Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
$23,585  Willamette Valley 

ODFW’s mission is to protect and enhance Oregon’s fish, wildlife, and their habitats for use and enjoyment by present and future generations. ODFW staff and programs have been most visible in rural communities (compared to urban communities) for over 125 years of history. However, most Oregonians live in urban areas. ODFW acknowledges that the majority of ODFW resources are deployed based on the needs of fish and wildlife, which creates a perceived gap in service to people between rural areas and cities, especially in the Portland Metro area. To address this gap in service ODFW will partner with Valadrian Consulting to conduct interviews and focus groups with ODFW staff and members of the public living in the Portland Metro area. This will result in recommendations for ODFW’s future engagement in Portland and an ArcGIS map on relevance, awareness, and mission service disparities to inform future engagement activities. ODFW will use the learned information to connect with its urban constituents, expand its outreach efforts about living with wildlife in urban environments, increase awareness of and public engagement with Oregon's fish and wildlife. This work is expected to benefit both ODFW and members of the public in the urban environment. ODFW will connect with communities historically absent from discussions to learn ways that the agency can better serve and connect with them. ODFW will be using staff time and existing materials to match the funding for this project.