you could send me?

Thanks so much!

Kris